Design Vault

✦ Real-world design inspiration & UX patterns from exceptional products ✦
👉 by @DaleAnthony

[Design Vault @DesignVault]

@Siron93 broad apps wish they had margins like this

[Siro @Siron93]

$55K MRR solving one incredibly specific problem: Jetlag.

Timeshifter is making over half a million dollars a year by targeting travelers who are desperate to not feel like garbage after a 12-hour flight.

✅ Freemium model. The first trip is 100% free (builds undeniable proof of value).
✅ Uses an extreme pricing decoy: $9.99 for one trip, or $24.99 for the whole year.

Insane CONVERSION mechanics. The riches are in the micro-niches.

[Alex Vech @VechAlex]

Imagine trying to design a high-converting onboarding flow and NOT looking at what the $1M/mo apps are doing first.

[Siro @Siron93]

most people ask "is this market big enough?"
the better question: are multiple apps in this category all making money?

if yes, the market validated itself. multiple times. WITHOUT YOU.

music AI is what this looks like.
multiple apps. all printing.

[Regine @a_reginem]

a restaurant picker where if everyone vetoes everything, it forces the place you all hated most.

[Design Vault @DesignVault]

@Siron93 really cool!

[Siro @Siron93]

77% of Americans experience stress that affects their physical health. breathing exercises reduce cortisol by 25%.

the app: do a daily breathing exercise. your tiny world has clear skies.

the weather in your world IS your stress management. sunny world = you're breathing. stormy world = you're not. your cloud spirit tries to keep the sun out.

[Alex Vech @VechAlex]

a calisthenics app making $70K/mo.
released just 6 mos ago.

not a general fitness app. not a weight loss app. a military-style bodyweight training app built exclusively for WOMEN.

20,000 installs/month. 40 onboarding steps.

➡️ Camouflage patterns, military stencil fonts
➡️ "65 Million+ Women tried & loved our plan!" niche framed as a global MOVEMENT
➡️ Before-and-after photo grid of 28-day results
➡️ Photographic body type selection ➡️ Push-up, plank, and knee pain assessment
➡️ Coach persona selection
➡️ Value proposition and plan summary before paywall

Paywall:
➡️ Full-screen workout video loop background + social proof
➡️ Monthly $19.99 vs Yearly $39.99 extreme decoy
➡️ CTA says "START MY FREE 7 DAYS"
➡️ "Secured with Apple Store" trust badge

[Regine @a_reginem]

Instagram but it tells you when someone removes you from their close friends list.

[Alex Vech @VechAlex]

a habit tracker making $250K/mo...

not a meditation app. not a fitness app. a habit tracker that plays like an RPG.

56 onboarding steps. and people love it.

- social proof before anything: "1M+ installs." account created before you even realize you're in a 50+ step questionnaire
- asks you to describe your life satisfaction. then asks WHY you want to reset. now you're emotionally invested
- "choose your character." your progress maps to RPG stats: Wisdom, Strength, Discipline
- calculates how much time you waste per day and turns it into dollars: "$43,680/year in Potential Return"
- the subscription isn't a cost. it's a "financial rescue"
- real user stories with before/after photos. proof this works
- "Vow" sequence. intense questions. ends with a sustained FINGERPRINT HOLD on screen. not a tap. a hold. physical commitment manufactured
- iOS rating prompt hits at peak inspiration. reviews farmed perfectly
- 30 min countdown + "Claim Limited Discount" screen BEFORE the paywall
- paywall: $17.99/mo as a decoy. $69.99/year shown as $5.83/mo. pre-selected
- close the paywall? retro gift card animation. drops you into $39.99/year one-time offer

56 steps and every single one is designed to make you feel like quitting isn't an option.

study this.

[Siro @Siron93]

NYC issued 1.8 million street cleaning tickets last year. that's $117M in one category alone.

ParkMobile has 50M+ users but it only works for metered parking. nobody built the app for the thing that actually gets you ticketed, STREET CLEANING.

snap a pic of the sign. 12-hour warning before you need to move your car.

[Siro @Siron93]

Imagine making $150,000/mo from a sticker app.

WhatSticker has 150K installs/mo, 8 onboarding steps, and tags the weekly plan as "most popular," not the annual. here's why that matters:

- 8 steps showing face-swap memes, 1M+ stickers, top creators, AI background removal
- dedicated trial reminder screen BEFORE the paywall. "activate a reminder before your trial ends."
- "$0.00 due today" on the paywall
- two tiers: weekly and yearly. both with 7-day free trial
- the WEEKLY plan is tagged "most popular." not the annual. $5.99/week
- the yearly sits below it at $59.99/year. quiet. almost hidden
- $5.99/week = ~$312/year. that's 5x MORE than the annual plan
- they're steering every user toward the highest-revenue option
- notification and tracking permissions requested AFTER purchase. zero friction before the sale.

[Siro @Siron93]

only 50% of Americans meet the recommended 150 minutes of weekly physical activity.

Step counters tell you a number. nobody turns that number into a city.

the app:
5,000 steps = a house appears. 10,000 = a shop. 15,000 = a park. 20,000 = a landmark.

over months you build a whole town. friends can visit your city.

[Alex Vech @VechAlex]

Imagine making $550,000/mo from a calorie counter. Foodvisor has a 76-step onboarding, a $20 bribe, and a roulette wheel rigged to miss on the first spin.

here's every tactic worth knowing:

- 76 onboarding steps covering grocery habits, financial stress, past diet failures
- shows a clinical BRAIN DIAGRAM
- explains your dopamine loops and the yo-yo effect. "it's biology, not willpower"
- asks if you're preparing for a specific event. requires the exact date
- exact goal-date prediction: "you'll be 50kg by January 18"
- mid-funnel referral screen offers a $20 AMAZON GIFT CARD to invite a friend. during onboarding
- dedicated screen for 30-day money-back guarantee. shown BEFORE any pricing
- close the paywall → roulette wheel. first spin lands on 10%. meh
- "spin again!" button → second spin hits jackpot, 75% off. the near-miss then jackpot is deliberate
- secondary paywall with a 10-minute countdown timer to create urgency. $1.99/month.
- push notifications benefit before triggering the system prompt
- app tutorial to log your first meal

[Alex Vech @VechAlex]

$300K/mo from a fasting app with a 68-step onboarding. SIXTY-EIGHT.

Fastic's onboarding is longer than most people's attention span. and somehow it's working.

Onboarding:
• 68 steps. they collect EVERYTHING. triggers, habits, failures, schedules
• side-by-side graphics comparing "traditional methods" vs their AI
• progress graph with your EXACT projected goal-weight date
• right before paywall, an "invite code" screen pops up. gives you a VIP discount

Paywall:
• 4-screen paywall sequence. soft but relentless.
• 3 tiers. every price shown as weekly. $1.53/week sounds like nothing
• try to close the paywall → roulette wheel pops up.
you "win" 75% off FOREVER
• still say no → permanent "YOUR REWARD" promo card on your dashboard
• with a live countdown timer. on your home screen.

[Regine @a_reginem]

an app that shows the alternate timeline where you didn't hit snooze.

[Alex Vech @VechAlex]

you're about to impulse buy something online. instead of checking out, you screenshot it.

the app holds it for 48 hours then asks "do you still want this?"

most people say no. the app literally saves you money by making you wait.

[Design Vault @DesignVault]

New web screens and inspiration this week on Design Vault from @wander, @TallyForms & @huly_io

Check it out 👉 https://t.co/NzAkib3TZd

[Design Vault @DesignVault]

It's likely there are still some bugs, if you encounter any please let me know. I'd also love to hear any feedback or feature requests you have.

https://t.co/h7LlOOtL06

[Design Vault @DesignVault]

After a lot of hard work the all new Design Vault is now live! This new version was totally redesigned and built from the ground up and includes a lot of new features including search (finally!)

Check it out at https://t.co/x4cNLEx3R7

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