Would you complete a “special offer” to legally download a paid app for free? The folks at OfferedApp think so, and they’ve created an advertiser-supported service for delivering paid apps for free.
OfferedApp is almost like Woot.com, except only for apps. The service gives you an app originally priced anywhere from $1-$10 and offers to for a free download. The only catch is that you must first complete anything from an online survey to sitting through a video advertisement.
Sound interesting? Let’s take a closer look…
OfferedApp plans on offering a paid app for free each day. Every 24 hours, there will be a new application available for iOS, Android, and Blackberry. Surprisingly, OfferedApp doesn’t require you to create a user account to start downloading apps. You can, however, create an account and subscribe to an e-mail newsletter with the “daily OfferedApp.”
If you want to download the app that’s being showcased, simply enter your email address and prepare to participate in some sort of crowd-sourced advertising offer. These “special offers” could consist of anything from playing a brief online game, installing a toolbar, or watching an ad.
OfferedApp makes its money through its advertisers each time someone downloads an app. OfferedApp pays the app’s developer for the download, so the devs don’t get shorted any revenue.
Although OfferedApp sounds like a good idea in theory, it still seems a little shady. There’s no clear way of seeing what the site’s advertisers will do with your personal information. Unless the app of the day is a major steal and an app you’ve really been wanting for a long time, I’d stay away.
If you’re wanting to find some deals on apps, there are plenty of other services out there that don’t require advertisement engagement like OfferedApp. AppShopper, AppDeals, and FreeAppAlert all offer price tracking and free offers for the App Store. 148Apps and MacStories also have Twitter accounts that send out discounted app deals on a daily basis.
What do you think of OfferedApp? Will you be checking back to see the different apps that are offered each day? How do you find discounted apps?
[CNET]