I’ve been working on my first iOS app for months, and honestly I’m starting to question whether I’m missing something obvious.

Here’s everything I’ve done so far:
- The app itself supports 87 languages.
- I localized the entire App Store page into every language Apple allows (40+ locales).

Localized:
- App name
- Subtitle
- Description
- Promotional text
- Keywords
- “What’s New” for every update
- In-app purchase names and descriptions
- Created App Preview videos.
- Designed custom screenshots.
- The app collects zero user data.

I spent a ridiculous amount of time researching ASO and optimizing keywords for every locale instead of simply translating them.
I’ve also promoted it multiple times on LinkedIn and X.

Despite all of that, these are my numbers:
1.9k App Store impressions
462 product page views
49 first-time downloads
~6% conversion rate
Less than 50 active users

At this point I’m starting to wonder if ASO alone just isn’t enough anymore for brand-new apps.

For those of you who’ve launched apps recently:
What would you improve first?
Is there anything obvious that I’m overlooking?
Is the problem simply the lack of initial momentum?
Or is the Photo & Video category just incredibly difficult to break into?

I’m genuinely looking for honest feedback because I’ve reached the point where I don’t know what else to optimize.
If seeing the App Store page would help you spot any issues, here’s the link:

https://apps.apple.com/app/echo-photo-memory-journal/id6775021634

I've been working on CoinCurrently for almost 6 years at this point. After 4 years I felt really stuck and kind of realized that I won't get much further alone so I made a post on Reddit that I was looking for a designer. I found a guy and once we started revamping the app, we realized that there's so much more we want to do and that requires a better backend. Doing both the iOS and Android app, I figured we need a dedicated guy for backend. The team grew to 3 people. After almost a year and a half, we finally finished revamping the entire app. It's now better looking, easier to use and is faster than ever. Free, no ads, no tracking. It's all on your device. I'm really proud to show the new CoinCurrently to the world.

A: In my opinion, the problem CoinCurrently solves is ease of use. The bigger crypto trackers are so crammed with things and the UI looks very cluttered. We've spent a ton of time to make it as easy to use as possible, everything stored on device, no tracking, no ads, no account

B: I know there's a ton of crypto trackers out there but in my opinion, crypto should be privacy focused. A lot of the bigger apps and websites requires you to sign in to use certain features and they obviously use it for targeted ads. Nothing like that in CoinCurrently.

C: CoinCurrently is freemium. All features are available for free, but you can do more of it with premium. Monthly for $3.99 or annually for $29.99

I would appreciate your feedback so we can continue to make it a better app

iOS: CoinCurrently iOS

I know this is an iOS forum but I'll just throw in the Android and Web link too if anyone prefers those platforms, I hope that's okay.

Android: CoinCurrently Android

Web: CoinCurrently Web

I rushed to update the screenshots specifically to showcase the new features related to the map, and I'd love to hear your thoughts. I chose the blue background to match the app's colors 🙂

I'm Jerry, founder of Monni.

I'm giving 20 people a free 1-year membership in exchange for blunt feedback on the first week.

Monni is an iOS money brief for people who want a lighter weekly check-in instead of a full budgeting system.

Best fit:

• you use or used Mint, Monarch, YNAB, Simplifi, spreadsheets, or mental math
• you want a clearer "what's safe to spend this week?" view
• you're okay telling me what feels confusing or untrustworthy

App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/monni-ai-money-tracker/id6778174904

Website: https://monni.io

DM me if you want one. I'll reply asking for the email to grant access to, then manually add the free year.

Please don't post your email publicly, and don't send balances, screenshots, account numbers, addresses, passwords, or private financial details. High-level workflow feedback is enough.

I may be biased because I'm the founder of Monni.io.

I built Purgd as a lightweight iOS app for people who need to get thoughts, tasks, and mental clutter out of their head quickly.

To-do lists overwhelmed me.

It’s designed around low-friction capture: open it, dump what’s on your mind, and start turning the chaos into something manageable.

It’s not trying to be a huge productivity system. It’s more of a fast reset button for your brain.

I’d love feedback from anyone who struggles with task capture, context switching, or keeping track of what they meant to do.

Purgd — Purge your brain. Keep what matters.

It is a timer app, so it is naturally almost invisible on the App Store (for thousands of timer apps ranking above it), so basically all traffic comes from ads (~$3/day, targeting only inexpensive markets).

Usually I get around 10 installs per day. Now I still see taps to the product page, but almost no installs.

Recently I got two 5-star ratings (in Asia markets) and updated the screenshots to show:

Core features are free.

No ads. No subscription. No login.

No data collection. Works offline.

I thought this would help conversion, but somehow it looks worse now. Pretty confusing.

Maybe it is just short-term noise, but I would be interested to hear if anyone has seen this before.

App Store link: https://apps.apple.com/app/busyday-timer/id6763252662

So I started pre-registration of my app BatteryPro in mid March mid, & got a huge number of pre-registrations, because I've created the ASO better I guess..! Then I launched my app last Sunday, instantly got 1000+ active users on the day of launch. This is the power of good ASO guys, don't give up, keep doing it. Saas may be dead, but the app is not.

Building the app was only half of it

Around one month ago, I launched my first app on both the iOS App Store and Google Play Store.

I had no idea how app launches worked, what Apple and Google would ask for, how long approval would take, or what kind of numbers would be considered “good” for a first app. I wanted to share some early numbers and lessons from the process, in case it benefits someone else.

Apple App Store experience

Signing up for the Apple Developer Program costs $99/year.

My experience with Apple was actually easier than I expected. I knew Apple was strict with the approval process, and I expected to spend a while fixing things before the app would be accepted, but in the end the process was quite straightforward.

I signed up for the Apple Developer Program and submitted the app on 15 May.

The next day, on 16 May, the first version was not accepted immediately. Apple asked for more information, including things like a screen recording, tested devices, the app’s purpose, target audience, instructions for using the main features, external services used, and whether there were any regional differences.

At first, it felt like a lot, but looking back, it made sense. Apple did not only want to know whether the app worked. They wanted to understand what the app does, who it is for, how it works, and whether everything is properly explained.

After I fixed the missing details, the app was approved on 18 May, and it became available on the App Store on 19 May.

One thing that surprised me was that after Apple approved the app, it still did not appear properly in all regions at first. I later realized there were still agreements and terms I had to accept in App Store Connect. Some were related to countries, laws, regulations, distribution, and App Store terms.

So one lesson was:

An app being approved does not always mean your developer account is fully ready.

You also need to check agreements, terms, privacy policy, support links, copyright/content information, and all required documents.

After the first approval, Apple updates were usually smooth. Most reviews were completed within 24–48 hours.

Overall, Apple felt strict but polished. App Store Connect was confusing at first, but after learning it, it became quite straightforward. Apple’s analytics also feel detailed and fairly up to date. I could usually see data up to around the last 24 hours.

Google Play experience

Signing up for a Google Play Developer account costs $25 once.

The account fee is cheaper, and updates after launch are much faster, but the initial publishing process was more complicated for me because I was using a personal developer account.

For new personal developer accounts, Google requires closed testing before public release. In my case, Google specifically guided me to run a 14-day closed test with at least 12 users.

My Google Play Console identity verification was completed on 14 May.

I shared the first testing link on 15 May, had enough testers by around 17 May, and after the testing period, production access was granted on 1 June. That same day, the app launched publicly on Google Play.

So the Google timeline was roughly:

• 14 May — identity verified
• 15 May — testing links shared
• 17 May — enough testers reached
• 1 June — production access granted
• 1 June — public launch

Google felt slower at first because of the testing requirement, but much faster after launch.

Usually, after uploading an update to Google Play, it can become available in around one hour. With Apple, each update goes through review again and usually takes 24–48 hours.

Google Play analytics felt more delayed, sometimes by around 3–4 days, which made it harder to know what was happening after sharing or promoting the app.

So my experience was:

Apple was faster to launch once the documents were fixed, but slower for updates.

Google was slower to launch for a new personal account, but faster for updates after production access.

Early numbers

The app launched on the iOS App Store on 19 May 2026.

Exactly one month after launch, it had:

• 150 first-time downloads
• 9 five-star reviews

It launched publicly on the Google Play Store on 1 June 2026.

As of 22 June, it had:

• 79 downloads
• 7 five-star reviews
• 1 three-star review

The three-star review affected me more than I expected, to be honest. Not because I think everyone has to give five stars, but because when you build something with sincere intention, make it free, remove ads and subscriptions, and try to create something beneficial, even one lower rating can feel a little personal.

But I think that is also part of releasing something publicly. People will experience your app in different ways. A feature you spent the most time developing might be overlooked or even disliked, while something you did not prioritize much might become one of the things users appreciate most.

And that is something you often only discover AFTER publishing, no matter how prepared you think you are.

How I promoted it

I did not have a big launch campaign, and I did not have any real experience with promoting apps. I shared it in different Discord servers, a couple of subreddits, with family and friends, and made a few TikTok and social media videos.

The app itself is polished, and I honestly think it has more features and a better UI than some competing apps. But one thing I learned is that building a good app is not enough. You also need to know how to present it, explain it, and market it.

Right now, I feel like the biggest bottleneck is not the app itself, but my own ability to market it properly.

Screenshots and product pages matter more than I expected

One thing I underestimated was how important the product page is.

Before launching, I was mostly focused on the app itself. But when you publish on the App Store or Google Play, the product page becomes the first impression. For many people, it decides whether they download the app or ignore it.

You need good screenshots, clear text, and a page that quickly explains why someone should care.

The screenshots are also not as simple as just taking random screenshots from your phone. You need to prepare them properly, with the correct sizes, dimensions, and formats for each platform. Apple and Google both have their own requirements, and if the screenshots are the wrong size or do not clearly show the app, it can slow you down or make the product page weaker.

I also learned that screenshots are not only technical requirements. They are marketing material. They should show the best parts of the app, explain the value quickly, and look polished. A good app with weak screenshots can easily look less serious than it actually is.

This is something I would put more effort into earlier next time.

Final thoughts

I am still learning, and I am not sure how to judge the numbers yet.

The app has now passed 300 total downloads, which I am grateful for, but I also realize that a polished app does not automatically reach people. Distribution, presentation, screenshots, product pages, and marketing matter a lot.

One personal thing I noticed during this launch is how much my own perfectionism affected the process. I hold my work to a very high standard. Small details that many people might overlook can bother me a lot, and I often spend more time than necessary trying to polish things that others may not even notice.

That can be time-consuming, but I also see it as one of my strengths. When I take responsibility for something, I want it to be done properly and to the best of my ability.

At the same time, launching an app publicly teaches you that perfection is not really the finish line. You can polish something for a long time, but once it is public, people will still experience it differently. Some will love it, some will have criticism, and some may notice things you never expected.

If you are planning to launch your first app, especially as an independent developer, I hope this gives you a more realistic picture of what the early stage can look like.

App Link - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/printwave-wi-fi-printing-app/id6762405195

Please download and review, and post your app link, I will download and give 5-star review as well!! <3 Thanks!!

Hey r/iOSProgramming ! 👋🏻

I’ve always enjoyed game nights, house parties, and those evenings where a group gets together with no real plan beyond eating, talking, and spending time together.

I started noticing how often the night would eventually split into everyone doing their own thing on their own phone.

Then, during one such game night, we played Charades together. It was simple, but it completely changed the mood. The bad acting, ridiculous guesses, inside jokes, and arguments over obvious answers made that night far, far more memorable.

I’ve been building independent apps on the side for a while, and that night made me realise how many people might enjoy moments like that. So I set out to build Who Goes?, a party game app that could bring that kind of fun into social events.

The idea is to bring everyone together around one shared screen. The app gives you words to act out or guess in Charades and Headbands, along with questions and dares that make Truth or Dare more fun.

Some details for developers: I built the app independently in SwiftUI, including the design, game flows, interactions, and content. The animations are built natively in SwiftUI, and I’ve also used SceneKit and shaders for some of the visual effects.

Pricing: free gives you unlimited access to 3 decks each for Charades, and Headbands. 2 Truth or Dare categories, with limited access to mini-games such as Coin flip, Player Elimination, Randomised Team builder.

Plus gives you full access to all the decks, and categories, and unlocks unlimited access to game modes, allows customisation of games to your liking, along with App themes, fonts etc.

I'd love your feedback. If there's something that's not right, or if you have ideas to help improve the app further, game modes you'd like to see, do let me know.

TL;DR:

A. I built an app to bring back the fun of playing party games with a group of people during game nights, trips.

B. free version includes a selection of decks for Charades, Headbands, and Truth or Dare, along with a few mini games. Plus unlocks all decks, game modes, and customisation options.

C. $2.69/mo or $11.99/yr, 3-day trial, and $25.49 lifetime, no account creation, no internet required.

Use offer code, WHOGOESFIRST the Redeem Code in the Paywall view to get first Month free with the yearly plan. First 500 users only.

Link:
https://apps.apple.com/in/app/who-goes/id6777402559

Hi, all.

I have launched an app on June 16 (so ~2 weeks ago), and as I read everywhere: building is easy, marketing is hard. That is indeed very much true.

I developed a travel itinerary / planning app that's available on web and iOS / iPadOS (I won't share the name here because this I am just asking for advice, not self promotion. If anyone wants to know the app, just ask me on the comments).

What can I do to get more visibility, downloads, and consequently feed the discovery wheel? I have been burning cash on ads (not a lot, because I'm still learning, but more than I expected) and have seen very little growth.

And here's what I've done so far:

1. Tried to optimize the app store to the best keywords, using the title and subtitle first, then keywords.
2. Paid for ASA with 3 strategies: discovery (open search), generic (niche terms for keywords) and competitors (main competitors keywords - here I have won 0 bids, so pricing is tough)
3. Ran a few meta ads that guide people to my landing page, which haven't resulted in a lot of conversions.
4. Created an instagram and tik tok page to post, but brand and feature posts make no sense to a page of my size, and none of them actually have any hooks that actually make them go viral.\

In the screenshots I'm sharing my ASC data, product pages, etc.

Can you guys give me some feedback on anything I shared? How can I improve and get more visibility?

Thank you all in advance!

Drop your App Store or Play Store link in the comments.
I'll build a page that mirrors your actual app, not some generic template. All I ask is you tell me what you think of the result.

You can also try it here if you'd like!

Getting started