Need some advice, which charging model is most beneficial nowadays? (for a mobile game):
1. Pay for full app
2. Free download and in-app purchase(s)
3. Free download and ads (pay to remove?)
4.?

4. Pay for full game. In app purchase for any extension that give player new experience.

do some research on www.medium.com there are many good articles about that.

2 - pokemon go, subway surfer so on

Depends on the app but I favor 2.

My opinion is 2

it depends, but have that in mind: if someone don't want to pay for your app is not going to pay in any case, if someone finds it useful he will pay even for a simple add-on.

how about pay to remove ad
or pay after a trial time
pay for features is very tricky to select the right free features set.

or learn from @dfox selling meaningful side products

I like paying for the full app, but it's hard to get people to pay for something they didn't get to try first. I like games where I can play the whole game without having to buy stuff, but where there are stuff I can pay for to support economically. Ads is a problem because then parents can't lend the phone to the kids - have seen way to many kids games with ads for FPS and such. Getting me hooked and then requiring me to buy "crystals" to get anywhere just causes rage..

Maybe I'm beign a bit outdated but I would make a demo version and if they liked it let them pay for the full version. I don't really like apps with ads at all... to me they seem a bit unsafe...

Option 2

Whatever you choose, just don't make it mandatory to be online. It's one of the most infuriating things ever when I'm on my way to work and underground and can't play a game because it's trying to connect to servers but the game doesn't even have online play.

2

Thanks for all the input! It's a tough decision since lost people wants free stuff but as a developer you want something back for all the time and hard work.

the most successfull model is definitely 2