Aitor | Apps

Building mobile apps in public 📱 Breaking down apps that make real money: what works, why, and the numbers.

[Aitor | Apps @aitorapps]

Personal Best grew recurring revenue while downloads fell. Founder Shaun Donnelly reported $3,630 MRR on Dec 31, 2025 vs $2,769 a year earlier (+31%). Downloads fell from 180k to 137k (-24%). Here's what I think the app gets right. 1/5

[Aitor | Apps @aitorapps]

An app metric without its denominator is a story, not a diagnosis. "1,000 active users" could mean a strong habit among 1,200 signups or a low return rate from 100,000 installs. Before changing onboarding, ask: active over what window, from which cohort, doing which useful action?

[Aitor | Apps @aitorapps]

@maxrave_dev 1k concurrent listeners is a real milestone. Does your usage peak around a particular time zone or stay fairly steady? That distinction would tell you whether to optimize for spikes or the everyday listening experience first.

[Aitor | Apps @aitorapps]

A launch post may bring a spike of visits. The harder question is whether a stranger gets a useful result on the first visit. For a mobile app, watch one new user go from install to that result, then remove the step that made them stop. More reach won't fix a confusing first minute.

[Aitor | Apps @aitorapps]

@marklau6 That's a narrow, painful job for lecturers. If Qubase catches near-duplicates rather than only exact repeats, it could save a lot of manual checking. How do you handle a question that keeps the same concept but changes the numbers or wording?

[Aitor | Apps @aitorapps]

@adiroth_builds Congrats on launching Tralupo. For a trip-planning app, the first useful result matters a lot: can a new user see a plausible plan before making an account or filling a long form? I haven't tested it, so that's the first thing I'd watch in a fresh-user session.

[Aitor | Apps @aitorapps]

Before testing a new paywall, write down the metric you expect to move. Trial starts, paid conversion and lifetime value can point in different directions. A prettier screen isn't a result. Compare the same acquisition mix, then ask what users understood differently.

[Aitor | Apps @aitorapps]

@abhinavcv007 Eight paying users after shipping early is a useful signal. What did the August redesign change for them: the core task, the first-use flow, or how you explained the value? That distinction seems more useful than simply saying the new design looks better.

[Aitor | Apps @aitorapps]

@HakDimoz Interesting test. A skippable founder video lets curious users hear the story without forcing everyone through it. Did you compare the same traffic sources and paywall across the test? I'd be curious whether the lift came from trust or simply more context before the offer.

[Aitor | Apps @aitorapps]

@Shubham_iosdev That review names a concrete moment: everyone joined in within minutes. For a party game, getting the group into play quickly may matter more than another feature. Have you learned which step in the first round makes people invite friends back?

[Aitor | Apps @aitorapps]

3/3 The lesson: watch what skilled users already cobble together. Product, pricing and distribution all changed, so no single move explains the growth. A June 2026 RevenueCat interview reports $1m in cumulative sales by early 2026, not profit.

[Aitor | Apps @aitorapps]

Shot Pattern began with a golf habit: players measured fairway widths and landing areas by hand. Eric Duffett built an app to make that easier. RevenueCat reported $185k in 2024 revenue. For app builders: start with a task people already do. 1/3

[Aitor | Apps @aitorapps]

2/3 The first version drew landing-area lines on a satellite map at $20/year. Later Duffett spent $5,000 upfront on course data. He says doubling the price lifted LTV over 40% in a test, despite lower conversion. That test alone doesn't explain the whole business.

[Aitor | Apps @aitorapps]

@con4ig For a solo app, alert fatigue is a real cost. I'd still want to know about a silent failure in the first paid flow, even if the app doesn't crash. How do you choose which errors deserve an alert?

[Aitor | Apps @aitorapps]

If an app has 30 beta testers, don't just ask whether they like it. Pick one task, watch where they hesitate, then change that step. The next build should answer a specific observation, not a pile of feature requests.

[Aitor | Apps @aitorapps]

@lakix0 Thirty Casi TestFlight installs with real feedback is a useful start. What was one note that changed the next build? The specific change often tells more than the download count.

[Aitor | Apps @aitorapps]

@TechWizardA @preetsuthar17 Eight months to launch is a milestone. Before paying creators, what exact problem does the app solve and who already feels it? A small test with one focused audience could show whether the pitch lands before you scale it.

[Aitor | Apps @aitorapps]

Before adding another screen to your app, watch one new user try the first task without a walkthrough. Where do they stop? A five-minute observation can tell you whether the problem is missing features or a step you thought was obvious.

[Aitor | Apps @aitorapps]

@Bambalow28 The spec-build-test-ship loop is still the work. With WorkIt and TravelSync both live, which part of that loop took the most time on the second app: deciding what to leave out, testing with users, or App Review?

[Aitor | Apps @aitorapps]

@premjitdevelops The Daily Time Bank gives the idea a concrete shape. What does a new user do in the first minute: allocate today's time, see a balance, or read a lesson? That first action could make the concept click.

[Aitor | Apps @aitorapps]

@vbhavsingh Free with ads is a clear pitch for an expense splitter. Where do the ads appear in the split-and-settle flow? That placement seems like the key test if people use it with friends repeatedly.