We Built & Launched Our First App in 42 Days — Got Our First $4 Subscription 5 Days Later
42 days ago my boyfriend and I started building our app.
Today it’s live on the App Store.
And 5 days after launch — we got our first subscription: $9.
Honestly, the hardest part wasn’t coding.
It was making the app feel simple, smooth, and “real” for users.
Here’s what our 42 days looked like:
• Idea validation
First, we checked if the idea actually solved a real problem. We wanted to understand if people would immediately see value in the app.
• User flow planning
We mapped every step the user takes inside the app. This helped us remove unnecessary actions and make everything easier to understand.
• UX/UI design
I worked on the screens, structure, and visual style. Our goal was to create something clean, modern, and comfortable to use daily.
• App architecture
My boyfriend built the technical structure of the app: logic, systems, subscriptions, exports, and overall functionality.
• Animations inside the app
This became one of the hardest parts. Smooth animations take way more time than expected because they have to feel natural and not distract the user.
• App Store assets
We created banners, screenshots, descriptions, icons, and promotional visuals for the App Store page.
• Screenshots & posters
Every screenshot was designed to quickly explain the app’s value. People decide very fast whether they’re interested or not.
• Keyword optimization for App Store search
We researched keywords, optimized the title and descriptions, and prepared the app for App Store search visibility.
• Onboarding testing
We tested how quickly new users understood the app. If someone got confused during the first 30 seconds — we changed the flow.
• Fixing UX issues after feedback
Real user feedback helped us notice problems we didn’t see ourselves. We updated wording, navigation, and several screens.
• Export & system testing
We carefully tested exports and important functionality to make sure everything worked reliably.
• Subscription & payment setup
We connected subscriptions and tested payments multiple times. Even small mistakes here can break the user experience.
• Final App Store review
We prepared the final build, submitted it to Apple, fixed small issues, and waited for approval.
Seeing the app finally go live felt unreal.
Now our next step is TikTok promotion.
I’ll keep sharing updates and results here.
If you have questions about app launches, UX/UI, App Store setup, subscriptions, testing, or getting first users — ask anything 👇