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Directories & Launchpads

How to start a Launchpad for Mobile Apps

A launch board where indie iOS and Android developers get their first real users.

TL;DR

Indie iOS and Android developers pay for a spot on a curated launch board because the App Store and Google Play bury new apps under thousands of releases a week. You earn from featured launch slots, a TestFlight beta-tester matchmaking tier, and a weekly newsletter that sponsors buy. The edge over a generic launch site is that every listing is a real store link with screenshots, price, and platform, so visitors can install in two taps. Expect to spend about $200–$1.8k to start, earn your first dollar in 6–10 weeks, and reach roughly $900–$6.5k/mo after a year of steady work.

Best for: developers, creatives and anyone who want to start on the side and work online, with skills in next.js and app store research.

By , serial founder · Updated Costs and income are researched estimates for a lean US launch. How we research

§ 01

Why a Launchpad for Mobile Apps works now

Apple’s review process and Google Play’s closed-testing requirement for new personal developer accounts mean many indie developers now need a group of real testers before they can even publish. That creates direct demand for a place to recruit them. Paid user acquisition on Apple Search Ads has become expensive for small apps, so makers look for cheaper organic launch spots. Reddit’s r/iOSProgramming and r/SideProject allow only limited self-promotion, which leaves a gap for a dedicated board.

§ 02

Who pays and how you make money

Solo iOS and Android developers and two-person studios who shipped a utility, habit tracker, or niche game and have no marketing budget. They will pay $29 to $149 for a launch that puts the app in front of people who actually download and review apps.

  • $Featured launch week slots
  • $Paid TestFlight beta-tester matching
  • $Newsletter sponsorship
  • $Promo-code and lifetime-deal listings

§ 03

How to start a Launchpad for Mobile Apps

  1. 1

    Choose one store angle

    Decide whether to start with iOS only, Android only, or a theme such as apps built with SwiftUI or Flutter. A tight slice lets you rank for phrases like “best indie iPhone apps” without competing with the full App Store.

  2. 2

    Build listings around store data

    Collect app name, store URL, price model, platform, screenshots, and a one-line pitch. Pull icons and screenshots through the maker’s submission form rather than scraping, so you stay inside store terms.

  3. 3

    Add a tester-matching board

    Create a second page where developers post a TestFlight link or a Google Play closed-testing group and testers sign up with their email. Charge developers $19 to $49 per recruiting round and keep the tester side free.

  4. 4

    Seed fifty hand-picked apps

    Browse Indie Hackers, the Made with SwiftUI posts on Mastodon, and Product Hunt’s mobile tag. Message each developer and offer a free listing with an interview-style blurb.

  5. 5

    Launch the weekly feature slot

    Offer one paid Featured App per week with a homepage banner, a newsletter placement, and a short founder Q&A. Cap it at one slot so scarcity justifies the price.

  6. 6

    Publish store-optimization write-ups

    Turn listing data into posts such as screenshot patterns that convert in productivity apps. These pages attract developers who then become paying submitters.

  7. 7

    Sell a sponsor package

    Once the newsletter passes a few thousand readers, approach analytics SDKs and subscription tools like RevenueCat-style services for a flat monthly sponsorship.

§ 04

Validate it in 7 days

Post in r/iOSProgramming, r/androiddev, and the Indie Hackers launch group asking whether developers would pay $39 for a guaranteed featured slot plus tester signups. Build a one-page Carrd site with a Stripe payment link and see if three developers pay before you write the full directory. Also check that at least twenty recent indie apps would meet your listing criteria.

§ 05

Pros and cons

Pros

  • +Developers already know the pain of launching into an empty App Store, so sales conversations are short.
  • +The tester-matching tier solves a concrete Google Play requirement, which gives you a reason to charge beyond visibility.
  • +Listing data such as price model and platform makes the pages useful to consumers as well as makers.
  • +Newsletter sponsors in the developer-tools space pay well for a small, focused audience.

Cons

  • −Consumers rarely browse app directories, so traffic depends on search rankings you must earn.
  • −App Store screenshots and icons carry trademark and policy considerations you need to handle carefully.
  • −Big names such as Product Hunt and AlternativeTo already capture many launch searches.
  • −Fake or low-quality submissions will arrive early and need a moderation routine.

§ 06

How to get customers

  • r/iOSProgramming and r/androiddev
  • Indie Hackers launch threads
  • Mastodon and Bluesky developer circles
  • Apple Developer Forums
  • Swift and Flutter Discord servers

Ways to niche down

  • Only apps that charge a one-time price instead of subscriptions
  • Apps built by solo developers in a single language such as Swift
  • Privacy-friendly apps with no third-party trackers

§ 07

Tools to get started

  • Next.js
  • Supabase
  • Stripe Payment Links
  • Beehiiv
  • Plausible Analytics
  • TestFlight

§ 08

Launch it with AI: copy-paste prompts

Paste these into ChatGPT, Claude or an AI agent. Each one is pre-filled with this idea’s numbers — just replace the [BRACKETS] with your city, budget and skills.

  • Cofounder agent kickoffAgentHand the whole launch to an AI agent (Claude, ChatGPT agent mode, Manus…) and get a researched plan + files back.
    You are my AI cofounder. We are starting this business together:

Business idea: Launchpad for Mobile Apps — A launch board where indie iOS and Android developers get their first real users.
Summary: Indie iOS and Android developers pay for a spot on a curated launch board because the App Store and Google Play bury new apps under thousands of releases a week. You earn from featured launch slots, a TestFlight beta-tester matchmaking tier, and a weekly newsletter that sponsors buy. The edge over a generic launch site is that every listing is a real store link with screenshots, price, and platform, so visitors can install in two taps.
Typical startup cost: $200–$1.8k. Typical revenue after ~12 months: $900–$6.5k/mo. Time to first revenue: 6–10 weeks.
Target customers: Solo iOS and Android developers and two-person studios who shipped a utility, habit tracker, or niche game and have no marketing budget. They will pay $29 to $149 for a launch that puts the app in front of people who actually download and review apps.
Revenue models: Featured launch week slots; Paid TestFlight beta-tester matching; Newsletter sponsorship; Promo-code and lifetime-deal listings.
Common channels: r/iOSProgramming and r/androiddev; Indie Hackers launch threads; Mastodon and Bluesky developer circles; Apple Developer Forums; Swift and Flutter Discord servers.

About me (edit this): I live in [CITY, COUNTRY]. My budget is [BUDGET]. I can spend [HOURS] hours per week. My relevant skills/experience: [SKILLS].

Work autonomously and use web search. Deliver, as separate files or clearly separated sections:
1. A demand check: 10 real signals that people in my area/market pay for this today (links to competitors, reviews, job posts, forum threads).
2. The 5 strongest local/online competitors with pricing, positioning and one weakness each.
3. My offer: a specific niche, 3 packages with prices, and why a customer picks me.
4. A one-page business plan with a startup budget table under my budget.
5. A 30-day launch checklist, day by day, with the first paying customer as the goal by day 14.
6. Copy for a one-page website and 3 outreach messages.
Ask me at most 3 clarifying questions first, then go. Flag anything that needs a license, permit or insurance where I live.
  • Validate demand in 7 daysA skeptical test plan that tries to kill the idea before you spend money.
    Act as a skeptical startup advisor who has seen hundreds of small businesses fail.

Business idea: Launchpad for Mobile Apps — A launch board where indie iOS and Android developers get their first real users.
Summary: Indie iOS and Android developers pay for a spot on a curated launch board because the App Store and Google Play bury new apps under thousands of releases a week. You earn from featured launch slots, a TestFlight beta-tester matchmaking tier, and a weekly newsletter that sponsors buy. The edge over a generic launch site is that every listing is a real store link with screenshots, price, and platform, so visitors can install in two taps.
Typical startup cost: $200–$1.8k. Typical revenue after ~12 months: $900–$6.5k/mo. Time to first revenue: 6–10 weeks.
Target customers: Solo iOS and Android developers and two-person studios who shipped a utility, habit tracker, or niche game and have no marketing budget. They will pay $29 to $149 for a launch that puts the app in front of people who actually download and review apps.
Revenue models: Featured launch week slots; Paid TestFlight beta-tester matching; Newsletter sponsorship; Promo-code and lifetime-deal listings.
Common channels: r/iOSProgramming and r/androiddev; Indie Hackers launch threads; Mastodon and Bluesky developer circles; Apple Developer Forums; Swift and Flutter Discord servers.

About me (edit this): I live in [CITY, COUNTRY]. My budget is [BUDGET]. I can spend [HOURS] hours per week. My relevant skills/experience: [SKILLS].

1. List the 5 riskiest assumptions behind this idea for someone like me, ranked by how likely they are to be wrong.
2. For each, design a test I can run in 7 days for under $100, with a clear pass/fail threshold.
3. Write the exact message I should send to 20 potential customers to test willingness to pay (not just interest).
4. Tell me what result would make you say "don't do this".
  • Pick a niche & ideal customerNarrow the idea into a niche you can own and describe your ideal customer precisely.
    Business idea: Launchpad for Mobile Apps — A launch board where indie iOS and Android developers get their first real users.
Summary: Indie iOS and Android developers pay for a spot on a curated launch board because the App Store and Google Play bury new apps under thousands of releases a week. You earn from featured launch slots, a TestFlight beta-tester matchmaking tier, and a weekly newsletter that sponsors buy. The edge over a generic launch site is that every listing is a real store link with screenshots, price, and platform, so visitors can install in two taps.
Typical startup cost: $200–$1.8k. Typical revenue after ~12 months: $900–$6.5k/mo. Time to first revenue: 6–10 weeks.
Target customers: Solo iOS and Android developers and two-person studios who shipped a utility, habit tracker, or niche game and have no marketing budget. They will pay $29 to $149 for a launch that puts the app in front of people who actually download and review apps.
Revenue models: Featured launch week slots; Paid TestFlight beta-tester matching; Newsletter sponsorship; Promo-code and lifetime-deal listings.
Common channels: r/iOSProgramming and r/androiddev; Indie Hackers launch threads; Mastodon and Bluesky developer circles; Apple Developer Forums; Swift and Flutter Discord servers.

About me (edit this): I live in [CITY, COUNTRY]. My budget is [BUDGET]. I can spend [HOURS] hours per week. My relevant skills/experience: [SKILLS].

Suggest 7 ways to niche down this business (by customer type, problem, location, price point or delivery model). For each: who exactly the customer is, what they currently do instead, how much they likely pay, and how easy they are to reach. Then recommend the single best niche for me and write an ideal-customer profile (job/life situation, trigger moment, objections, where they hang out online and offline).
  • Competitor researchAgentMap who you’re up against and where the gap is.
    Use web search. Business idea: Launchpad for Mobile Apps — A launch board where indie iOS and Android developers get their first real users.
Summary: Indie iOS and Android developers pay for a spot on a curated launch board because the App Store and Google Play bury new apps under thousands of releases a week. You earn from featured launch slots, a TestFlight beta-tester matchmaking tier, and a weekly newsletter that sponsors buy. The edge over a generic launch site is that every listing is a real store link with screenshots, price, and platform, so visitors can install in two taps.
Typical startup cost: $200–$1.8k. Typical revenue after ~12 months: $900–$6.5k/mo. Time to first revenue: 6–10 weeks.
Target customers: Solo iOS and Android developers and two-person studios who shipped a utility, habit tracker, or niche game and have no marketing budget. They will pay $29 to $149 for a launch that puts the app in front of people who actually download and review apps.
Revenue models: Featured launch week slots; Paid TestFlight beta-tester matching; Newsletter sponsorship; Promo-code and lifetime-deal listings.
Common channels: r/iOSProgramming and r/androiddev; Indie Hackers launch threads; Mastodon and Bluesky developer circles; Apple Developer Forums; Swift and Flutter Discord servers.

About me (edit this): I live in [CITY, COUNTRY]. My budget is [BUDGET]. I can spend [HOURS] hours per week. My relevant skills/experience: [SKILLS].

Find 10 businesses offering this in or near [CITY] (or online, if it’s an online business). Build a table: name, website, offer, price, reviews/rating, positioning, weakness from customer reviews. Then summarize the 3 biggest gaps a new entrant could exploit and how I should position against the market leader.
  • Offer & pricingPackages and prices you can put on a website today.
    Business idea: Launchpad for Mobile Apps — A launch board where indie iOS and Android developers get their first real users.
Summary: Indie iOS and Android developers pay for a spot on a curated launch board because the App Store and Google Play bury new apps under thousands of releases a week. You earn from featured launch slots, a TestFlight beta-tester matchmaking tier, and a weekly newsletter that sponsors buy. The edge over a generic launch site is that every listing is a real store link with screenshots, price, and platform, so visitors can install in two taps.
Typical startup cost: $200–$1.8k. Typical revenue after ~12 months: $900–$6.5k/mo. Time to first revenue: 6–10 weeks.
Target customers: Solo iOS and Android developers and two-person studios who shipped a utility, habit tracker, or niche game and have no marketing budget. They will pay $29 to $149 for a launch that puts the app in front of people who actually download and review apps.
Revenue models: Featured launch week slots; Paid TestFlight beta-tester matching; Newsletter sponsorship; Promo-code and lifetime-deal listings.
Common channels: r/iOSProgramming and r/androiddev; Indie Hackers launch threads; Mastodon and Bluesky developer circles; Apple Developer Forums; Swift and Flutter Discord servers.

About me (edit this): I live in [CITY, COUNTRY]. My budget is [BUDGET]. I can spend [HOURS] hours per week. My relevant skills/experience: [SKILLS].

Design my offer. Give me: (1) three packages (good/better/best) with what’s included and a price for each, (2) the math behind the prices — my costs, time per job/order, target margin, (3) one recurring or subscription option to build predictable revenue, (4) an introductory offer for my first 10 customers that doesn’t devalue the service, and (5) how I should answer "that’s too expensive".
  • One-page business planA lender-ready one-pager with budget and first-year numbers.
    Business idea: Launchpad for Mobile Apps — A launch board where indie iOS and Android developers get their first real users.
Summary: Indie iOS and Android developers pay for a spot on a curated launch board because the App Store and Google Play bury new apps under thousands of releases a week. You earn from featured launch slots, a TestFlight beta-tester matchmaking tier, and a weekly newsletter that sponsors buy. The edge over a generic launch site is that every listing is a real store link with screenshots, price, and platform, so visitors can install in two taps.
Typical startup cost: $200–$1.8k. Typical revenue after ~12 months: $900–$6.5k/mo. Time to first revenue: 6–10 weeks.
Target customers: Solo iOS and Android developers and two-person studios who shipped a utility, habit tracker, or niche game and have no marketing budget. They will pay $29 to $149 for a launch that puts the app in front of people who actually download and review apps.
Revenue models: Featured launch week slots; Paid TestFlight beta-tester matching; Newsletter sponsorship; Promo-code and lifetime-deal listings.
Common channels: r/iOSProgramming and r/androiddev; Indie Hackers launch threads; Mastodon and Bluesky developer circles; Apple Developer Forums; Swift and Flutter Discord servers.

About me (edit this): I live in [CITY, COUNTRY]. My budget is [BUDGET]. I can spend [HOURS] hours per week. My relevant skills/experience: [SKILLS].

Write a one-page business plan for this business in my situation: problem, solution, target customer, offer and pricing, marketing plan (first 90 days), operations, startup budget as a table (items, low/high cost, must-have vs later), monthly fixed costs, a simple 12-month revenue projection with assumptions stated, break-even month, and the top 3 risks with mitigations. Keep the numbers realistic for a solo founder.
  • Website / landing page copyCopy for a one-page site that converts visitors into calls or orders.
    Business idea: Launchpad for Mobile Apps — A launch board where indie iOS and Android developers get their first real users.
Summary: Indie iOS and Android developers pay for a spot on a curated launch board because the App Store and Google Play bury new apps under thousands of releases a week. You earn from featured launch slots, a TestFlight beta-tester matchmaking tier, and a weekly newsletter that sponsors buy. The edge over a generic launch site is that every listing is a real store link with screenshots, price, and platform, so visitors can install in two taps.
Typical startup cost: $200–$1.8k. Typical revenue after ~12 months: $900–$6.5k/mo. Time to first revenue: 6–10 weeks.
Target customers: Solo iOS and Android developers and two-person studios who shipped a utility, habit tracker, or niche game and have no marketing budget. They will pay $29 to $149 for a launch that puts the app in front of people who actually download and review apps.
Revenue models: Featured launch week slots; Paid TestFlight beta-tester matching; Newsletter sponsorship; Promo-code and lifetime-deal listings.
Common channels: r/iOSProgramming and r/androiddev; Indie Hackers launch threads; Mastodon and Bluesky developer circles; Apple Developer Forums; Swift and Flutter Discord servers.

About me (edit this): I live in [CITY, COUNTRY]. My budget is [BUDGET]. I can spend [HOURS] hours per week. My relevant skills/experience: [SKILLS].

Write the copy for a one-page website: headline (5 options), subheadline, 3 benefit blocks, how-it-works in 3 steps, packages with prices, an FAQ with 6 objections answered, a guarantee, and a call to action. Also give me a page title and meta description optimized for "app launch directory" plus my city. Tone: clear, local, trustworthy — no hype.
  • Get your first 10 customersOutreach scripts and a daily plan to land paying customers fast.
    Business idea: Launchpad for Mobile Apps — A launch board where indie iOS and Android developers get their first real users.
Summary: Indie iOS and Android developers pay for a spot on a curated launch board because the App Store and Google Play bury new apps under thousands of releases a week. You earn from featured launch slots, a TestFlight beta-tester matchmaking tier, and a weekly newsletter that sponsors buy. The edge over a generic launch site is that every listing is a real store link with screenshots, price, and platform, so visitors can install in two taps.
Typical startup cost: $200–$1.8k. Typical revenue after ~12 months: $900–$6.5k/mo. Time to first revenue: 6–10 weeks.
Target customers: Solo iOS and Android developers and two-person studios who shipped a utility, habit tracker, or niche game and have no marketing budget. They will pay $29 to $149 for a launch that puts the app in front of people who actually download and review apps.
Revenue models: Featured launch week slots; Paid TestFlight beta-tester matching; Newsletter sponsorship; Promo-code and lifetime-deal listings.
Common channels: r/iOSProgramming and r/androiddev; Indie Hackers launch threads; Mastodon and Bluesky developer circles; Apple Developer Forums; Swift and Flutter Discord servers.

About me (edit this): I live in [CITY, COUNTRY]. My budget is [BUDGET]. I can spend [HOURS] hours per week. My relevant skills/experience: [SKILLS].

Give me a plan to land my first 10 paying customers in 30 days with almost no ad budget. Include: the 3 best channels for this business and why, a daily activity quota, and ready-to-send scripts — a cold email, a DM, a message for local Facebook/Nextdoor groups, a referral ask for friends and family, and a follow-up message. Personalize them with [placeholders] I can fill in.
  • 30-day launch checklistAgentA day-by-day checklist an agent or you can work through.
    Business idea: Launchpad for Mobile Apps — A launch board where indie iOS and Android developers get their first real users.
Summary: Indie iOS and Android developers pay for a spot on a curated launch board because the App Store and Google Play bury new apps under thousands of releases a week. You earn from featured launch slots, a TestFlight beta-tester matchmaking tier, and a weekly newsletter that sponsors buy. The edge over a generic launch site is that every listing is a real store link with screenshots, price, and platform, so visitors can install in two taps.
Typical startup cost: $200–$1.8k. Typical revenue after ~12 months: $900–$6.5k/mo. Time to first revenue: 6–10 weeks.
Target customers: Solo iOS and Android developers and two-person studios who shipped a utility, habit tracker, or niche game and have no marketing budget. They will pay $29 to $149 for a launch that puts the app in front of people who actually download and review apps.
Revenue models: Featured launch week slots; Paid TestFlight beta-tester matching; Newsletter sponsorship; Promo-code and lifetime-deal listings.
Common channels: r/iOSProgramming and r/androiddev; Indie Hackers launch threads; Mastodon and Bluesky developer circles; Apple Developer Forums; Swift and Flutter Discord servers.

About me (edit this): I live in [CITY, COUNTRY]. My budget is [BUDGET]. I can spend [HOURS] hours per week. My relevant skills/experience: [SKILLS].

Create a day-by-day 30-day launch checklist for this business, with each task taking under 2 hours. Group into: legal & admin (business registration, EIN or local equivalent, bank account, insurance, permits — mark which ones depend on my location), offer & pricing, online presence (Google Business Profile, simple website, social), sales outreach, and delivery. Put "first paying customer" no later than day 14. Output as a checklist I can paste into Notion or Todoist.
  • Name & brandName ideas you can actually register, plus a tagline.
    Business idea: Launchpad for Mobile Apps — A launch board where indie iOS and Android developers get their first real users.
Summary: Indie iOS and Android developers pay for a spot on a curated launch board because the App Store and Google Play bury new apps under thousands of releases a week. You earn from featured launch slots, a TestFlight beta-tester matchmaking tier, and a weekly newsletter that sponsors buy. The edge over a generic launch site is that every listing is a real store link with screenshots, price, and platform, so visitors can install in two taps.
Typical startup cost: $200–$1.8k. Typical revenue after ~12 months: $900–$6.5k/mo. Time to first revenue: 6–10 weeks.
Target customers: Solo iOS and Android developers and two-person studios who shipped a utility, habit tracker, or niche game and have no marketing budget. They will pay $29 to $149 for a launch that puts the app in front of people who actually download and review apps.
Revenue models: Featured launch week slots; Paid TestFlight beta-tester matching; Newsletter sponsorship; Promo-code and lifetime-deal listings.
Common channels: r/iOSProgramming and r/androiddev; Indie Hackers launch threads; Mastodon and Bluesky developer circles; Apple Developer Forums; Swift and Flutter Discord servers.

About me (edit this): I live in [CITY, COUNTRY]. My budget is [BUDGET]. I can spend [HOURS] hours per week. My relevant skills/experience: [SKILLS].

Generate 30 name ideas for this business in 5 styles (classic, modern, playful, premium, local). For the top 5, give a tagline, the .com I should check, and any obvious trademark or meaning conflicts to watch for. Then tell me how to verify availability in my state/country (business registry, trademark database, domains, social handles).

Launchpad for Mobile Apps: FAQ

How do I get testers for the Google Play 12-tester requirement?

Google asks new personal developer accounts to run a closed test with at least 12 testers for 14 days before applying for production access. A board that connects developers with volunteer testers fills that requirement directly, and you can charge the developer a small fee while keeping tester signup free.

Can I show App Store screenshots on my own website?

Developers can supply their own screenshots through your submission form, which is the safest route. Link to the official store page and use the Apple and Google badge guidelines rather than copying images without permission.

How much should a featured app slot cost?

Early slots usually sell between $29 and $79 per week while the audience is small. Raise the price once you can show click-through numbers to the store link for previous featured apps.

Do I need to be a developer to run this?

You do not need to write apps, but you should be able to install builds, read store listings critically, and talk to developers in their own terms. A simple Next.js template or Webflow plus Airtable setup is enough for the first version.

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