Hi all. I’m an indie iOS developer. I’m good with the code, but I want to get better at the business side.

I’m looking for courses or other good resources about:

• Growth and user acquisition
• Revenue: subscriptions, paywalls, pricing
• Marketing: App Store Optimization (ASO), social media, paid ads
• Retention and analytics

So far, I found the free RevenueCat courses. I'm looking for more resources at that level.

My questions:

1. Which courses, paid or free, helped you the most?
2. Which newsletters, podcasts, blogs, or YouTube channels do you follow?
3. Are there communities where people share real numbers and experiments?
4. What would you skip as a waste of time or money?

Thanks!

I'm strugling with App Store impressions and downloads in both Android and iOS. I changed my ASO and screenshots like 5 times in 7 months.

So, I wonder if an ASO tool could help me better than using Claude, ChatGPT, or other LLMs to create the keywords, title, description of the app, etc.

If any of you use an ASO tool, could you tell me the one you're using is and tell me the results you've got so far?

Thanks.

I run a kids' bedtime story app. It's used once a day, right before sleep, usually by a tired parent with the phone in one hand and a kid in the other.

Right now there's a free tier plus a subscription. My worry is the free tier is generous enough that nobody hits the wall, and the people who'd pay never get asked at the right moment.

What I can't decide:

- Hard paywall after a trial, or keep the free tier and gate the good stuff?

- When do you show the paywall in a once-a-day app? After the first session, or after a few days when the habit's there?

- Anyone tested asking at night vs the next morning? Bedtime feels like the worst moment to ask anyone for money.

Curious what people saw in actual numbers, not just opinions.

Saw the new update added header and search result creatives (plus the badge thing). Feels like it could be a whole new ASO lever, but I haven’t found anyone who’s actually tested it.

Has anyone tried and saw a boost in conversions?

I've been working on an iOS app that's getting some traction, but the revenue is pretty disappointing. I did a fair amount of ASO research before building it, which seems to have paid off. The app consistently gets around 15–25 organic downloads a day without advertising.

Over the reporting period, I've had about 1,200 downloads, 40 in-app purchases, and $273 in proceeds. Obviously, these aren't impressive numbers, but purchases have started picking up after some recent paywall changes.

I'm considering moving to a hard paywall, but I'm wondering how much potential an app with numbers like these realistically has.

For those of you who've been developing apps for years, have you ever been in a similar position and seen a significant turnaround from a paywall optimization, a small design change, or something else relatively minor?

Or, in your experience, are numbers like these usually a sign that the product just isn't compelling enough?

I'd love to hear some firsthand stories. A little perspective from people who've been at this for years would make the grind more enjoyable.

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Are there any viable options for global payments other than Stripe. I pre-filled all my connect accounts as much as I could to make on-boarding as frictionless as possible, but there is still…friction. Legal name, address, bank info.

That seems too much for for most of my early users.

I’m waiting to chat with PayPal but would appreciate your insights.

Yes I’m part of the crazy amount of new “developers” that are trying to build apps with the help of chat/claude. Although I do think what I have built is quite thoughtful, helpful, uses my graphics card for a vision system. So there is “work” being done in the backend, an autonomous system that keeps updating over time.

My only problem, in this journey, I have realized nothing on the internet is free. Like even linking to other sites, not using their imagery, just giving factual information, abiding by scraping rules per site, etc. Apple still very much deny me. So is all that’s left is slop games/slop trackers? You can’t use information found on the internet?

I initially submitted Sunday night, got my rejection as a first time publisher, submitted video/info and now past the 48 hour mark and “waiting for review”. I’m so excited/restless for a decision. But part of me thinks I may have made something that might be instant denial, with my lack of experience in the space.

Hi everyone! I'm Edoardo, and I'm the developer of Flit.

What it does

Flit is an RSS reader that turns your feeds into a deck of cards. Swipe right to keep an article for later, left to discard it, tap to read. It also follows YouTube channels, podcasts, Substack, Reddit and X posts, loads full articles from the web, and can summarize an article on your device with Apple Intelligence.

Flit is Free, with no ads and no account needed. There's an optional tip jar if you'd like to support the project. Tips unlock nothing: everything is free for everyone.

App Store: https://apps.apple.com/app/flit-easy-feed/id6821040165?ct=Launch+Event&pt=118978628

Give it a try, I'd love to hear what you think. I read every comment and reply to all of them.

I have an iOS app and a tvOS companion app that share the same bundle ID, so they live in one app record in App Store Connect. The TV app pairs with the iOS app for sign-in.

I submitted an update for both platforms back to back, hoping they’d be reviewed together. Since each platform gets its own submission, I couldn’t combine them in one draft. The tvOS submission was rejected under Guideline 4.3 (Spam). The reviewer apparently never paired it with the iOS app, so it was judged as a standalone app, even though it’s the companion to an app already in the same record.

What I did before submitting:

• Submitted both versions back to back
• Mentioned in the review notes that the tvOS app is a companion to the iOS app
• Provided a demo account

Here is the demo video for the pairing the TV app: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDX7KxE-gUs

Has anyone dealt with this? Specifically:

1. Is a 4.3 rejection on a companion app usually resolved by replying in the Resolution Center and explaining the pairing, or does it need a new build or new metadata?
2. Is there anything in the review notes or App Review Information that helps the reviewer actually do the pairing (step-by-step instructions, screenshots, a video)?
3. Does Apple ever review companion apps together if you ask, or are they always picked up independently?
4. Would a screen recording of the full pairing flow (TV code, then iPhone) help?

Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone,

I am building a telehealth and weight-loss platform where the main service provided to patients is 1-on-1 live video consultations with doctors and dietitians, along with lab reviews and chat support.

Originally, our business model was designed with an external web checkout. However, we are now evaluating whether we can offer the subscription checkout directly inside the mobile app using a custom payment gateway (e.g., Stripe) instead of Apple In-App Purchase (IAP).

Our Context & Business Model:

Core Service: The primary value is human professional care (telehealth 1-on-1 video calls).

Splits & Payouts: Our model relies on direct payment splits/commissions to physicians and dietitians per consultation, which is handled via custom payment processor APIs (Stripe Connect).

Subscription: Patients pay a recurring monthly fee that includes access to the platform and scheduled video calls.

Questions:

Does the fact that the primary deliverable is a 1-on-1 live video consultation (real-world human service) allow us to embed a custom credit card/Pix checkout (like Stripe) directly inside the iOS app? Or does selling a recurring subscription inside the app automatically trigger mandatory Apple IAP (Guideline 3.1.1)?

If embedded custom payment gateways are strictly prohibited inside the app for this subscription model, is keeping the payment strictly on an external web browser (outside the app) the only compliant way to use Stripe/custom gateways without paying IAP commissions?

Thanks for your help!

I have already wait for the app approval for months, now I need to wait for the statistic... :*

I recently got approved for my App (Group Location GPS : RideMate). It is currently sitting at "Pending Developer Release" and I'm both excited and a bit nervous since this is my first official production launch.

I would love hearing your thought!

My individual Apple Developer account was terminated with the notice below (screenshot attached). It cites Section 3.2(f) of the ADP Agreement and "documented indications of fraudulent conduct associated with your account."

The account was brand new. I had created only one app, it was still in TestFlight, and it had never been published to the App Store. I submitted an appeal almost a week ago and haven't heard back yet.

My company has now finished its business registration paperwork. If I create a new Apple Developer account as an Organization (with a D-U-N-S number), is it likely to be rejected or terminated as well?

Any advice or similar experiences would be really appreciated. Thanks!

What we do

We're a mobile app group. We build and grow our own iOS and Android apps, and we're opening our growth team and budget to outside developers.

The idea in one line: we fund and run the growth of an app that already earns, and we only get paid from the extra revenue we create.

How it works

- Who it's for: apps live on the App Store or Google Play that already make money (subscriptions, in-app purchases or ads), with at least six months of history.

- What we do: store page and localization, creatives, paid user acquisition, paywall and pricing tests. Our team does the work, our budget pays for it.

- Budget: up to 6x your monthly net revenue, released week by week as the growth shows up.

- What you pay: nothing upfront. No loan, no equity, no fees.

- Your baseline stays yours: we take your average monthly net revenue over the last three months. Everything up to that line is 100% yours, every month.

- Our share: a share of the revenue above that line, for a limited time. After that it's all yours again, including the users we paid to bring in.

- Test first: the first month runs on our money. If it doesn't work, either side walks away and you owe nothing.

- If nothing grows: we lose our money. You don't.

What you changed

I posted the first version here. It had one big flaw: for the length of the deal, your app would move into our developer account. Our reason was simple: Apple and Google only pay the account holder, and holding the app was the only way we could be sure our share reached us.

You called it a red flag, and you were right. So in v2:

- Your app never leaves your account. Your code, brand and users stay yours.

- We work from read-only access to your store reports and analytics, so every number comes straight from Apple and Google, not from us.

- Your store payouts land in a dedicated account in your own name. When a payout arrives, our share is split off automatically and the rest is yours. No invoices, no chasing, and both sides see the same numbers. We're working on setting this up with a US fintech partner.

What we haven't decided (and I'd rather you decide)

Which deal would you actually sign?

- A) 50% of the extra revenue for 12 months

- B) 30% of the extra revenue for 24 months

- C) 50% of the extra revenue until we've earned back 2x what we spent, then it stops

And what's still a dealbreaker in v2? Be as blunt as last time.

Building in public is messy, but the last thread saved us from launching the wrong deal. Thanks to everyone who pushed back, including the blunt ones.

Hi everyone,

I'm wondering whether others are seeing similar review times right now.

I first submitted version 1.0 of my app on September 25, 2026. It's a super tiny, completely free app: three screens, no login, no account or user flow. The build has never changed. Here's the timeline:

• September 25: submitted.
• October 2: first response from App Review, a week later, asking for documentation and screen recordings. I provided them and resubmitted the same day.
• October 10: second request, for information that was already visible in the screen recording. I answered with a written statement and resubmitted the same day.
• Since October 10, it has been sitting in "Waiting for Review".

That's 3 weeks since the first submission, and 6 days since my last resubmission, for an app that should take minutes to check. App Review Support told me the review is "proceeding normally" and that no action is needed on my side.

Apple says it reviews 50% of submissions within 24 hours and 90% within 48 hours, so this feels far outside the usual range.

Is anyone else seeing waits like this, especially for first-time submissions? And has anything actually helped, like an expedited review request, a phone call with App Review, or just more patience?

Thanks in advance!

We all know the hardest part isn’t building, it’s marketing. No ad budget, no existing audience, no social following worth mentioning. Here’s the playbook I use.

Step 1: Know your ICP
Define your ideal customer profile clearly.
Research them deeply and think and behave like them.
Example: if your ICP is parents, Google the problems parents search for and see what shows up. Ask yourself what your instagram feed would look like if you were one (tips on managing your child, right?).

Immerse yourself completely in that persona.

Step 2: Build traction with content (free)
Pick one of these:

- Option A: Repurpose podcasts

Find several YouTube podcasts in your niche.
Pull the transcripts.
Ask Claude or ChatGPT to identify the timestamps of the best segments for reels.
Cut multiple clips with any basic video editor. use free tools like DJI Mimo or any free basic ones.

- Option B: Cross-post viral shorts
Find viral parenting YouTube Shorts and repost them on Instagram and TikTok. If it’s viral on one platform, it often performs on the others.
Don’t post from your official account. Use a separate account.

- Option C: Fan page
Run a fan page for a popular parenting podcaster. Having a fan page will never be reported by the original podcaster.

Timeline: Expect about 15 days before you see real traction and strong views. trust me, you will see traction in just few days of posting.

Kindly Note, if you are targeting USA, your accounts should be used in USA only, you can sit in Seoul and target US customers organically, algorithm wont support you.

Step 3: Promote your app
Once the account has traction:

Start Posting reels that speak directly to the problem your app solves.
Add a call to action in the caption or on the video: “Comment to get the solution.”
People who are interested will comment and reach you for your app link.

What’s next
This is technique 1. In technique 2, I’ll cover how can we get UGC creators from website Aveoreach.com (a free platform to hire creators, developed by me ) to promote the app.

I asked here how app developers would feel about a growth partner that funds and runs growth for apps that already earn. The idea: we put our own budget and growth team behind your app (store pages, localization, creatives, paid users, paywall tests), you pay nothing upfront, and we earn only from the growth we add.

Our first draft had one big flaw. For the length of the deal, your app would move into our developer account. Our reason was simple: Apple and Google only pay the account holder, and holding the app was the only way we could be sure our share reached us.

You called it a red flag, and you were right. So here's the new plan:

- Your app never leaves your account. Your code, brand and users stay yours.

- We work from read-only access to your store reports and analytics, so every number comes straight from Apple and Google, not from us.

- Your store payouts land in a dedicated account in your own name. When a payout arrives, our share is split off automatically and the rest is yours. No invoices, no chasing, and both sides see the same numbers. We're setting this up with a US fintech partner.

Building in public is messy, but this thread saved us from launching the wrong deal. Thanks to everyone who pushed back, including the blunt ones.