diff --git a/nginx.conf b/nginx.conf index 1996d680fa..7b3e42e47e 100644 --- a/nginx.conf +++ b/nginx.conf @@ -799,6 +799,9 @@ server { # Actor README guide moved from the Academy to Publishing section rewrite ^/academy/actor-marketing-playbook/actor-basics/how-to-create-an-actor-readme$ /actors/publishing/actor-readme permanent; + # Monetization overview moved from the Academy to Monetize section + rewrite ^/academy/actor-marketing-playbook/store-basics/how-actor-monetization-works$ /actors/publishing/monetize permanent; + # Misc rewrite ^/platform/integrations/llama$ /platform/integrations/llama-index permanent; # HubSpot marketplace publishing requires the capitalized path; redirect to canonical lowercase page diff --git a/sources/academy/build-and-publish/apify-store-basics/how_actor_monetization_works.md b/sources/academy/build-and-publish/apify-store-basics/how_actor_monetization_works.md deleted file mode 100644 index 7443b2ff95..0000000000 --- a/sources/academy/build-and-publish/apify-store-basics/how_actor_monetization_works.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,164 +0,0 @@ ---- -title: How Actor monetization works -description: Discover how to share your tools and explore monetization options to earn from your automation expertise. -sidebar_position: 2 -category: build-and-publish -slug: /actor-marketing-playbook/store-basics/how-actor-monetization-works ---- - -**You can turn your web scrapers into a source of income by publishing them on Apify Store. Learn how it's done and what monetization options you have.** - ---- - -import RentalSunset from '../../../_partials/_rental-sunsetting.mdx'; - -## Monetizing your Actor - -Monetizing your Actor on the Apify platform involves several key steps: - -1. _Development_: create and refine your Actor. -1. _Testing_: ensure your Actor works reliably. -1. _Publication & monetization_: publish your Actor and set up its monetization model. -1. _Promotion_: attract users to your Actor. - ---- - -## Monetization models - -### Pay-per-event pricing model - -![pay per event model example](images/ppe-model.png) - -- _How it works_: you charge users based on specific events triggered programmatically by your Actor's code. You earn 80% of the revenue minus platform usage costs. -- - _Profit calculation_: `profit = (0.8 * revenue) - platform usage costs` - -:::info Pass platform usage costs to users - -Optionally, you can [pass costs associated with the platform usage](/actors/publishing/monetize/pay-per-event#platform-usage-costs) to the users. - -Profit calculation: `profit = 0.8 * revenue` - -::: - -- _Event cost example_: you set the following events for your Actor: - - `Actor start per 1 GB of memory` at $0.005 - - `Pages scraped` at $0.002 - - `Page opened with residential proxy` at $0.002 - this is on top of `Pages scraped` - - `Page opened with a browser` at $0.002 - this is on top of `Pages scraped` -- _Example_: - - User A: - - Started the Actor with 10GB of memory = $0.05 - - Scraped 1,000 pages = $2.00 - - 500 of those were scraped using residential proxy = $1.00 - - 300 of those were scraped using browser = $0.60 - - This comes up to $3.65 of total revenue - - User B: - - Started the Actor with 5GB of memory = $0.025 - - Scraped 500 pages = $1.00 - - 200 of those were scraped using residential proxy = $0.40 - - 100 of those were scraped using browser = $0.20 - - This comes up to $1.625 of total revenue - - That means if platform usage costs are $0.365 for user A and $0.162 for user B your profit is $4.748 - -:::info Pay-per-event details - -If you want more details about PPE pricing, refer to our [PPE documentation](/actors/publishing/monetize/pay-per-event). - -::: - -### Rental pricing model - - - -![rental model example](images/rental-model.png) - -- _How it works_: you offer a free trial period and set a monthly fee. Users on Apify paid plans can continue using the Actor after the trial. You earn 80% of the monthly rental fees. -- _Example_: you set a 7-day free trial and $30/month rental. If 3 users start using your Actor: - - 1st user on a paid plan pays $30 after the trial (you earn $24). - - 2nd user starts their trial but pays next month. - - 3rd user on a free plan finishes the trial without upgrading to a paid plan and can’t use the Actor further. - -:::info Rental pricing details - -If you want more details about rental pricing, refer to our [rental pricing documentation](/actors/publishing/monetize/rental). - -::: - -## Setting up monetization - -1. _Go to your Actor page_: navigate to the **Publishing** tab and open the **Monetization** section. -1. _Fill in billing details_: set up your payment details for payouts. -1. _Choose your pricing model_: use the monetization wizard to select your model. -1. _Define chargeable events (PPE)_: select the events users pay for (for example, per result, per API call, or per Actor start), then set clear names, descriptions, and prices. -1. _Choose a primary event (PPE)_: select the event that best represents the main value of your Actor. This primary event is emphasized on the Actor detail page, so users can quickly understand what they are mainly paying for. - - -### Changing monetization - -Monetization changes fall into two categories: - -- Non-significant changes that take effect immediately: decreasing prices, removing events, updating descriptions -- Significant changes that require a 14-day notice period: increasing prices, adding new paid events, changing the pricing model - -When you submit a significant change, your users receive a notification and the current pricing stays active for 14 days. You can only make significant changes once per month per Actor. To cancel a planned change, [contact Apify support](https://apify.com/contact). - -This means roughly one month passes between your first significant change and when you can make the next one. Plan your pricing carefully before committing. - -### Tracking and promotion - -- _Track profit_: review payout invoices and statistics in Apify Console (**Monitoring** tab). -- _Promote your Actor_: optimize your Actor’s description for SEO, share on social media, and consider creating tutorials or articles to attract users. - -## Marketing tips for defining the price for your Actor - -It's up to you to set the pricing, of course. It can be as high or low as you wish, you can even make your Actor free. But if you're generally aiming for a successful, popular Actor, here are a few directions: - -### Do market research outside Apify Store - -The easiest way to understand your tool's value is to look around. Are there similar tools on the market? What do they offer, and how much do they charge? What added value does your tool provide compared to theirs? What features can your tool borrow from theirs for the future? - -Try competitor tools yourself (to assess the value and the quality they provide), check their SEO (to see how much traffic they get), and note ballpark figures. Think about what your Actor can do that competitors might be missing. - -Also, remember that your Actor is a package deal with the Apify platform. All the platform's features automatically transfer onto your Actor and its value. Scheduling, monitoring runs, ways of exporting data, proxies, and integrations can all add value to your Actor (on top of its own functionalities). Be sure to factor this into your tool's value proposition and communicate that to the potential user. - -### Do research in Apify Store - -Apify Store is like any other marketplace, so take a look at your competition there. Are you the first in your lane, or are there other similar tools? What makes yours stand out? Remember, your README is your first impression - communicate your tool's benefits clearly and offer something unique. Competing with other developers is great, but collaborations can drive even better results 😉 - -Learn more about what makes a good readme: [Create an Actor README](/actors/publishing/actor-readme). - -### Adapt when needed - -Don’t be afraid to experiment with pricing, especially at the start. You can monitor your results in the dashboard and adjust if necessary. You can also choose to [pass platform usage costs to users](/actors/publishing/monetize/pay-per-event#platform-usage-costs) while you’re still figuring out the right price. - -To estimate pricing, run a few test runs and review the statistics in the Actor [**Analytics**](https://console.apify.com/actors?tab=analytics) tab. - -Keep an eye on SEO as well. If you monitor the volume of the keywords your Actor is targeting as well as how well your Actor's page is ranking for those keywords, you can estimate the number of people who actually end up trying your tool (aka conversion rate). If your keywords are getting volume, but conversions are lower than expected, it might point to a few issues It could be due to your pricing, a verbose README, or complex input. If users are bouncing right away, it makes sense to check out your pricing and your closest competitors to see where adjustments might help. - -### Summary & a basic plan - -Pick a pricing model, run some tests, and calculate your preliminary costs (**Analytics** tab in Console). - -Then check your costs against similar solutions in the Store and the market (try Google search or other marketplaces), and set a price that gives you some margin. - -It’s also normal to adjust pricing as you get more demand. For context, most prices on Apify Store range between $1-10 per 1,000 results. - -Example of useful pricing estimates from the **Analytics** tab: - -![example of pricing estimates in analytics tab](images/analytisc-example.png) - -:::tip Use emails! - -📫 Don't forget to set an email sequence to warn and remind your users about pricing changes. Learn more about emailing your users here: [Emails to Actor users](/academy/actor-marketing-playbook/interact-with-users/emails-to-actor-users) - -::: - -## Resources - -- Learn about [incentives behind monetization](https://apify.com/partners/actor-developers) -- Detailed guide to [setting up monetization models](/actors/publishing/monetize) -- Guide to [publishing Actors](/actors/publishing) -- Watch our webinar on how to [build, publish and monetize Actors](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nxStxC1BJM) -- Read a blog post from our CEO on the [reasoning behind monetizing Actors](https://blog.apify.com/make-regular-passive-income-developing-web-automation-actors-b0392278d085/) -- Learn about the [Creator plan](https://apify.com/pricing/creator-plan), which allows you to create and freely test your own Actors for $1 - diff --git a/sources/academy/build-and-publish/apify-store-basics/how_store_works.md b/sources/academy/build-and-publish/apify-store-basics/how_store_works.md index 9fa2121752..7f00f6b4df 100644 --- a/sources/academy/build-and-publish/apify-store-basics/how_store_works.md +++ b/sources/academy/build-and-publish/apify-store-basics/how_store_works.md @@ -37,9 +37,7 @@ Actors on Apify Store can be public or private: ## How Actor monetization works (briefly) -You can monetize your Actors using pay-per-event pricing, where users pay for specific events triggered by the Actor. - -For detailed information on which pricing model might work for your Actor, refer to [How Actor monetization works](/academy/actor-marketing-playbook/store-basics/how-actor-monetization-works). +You can monetize your Actors using pay-per-event pricing, where users pay for specific events triggered by the Actor. For details, see [Monetize Actors](/actors/publishing/monetize). ## Actor ownership on Store diff --git a/sources/academy/build-and-publish/apify-store-basics/images/analytisc-example.png b/sources/academy/build-and-publish/apify-store-basics/images/analytisc-example.png deleted file mode 100755 index 107419fbba..0000000000 Binary files a/sources/academy/build-and-publish/apify-store-basics/images/analytisc-example.png and /dev/null differ diff --git a/sources/academy/build-and-publish/apify-store-basics/images/ppe-model.png b/sources/academy/build-and-publish/apify-store-basics/images/ppe-model.png deleted file mode 100644 index a4dd93edb3..0000000000 Binary files a/sources/academy/build-and-publish/apify-store-basics/images/ppe-model.png and /dev/null differ diff --git a/sources/academy/build-and-publish/apify-store-basics/images/rental-model.png b/sources/academy/build-and-publish/apify-store-basics/images/rental-model.png deleted file mode 100755 index ce9b77d9d9..0000000000 Binary files a/sources/academy/build-and-publish/apify-store-basics/images/rental-model.png and /dev/null differ diff --git a/sources/academy/build-and-publish/why_publish.md b/sources/academy/build-and-publish/why_publish.md index 6a95467931..5be9adca88 100644 --- a/sources/academy/build-and-publish/why_publish.md +++ b/sources/academy/build-and-publish/why_publish.md @@ -22,19 +22,6 @@ Your Actor gets its own dedicated landing page with built-in documentation hosti Publishing on Apify Store means you don't need to purchase and manage domains or websites, build payment processing systems, set up hosting infrastructure, or handle customer billing manually. You also won't need to invest heavily in marketing since the marketplace presence drives discovery. -## Choose your pricing options - -Apify Store offers flexible pricing models that let you match your Actor's value proposition: - -- Pay-per-event (PPE): Charge for any custom events your Actor triggers (maximum flexibility, AI/MCP compatible, priority store placement) -- Pay-per-result (PPR): Set pricing based on dataset items generated -(predictable costs for users, unlimited revenue potential) -- Rental: Charge a flat monthly fee for continuous access (users cover their own platform usage costs) - -All models give you 80% of revenue, with platform usage costs deducted for PPR and PPE models. - -Learn more in [How Actor monetization works](/academy/actor-marketing-playbook/store-basics/how-actor-monetization-works). - ## Why developers publish Actors ### Generate passive income diff --git a/sources/platform/actors/monetizing/pricing_and_costs.mdx b/sources/platform/actors/monetizing/pricing-and-costs/index.mdx similarity index 100% rename from sources/platform/actors/monetizing/pricing_and_costs.mdx rename to sources/platform/actors/monetizing/pricing-and-costs/index.mdx diff --git a/sources/platform/actors/monetizing/pricing-and-costs/pricing-tips.mdx b/sources/platform/actors/monetizing/pricing-and-costs/pricing-tips.mdx new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..7b965a7ad3 --- /dev/null +++ b/sources/platform/actors/monetizing/pricing-and-costs/pricing-tips.mdx @@ -0,0 +1,43 @@ +--- +title: Marketing tips for defining the Actor price +sidebar_label: Pricing tips +description: Learn how to find the right price for your Actor by comparing competing tools, accounting for the platform features, and adjusting the pricing based on conversion rates. +slug: /actors/publishing/monetize/pricing-tips +sidebar_position: 1 +--- + +Pricing the Actor is your call. You can charge a premium, undercut the competition, or even make your Actor free. However, if your goal is to create a popular and profitable Actor, you need to research the market and adjust the pricing as you learn. + +## Do market research + +The easiest way to understand your tool's value is to look around: + +- Are there similar tools on the market? +- What do they offer, and how much do they charge? +- What added value does your tool provide compared to the existing ones? +- What features can your tool borrow from the existing ones? + +The next step is to try the competitor tools yourself to assess the value and the quality they provide. Check their SEO to see how much traffic the tools get, and note the estimated values. Think about what your Actor can do that competitors might be missing. + +## Consider Apify platform features + +Your Actor is a package deal. Every Apify platform feature adds value on top of your code: scheduling, monitoring runs, different ways of exporting data, proxies, and integrations. + +Make sure to consider these features in your tool's value proposition and communicate it to the potential users. + +## Do research in Apify Store + +[Apify Store](https://apify.com/store) is a marketplace, so take a look at your competition: + +- Are you the first to create a solution for a use case, or are there other similar tools? +- What makes your tool stand out? + +Use your [Actor README](/actors/publishing/actor-readme) to communicate the benefits and unique features of your tool. + +## Adapt your pricing + +Don’t be afraid to experiment with pricing, especially at the beginning. You can also [pass platform usage costs to users](/actors/publishing/monetize/pay-per-event#platform-usage-costs) while figuring out the right price. + +Keep an eye on SEO. If you monitor the volume of the keywords your Actor is targeting as well as how well your Actor's page is ranking for those keywords, you can estimate the number of people who actually end up trying your tool. It's called the conversion rate. + +If your keywords are getting volume, but conversions are lower than expected, it might point to issues. The problem might be the pricing, a verbose README, or complex input. If users are bouncing right away, check your pricing and your closest competitors to see where adjustments might help.