Summary
Highlights
Max, an iOS developer, reveals how he built and shipped 28 apps in eight months, growing his monthly income from $200 to $10,000. He explains that his success came from shifting his approach from building one perfect app to rapidly creating many simple applications and moving on to the next project quickly.
Max recounts his 8-year journey as an iOS developer, initially focusing on a single 'pet project' with no success. His perspective changed after discovering a video by Adam Slles, which advocated building simple, single-feature apps, shipping them, and then moving on. This 'portfolio of tiny bets' approach formed the foundation of his current success.
Max details his process for finding app ideas, which centers on keyword research using ASO tools like ASOdesk. He looks for keywords with at least 20% popularity and 60-70% difficulty. He also checks competitor revenue using tools like Sensor Tower, aiming for markets where top apps earn at least $100-$200 per month, indicating a viable market.
Max outlines his efficient app development process. He studies competitors to identify core features, then uses AI tools like ChatGPT or Gemini to generate detailed implementation plans. He leverages pre-built UI components and reuses up to 90% of code from previous projects, enabling him to ship apps in a matter of hours. After building, he uses Figma for quick design adaptations and AI for generating app descriptions before submission.
Max provides a step-by-step playbook: 1) Find strong keywords with good popularity/difficulty ratios and profitable top apps. 2) Study competitors to define a single core feature. 3) Use AI for rapid planning (development roadmap, feature breakdown, UX). 4) Build lean with an MVP. 5) Release and move on, letting data decide app viability. 6) Return to successful apps with organic traction, polish them, and add ads to scale.
Max shares his tech stack, which includes Flutter for development, Fastlane for shipping, Corsur and Cloud for AI coding, Firebase for backend, OpenAI and Gemini for AI features, Mixpanel for analytics, and ASOdesk and Fox Data for ASO. He highlights the low operational costs, with most tools either free or on free tiers, and a total monthly expenditure of around $280 for paid services.
Max's most important advice is 'not to be afraid of shipping.' He advises against over-polishing or adding too many features. Instead, developers should create a bug-free app with a single core feature, ship it, and move on to the next project, allowing user feedback and data to guide future development.