Build a Mobile App Business

AI coding tools have cut build costs dramatically; the hard part has shifted from building to picking a niche and distributing.

1. 1

   Interview 20 target users

   Validate one painful problem before writing or generating any code. Look for people already paying for a clumsy workaround; that is your pricing evidence.

2. 2

   Define one core job

   Write the App Store one-liner first, then scope a single-feature v1 that does that one job well. Feature lists kill first apps.

3. 3

   Build lean with AI tools

   React Native or Flutter with AI-assisted coding keeps it near free if you build, or $5,000 to $10,000 with a contractor for a tight v1 scope.

4. 4

   Set up accounts and monetization

   Apple Developer is $99 a year, Google Play is $25 once. Wire subscriptions through RevenueCat so paywalls and pricing tests do not require app updates.

5. 5

   Run a TestFlight beta

   Recruit 50 testers from your interviews and watch where onboarding loses them. Fix the first-session experience before anyone else sees the app.

6. 6

   Launch where the niche lives

   Nail App Store keywords in your title and subtitle, then launch in the subreddits, Discords, and communities where your exact users already gather.

7. 7

   Iterate on retention, not ads

   Watch day 1 and day 30 retention. Spending on installs before retention holds is how app budgets evaporate; fix the leak, then pour.