Lessons From My First Profitable iOS App ($1,400 in 90 Days)

I launched an iOS app with no audience, no funding, and no marketing experience.

The first few weeks? Almost no downloads.

Fast forward 90 days?$1,400 in revenue.

Not a life-changing amount, but enough to prove that small indie apps can make real money. Here are six key lessons I learned from launching my first profitable app:

1. Market Research Matters More Than Code

Like many devs, I used to believe: "If I build something great, people will find it."

Wrong. If nobody is searching for your app, it doesn’t matter how well you code it.

How to avoid this mistake:

• Validate first – Check Google Trends, Reddit, and App Store reviews before coding.

• Look at competitor apps – If similar apps exist and are making money, that’s a good sign.

• Read 1-2 star reviews – Find gaps in existing apps and solve them.

I made the mistake of coding before validating, and it nearly cost me months of effort.

2. Marketing is Just as Important as Development

"Build it and they will come" is a lie.

I launched my first app without a marketing plan, and it sat in the App Store unnoticed.

Once I focused on marketing, downloads increased.

Here’s what worked:

• App Store Optimization (ASO) – Optimized my title & keywords.
• Apple Search Ads ($5/day) – Even a small ad budget can bring real users.
• Leveraging social media (Twitter, Reddit) – Sharing insights instead of spamming links.

If you don’t actively market your app, nobody will find it.

3. Monetization Needs to Be Planned From Day One

A common mistake: Launch a free app & figure out monetization later.

I started with ads. Bad move.

What works better:

• Subscriptions – The most stable revenue model.
• In-App Purchases (IAPs) – If users see value, they will pay.
• Ads (AdMob, Unity Ads) – Only effective with high traffic.

4. UX Matters More Than Perfect Code

Devs love clean, optimized code. But users don’t care.

Here’s what actually matters:

• Speed – If your app is slow, people will uninstall it.
• Simplicity – Reduce friction in onboarding.
• Intuitive UI – If users struggle to navigate, they won’t return.

I wasted time optimizing code instead of improving UX, and it hurt my retention rate.

5. Track User Behavior, Don’t Guess

Initially, I had no idea why users were leaving.

Tracking these metrics changed everything:

• Retention Rate (1-day, 7-day, 30-day) – Are users coming back?
• Session Duration – Are they staying long enough to find value?
• Conversion Rate – How many free users upgrade to paid features?

6. Most Devs Quit Too Soon

Your first version won’t be a hit. Iteration is key.

I almost gave up after:

• Weeks of $0 revenue.
• Struggling to get downloads.
• Thinking my app was a failure.

Small changes made a huge difference:

• Better onboarding = Higher retention.
• Pricing tweaks = More conversions.

Most indie devs quit too early. Those who iterate, win.

Final Thoughts: Should You Build an iOS App?

If you’re willing to:

• Validate your idea before coding.
• Market your app properly.
• Plan monetization from day one.
• Track user data instead of guessing.

Then YES, you absolutely should.

📺 I break down my full experience in this video