From developer frustration to business idea

Before launching the platform, Joko worked as a freelance developer in Bandung, Indonesia. He enjoyed testing new mobile games and apps but often found the process frustrating.

Early-stage apps were usually shared through messaging apps or temporary cloud links. Developers had no easy way to publish builds, collect users, and understand how people interacted with their products.

Joko saw an opportunity to create a space where developers could upload APKs, attract testers, and collect valuable feedback before adding subscriptions, paywalls, or other monetization features.

Turning free traffic into revenue

The project started with just Joko and a few friends uploading test apps. Soon, visitors from Indonesia, the Philippines, and India began exploring the websites.

Users were not only downloading apps; they were reading descriptions, browsing pages, and discovering new projects. Joko realized this growing audience could become a valuable asset.

Today, his two websites generate between $27,000 and $52,000 per month, mainly through Smartlink monetization. 

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How the platform works

The websites are built around one idea: giving developers a place to share unfinished or experimental products with real users. Developers upload Android APK games, browser games, utility apps and small experiments.

The audience comes mainly for discovery. Around 60% of visitors are new users exploring different projects. A typical journey looks like this:

1. Open an app description page
2. Register or explore the website
3. Test the product
4. Browse other pages

For developers, this creates valuable product insights. For Joko, it creates multiple monetization opportunities.

The technicality

Joko's platform doesn't rely on expensive SaaS tools. Instead, it's built on a custom stack that's affordable for mid-level developers.

• React frontend with SSR where needed
• Node.js backend for app data, search, and downloads
• Singapore-based VPS with Cloudflare CDN for fast global delivery
• Object storage for APKs and media files

Why two websites?

Originally, everything was hosted on one platform. As traffic grew, Joko split the project into two separate websites to better serve different audiences.

• Site 1: APK downloads and app pages
• Site 2: Browser games and instant web apps

The separation also helped improve SEO by avoiding overlapping content and creating a clearer internal linking structure. Since APK hosting raises security concerns, both websites focus on transparent app sources, file integrity, and clear descriptions.

How Smartlinks fit into the user journey

Finding the right balance between monetization and user experience took time. Joko chose to be transparent about advertising, explaining that ads help keep the platforms free. That approach eliminated complaints and made users more accepting of sponsored content.

Instead of placing ads everywhere, Smartlinks appear at key moments.

Near action buttons

Smartlinks are placed close to buttons like Download APK, Play in Browser, or Try Similar Apps, paired with curiosity-driven headlines that encourage exploration.

Discovery sections

As users browse, they're guided through recommendations such as You Might Also Like, More Games, and Recently Added. Smartlinks appear naturally throughout these discovery paths.

Dead-end pages

Broken builds, empty categories, and end-of-results pages would normally end a session. Instead, Smartlinks help keep users engaged while creating additional revenue opportunities.

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Keeping ad frequency under control

One early mistake was showing ads too often. With help from his Adsterra account manager, Joko reduced frequency to the standard one impression per user every 24 hours and filtered out advertisers using more aggressive settings.

Why the traffic performs well

Although the platform focuses on free products, the audience delivers strong monetization results.

Users come to explore. They browse multiple pages, compare apps, and often return to discover more projects, creating long sessions and high engagement. Visitors know free platforms are funded by advertising, so they’re more accepting of ads in general, which means less friction and better Smartlink performance.

This combination of engaged users and deep browsing sessions creates the ideal environment for monetization.

Traffic by country

To better understand where the revenue comes from, Joko shared data from his highest-earning month in March. While the figures aren't representative of an average month, they highlight the GEOs that contribute the most to his earnings.

Why US traffic earns the highest CPM

At first glance, Joko's audience doesn't look premium. Visitors come to browse free apps, test games, and explore new projects. But advertisers price traffic based on the users. US visitors typically have higher purchasing power, convert better, and attract stronger advertiser competition, resulting in CPMs above $20.

Indonesia: the traffic powerhouse

Indonesia tells a different story.

• 1,032,333 impressions
• $3.83 CPM
• $3,955 revenue

The country delivers far more traffic than the US, but lower advertiser competition means lower CPMs. For Joko, the formula is simple: high-volume markets like Indonesia and Vietnam drive scale, while countries like the US and UK generate the highest earnings. A successful monetization strategy needs both.

Working with Adsterra

Beyond the payouts, Joko credits much of his success to Adsterra's hands-on support. His account manager helped optimize ad frequency, set realistic expectations, and provided practical advice instead of empty promises. Clear reporting, transparent payouts, and flexible payment methods made managing the business straightforward.

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Joko's tips for developers

After building a profitable app distribution platform, Joko highlights a few lessons that made the biggest difference:

• Design for user journeys, not individual pages. 
• Keep navigation simple and avoid interrupting the testing experience.
• Focus on growing free, organic traffic before maximizing monetization.
• Publish content in English to reach higher-paying markets while keeping the local experience relevant.
• Build a recognizable brand that attracts direct traffic through communities, reviews, and word of mouth.

What's next?

Joko is now expanding beyond free app distribution by partnering with developers to launch niche app marketplaces and monetize their own products through freemium plans, paid subscriptions, and advertising.

He's also planning to add Adsterra Interstitials to his browser game website, showing full-page ads before gameplay starts so the experience remains uninterrupted once users begin playing.

For Joko, Smartlinks provided more than just revenue; they gave him the resources to grow his business into its next stage.

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