How HabitKit grows

While building in public on Twitter, posted a single picture of HabitKit's main screen (the habit grid with colored tiles) with a one-line caption: this is the new app I'm building, here's the main screen. Used the reaction as a pre-launch demand signal versus his previous app.

Rather than keep reviving Liftbear, started HabitKit as an experiment with a strict two-month build deadline, with six months of runway left. HabitKit's concept: a grid of colored tiles per habit. He had tried a web version years earlier and dropped it because habit tracking felt native to mobile.

Immediately shows the native review dialog ('Do you like HabitKit? Please review it on the App Store') right after the user checks off their first habit, their first success moment.

Optimized App Store metadata (keywords, app name, subtitle, screenshots) around the main keyword 'habit tracker', placing it right at the start of the app name. Uses Astro to check keyword popularity and difficulty, and Appfigures for analytics and some keyword research.

Saved money and quit his programming job with no idea, setting a 12-month deadline. Found the HabitKit idea about 6 months in. Kept in touch with his old employer; when the deadline passed with little revenue, returned to the job and ran the app on the side, then quit again at the start of 2024 at ~$3K MRR. Reason: he couldn't find motivation to code his own apps after 8 hours of programming at work.

Had ASO basics in place on the App Store and Google Play, then made no listing changes for about three months. HabitKit then ranked top five for a big (unnamed) keyword on both stores. No paid marketing and no Apple featuring. Avoids big mistakes like crash bugs to protect the ranking. New Year resolution season drove a large spike.

Saved enough to live for at least a year, had no kids or loans, and knew a senior developer in Germany could easily get a job again. Timeboxed the indie experiment to exactly 12 months (April to April) with one success condition: reach ramen profitability (income he could live on). Left the employer on good terms so returning was an option.

MVP only had basic habit tracking and a tile-based grid chart of progress with a clean, super simple interface. Built for privacy: all data stored locally on the device, no sign-in or authentication. Built in Flutter to ship iOS and Android from one code base; done in 2 months.

After the 12 months ran out, rejoined the old employer on a four-day week, keeping Fridays for improving his apps. Quit again once revenue reached multiple thousands per month (fall 2023), after a couple of months deciding.

Shared development progress from the start, beginning with the first screenshots; the positive reception told him to hurry and ship. Kept posting authentic content about wins, failures and successes across X, LinkedIn, Bluesky and Threads.

Posts building progress on X and LinkedIn plus a blog with weekly reviews that include revenue and downloads. Gets feedback on first versions, motivation and partners from other indie builders, and an audience that roots for him and could boost a new app or offset an App Store downranking.

Submitted HabitKit through Apple's featuring nomination form. No relationship with Apple Editorial.

Runs a super simple, low-budget Apple Search Ads campaign at $100/month, not for direct returns but as a possible ranking boost, on the hope that Apple favors developers who also advertise.

Set HabitKit at $0.99/month, $6/year or $15 lifetime at launch because it felt fair, and kept postponing a raise after each feature update. Some Google Play reviews complain even $1/month is too much. Plans to A/B test higher prices.