The software giant's Loke Uei, of the Mobile Developer Experience Team said winners of Microsoft's app development challenge will be decided based on revenue, not just download numbers.
"Your app can be worth $5.99 (£3.60) or $9.99 (£6), whatever the amount is, and you should be able to make more money with it," Uei said. "In that way, we also promote higher-quality applications for a higher price - a good price."
Microsoft will launch Windows Marketplace for Mobile later this year, after witnessing the spectacular success of Apple's App Store.
It opened the store to third party developers in July, and is encouraging development by offering prizes to registered developers in 29 countries based on downloads, revenue, usefulness and playfulness.
The move is contrary to Apple's policy, where the most popular apps are either free or cost just under a dollar. Four in five of Apple's apps are priced under $1.99 (£1.20).
Apple's 65,000 apps have been downloaded over one billion times in the last year. The most expensive app was I am Rich which retailed for $999 (£603). It was withdrawn by Apple in August last year, but not before eight chumps shelled out for it.
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