Me and a friend have been working on a project for a while now, and we're almost ready to release it. It's our first project together. It's a small little game, and it doesn't have the greatest graphics or art style, but it is fun.

We're trying to decide whether we should release it for free and hope for tips, or put it up with a small price tag ($2.00). If we put it up with the price tag, would we actually get any purchases? I'm hesitant to just hope for tips because I don't think anyone will actually tip us. 

Would love any opinion or advice you have, 

Thanks

Plenty of people consider the $5 or lower pricetag to be someone's bad game. As for the amount of sales you'll get? On itch.io I've only received 1 sale from someone I didn't know and that was a donation for an art pack. Beyond that I've made $8 in a year of being here from 2 generous people I know. I hate to be a wet blanket, but that's my reality that you might be walking into.

You have to publicize and keep publicizing. Draw people in. I think out of 3 games and 1 art asset pack I have 1,500 page views and maybe 400 downloads.

sitebender is right. People usually consider cheap or free games as bad games but they also won't by a pricey game if they're not interest. I think the hardest part of indie game development is the marketing. Without a good strategy, no matter how good your game is, it may be noticed by just a few people the first days of the release (talking about itch). Again sitebender mentioned that you need to publicize, it is obvious, more publicity you make more people will notice your game. If you haven't done much work with your marketing I doubt you'll make any sale.