Greetings Fastlaners!
Indie App dev from Ireland here... I see more and more threads asking about apps so I though I'd create a shared space for us to chat and bounce ideas around. I'll try to get some established professional software dev's to give their input as well. I hope it will provide some value and prevent some of you from spending thousands of dollars needlessly.
My Top Tips:
1.) Basically if your idea is a simple front end app it shouldn't cost the earth (1-5k) to make so go for it! I'd start off with a small app anyway as there is SO much to learn re. Apple iTunes/Google Play developer consoles etc.
2.) If its a more complicated back-end server based app it may well cost a LOT more (5-50k) so don't make it until you are sure there is a need and a market for your product. (Firebase and other similar software are now making this cheaper but you have to factor in scaling where the real costs will be).
3.) Typically 80% of App Revenue comes from iOS/Apple, 20% from Android/Google. This has been changing for the big players with big marketing budgets, but for indie dev's its better to start with iOS and move to Android when you validate the product and market. Note: Ad revenue has been falling sharply across the board!
4.) There is various software that allows you to make an interactive demo. I use Proto.io but its only one of several that allow you to have a phone mock-up app to give to users to play with. Make sure to use Mock-ups/Specs and if possible an interactive prototype. Do this first before you go anywhere near a dev!
Examples: (Balsamic/Adobe XD/Figma/Sketch). You can even hire someone to make this for you cheaply.
5.) Hiring individual developers is a difficult and risky process no matter where you go, East or West. West is expensive, East is messy. I've been burned by both. Using an App Agency is easier and safer but more expensive.
6.) If you plan on Outsourcing this is the best website: www.Upwork.com (NB. Use Fixed Payment Option and Fixed Milestones) as they use an escrow milestone payment option... its the only safe way to deal with developers.
7.) If you're going into this full on you're better off learning to code yourself and allocating 3-5 years.
It's far easier cracking code than cracking heads! (Check out Lambda School and App Academy below)
8.) Never Pay in full in advance. I cannot underline how stressful it is as an indie dev having no leverage and if you pay in advance you'll be put at the bottom of the agenda or get no code back at all.
9.) Most Important: Marketing is 90% of the battle. A difficult learning lesson as most Indie dev's are just ordinary guys/gals and it takes everything we have just to make the App!
10.) Run a COMPLETE Competitor analysis to determine if you have an idea worth pursuing. If you have no competition you probably don't know the app market well enough or there is no market. Check the competitor app reviews using Sensortower or App Annie. If there’s a constant stream of requests for your new feature/idea you’ve got something!
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-RQ16TOz8w
11.) Don't create an app that needs an audience from the get go e.g. a dating app. It will be a Herculean task to make it a success and if you do the big players will just rip you off anyway. The Big Dating Apps Are Alienating Their Stakeholders
12.) Devs typically wont steal your idea as making the app is only 10% of the journey. Don't worry too much about NDA's as they're only useful if you have the time (years) and money ($1000's) to prosecute them. (Still try to get one if you can)
13.) Cross Platform Code (Unity/Flutter/ReactNative etc.) is an option for many but has Pro's and Con's.
Pro: You can launch on both iOS and Android saving dev costs. Con: The more complex the app the less it can do. Reports vary but Eric from Overpass Apps goes into this in more detail.
14.) No-Code: I'm not familiar with No-Code software like The best way to build web apps without code | Bubble but I will post links to any good threads and comments below.
15.) PWA (Progressive Web Apps): These are basically websites converted into apps. Pro: You have Full control of the app. Con: There is no app store for these and you can't put them into Apple or Androids App Stores.
Recommended App Dev Threads:
Before you begin please check out these two useful beginner videos:
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypWgQ8HtpTU
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvP0RjDB3bE
2 Great Resources to get some feedback on your idea before you spend any money:
~ If you have a little money then create a landing page and run some traffic to it to see if you get signups for your product idea.
3 Great YouTube Channels worth following as both are suitable for beginners:
App Masters for App design, ASO Audits, Marketing and Feedback:
Overpass Apps for Cross Platform Coding, App Ecosystem analysis, and Software development:
Tiff in Tech (How to become a Full Stack Developer):
Coding Training Courses:
Kind Regards,
Hadrian the Celt
PS ~ Apps are NOT a get rich quick business!
PPS ~ Remember 90% of the game is marketing, the Queen of MJ's chessboard!
Indie App dev from Ireland here... I see more and more threads asking about apps so I though I'd create a shared space for us to chat and bounce ideas around. I'll try to get some established professional software dev's to give their input as well. I hope it will provide some value and prevent some of you from spending thousands of dollars needlessly.
My Top Tips:
1.) Basically if your idea is a simple front end app it shouldn't cost the earth (1-5k) to make so go for it! I'd start off with a small app anyway as there is SO much to learn re. Apple iTunes/Google Play developer consoles etc.
2.) If its a more complicated back-end server based app it may well cost a LOT more (5-50k) so don't make it until you are sure there is a need and a market for your product. (Firebase and other similar software are now making this cheaper but you have to factor in scaling where the real costs will be).
3.) Typically 80% of App Revenue comes from iOS/Apple, 20% from Android/Google. This has been changing for the big players with big marketing budgets, but for indie dev's its better to start with iOS and move to Android when you validate the product and market. Note: Ad revenue has been falling sharply across the board!
4.) There is various software that allows you to make an interactive demo. I use Proto.io but its only one of several that allow you to have a phone mock-up app to give to users to play with. Make sure to use Mock-ups/Specs and if possible an interactive prototype. Do this first before you go anywhere near a dev!
Examples: (Balsamic/Adobe XD/Figma/Sketch). You can even hire someone to make this for you cheaply.
5.) Hiring individual developers is a difficult and risky process no matter where you go, East or West. West is expensive, East is messy. I've been burned by both. Using an App Agency is easier and safer but more expensive.
6.) If you plan on Outsourcing this is the best website: www.Upwork.com (NB. Use Fixed Payment Option and Fixed Milestones) as they use an escrow milestone payment option... its the only safe way to deal with developers.
7.) If you're going into this full on you're better off learning to code yourself and allocating 3-5 years.
It's far easier cracking code than cracking heads! (Check out Lambda School and App Academy below)
8.) Never Pay in full in advance. I cannot underline how stressful it is as an indie dev having no leverage and if you pay in advance you'll be put at the bottom of the agenda or get no code back at all.
9.) Most Important: Marketing is 90% of the battle. A difficult learning lesson as most Indie dev's are just ordinary guys/gals and it takes everything we have just to make the App!
10.) Run a COMPLETE Competitor analysis to determine if you have an idea worth pursuing. If you have no competition you probably don't know the app market well enough or there is no market. Check the competitor app reviews using Sensortower or App Annie. If there’s a constant stream of requests for your new feature/idea you’ve got something!
11.) Don't create an app that needs an audience from the get go e.g. a dating app. It will be a Herculean task to make it a success and if you do the big players will just rip you off anyway. The Big Dating Apps Are Alienating Their Stakeholders
12.) Devs typically wont steal your idea as making the app is only 10% of the journey. Don't worry too much about NDA's as they're only useful if you have the time (years) and money ($1000's) to prosecute them. (Still try to get one if you can)
13.) Cross Platform Code (Unity/Flutter/ReactNative etc.) is an option for many but has Pro's and Con's.
Pro: You can launch on both iOS and Android saving dev costs. Con: The more complex the app the less it can do. Reports vary but Eric from Overpass Apps goes into this in more detail.
14.) No-Code: I'm not familiar with No-Code software like The best way to build web apps without code | Bubble but I will post links to any good threads and comments below.
15.) PWA (Progressive Web Apps): These are basically websites converted into apps. Pro: You have Full control of the app. Con: There is no app store for these and you can't put them into Apple or Androids App Stores.
Super Progressive Web Apps
SuperPWA helps you convert your WordPress website into a Progressive Web App instantly.
wordpress.org
Recommended App Dev Threads:
GOLD! - EXECUTION - What I learned spending $40k and one year launching my app.
Hi all, I'm am occassional browser, rare poster here. Earlier this year I posted about a music networking app I was building called Artyst. Well it finally launched just last week, so I thought I'd check in and share what I learned. Hopefully this will be useful to someone thinking about...
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EXECUTION - on the Road to 100k as a software developer, 5 red flags to watch out for with startups
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MARKETING - Ranked Top #6 App Store within 7 days. How we did it...
Top #6 in App Store within 7 days. Here’s how we did it… These are the strategies we used to skyrocket a clients casual game from #1218 to #6th spot in the App Store in less than a week. (I posted this on Medium few days ago, thought I'd share it with it here with you guys) So the founder of...
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HOT! - The Big Dating Apps Are Alienating Their Stakeholders
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A Quick Guide to No-Code
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Cross Platform Progressive Web Apps
Im exploring creating a Progressive Web App (PWA). The app will mostly be used on the web on a desktop, but I want to have the option to scale the app to mobile as well. Does anybody have any experience with managing a cross platform Progressive Web App (PWA)? If so, what are some of the issues...
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GOLD! - IDEA - MINDSET - Is This Idea/Business/Blah Blah Fastlane? (Uh, no, it isn't.)
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Before you begin please check out these two useful beginner videos:
2 Great Resources to get some feedback on your idea before you spend any money:
Startup School - The Best Online Resource for Founders
Learn how to start a company with help from the world's top startup accelerator - Y Combinator.
www.startupschool.org
Pioneer
Pioneer is a startup accelerator for ambitious outsiders. We've funded 150+ companies with 300+ founders in 50+ countries. We're no longer making new investments.
pioneer.app
~ If you have a little money then create a landing page and run some traffic to it to see if you get signups for your product idea.
3 Great YouTube Channels worth following as both are suitable for beginners:
App Masters for App design, ASO Audits, Marketing and Feedback:
Overpass Apps for Cross Platform Coding, App Ecosystem analysis, and Software development:
Overpass Apps
Are you an app developer, small business owner, or just someone looking to lead a more free and fulfilling life not working for yourself? If so, we may be ki...
www.youtube.com
Tiff in Tech (How to become a Full Stack Developer):
Coding Training Courses:
Bloom Institute of Technology | Online Coding Bootcamp
Get the skills to land a job in the tech industry in BloomTech’s online programs (formerly Lambda School). Learn about our Tuition Refund Guarantee!
lambdaschool.com
Online Full-Time Coding Bootcamp - App Academy
Become a software engineer and pay $0 until you're hired with App Academy's full-time, online coding bootcamp. Find out more and apply today.
www.appacademy.io
6 schools that don't require tuition until you get a job
Learn some of the job market's hottest skills from a new breed of schools offering deferred tuition plans, where students don't pay back tuition costs until they've received a job.
www.cnbc.com
iOS Developer Course I Become an iOS Developer | Udacity
Learn how to become an iOS developer with Udacity. Master the Swift programming language, and create a portfolio of iOS apps for iPhone and iPad to showcase your skills.
www.udacity.com
Google Offers A Free Crash Course In Android Development | TechCrunch
Google has teamed up with Udacity to make available a free course in Android development available to all – complete with videos, quizzes, course materials and forums. The course is called "Developing Android Apps: Android Fundamentals," and it provides everything you need to learn how to make...
techcrunch.com
C# Unity Developer 2D Coding: Learn to Code Video Games
Game development & design made fun. Learn C# using Unity 4.6 & Unity 5 to create 2D & 3D games for web & mobile in this online unity training course. Lifetime access and no subscription on Udemy.
www.udemy.com
What are the best alternatives to Lambda School and other high quality coding schools that are free or at least not too expensive for peo...
Answer (1 of 2): The best part about Lambda School is that it doesn’t require any kind of payment up front. We have tried to make it as accessible as possible in that regard. After graduation you only have to pay us if you get a job using the skills we taught you, and making more than $50,000/ye...
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Kind Regards,
Hadrian the Celt
PS ~ Apps are NOT a get rich quick business!
PPS ~ Remember 90% of the game is marketing, the Queen of MJ's chessboard!
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