You don't have to dream up a killer game like Angry Birds to make money from an app idea. Like any good product or service, an app will usually be successful if it fills a simple need or solves a problem.

Your app may not need to make much money at all to be a success if it helps increase your fan base or drives more people to your store or blog.

A few years ago, someone who needed an app but didn't have any design or coding skills had to seek out individual freelancers or a studio. You could spend several thousand dollars or more to develop an app, depending on the work involved.

Thanks to the Internet and the explosion of interest in app creation, there are a variety of user-friendly online services that cater to folks who have beer budgets and big ideas.

AppMakr is a browser-based app-building system that takes your existing content - such as video, photo galleries and audio - and social networking feeds to create a native iPhone app. AppMakr would work well for bloggers, musicians and business owners with good websites who want to reach out to fans and customers with a customized app.

The free service will give you an app that displays ads. Paying $79 per month gives you full control and access to more features. Companies such as Inc., Newsweek and other leading brands use AppMakr.