# Launch Indie Apps

> Launch Indie Apps is a launch platform and directory for iOS apps built by indie makers and solo founders. Makers submit an App Store link and a person reviews every submission; approved apps get a permanent listing with checked facts such as price, free tier, account and offline use. Readers find apps by what they need done, with the cost shown before they download. Website: https://launchindieapps.com

- For: indie iOS app makers launching an app, and people looking for apps made by independent developers.
- How listing works: paste an App Store link, choose a plan and pay once. There is no subscription. An app that isn't approved is refunded, and so is a submission with no decision within 48 hours of payment.
- Paying never buys approval, kinder wording or a place on a comparison page. Paid places on the homepage (Daily and Weekly Spotlight) are labelled Sponsored, on the site and in the newsletter.
- Run by Rashem (https://x.com/rashem48), a solo founder based in Berlin. Contact: hello@launchindieapps.com. Profiles: https://x.com/launchindieapps.
- Also listed on: LaunchAF (https://launchaf.com/products/product-392).

## Plans

- Listed: $5 one-time at the launch price (12 of 15 launch spots left), then $9. A permanent app page, the Launch Kit (launch posts written for you), the Launch Map and Launch Reports at day 7 and day 30.
- Daily Spotlight: $15 one-time at the launch price (15 of 15 launch spots left), then $29. Everything in Listed, plus 24 hours on the homepage as one of up to three apps.
- Weekly Spotlight: $25 one-time at the launch price (10 of 10 launch spots left), then $49. Everything in Listed, plus the top homepage feature for 7 days and the newsletter's featured slot.
- Current prices and what each plan includes: https://launchindieapps.com/pricing

## How it differs from other places to launch

- A listing here is permanent. A launch day on a board like Product Hunt is one day; the Spotlights here are optional extras on top of the listing, not the listing itself.
- A person reviews every app before it goes live, and the price is paid once. An app that isn't approved is refunded.
- Each listing shows checked facts before anyone downloads: price, free tier, account, offline use and ads. Anything unknown is marked as unknown.
- Makers get the tools to launch everywhere else too: launch posts written for X, Reddit, LinkedIn and Indie Hackers, and the Launch Map of other places to submit an iOS app, each checked on its own site. It works alongside Product Hunt and the directories, not instead of them.

## Discover apps

- [All apps](https://launchindieapps.com/discover): every listed app, searchable, with price and access facts on each listing.
- [Focus and plan your day](https://launchindieapps.com/needs/focus-and-plan): 5 indie iOS apps compared for this need.
- [Track your workouts and steps](https://launchindieapps.com/needs/track-workouts-and-steps): 4 indie iOS apps compared for this need.
- [Keep a daily journal](https://launchindieapps.com/needs/keep-a-journal): 3 indie iOS apps compared for this need.
- [Build daily habits](https://launchindieapps.com/needs/build-daily-habits): 4 indie iOS apps compared for this need.
- [Track what you watch and read](https://launchindieapps.com/needs/track-what-you-watch-and-read): 3 indie iOS apps compared for this need.
- [Eat and drink better](https://launchindieapps.com/needs/eat-and-drink-better): 3 indie iOS apps compared for this need.
- [Apps without a subscription](https://launchindieapps.com/needs/apps-without-subscription): 17 indie iOS apps compared for this need.
- [Day One alternatives](https://launchindieapps.com/alternatives/day-one): Three journal apps by indie makers for people who'd rather not subscribe or create an account, compared fairly with Day One's free and paid plans.
- [How do you start journaling when you have no time?](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/how-to-start-journaling-no-time): You don't need 20 minutes a day. What the research says about short entries and how often to write, and how to make three lines a day stick.
- [How do you drink more water?](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/how-to-drink-more-water): How much you need, what counts, and how to drink more when you forget or don't like water. From NHS, CDC and Mayo Clinic advice.
- [How do you build habits that stick?](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/how-to-build-habits-that-stick): How long a habit really takes, why a cue matters more than willpower, and what the research says about tracking, streaks, reminders and missed days.

## For makers

- [Submit your app](https://launchindieapps.com/submit): start a listing from an App Store link.
- [Where to launch an iOS app](https://launchindieapps.com/guides/where-to-launch-ios-app): 33 places to launch an indie iOS app: Apple’s featuring nomination, launch platforms, directories, communities and press. All checked October 2026.
- [How long does App Store review take in 2026?](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/app-store-review-times): Apple now aims to review 90% of submissions within 48 hours, not 24. What each review status means, why some reviews take longer, and when to submit.
- [How to launch an iOS app with no audience](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/launch-ios-app-with-no-audience): No followers, no mailing list, no budget. Where to borrow an audience for your iOS app launch, and how to start building your own while you wait.
- [What to check before you submit your iOS app to App Review](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/before-you-submit-ios-app): The checklist that took my second app through App Review first time, after four rejections on my first, with Apple's own rule behind every item.
- [How to launch an iOS app as a solo developer](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/launch-ios-app-as-solo-developer): One person, limited hours, a small budget. What a launch costs, which jobs Apple's own tools take off your plate, what to do yourself and what to skip.
- [Which App Store categories make the most money?](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/app-store-categories-that-make-the-most-money): Games earn the most overall, but for indie subscription apps the numbers point to Photo & Video and Health & Fitness. What each source measures, and its limits.
- [Which niches are worth building an iOS app in?](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/ios-app-niches-to-build-in): Where app spending is growing, what people are searching for, which niches Apple calls saturated, and how to pick one you can win as an indie maker.
- [What is Launch Indie Apps?](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/what-is-launch-indie-apps): A launch platform and directory for indie iOS apps: how listing works, what it costs, what paying buys and what it never buys.
- [The iOS app launch checklist, from App Review to day 30](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/ios-app-launch-checklist): Every step of an indie iOS app launch in order: three weeks out, the product page, launch day and the 30 days after. Each rule linked to Apple's own page.
- [How to launch an iOS app: the first 30 days after approval](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/ios-app-approved-now-what): The first 30 days after App Review says yes: when to release, where to post first, what to measure and what to do when the launch goes quiet.
- [Should you launch your iOS app on Product Hunt?](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/should-you-launch-ios-app-on-product-hunt): When Product Hunt is worth it for an indie iOS app, what the day costs you, and when to skip it. Every rule checked on Product Hunt's own pages.
- [How to write an X launch post for your iOS app that doesn't read like an ad](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/x-launch-post-for-ios-app): What made 1,012 launch posts from small X accounts travel: the first line, a screenshot, short lines and no hashtags. With a template you can use today.
- [Which iOS app directories are worth submitting to?](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/ios-app-directories-worth-submitting-to): The directories built for indie iOS apps compared: what each costs, who reviews it, what link you get and whether an App Store link is enough.
- [Where can you promote an iOS app for free?](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/free-places-to-promote-ios-app): Free places to promote an indie iOS app, from Apple's featuring nomination to subreddits, launch platforms, directories and press. With the catch for each.
- [How to post your iOS app on Reddit without getting removed](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/post-ios-app-on-reddit): Which subreddits allow iOS app posts, on which days, and what each one requires first, from the rules and pinned moderator posts as of October 2026.

## Comparisons

Written by us, with every fact about the other site linked to its own pages and dated.

- [Launch Indie Apps vs Product Hunt](https://launchindieapps.com/compare/launch-indie-apps-vs-product-hunt): Product Hunt is a free one-day launch with a big audience. Launch Indie Apps is a paid listing for one iOS app that stays up. When each one fits.
- [Launch Indie Apps vs Discover Indie Apps](https://launchindieapps.com/compare/launch-indie-apps-vs-discover-indie-apps): Two paid, hand-reviewed directories for indie iOS apps. Where they differ: price, review time, the link to your app, and help with the rest of your launch.
- [Launch Indie Apps vs Indie Apps](https://launchindieapps.com/compare/launch-indie-apps-vs-indie-apps): Indie Apps lists Apple apps by solo developers for free, with no review first. Launch Indie Apps is paid and reviewed. How they compare for an iOS launch.
- [Launch Indie Apps vs Uneed](https://launchindieapps.com/compare/launch-indie-apps-vs-uneed): Uneed is a daily launch board for tech products, free if you can wait. Launch Indie Apps is a reviewed listing for iOS apps only. Which fits your launch.
- [Launch Indie Apps vs BetaList](https://launchindieapps.com/compare/launch-indie-apps-vs-betalist): BetaList features startups before or just after launch, for a day. Launch Indie Apps lists iOS apps already on the App Store. Which fits your app's stage.
- [BetaList alternatives for iOS apps](https://launchindieapps.com/alternatives/betalist): BetaList wants a website on your own domain and every launch is paid. Places that take an iOS app with its App Store link, before and after launch.
- [Uneed alternatives for iOS apps](https://launchindieapps.com/alternatives/uneed): Uneed's free launch date can be months away, and a quiet launch day ends the free option. Places that launch an iOS app sooner, checked on their own sites.
- [Peerlist Launchpad alternatives for iOS apps](https://launchindieapps.com/alternatives/peerlist): Peerlist Launchpad is a Monday launch for developers and designers, with a backlink for the top 5 only. Places that take an iOS app on its App Store link.
- [Microlaunch alternatives for iOS apps](https://launchindieapps.com/alternatives/microlaunch): Microlaunch launches cost $49 to $249, and most products on it are web tools. Places that take an iOS app on its App Store link, many of them free.

## Free tools

- [App Store character counter](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/app-store-character-counter): Counts an iOS app's name, subtitle, keywords, promotional text and description against Apple's limits, and cleans up the keyword field. Runs in the browser.
- [App Store screenshot sizes](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/app-store-screenshot-sizes): Checks screenshots against every size Apple accepts for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Vision Pro and Watch, and lists them all. Runs in the browser.
- [App Store listing checker](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/app-store-listing-checker): Paste an App Store link to see what Apple shows about the listing, from name length and screenshots to ratings and the last update, with Apple's guidance and what to fix first. No sign-up.
- [App Store keyword checker](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/app-store-keyword-checker): Checks an iOS app's keyword field against Apple's 100-byte limit and its search rules, shows which keywords waste space and why, and gives back a cleaned field. Runs in the browser.
- [App Store name checker](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/app-store-name-checker): Checks whether a live iOS app already uses a name or its brand in the App Store country you pick, shows the closest matches, and counts it against Apple's 30-character limit. Runs in the browser.
- [iOS app icon checker](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/ios-app-icon-checker): Checks an iOS app icon against Apple's rules: 1024 × 1024 pixels, square, opaque, with the corners left for iOS to round, and previews it on a Home Screen. Runs in the browser.
- [App Store preview video checker](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/app-store-preview-video-checker): Checks an App Store preview video against Apple's specs: resolution per device, length, codec, frame rate, sound and file size, and lists every accepted size. Runs in the browser.
- [App Store share image generator](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/app-store-share-image-generator): Paste an App Store link to get a share image for any iOS app: icon, name, tagline and screenshots, sized for posts, link previews and Instagram. Edit every line, then download. No sign-up.
- [ASO score checker](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/aso-score-checker): Paste an App Store link to score any iOS app's listing out of 100 on Apple's own guidance, with every point shown and what to fix first. Runs in the browser.

## About

- [About](https://launchindieapps.com/about): who runs the site, what paying buys, how facts are attributed and how to report an error.
- [Live stats](https://launchindieapps.com/stats): public, first-party visit and App Store click numbers.
- [Full text](https://launchindieapps.com/llms-full.txt): the Launch Map and every article and comparison above in one plain-text file.
- [Markdown versions](https://launchindieapps.com/blog.md): each article and the Launch Map as its own Markdown file, at its page's address plus .md.

# Guide

## Where to launch an iOS app

> 33 places worth your launch, with each site’s own rules and prices. Every one was checked on its own site on or after October 16, 2026.

URL: https://launchindieapps.com/guides/where-to-launch-ios-app
By Rashem
Updated: 2026-10-20

### The short answer

1. **Nominate your app for App Store featuring** in App Store Connect, weeks before launch. It’s free.
2. **Launch on one or two launch platforms** whose rules fit an app, and plan the day around replying.
3. **List it on directories built for indie iOS apps**, where an App Store link is all you need.
4. **Post where developers may share apps**, following each community’s self-promotion rules.
5. **Pitch Apple-focused press** only when you have a story they can test.

### Start with Apple

Apple’s editors decide what the App Store features, and every app can be nominated. It costs nothing, but it has to happen weeks before launch day.

##### [App Store featuring nomination](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-featuring-nominations/nominate-your-app-for-featuring)

Strong fit for iOS apps. Apple’s own route to editorial featuring on the App Store.

- Cost: Free
- Best for: Every app. Nominate before launch day, not after.
- Prepare: The nomination type (such as App Launch), a name, a detailed description, the platforms, and your launch date or timeframe. Apple may ask for artwork later.

Rules to know:

- Nominate in App Store Connect: open your app, then Featuring, then Nominations in the sidebar.
- Apple asks for at least two weeks’ notice on its Getting Featured page and at least three weeks in App Store Connect Help, and recommends nominating up to three months ahead.
- The Account Holder, Admin, App Manager or Marketing role can submit.
- Up to 10 apps per developer account, and up to 5 links of supporting material per nomination.
- Once submitted, you can’t change the nomination type or the apps it covers.

Checked October 19, 2026 on https://developer.apple.com/app-store/getting-featured/, https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-featuring-nominations/nominate-your-app-for-featuring

### Launch platforms

Places that give an app a launch day or launch week. Most are built for web products, so check whether an App Store link alone is enough before you plan around one.

##### [Launch Indie Apps](https://launchindieapps.com/submit) (our site)

Strong fit for iOS apps. Built only for iOS apps by indie makers and solo founders: a reviewed launch, then a listing that stays.

- Cost: Paid, one-time: Listed $9, Daily Spotlight $29 or Weekly Spotlight $49. Launch prices for the first spots: $5, $15 and $25.
- Best for: Launching as soon as your app is live on the App Store, with launch posts written for each channel, a badge that counts App Store clicks, and a Spotlight week on the homepage if you want one.
- Prepare: Your App Store link. Facts about price, accounts and offline use can be added while it’s in review.

Rules to know:

- Only apps already live on the App Store.
- A person reviews every submission. If it isn’t approved, or there’s no decision within 48 hours of payment, you’re refunded in full.
- A Spotlight week that’s missed or cut short moves to the next free Monday.

This is Launch Indie Apps, the site that publishes this guide.

Checked October 19, 2026 on https://launchindieapps.com/pricing, https://launchindieapps.com/about

##### [Product Hunt](https://www.producthunt.com/launch)

Some fit for iOS apps. It takes App Store links, but the audience leans toward tech and web products.

- Cost: Free
- Best for: An app with a clear hook for early adopters, launched on a day you can spend replying.
- Prepare: A personal account at least a week old, a square thumbnail (240×240), at least two gallery images (1270×760), a tagline, and a description of up to 260 characters.

Rules to know:

- Post from a personal account. Company accounts can’t post products.
- A new account waits one week before it can post, unless it subscribes to the newsletter.
- Launch days start at 12:01 AM Pacific, and you can schedule a launch up to 30 days ahead.
- Don’t ask people directly to upvote your product.
- Products behind a waitlist aren’t featured unless people get immediate access.

Checked October 19, 2026 on https://www.producthunt.com/launch, https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/479557-how-to-post-a-product, https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/481909, https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/9883485, https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/2724119-how-to-schedule-a-post

##### [Uneed](https://www.uneed.best/submit-a-tool)

Some fit for iOS apps. Its help center lists mobile apps as accepted. Most visitors are founders and indie hackers.

- Cost: Free waiting line, launching 30 days to 5 months out. Fast-track $14.99 for a date about two weeks out, or $29.99 to pick your date.
- Best for: A free launch, if you can bring votes on the day.
- Prepare: Your product’s name and a live page Uneed can read. It asks you to sign up after reading it.

Rules to know:

- Launches go live at 12:00 AM Pacific.
- A free launch needs a score of 10 on launch day to stay published, and 20 to keep a do-follow link.
- Products behind a waitlist or invite code are refused, and reviewers need a way to actually try the app.
- Miss the score of 10 on a free launch and the free line is closed to you; only paid options are left.
- Submitting doesn’t schedule anything: choose a launch option in your dashboard afterwards.

Checked October 19, 2026 on https://www.uneed.best/submit-a-tool, https://www.uneed.best/pricing, https://www.uneed.best/how-it-works, https://help.uneed.best/common-questions-and-issues/what-we-accept

##### [Microlaunch](https://microlaunch.net)

Some fit for iOS apps. Apps with App Store links launch there, though most products on it are web tools and SaaS.

- Cost: Paid launches: Pro $49, Plus $99 or Ultimate $249, often shown with discounts ($39, $79 and $179 in October 2026). The public pages don’t describe a free option.
- Best for: A month-long campaign instead of a single launch day.
- Prepare: An X or Google account to sign in, and your app’s details.

Rules to know:

- Launches run as 30-day campaigns.
- Pro lets you pick your date and includes a do-follow link.
- You can relaunch, but only for major feature releases.

Not confirmed: Whether a free launch still exists, and the required fields, aren’t shown without signing in.

Checked October 19, 2026 on https://microlaunch.net, https://microlaunch.net/premium

##### [Peerlist Launchpad](https://peerlist.io/launchpad)

Some fit for iOS apps. Developers and designers vote, and apps compete with every other kind of project.

- Cost: No launch price is shown. You need a verified profile: workplace checks are free, and an ID check costs a small one-time fee.
- Best for: Showing a finished app to builders who follow indie makers.
- Prepare: A verified personal Peerlist profile, and a project name, tagline, cover image and demo link.

Rules to know:

- Individual, verified profiles only, with a real name and photo. No company profiles.
- The project must be 100% complete, or the launch fails. You can schedule a later Monday.
- Launches open on Mondays, 12:00 AM to 11:59 PM UTC.
- Only the week’s top 5 projects get a backlink, and asking for upvotes counts as spam.
- A launch stays up for the week, and the top 3 get a badge and a place in the newsletter.

Not confirmed: Its pages mention mobile apps only as design work, and don’t say whether an App Store link alone is accepted.

Checked October 19, 2026 on https://peerlist.io/launchpad, https://help.peerlist.io/individual/launchpad/guidelines-faqs, https://help.peerlist.io/individual/peerlist-profile/verification/identity

##### [Fazier](https://fazier.com/submit)

Limited fit for iOS apps. Nothing on its pages mentions mobile apps or the App Store.

- Cost: Free, or one-time paid tiers from $29.
- Best for: An extra launch if your app has its own website.
- Prepare: An account, and a website for the backlink on the free tier.

Rules to know:

- The free tier requires a link to Fazier on your homepage or footer.
- Free submissions are reviewed and listed within 30 days.
- Paid tiers need no backlink and can be scheduled.

Not confirmed: Whether App Store-only apps are accepted isn’t stated.

Checked October 16, 2026 on https://fazier.com/submit

##### [TinyLaunch](https://www.tinylaunch.com)

Limited fit for iOS apps. No stated rule for mobile apps, and most launches are web products.

- Cost: Free standard launch, or $39 per Premium launch to skip the queue.
- Best for: A small launch if your app has a website.
- Prepare: An account, and a website where you can embed the badge.

Rules to know:

- Free launches wait in the standard queue.
- The top three get a badge, and the do-follow link needs that badge embedded on your site.

Not confirmed: Rules and required fields are behind a login.

Checked October 16, 2026 on https://www.tinylaunch.com, https://www.tinylaunch.com/pricing

##### [Tiny Startups](https://www.tinystartups.com/submit)

Some fit for iOS apps. A hand-picked directory that lists apps as well as web tools, with a newsletter behind it.

- Cost: Free to submit, in a queue, with a link that isn’t do-follow. A £69 instant listing skips the queue and makes the link do-follow; the sponsor board is pay-what-you-want from £69.
- Best for: A free, curated listing, if a person approves it.
- Prepare: A URL for your app (a website, or your App Store page), a logo and a short description.

Rules to know:

- Submit your URL; the listing is read off it and you correct what comes back wrong.
- Every listing is hand-approved, and popular ones reach the homepage and the newsletter.
- Sponsors pay what they want on the sponsor board to rank higher; the free spot is a plain listing.

Not confirmed: The submit page doesn’t say whether an App Store link alone is accepted, or how long approval takes.

Checked October 16, 2026 on https://www.tinystartups.com, https://www.tinystartups.com/submit

##### [CodeHype](https://www.codehype.ai/submit)

Limited fit for iOS apps. Its guidelines say it is for AI products. It does have a Mobile Apps category, but the audience is mostly founders and developers.

- Cost: Free, in the standard queue. Plus is $15 and Pro $25, one-time, to launch on a date you choose. Homepage ads from $15 a week.
- Best for: An extra free listing and backlink, if your app uses AI or you can keep their badge on your site.
- Prepare: A website URL, a square logo, a tagline and up to 5 screenshots. There is a separate field for your App Store link. You need a free account.

Rules to know:

- Every launch is reviewed by a person, aiming for about 24 hours, and paid plans don’t skip review.
- Its guidelines say it is for AI products and expect a real HTTPS website.
- The free listing's link is dofollow only while their badge stays on your site, checked every 3 days. Plus and Pro don't need the badge.
- Pro adds 7 days on the homepage and a dedicated blog post.
- Ask your community to upvote, but don't buy votes.

Not confirmed: The submit form requires a website URL, so it isn't clear whether an App Store link alone is accepted, or whether an app without AI is approved.

Checked October 16, 2026 on https://www.codehype.ai, https://www.codehype.ai/submit, https://www.codehype.ai/pricing, https://www.codehype.ai/guidelines

##### [BetaList](https://betalist.com/criteria)

Limited fit for iOS apps. A direct App Store link isn’t accepted as the product link.

- Cost: Paid only. Prices are shown at the end of the submission form, and you’re refunded if the app isn’t selected.
- Best for: A pre-launch or just-launched app with its own landing page.
- Prepare: A landing page on your own domain.

Rules to know:

- Needs its own domain and a custom landing page. An App Store button on that page is fine, but templates and free subdomains such as vercel.app aren’t.
- The app must be new: not launched weeks ago, and not already covered widely by the press.
- No apps that repeat one already released on another platform.
- Featured at most twice, before and at launch, at least a few weeks apart.

Not confirmed: Prices are only shown at the end of the submission form.

Checked October 19, 2026 on https://betalist.com/criteria, https://betalist.com/support

##### [StartupBase](https://startupbase.io/launch)

Limited fit for iOS apps. A general startup launch site, not built around apps.

- Cost: Free with a StartupBase badge on your site, launching in about 4–5 weeks. Premium from $39, one-time, on a date you pick within 30 days.
- Best for: An extra launch if your app has a website that can carry the badge.
- Prepare: A website for the badge, and your product details.

Rules to know:

- The free launch requires the StartupBase badge on your website.

Checked October 16, 2026 on https://startupbase.io/launch

### Directories for iOS apps

Sites where people browse apps. A listing keeps sending visitors after launch day, as long as the directory is maintained.

##### [Launch Indie Apps](https://launchindieapps.com/submit) (our site)

Strong fit for iOS apps. A directory of iOS apps by indie makers and solo founders, where every listing is reviewed by a person. It’s new, so the catalog is still growing.

- Cost: Paid, one-time: Listed $9 for a permanent listing, or $5 for the first 15 apps at the launch price.
- Best for: A permanent listing where people discover indie iOS apps, with facts about price, accounts and offline use shown before they download.
- Prepare: Your App Store link. Facts about price, accounts and offline use can be added while it’s in review.

Rules to know:

- Only apps already live on the App Store.
- A person reviews every submission, and an app that isn’t approved is refunded in full.
- Listings show the maker’s answers about price, free tier, accounts and offline use.

This is Launch Indie Apps, the site that publishes this guide.

Checked October 19, 2026 on https://launchindieapps.com/pricing, https://launchindieapps.com/about

##### [Discover Indie Apps](https://www.discoverindieapps.com/submit)

Strong fit for iOS apps. A curated directory for indie iOS apps only.

- Cost: Paid, one-time: Listed $9 for a permanent listing, or Spotlight $99 for 7 days at the top of the homepage. Featured apps are picked by the editors. No free way to submit.
- Best for: A paid listing, with a week at the top of the homepage if you want one.
- Prepare: An app that is live on the App Store.

Rules to know:

- Only apps already available on the App Store; the form needs your App Store link.
- Reviewed by hand after payment, usually within 24 hours. A submission that isn’t approved is refunded in full.
- Only one Spotlight app at a time. If it’s taken, you’re booked into the next free slot.

Runs a paid directory that competes with Launch Indie Apps.

Checked October 16, 2026 on https://www.discoverindieapps.com/, https://www.discoverindieapps.com/submit, https://www.discoverindieapps.com/terms-of-service, https://www.discoverindieapps.com/refund-policy

##### [Indie Apps](https://indie-apps.com/submit)

Strong fit for iOS apps. A directory of iPhone, iPad and Mac apps made by single developers, run by one person.

- Cost: Free listing. Paid placements by the week at launch prices, which it says will rise: Featured $4.99, Spotlight $9.99, or a side rail for $24.99 a month.
- Best for: A free listing that goes live straight away, with a weekly Debuts board ranked by App Store clicks rather than votes.
- Prepare: Your App Store link. Metadata is read from the App Store and refreshed weekly.

Rules to know:

- Independent Apple apps only, made by one developer. Anything else is removed, with the reason sent back.
- There's no review before publication: listings go live at once and are checked afterwards.
- Links from listings and developer pages are nofollow. The website link becomes followed if you show their badge or pay for Featured.

Runs a paid directory that competes with Launch Indie Apps.

Checked October 16, 2026 on https://indie-apps.com/submit, https://indie-apps.com/list-your-app, https://indie-apps.com/terms

##### [Indie App Catalog](https://indieappcatalog.com/app/submit)

Strong fit for iOS apps. A catalog of indie apps for Apple platforms, iPhone included.

- Cost: No price or payment step shown on the submit pages.
- Best for: A catalog listing, plus a news post on launch day or for a big update.
- Prepare: Your US App Store link. For a news post, a 16:9 header image at least 1600px wide and under 2MB.

Rules to know:

- Indie apps only: made by people you can talk to, not big companies.
- The app must be available on the US App Store.
- Submissions are reviewed before they appear, and the form asks only for your App Store link.
- No low-effort apps: AI-assisted is fine, but basic QR scanners and generic AI tools aren't.
- A separate news form takes launches and big updates: a title of up to 65 characters and at least a couple of short paragraphs.

Runs a paid directory that competes with Launch Indie Apps. Not confirmed: The pages don’t say how long review takes.

Checked October 16, 2026 on https://indieappcatalog.com/app/submit, https://indieappcatalog.com/news/submit, https://indieappcatalog.com/about

##### [Indie App Santa](https://indieappsanta.com/pricing/)

Some fit for iOS apps. Built for iOS app deals, so the audience is iPhone users; it works only if you run a real offer.

- Cost: Paid only. One iOS feature is $150 for a day; bundles of two for $200 and five for $250. Quarterly plans from $199.
- Best for: A launch-day deal, such as a free lifetime unlock or a discount, shown to people who look for app deals.
- Prepare: An iOS app with an offer you can switch on for the day, and a plan chosen on the pricing page.

Rules to know:

- Your app runs a limited-time offer during the feature: a free deal, free subscription or discount. The site says free lifetime deals perform best.
- Placement is bought by plan through checkout; there is no free submission.

Not confirmed: The submission form and review time aren’t shown before paying.

Checked October 16, 2026 on https://indieappsanta.com, https://indieappsanta.com/pricing/

##### [AlternativeTo](https://alternativeto.net/faq/)

Some fit for iOS apps. It has an iPhone section, but people arrive looking for an alternative to an app they know, not for new launches.

- Cost: Free, or a one-time priority review fee, shown before you pay.
- Best for: Being found by people searching for an alternative to a well-known app.
- Prepare: An account, then your app’s description, platforms, license and tags, and the apps it replaces.

Rules to know:

- Verify your email address before you can suggest an app.
- The free queue is long: AlternativeTo says most apps in it won’t be looked at for a very long time. Priority review usually takes 1–2 business days, and paying doesn’t guarantee approval.
- Verified members skip the queue for free.
- Don’t offer anything in return for upvotes.

Not confirmed: The suggestion form itself needs a login, so its fields weren’t checked.

Checked October 16, 2026 on https://alternativeto.net/faq/, https://alternativeto.net/platform/iphone/

##### [SaaSHub](https://www.saashub.com/services/submit)

Limited fit for iOS apps. A software directory that accepts mobile apps only when they have a proper website.

- Cost: Free. A Featured listing is $99 a month.
- Best for: A secondary listing if your app has its own website.
- Prepare: Your website, categories and competitors. An email address on your own domain gets higher priority.

Rules to know:

- Released products only: no waitlists or unreleased apps.
- Mobile apps only with a decent website, so an App Store link alone isn’t enough.
- Your own domain, not a free subdomain.
- List your competitors, or the submission goes to the bottom of the queue.
- No submissions by email.

Checked October 16, 2026 on https://www.saashub.com/services/submit, https://www.saashub.com/featured-products

### Communities

Places where iOS users and developers already talk. Every one has self-promotion rules, and breaking them gets a post removed.

##### [Hacker News: Show HN](https://news.ycombinator.com/showhn.html)

Some fit for iOS apps. Mostly developers and tech readers, and an App Store-only app is harder for them to try than a web link.

- Cost: Free
- Best for: An app with something technically interesting to discuss.
- Prepare: An App Store link people can use without signing up, and a first comment with the story behind the app.

Rules to know:

- Show HN is for something people can try, ideally without sign-ups or emails.
- It must be non-trivial: no quickly generated one-offs, and minor updates generally don’t qualify.
- Start the title with “Show HN”, and don’t use capitals or exclamation marks for emphasis.
- Don’t ask friends to upvote or comment.
- Be around to answer questions.

Checked October 16, 2026 on https://news.ycombinator.com/showhn.html, https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

##### [Indie Hackers](https://www.indiehackers.com/products)

Some fit for iOS apps. Founders and makers read it, not app users.

- Cost: Free account
- Best for: A build-in-public story about your app.
- Prepare: An account and a product page.

Rules to know:

- A free account is needed to add a product or post.

Not confirmed: No official self-promotion rules were found on the site.

Checked October 16, 2026 on https://www.indiehackers.com/products

##### [r/iosapps](https://www.reddit.com/r/iosapps/)

Strong fit for iOS apps. iPhone and iPad users looking for apps.

- Cost: Free
- Best for: A finished app shared with people who try new apps, once you’re part of the subreddit.
- Prepare: Karma from commenting in the subreddit, your price and flair, and your App Store link.

Rules to know:

- Everyone needs 10 karma earned in r/iosapps before posting.
- Self-promotion at most once per developer every 30 days, counted from your last app post, even a removed one. Posts in the monthly thread count too.
- The main feed also needs a trust signal (such as 20+ App Store ratings) or full transparency (your real name, contact details, and a website with a privacy policy and terms). Everyone else posts in the monthly App Shelf thread.
- Posts follow the ABC format: the problem it answers, what it does better than named competitors, and the cost. Pricing and a flair are required.
- Links go to the App Store or TestFlight only, and you always disclose that you made the app. Generative AI and mostly AI-built apps go in the monthly thread.

Checked October 16, 2026 on https://www.reddit.com/r/iosapps/comments/1v7lb8w/clarification_of_trust_and_transparency/, https://www.reddit.com/r/iosapps/, https://web.archive.org/web/20260802214256/https://old.reddit.com/r/iosapps/about/rules

##### [r/apple](https://www.reddit.com/r/apple/)

Strong fit for iOS apps. A very large audience of Apple users, with a narrow window for developers.

- Cost: Free
- Best for: A Sunday post about your app if you already take part in the subreddit.
- Prepare: A history of comments or posts in r/apple, and a text post about your app.

Rules to know:

- Developers may promote their app on Sundays (California time), as a self-post only. A bare link to your app isn’t allowed.
- At least 5 posts or comments in r/apple in the past month that aren’t about your app, and no more than 10% of your activity can be self-promotion.
- There is no megathread; abuse can get you banned and your app blacklisted.

Checked October 16, 2026 on https://web.archive.org/web/20260807222015/https://old.reddit.com/r/apple/about/rules/, https://web.archive.org/web/20260710062741/https://old.reddit.com/r/apple/wiki/rules

##### [r/iOSProgramming](https://www.reddit.com/r/iOSProgramming/)

Some fit for iOS apps. iOS developers, not app users. They reward what you learned building it.

- Cost: Free
- Best for: A how-I-built-it post with a real technical challenge.
- Prepare: Your tech stack, a specific technical or design problem you solved, and an honest AI disclosure.

Rules to know:

- Post your app only on a Saturday, and only one app a year.
- Don’t post just before the day changes, or without previous activity in the subreddit.
- App Saturday posts have three sections: your tech stack, one development challenge and how you solved it, and an AI disclosure (self-built, AI-assisted, or mostly AI-generated).

Checked October 16, 2026 on https://web.archive.org/web/20260802214619/https://old.reddit.com/r/iOSProgramming/about/rules, https://web.archive.org/web/20260830081542/https://old.reddit.com/r/iOSProgramming/wiki/app-saturday

##### [r/iphone](https://www.reddit.com/r/iphone/)

Some fit for iOS apps. iPhone users, but developers need the moderators’ approval first.

- Cost: Free
- Best for: An app the moderators agree to feature, or an AMA.
- Prepare: A message to the moderators explaining your app.

Rules to know:

- Developers who want to promote their own app must message the moderators first.
- App release notes aren’t allowed as posts.

Checked October 16, 2026 on https://web.archive.org/web/20260802214341/https://old.reddit.com/r/iphone/about/rules

##### [r/IndieAppNews](https://www.reddit.com/r/IndieAppNews/)

Some fit for iOS apps. Made for indie developers to share launches and updates. Many readers are developers themselves.

- Cost: Free
- Best for: Launch posts, significant updates and tips for using your app.
- Prepare: A post written for Reddit rather than a link to your website.

Rules to know:

- Post app introductions, significant updates, or other content about your app.
- Its rules say content written on Reddit will probably work better than a link elsewhere.
- Less than one post per app per day.

Checked October 16, 2026 on https://web.archive.org/web/20260802214659/https://old.reddit.com/r/IndieAppNews/about/rules

##### [r/TestFlight](https://www.reddit.com/r/TestFlight/)

Strong fit for iOS apps. Where developers and testers meet for App Store betas.

- Cost: Free
- Best for: Recruiting beta testers before launch.
- Prepare: A public TestFlight link and a note on what testers should try.

Rules to know:

- Posts are about your TestFlight app only, with no other links.
- The title is your app’s name, plus an optional short message, with no tags like [Tester].
- Assign the correct flair, and don’t post the same app too often.

Checked October 16, 2026 on https://web.archive.org/web/20260722071600/https://old.reddit.com/r/TestFlight/about/rules

##### [r/AppHookup](https://www.reddit.com/r/AppHookup/)

Limited fit for iOS apps. Deal hunters. It doesn’t take launch deals, so it’s for a later sale, not launch day.

- Cost: Free
- Best for: A genuine price drop on a paid app after launch.
- Prepare: A real, lasting price reduction and a correctly formatted title.

Rules to know:

- Launch deals are at the moderators’ discretion. No always-free or freemium apps, and no betas.
- Free trials only if yearly or longer, at the moderators’ discretion. Apps with a weekly subscription are rejected.
- Deal posts are approved by a moderator first.
- Titles follow the format [Platform] [App name] [Price change in US dollars] [Description].
- Promo codes only as a giveaway of 500 or more lifetime codes, never in plain text.

Checked October 16, 2026 on https://web.archive.org/web/20260809110059/https://old.reddit.com/r/apphookup/about/rules, https://www.reddit.com/r/AppHookup/

##### [Hacking with Swift forums: App Announcements](https://www.hackingwithswift.com/forums/app-announcements)

Strong fit for iOS apps. A Swift developer community with a board just for announcing apps.

- Cost: Free
- Best for: Telling other iOS developers you shipped, and asking for feedback.
- Prepare: Your App Store link, and promo codes if you have some.

Rules to know:

- Include a link to the App Store.
- Promo codes are welcome.
- If you want feedback on your app, ask for it.

Not confirmed: The pages don’t say whether posting needs an account.

Checked October 16, 2026 on https://www.hackingwithswift.com/forums/app-announcements, https://www.hackingwithswift.com/forums/app-announcements/about-the-app-announcements-forum/4

### Press and newsletters

Apple-focused writers cover apps they have tried and news worth telling. Pitch a story, not a feature list.

##### [MacStories](https://www.macstories.net/about/)

Strong fit for iOS apps. Its readers care about quality apps made for Apple platforms.

- Cost: Free. MacStories says it has never done paid reviews.
- Best for: A well-made app with something new to try.
- Prepare: A short, personal note and a way for the editor to try the app.

Rules to know:

- There is no tips form. The About page lists the editors’ email addresses.
- They only write about apps they have tested themselves.
- They don’t repeat App Store release notes, so say what’s new in your own words.

Checked October 19, 2026 on https://www.macstories.net/about/

##### [9to5Mac](https://9to5mac.com/contact/)

Some fit for iOS apps. A large Apple news site. Tips are for news, so an app needs a news angle.

- Cost: Free
- Best for: An app launch that is genuinely news.
- Prepare: A clear news angle and your App Store link.

Rules to know:

- Send tips by email, through the anonymous tips form on the contact page, or to @9to5Mac on X.
- Anything you send as a tip can be published, so don’t send what you aren’t ready to share.

Checked October 19, 2026 on https://9to5mac.com/contact/

##### [Cult of Mac](https://www.cultofmac.com/about)

Some fit for iOS apps. An Apple news site that takes news tips, with no guidance for app pitches.

- Cost: Free
- Best for: An app launch with a story behind it.
- Prepare: A news angle and your App Store link.

Rules to know:

- News tips go to the address on the About page.

Checked October 19, 2026 on https://www.cultofmac.com/about

##### [Indie Dev Monday](https://indiedevmonday.com/about)

Some fit for iOS apps. A newsletter that follows indie app developers over time. It features people, not app listings.

- Cost: Free
- Best for: Sharing your story as an indie developer over time.
- Prepare: A short update about your app and where you are with it.

Rules to know:

- There is no form: subscribe, then reply to any issue with what you’re building, where you are and what’s next.
- Since 2026 it checks back in with developers every few weeks or months.

Checked October 19, 2026 on https://indiedevmonday.com/about

##### [iOS Dev Weekly](https://suggest.iosdevweekly.com)

Limited fit for iOS apps. It takes blog posts and Swift libraries, not app announcements.

- Cost: Free to suggest a link. Sponsorship is paid, from EUR 2,500 an issue.
- Best for: A technical write-up about how you built your app.
- Prepare: A link to your write-up and a short reason it’s worth including.

Rules to know:

- The suggestion form asks whether your link is a blog post or a Swift library, and doesn’t mention apps.
- If your blog is already in the iOS Dev Directory, don’t submit its posts. The editor already reads them.
- Published weekly on Fridays for Swift and Apple platform developers.

Checked October 19, 2026 on https://suggest.iosdevweekly.com, https://iosdevweekly.com, https://iosdevweekly.com/sponsorship

### How this guide was checked

Every entry was read from the channel’s own pages, such as its submit page, pricing, FAQ or rules, on the date shown on the entry. Prices and rules change, so check the linked page before you launch. Anything a site’s pages didn’t confirm is marked as not confirmed.

**A disclosure:** Launch Indie Apps is a paid launch platform and directory for iOS apps by indie makers, run by Rashem. It appears twice, as a launch platform and as a directory, marked as ours both times, and it’s first in both groups because this is our guide. Nobody paid to be listed here, and the other places aren’t ranked.

Checked and left out:

- **DevHunt.** It launches developer tools only, such as open-source projects, APIs and testing tools.
- **Launching Next.** Its site showed a security check instead of its pages, so none of its rules or prices could be confirmed.
- **r/SideProject.** Its rules page lists no rules, so what it allows couldn’t be confirmed.
- **AppAdvice.** Its website no longer loads, and its X account reported that it shut down in January 2026.
- **SideProjectors.** A marketplace for buying and selling side projects, not a place to launch an app.
- **AppRaven.** Its pages don’t load without its app, so who may post and on what terms couldn’t be read.

Spotted something out of date? Email hello@launchindieapps.com.

### Questions

**Where should I launch my iOS app first?** Nominate it for App Store featuring in App Store Connect before anything else. It’s free, and Apple asks for weeks of notice. Then list it on directories built for indie iOS apps, and post in communities that let developers share their apps.

**Do I need a website to launch an iOS app?** Not everywhere. Apple’s featuring nomination, Indie App Catalog, Discover Indie Apps and Launch Indie Apps work with your App Store link. BetaList and SaaSHub need a website on your own domain, and the free launches on Fazier, TinyLaunch and StartupBase need a badge or link on your site.

**Is Product Hunt worth it for an iOS app?** It can be, if you plan the day. Launches start at 12:01 AM Pacific, you post from a personal account that’s at least a week old, and the audience leans toward tech and web products. Posting is free.

**Can I post my iOS app on Reddit?** In some subreddits, on their terms. r/apple lets developers promote on Sundays (California time) as a self-post. r/iOSProgramming allows one app a year, on a Saturday, with your tech stack, a development challenge and an AI disclosure. r/iosapps needs 10 karma in the subreddit and allows one post every 30 days. r/iphone asks developers to message the moderators first.

**Where can I promote my iOS app with zero budget?** Start with the places that cost nothing: Apple’s featuring nomination, Product Hunt, Hacker News, Indie Hackers, the Hacking with Swift forums and the subreddits that allow app posts. Uneed, Microlaunch, AlternativeTo, Fazier, TinyLaunch and StartupBase have free options with a queue or a condition, and paid ways to skip it.

**Why does this guide list other app directories?** Because they’re useful to makers. Launch Indie Apps is a paid launch platform and directory too: it’s listed as a launch platform and as a directory, marked as ours both times and first in both groups, and this page says so. Nobody paid to be listed here, and the other places aren’t ranked.

# Articles for makers

## How long does App Store review take in 2026?

URL: https://launchindieapps.com/blog/app-store-review-times
Updated: 2026-10-21

### Short answer

Apple's goal is to review at least half of all submissions in under 24 hours and 90% in under 48. Bug fix updates are usually quicker, and first apps, rejections and anything Apple has to verify take longer. Submit about a week before your launch day and set the release to manual.

My first app was rejected four times before it got through. My second, Invobis, was [approved on the first try](https://x.com/rashem48/status/2102679570612728038), in under 48 hours.

The wait is the one part of a launch you can't control, so it helps to know what Apple promises and what developers actually see. Here's both, and how to plan a launch around it.

#### How long does App Store review take?

Apple's App Review help page gives the current goal: [at least 50% of submissions in less than 24 hours and 90% in less than 48 hours](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-review/after-submitting-for-review/review-status). The team works around the clock, and Apple says updates with minor changes and bug fixes usually move through quickly.

That goal covers everything Apple reviews, from new apps and updates to in-app purchases and in-app events. Your own wait can be shorter or longer.

#### Has App Store review got slower?

Apple's own number has changed. Its holiday note in December 2023 said that, on average, [90% of submissions are reviewed in less than 24 hours](https://developer.apple.com/news/?id=uijoypq9). Today the same 90% is promised within 48 hours. Many articles still quote the old figure.

Developers noticed it too. In March 2026, Michael Tsai collected [reports of Mac App Store reviews](https://mjtsai.com/blog/2026/03/02/mac-app-store-review-times-increasing/) typically taking about 5 days, with some waits over 10, and iOS developers adding their own delays. The same post quotes an Apple spokesperson in April saying the team processes 90% of submissions within 48 hours, with an average review time of 1.5 days over 12 weeks. These are reports, not Apple's data, but they match what the new figure suggests: plan for two days, not one.

#### What do the review statuses mean?

App Store Connect shows where your submission is:

- **Waiting for Review.** Apple has it, but review [hasn't started](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-review/after-submitting-for-review/review-status). You can still edit some information or remove items, but you can't upload or change screenshots and app previews. Check those before you submit, with the [screenshot size checker](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/app-store-screenshot-sizes) and the [preview video checker](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/app-store-preview-video-checker).
- **In Review.** Someone at App Review is looking at it. You can cancel to take it out of review.
- **Unresolved Issues.** App Review found a problem with one or more items.
- **Pending Developer Release.** Approved, and waiting for you, if you chose to [release it manually](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-your-apps-availability/select-an-app-store-version-release-option/).

#### Why do some reviews take longer?

Apple names the reasons on [its review status page](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-review/after-submitting-for-review/review-status):

- **Documentation.** If App Review has to ask for and check licences, authorisations or partnership agreements first.
- **Complex or new things.** Regulated content, new platform capabilities, entitlements and other sensitive features get a closer look.
- **Investigations.** Signs of fraud or manipulation, such as gaming ratings and reviews or a misrepresented developer identity, can extend a review.
- **Missing information.** Apple says an [incomplete submission](https://developer.apple.com/distribute/app-review/) delays review, and over 40% of unresolved issues relate to guideline 2.1, App Completeness. [What to check before you submit](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/before-you-submit-ios-app) is the list I use for that.

#### Should you resubmit or reply to App Review?

Reply, if you can. Apple says not to resubmit when it only asked for more information, or when [the fix is in your metadata or on your server](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-review/after-submitting-for-review/review-status), such as a demo account that didn't work. Resubmitting starts a new review, and App Review can no longer reply to your earlier message.

Resubmit when the build itself was rejected and you've fixed it. And fix everything first: Apple says resubmitting with unresolved issues delays review and ends the same way.

#### Can you speed up App Store review?

Sometimes. Apple lets you [request an expedited review](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-review/after-submitting-for-review/request-expedited-review) for a critical bug fix, or to release in time for an event your app is tied to. The app has to be submitted already, the reason goes in the Notes field, and Apple grants it as availability and demand allow.

Apple asks that expedite requests be kept for genuine urgency. A launch day you picked yourself isn't one, so don't plan around it.

#### When should you submit before launch day?

About a week before, if your date matters. That covers a 48-hour review, one rejection and a resubmission.

Set the version to "Manually release this version" in App Store Connect. Then approval only moves it to Pending Developer Release, and you pick the moment. After you release, Apple says it [can take up to 24 hours](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-your-apps-availability/select-an-app-store-version-release-option/) to appear on the App Store, so release the evening before your launch posts go out. Apple emails a reminder if a version sits in Pending Developer Release for more than 30 days.

Avoid Christmas week for anything tight. Apple's holiday notes in [2021](https://developer.apple.com/news/?id=y4fgrhhe) and 2023 warned that reviews may take longer in the days around December 25.

[The first 30 days after approval](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/ios-app-approved-now-what) covers what to do once you're through, and [the launch checklist](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/ios-app-launch-checklist) puts the whole run in order.

### Where Launch Indie Apps fits

A listing on Launch Indie Apps needs your app to be live on the App Store, so review comes first. Once it's out, a listing gives it a page that stays up, launch posts written for X, Reddit and the other places you'll post, and a report on what each one sent.

### Do this today

Open your next version in App Store Connect and switch the release option to manual. Then put your launch day in the calendar a week after the day you plan to submit.

### Questions

**How long does App Store review take in 2026?** Apple's goal is to review at least 50% of submissions in under 24 hours and 90% in under 48 hours. Bug fix updates usually go faster; submissions Apple has to verify take longer.

**Can I edit my app while it's waiting for review?** Partly. While it's Waiting for Review you can edit some information or remove items, but you can't upload or change screenshots and app previews.

**Can I ask Apple to review my app faster?** Yes, with an expedited review request, for a critical bug fix or an event your app is tied to. Apple grants them as availability allows and asks that they be kept for genuine urgency.

**How long after approval does an app appear on the App Store?** If you release it manually, Apple says it can take up to 24 hours to appear on the App Store after you press release.

### Sources

- Track a submission's review status, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/help/app-review/after-submitting-for-review/review-status (checked 2026-10-21)
- App Review, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/distribute/app-review/ (checked 2026-10-21)
- Request an expedited review, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/help/app-review/after-submitting-for-review/request-expedited-review (checked 2026-10-21)
- Select an App Store version release option, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-your-apps-availability/select-an-app-store-version-release-option/ (checked 2026-10-21)
- Get your apps ready for the holidays (December 5, 2023), Apple Developer News: https://developer.apple.com/news/?id=uijoypq9 (checked 2026-10-21)
- Submissions now accepted through the holidays (November 8, 2021), Apple Developer News: https://developer.apple.com/news/?id=y4fgrhhe (checked 2026-10-21)
- Mac App Store Review Times Increasing (March 2, 2026, with updates to May 2026), Michael Tsai: https://mjtsai.com/blog/2026/03/02/mac-app-store-review-times-increasing/ (checked 2026-10-21)
- Invobis approved on the first attempt (September 23, 2026), X (@rashem48): https://x.com/rashem48/status/2102679570612728038 (checked 2026-10-21)

## How to launch an iOS app with no audience

URL: https://launchindieapps.com/blog/launch-ios-app-with-no-audience
Updated: 2026-10-23

### Short answer

Borrow other people's audiences while you build your own. Post where iOS users already look for apps, list on directories built for indie iOS apps, nominate the app for App Store featuring and gather TestFlight testers during the weeks before launch. Then share how you built it: first-app stories travel further than announcements.

On September 24 I posted that my X account had [crossed 500 followers](https://x.com/rashem48/status/2103110848571203749). It had felt impossible at one point; I'd tried growing there before and failed every time. Eighteen days later it [crossed 900](https://x.com/rashem48/status/2109546524371771488).

Neither number is an audience in the way launch advice assumes. Nobody with 500 followers launches to a waiting crowd. But it showed me something about where the first people come from, and it isn't from one big post.

#### What does "no audience" really mean for a launch?

It means nobody is waiting for your launch post. It doesn't mean nobody wants your app, especially one that solves [something people already search for](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/ios-app-niches-to-build-in).

The people who'd use it already gather somewhere: in subreddits, on app directories, in newsletters, on the App Store itself. The job isn't to build a crowd before launch day. It's to show up where the crowd already is, with something worth their time.

#### Whose audience can you borrow?

Four places, each with people already looking for apps:

- **Communities.** Subreddits like r/iosapps and r/IndieAppNews exist for this, on their terms. [The Reddit guide](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/post-ios-app-on-reddit) has each subreddit's rules.
- **Directories built for iOS apps.** A listing keeps sending people after launch week. [Which ones are worth it](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/ios-app-directories-worth-submitting-to) depends on what you want from them.
- **Newsletters and press.** Apple-focused writers cover apps they've tried, for free, when there's a story.
- **Launch platforms.** Product Hunt is free, but works best if you've [joined well ahead](https://www.producthunt.com/launch/before-launch). [Should you launch there?](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/should-you-launch-ios-app-on-product-hunt) covers when it fits.

Each one is a small audience. Together, over a few weeks, they add up to the launch you were told needs followers.

#### What does the App Store give you without followers?

More than most makers use:

- **Featuring.** Anyone can [nominate an app for featuring](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-featuring-nominations/nominate-your-app-for-featuring/) in App Store Connect, followers or not. It needs at least 3 weeks' notice.
- **In-app events.** A real event in your app can appear [in App Store search results](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/in-app-events/), in front of people who've never heard of you.
- **Custom product pages.** You can publish [up to 70](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/custom-product-pages/), each with its own link, so a Reddit post and a newsletter mention can each land on screenshots made for that reader.
- **Promotional text.** The one line you can [change any time without an update](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/product-page/), so it can speak to whoever is arriving this week.

To see your page the way a stranger does, paste its link into the [listing checker](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/app-store-listing-checker), or get one score for it with the [ASO score checker](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/aso-score-checker).

#### How do you build a small audience before launch day?

Use the weeks before release.

A public TestFlight link lets you invite [up to 10,000 external testers](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/test-a-beta-version/invite-external-testers/). Twenty testers who've used the app are worth more on launch day than a thousand strangers: they reply, they rate, they tell you what's broken.

If people are already asking for it, a new app can take [pre-orders with a release date 2 to 180 days out](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-your-apps-availability/publish-for-pre-order/). Every pre-order is someone who gets the app the day it's out.

#### Should you post about building it on X?

Yes, and earlier than feels comfortable. In [our sample of 1,012 launch posts](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/x-launch-post-for-ios-app) from accounts under 5,000 followers, posts that told a "first app" story did better: 20% reached 10 or more engagements, against 14% for the rest. One maker with 832 followers announced [their first app](https://x.com/nanahrii/status/2089463523843965221) and got more than 1,700 likes, replies and reposts.

My own approach was simple. I described it on October 1 as [sharing the building journey, adding value through replies and building real relationships](https://x.com/rashem48/status/2105552992669728816). Replying to other makers matters as much as posting.

Expect the first posts to be quiet. The median launch post in our sample got about 70 views. That's normal, not a verdict on your app. Add an image either way: in the same sample, posts with one got more than twice the views, and the [share image generator](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/app-store-share-image-generator) makes one from your App Store link.

#### What shouldn't you spend money on yet?

Almost everything. A year after launch, the median subscription app earns [about $72 a month](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/app-store-categories-that-make-the-most-money), so launch spending rarely pays for itself early on.

- **Ads.** Until you know which free channel brings people who stay, you don't know what an ad is competing with.
- **Followers, votes or "launch packages".** Product Hunt and several other launch sites ban paid votes, and a bought follower isn't someone who wanted your app.
- **A big launch day.** Spread the launch over weeks instead: one new place each week, each with its own campaign link so you know which one worked.

#### How long does it take?

Longer than a launch day, shorter than you fear. Plan on a month of small launches rather than one big one, and on your own following growing slowly alongside. If it's just you, here's [what a one-person launch week looks like](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/launch-ios-app-as-solo-developer).

The [30-day plan](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/ios-app-approved-now-what) lays out the order week by week.

### Where Launch Indie Apps fits

Launch Indie Apps is one of the borrowed audiences: people come here to find indie iOS apps, and a listing stays up after launch week. It also gives you the Launch Kit, with launch posts written for X, Reddit, LinkedIn, Indie Hackers and email, and [the Launch Map](https://launchindieapps.com/guides/where-to-launch-ios-app) of the other places, each checked on its own site.

### Do this today

Pick one community where your future users already ask for apps, read its rules, and leave one useful comment there today. That's your first borrowed audience.

### Questions

**How do you promote your iOS app when you have no audience to start with?** Borrow other people's. Post where iOS users already look for apps, list on directories built for indie iOS apps, nominate the app for App Store featuring and invite TestFlight testers before release. None of these needs followers.

**How many TestFlight testers can I invite before launch?** Up to 10,000 external testers per app, by email or with a public invitation link.

**Does posting about my first app on X help?** In our sample of 1,012 launch posts from small accounts, posts that told a first-app story reached 10 or more engagements 20% of the time, against 14% for the rest.

### Sources

- Crossed 500 followers (September 24, 2026), X (@rashem48): https://x.com/rashem48/status/2103110848571203749 (checked 2026-10-17)
- Crossed 900 followers (October 12, 2026), X (@rashem48): https://x.com/rashem48/status/2109546524371771488 (checked 2026-10-17)
- How I'm growing on X this time (October 1, 2026), X (@rashem48): https://x.com/rashem48/status/2105552992669728816 (checked 2026-10-17)
- Before launch, Product Hunt: https://www.producthunt.com/launch/before-launch (checked 2026-10-16)
- Nominate your app for featuring, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-featuring-nominations/nominate-your-app-for-featuring/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- In-App Events, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/app-store/in-app-events/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Custom product pages on the App Store, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/app-store/custom-product-pages/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Creating your product page, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/app-store/product-page/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Invite external testers, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/test-a-beta-version/invite-external-testers/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Publish for pre-order, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-your-apps-availability/publish-for-pre-order/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- A first-app launch post from an account with 832 followers, X (@nanahrii): https://x.com/nanahrii/status/2089463523843965221 (checked 2026-10-16)

## What to check before you submit your iOS app to App Review

URL: https://launchindieapps.com/blog/before-you-submit-ios-app
Updated: 2026-10-21

### Short answer

Test the exact build on real devices, remove every placeholder, and give the reviewer a demo account that works and notes that explain how to reach every feature. Then complete what App Store Connect asks for: privacy policy, App Privacy details, age rating and screenshots that match the app. Most rejections are about apps that aren't finished.

My first app was rejected four times. My second, Invobis, was [approved on the first try](https://x.com/rashem48/status/2102679570612728038), in under 48 hours.

Nothing about the second app was simpler. The difference was a checklist, written from the mistakes on the first, which I [posted on X](https://x.com/rashem48/status/2103431024117952641) the week it was approved. This is that checklist, with Apple's own rule behind each line.

#### How often does Apple reject apps?

Often. In 2025 Apple reviewed [9,100,620 submissions and rejected 2,093,244](https://www.apple.com/legal/app-store/transparency/2025/) of them, almost one in four. Performance problems, such as crashes and incomplete apps, account for the largest share of rejections by far.

Apple says [over 40% of unresolved issues](https://developer.apple.com/distribute/app-review/) come from a single guideline, 2.1, App Completeness. Its newsroom adds that over 443,000 submissions were [rejected for privacy violations](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/05/the-app-store-stopped-over-2-point-2-billion-usd-in-fraudulent-transactions-in-2025/) in 2025.

So most rejections aren't about taste. They're about apps that weren't ready, or didn't explain themselves.

#### Is the app actually finished?

- [ ] Test the exact build you're submitting, on real devices: the smallest and largest screens you support, and iPad if the app runs there.
- [ ] Test on the oldest iOS version you claim to support.
- [ ] Remove every placeholder: Apple's guideline 2.1 asks for [final versions](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/), with no placeholder text or temporary content.
- [ ] Tap every button and every link. Dead buttons, broken copy and wrong plurals are the small things reviewers notice.
- [ ] Make sure your backend is live and reachable during review.

#### Does the reviewer have everything they need?

This is the one most makers skip, and the one that helped me most: don't make Apple work out how your app works.

- [ ] If the app has a login, give a demo account that works and won't expire. App Store Connect asks for it in the [App Review section](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/reference/app-information/platform-version-information/).
- [ ] Use the review notes, up to 4,000 bytes, to explain how to test the app: how to reach the paywall, the subscriptions, the widgets.
- [ ] Record a short demo video for anything the reviewer can't do themselves, such as hardware, a location or a second device.
- [ ] Give a review contact with a phone number in international format, starting with "+".

#### Is the privacy side complete?

- [ ] A privacy policy, linked both in App Store Connect and inside the app. Guideline 5.1.1(i) requires [both places](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/), and App Store Connect requires the URL for [every app](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-app-information/manage-app-privacy).
- [ ] App Privacy details that match what your app and its SDKs really collect. Apple requires them for [new apps and updates](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/app-privacy-details/), third-party code included, and its page explains how SDK privacy manifests help you fill them in accurately.
- [ ] Permission screens that explain why you need access. Apple asks that purpose strings [clearly and completely describe](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/) how you use the data.
- [ ] Never imitate or steer Apple's permission prompts. Guideline 5.1.1(iv) says apps must not try to manipulate, trick or force people to consent.
- [ ] If people can create an account, they can delete it inside the app: guideline 5.1.1(v).

#### Do the screenshots and metadata match the app?

- [ ] Screenshots and preview videos show the exact build you're submitting. Apple says screenshots should show [the app in use](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/), not just title art, a login page or a splash screen.
- [ ] The name is 30 characters or fewer, and nothing in the description promises a feature that isn't there. The [name checker](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/app-store-name-checker) counts it and shows any live app already using it.
- [ ] Every screenshot is a size Apple accepts. Our [free screenshot size checker](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/app-store-screenshot-sizes) tells you in seconds.
- [ ] The app icon and any preview video meet Apple's specs. The [icon checker](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/ios-app-icon-checker) and the [preview video checker](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/app-store-preview-video-checker) read your files in the browser and say what to fix.

#### Is the paywall set up the way Apple wants?

If your app sells anything, this is where first apps get stuck.

- [ ] Paid features use in-app purchase, as guideline 3.1.1 requires, and there's a way to restore purchases: Apple says you should have [a restore mechanism](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/) for restorable purchases.
- [ ] The price is the clearest thing on every paywall, clearer than the free trial or the discount.
- [ ] The paywall says how long the plan lasts, that it renews automatically, and how to cancel. Guideline 3.1.2 asks you to describe what people get for the price before you ask them to subscribe.
- [ ] Terms of use and the privacy policy are always visible from the paywall.
- [ ] Subscriptions and their review screenshots are set up in App Store Connect before you submit.

#### Is the app more than a website, or a copy of one?

Guideline 4.2 asks for [minimum functionality](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/): an app that's only a repackaged website doesn't belong on the App Store. Guideline 4.3 turns down apps that can't be told apart from what's already there, and names crowded categories such as flashlights, wallpapers and simple timers.

If your app is in one of those, say plainly in your notes what's different about it. Better still, check [which niches Apple calls crowded](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/ios-app-niches-to-build-in) before you start the next one.

#### What does App Store Connect ask for?

- [ ] A support URL with real contact details.
- [ ] The age rating questionnaire. An app without a rating [can't be published](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-app-information/set-an-app-age-rating).
- [ ] The [export compliance](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-app-information/overview-of-export-compliance) questions about encryption.
- [ ] Description, keywords, screenshots and copyright. What's New isn't used on a first version. The [keyword checker](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/app-store-keyword-checker) catches wasted words in the keyword field before Apple's 100-byte limit does.
- [ ] Any special capability your app depends on, approved in advance. Some are only offered as [entitlements for limited use cases](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/), so request them well before you plan to submit.

#### How long does review take?

Usually a day or two. Apple says it reviews at least [50% of submissions in under 24 hours](https://developer.apple.com/distribute/app-review/) and 90% in under 48. [How long App Store review takes](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/app-store-review-times) covers what slows it down, when to ask for an expedited review and how far ahead to submit.

Set the release to manual, so approval doesn't pick your launch day. [The launch checklist](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/ios-app-launch-checklist) covers the weeks after, and [the first 30 days after approval](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/ios-app-approved-now-what) puts the month in order.

#### What if you're rejected anyway?

It happens to a lot of first apps, mine included, and it isn't the end. In 2025, [387,087 submissions](https://www.apple.com/legal/app-store/transparency/2025/) were approved after an earlier rejection.

Read which guideline the rejection cites, fix exactly that, and explain the change in your review notes when you resubmit. Then add the lesson to your own checklist. Mine started that way.

### Where Launch Indie Apps fits

Once you're approved, Launch Indie Apps is the next step: a listing reviewed by a person, launch posts written for each channel and [the Launch Map](https://launchindieapps.com/guides/where-to-launch-ios-app) of other places to launch. Before you submit, our two free tools check the parts reviewers see first: the [character counter](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/app-store-character-counter) for your name, subtitle and keywords, and the [screenshot size checker](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/app-store-screenshot-sizes).

### Do this today

Sign out of your app and try to use it as a reviewer would, with only the demo account and the notes you plan to give Apple. Fix anything that makes you stop and think.

### Questions

**What is the most common reason apps are rejected?** Apple says over 40% of unresolved issues relate to guideline 2.1, App Completeness: crashes, placeholder content, broken links and missing information such as demo accounts.

**Does every iOS app need a privacy policy?** Yes. App Store Connect requires a privacy policy URL for all apps, and guideline 5.1.1(i) asks for it to be linked inside the app too.

**Does my app need a way to delete an account?** If people can create an account in your app, guideline 5.1.1(v) requires that they can also delete it from inside the app.

### Sources

- My pre-submission checklist (September 25, 2026), X (@rashem48): https://x.com/rashem48/status/2103431024117952641 (checked 2026-10-17)
- Invobis approved on the first attempt (September 23, 2026), X (@rashem48): https://x.com/rashem48/status/2102679570612728038 (checked 2026-10-17)
- App Store Transparency Report 2025, Apple: https://www.apple.com/legal/app-store/transparency/2025/ (checked 2026-10-17)
- App Review: avoiding common issues and review status, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/distribute/app-review/ (checked 2026-10-17)
- The App Store stopped over $2.2 billion in fraudulent transactions in 2025, Apple Newsroom: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/05/the-app-store-stopped-over-2-point-2-billion-usd-in-fraudulent-transactions-in-2025/ (checked 2026-10-17)
- App Review Guidelines (updated October 16, 2026), Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/ (checked 2026-10-17)
- Platform version information, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/reference/app-information/platform-version-information/ (checked 2026-10-17)
- Manage app privacy, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-app-information/manage-app-privacy (checked 2026-10-17)
- App privacy details on the App Store, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/app-store/app-privacy-details/ (checked 2026-10-17)
- Set an app age rating, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-app-information/set-an-app-age-rating (checked 2026-10-17)
- Overview of export compliance, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-app-information/overview-of-export-compliance (checked 2026-10-17)

## How to launch an iOS app as a solo developer

URL: https://launchindieapps.com/blog/launch-ios-app-as-solo-developer
Updated: 2026-10-21

### Short answer

Budget about 99 USD a year for Apple's developer program and enroll in its Small Business Program for the 15% commission. Let App Store Connect handle timing and rollout, write your launch posts before launch week, and spend your own hours on the one thing nobody else can do: talking to the people who try your app.

In September I posted my [solo founder productivity](https://x.com/rashem48/status/2101322143535378656) report: build product, done. Fix bugs, done. Talk to users, not done. Market product, not done. "Maybe I should redesign the settings page."

That's the solo developer's launch problem in four lines. You can do everything, so you do the parts you're comfortable with. The launch is the part nobody else will do for you.

#### What does launching cost a solo developer?

Less than most launch advice implies.

| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Apple Developer Program | [99 USD a year](https://developer.apple.com/programs/enroll/); prices may vary by region |
| Apple's commission | [15% in the Small Business Program](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/small-business-program/), if your proceeds were up to 1 million USD last year or you're new; you have to enroll |
| Launch platforms, communities, most directories | Free, in time rather than money |
| Ads | Optional, and not where to start |

Enrolling in the Small Business Program is the cheapest win on this list. It isn't automatic, so do it before your first sale. The difference is real money at indie scale: a year after launch, the median subscription app makes [about $72 a month](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/app-store-categories-that-make-the-most-money).

#### Which jobs can Apple's own tools do for you?

More than you'd think, and they're already in App Store Connect:

- **Timing.** Set the version to release [manually or after a date you pick](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-your-apps-availability/select-an-app-store-version-release-option/), so approval doesn't decide your launch day while you're asleep. [Review usually takes a day or two](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/app-store-review-times), so submit about a week ahead.
- **Testing.** TestFlight lets you invite [up to 100 internal and 10,000 external testers](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/test-a-beta-version/testflight-overview), and a build stays testable for 90 days.
- **Rollout.** A phased release spreads an update [over 7 days](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/update-your-app/release-a-version-update-in-phases/), so a bug in your first fix doesn't reach everyone with automatic updates at once.
- **Messaging.** Promotional text can be [changed any time without an update](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/product-page/), so it can follow your launch week.
- **Measuring.** A [campaign link](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect-analytics/acquisition/campaign-links/) per place you post tells you which one sent downloads, without any analytics code.

#### What should you do yourself?

Two things, and they're the ones that feel least like work.

- **Reply.** To every comment, every review, every email, for the first weeks. A maker who answers is rare, and people remember it.
- **Talk to the people who try it.** Ask one question: what did you expect it to do that it didn't? You'll learn more from five answers than from any dashboard.

Those are the jobs that can't be delegated, because the point of them is that it's you.

#### What can you write once and reuse?

- **One launch post per place,** written the week before, in each place's style. [An X post](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/x-launch-post-for-ios-app), a Reddit post and a Product Hunt description are three different texts.
- **One paragraph about why you built it.** You'll paste it into directory forms, press emails and replies for months.
- **Your review notes.** They explain your app to Apple ([what to put in them](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/before-you-submit-ios-app)), and with small edits to journalists and testers too.
- **Your icon, as a square image.** Most directory forms ask for a logo. Export the App Store icon once at full size and reuse it everywhere; the [icon checker](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/ios-app-icon-checker) confirms it's the size Apple asks for.

#### What can you skip?

- **Launching everywhere on one day.** You can't reply properly in ten places at once. Pick two or three.
- **Ads before you know what works.** Until a free channel brings people who stay, an ad is guessing with money.
- **Press, until you have a story.** A launch is not news on its own; a surprising user, a real number or an unusual reason is.
- **A perfect app.** Ship, listen, fix. Phased release is there for exactly that.

#### What does a one-person launch week look like?

A rough plan, sized for evenings and a weekend ([the launch checklist](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/ios-app-launch-checklist) has every step):

| Day | Do |
|---|---|
| Before | Set the release to manual, nominate for featuring, write the posts, make campaign links |
| Day 1 | Release, post in your first place, reply all day |
| Day 2 | List on one directory built for iOS apps |
| Day 3 | Post in one community, following its rules |
| Days 4 to 7 | Read your campaign links, fix what breaks, ask first users one question |

Then do it again the next week, somewhere new. [The 30-day plan](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/ios-app-approved-now-what) has the rest of the month.

#### What if nothing happens?

Something usually does, just slower than you hoped. I put it this way on X: [week 1, nobody downloads it](https://x.com/rashem48/status/2110068298767577495); week 3, a friend buys it; week 4, a stranger in Finland buys it.

And two apps can teach you opposite lessons. One of mine [gets attention but few downloads](https://x.com/rashem48/status/2110402787116745058); the other struggles to get attention at all. Both problems have different fixes, and you only find out which one you have by launching. If yours is that nobody knows you yet, [launching with no audience](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/launch-ios-app-with-no-audience) is a job of its own.

### Where Launch Indie Apps fits

Launch Indie Apps is built for one-person launches: you paste an App Store link, a person reviews it, and the listing stays up after launch week. The Launch Kit writes your launch posts for X, Reddit, LinkedIn, Indie Hackers and email, and [the Launch Map](https://launchindieapps.com/guides/where-to-launch-ios-app) has the other places to launch, each checked on its own site.

### Do this today

Enroll in Apple's Small Business Program if you haven't. It takes minutes, it isn't automatic, and it cuts Apple's commission to 15% from your first sale.

### Questions

**How much does it cost to publish an iOS app as a solo developer?** Apple's Developer Program is 99 USD a year, and prices may vary by region. Apple's commission is 15% if you enroll in the Small Business Program and your proceeds were up to 1 million USD the year before, or you're new to the App Store.

**Do I need a marketing budget to launch an iOS app?** No. Communities, directories built for iOS apps, Product Hunt and Apple's featuring nomination are free. They cost time instead of money.

**How many TestFlight testers can a solo developer invite?** Up to 100 internal testers and 10,000 external testers, and each build can be tested for up to 90 days.

### Sources

- Solo founder productivity (September 19, 2026), X (@rashem48): https://x.com/rashem48/status/2101322143535378656 (checked 2026-10-17)
- Week 1, week 3, week 4 (October 13, 2026), X (@rashem48): https://x.com/rashem48/status/2110068298767577495 (checked 2026-10-17)
- My two apps are teaching me different lessons (October 14, 2026), X (@rashem48): https://x.com/rashem48/status/2110402787116745058 (checked 2026-10-17)
- Enrollment, Apple Developer Program: https://developer.apple.com/programs/enroll/ (checked 2026-10-17)
- App Store Small Business Program, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/app-store/small-business-program/ (checked 2026-10-17)
- Select an App Store version release option, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-your-apps-availability/select-an-app-store-version-release-option/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- TestFlight overview, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/test-a-beta-version/testflight-overview (checked 2026-10-17)
- Release a version update in phases, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/update-your-app/release-a-version-update-in-phases/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Creating your product page, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/app-store/product-page/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Campaign links, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect-analytics/acquisition/campaign-links/ (checked 2026-10-16)

## Which App Store categories make the most money?

URL: https://launchindieapps.com/blog/app-store-categories-that-make-the-most-money
Updated: 2026-10-17

### Short answer

Games still earn the most, but in 2025 non-game apps overtook them in spending for the first time. For indie subscription apps the picture changes: in RevenueCat's data, Photo & Video apps earn the most a year after launch and Health & Fitness apps have the most valuable subscribers. In every category, most apps earn little.

"Which category makes the most money?" has two honest answers, and they point in different directions.

One is about the whole market, where a few giant apps in games, streaming and social take most of the money. The other is about apps like yours: new, independent, usually selling a subscription. Here are both, with what each number measures.

#### Which categories earn the most overall?

Across the App Store and Google Play, people spent [$167 billion in apps and games in 2025](https://sensortower.com/blog/state-of-mobile-2026), up 10.6%, by Sensor Tower's estimate.

- **Games** brought in close to $82 billion, up only 1.3%.
- **Everything else** grew 21%, and for the first time non-game apps [earned more than games](https://sensortower.com/press/press-release-boosted-by-gen-ai-services-consumers-spent-more-money-in-apps-than-games-for-first-time).
- **The biggest non-game earners** were social media, streaming and dating apps.

Apple's own figures, from a study it funded, put [games, enterprise apps and video streaming](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/pdfs/Apples_Global_App_Store_Ecosystem_and_Its_Growth_2025.pdf) at the top of digital spending in its ecosystem.

#### Which categories are growing fastest?

For developers based in the US, Apple's study measured how App Store earnings grew from 2019 to 2024 in the [ten biggest categories](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/pdfs/2024-US-Apple-Ecosystem-Report.pdf):

| Category | Earnings growth, 2019 to 2024 |
|---|---|
| Photo & Video | 5.9 times |
| Productivity | 4.1 times |
| Education | 3.9 times |
| Business | 3.9 times |
| Entertainment | 3.4 times |
| Social Networking | 2.7 times |
| Health & Fitness | 2.5 times |
| Lifestyle | 2.5 times |
| Music | 1.7 times |
| Games | 1.5 times |

Games still earned the most in 2024. They just grew the slowest.

#### What do indie subscription apps earn by category?

This is the number that matters if you're building alone. RevenueCat's 2026 report covers [over 115,000 subscription apps](https://www.revenuecat.com/state-of-subscription-apps) that use its tools, with more than $16 billion in revenue.

| Category | Median monthly revenue, a year after launch | Top 10% earn more than | Reached $1,000 a month within 2 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photo & Video | $124 | $3,614 | 21.4% |
| Health & Fitness | $90 | $3,342 | 18.9% |
| Business | $90 | $1,606 | 14.7% |
| Media & Entertainment | $87 | $3,126 | 19.9% |
| Education | $77 | $2,315 | 16.2% |
| Utilities | $66 | $2,266 | 16.9% |
| Social & Lifestyle | $60 | $2,596 | 16.3% |
| Productivity | $58 | $1,919 | 15.3% |
| Gaming | $56 | $4,554 | 20.0% |
| Shopping | $51 | $1,250 | 15.0% |
| Travel | $35 | $822 | 10.5% |
| All categories | $72 | $2,574 | 17.3% |

Photo & Video leads on the typical app. Gaming has the highest ceiling: its top 10% earn the most, and it's the most likely to reach $10,000 a month. Travel trails on almost every measure.

#### Which categories have the most valuable customers?

Revenue per subscriber in their first year tells a different story. RevenueCat reports Health & Fitness at [$35.64 per payer](https://www.revenuecat.com/state-of-subscription-apps), more than three times Gaming's $11.22.

So a fitness app needs far fewer subscribers than a game to earn the same. That matters more to [a solo developer](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/launch-ios-app-as-solo-developer) than any market total.

#### Why don't the biggest categories help an indie maker?

Because the money in them is concentrated. Social, streaming and dating revenue mostly flows to a handful of companies with big budgets and network effects you can't copy.

Some of the biggest categories are also crowded on the App Store itself. Apple's guidelines name dating among the categories with [enough apps already](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/), and ask new ones to offer something clearly different.

#### How much does a typical new app make?

Less than launch stories suggest. A year after launch, the median subscription app in RevenueCat's data makes about $72 a month. Only 17.3% reach $1,000 a month within two years, and 4.6% reach $10,000.

The gap is widening too. RevenueCat found the top quarter of apps grew 80% in a year, while the bottom quarter shrank by a third.

#### How should this change what you build?

- **Pick a category where the typical app does well,** not only where the giants are: Photo & Video and Health & Fitness stand out for indie subscription apps.
- **Think in revenue per customer.** A small audience of people who pay well beats a big one that won't pay.
- **Expect the typical outcome, plan for the good one.** Most apps earn little. The ones that grow keep shipping and keep launching.

Within a category, the next question is what people are asking for. That's where [the niches worth building in](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/ios-app-niches-to-build-in) come in.

#### Where do these numbers come from?

They measure different things, so don't compare them with each other:
- **Sensor Tower:** modelled estimates of spending across the App Store and Google Play combined.
- **Apple's studies:** funded by Apple and run by Analysis Group. The growth table covers US-based developers' App Store earnings, 2019 to 2024.
- **RevenueCat:** real revenue from subscription apps that use its tools, not the whole market. Category figures come from the charts on its public page.

### Where Launch Indie Apps fits

Launch Indie Apps doesn't change which category you're in, but it can change how many people find your app in it. Listings sit in categories and on pages built around what people need, such as [building daily habits](https://launchindieapps.com/needs/build-daily-habits), with price and free-tier facts shown before anyone downloads.

### Do this today

Look up your app's category in the RevenueCat table above. If the median is low, think about your price per customer before you think about downloads.

### Questions

**Which App Store category makes the most money?** Games earn the most in total, close to $82 billion across the App Store and Google Play in 2025 by Sensor Tower's estimate. Non-game apps together overtook games in 2025 for the first time.

**What is the most profitable app category for indie developers?** In RevenueCat's 2026 data on subscription apps, Photo & Video had the highest median revenue a year after launch ($124 a month), and Health & Fitness had the highest first-year revenue per subscriber ($35.64).

**How much does a typical new iOS app make?** In RevenueCat's data, the median subscription app makes about $72 a month a year after launch. Only 17.3% reach $1,000 a month within two years.

### Sources

- State of Mobile 2026, Sensor Tower: https://sensortower.com/blog/state-of-mobile-2026 (checked 2026-10-17)
- Press release: consumers spent more in apps than games for the first time, Sensor Tower: https://sensortower.com/press/press-release-boosted-by-gen-ai-services-consumers-spent-more-money-in-apps-than-games-for-first-time (checked 2026-10-17)
- Apple's Global App Store Ecosystem and Its Growth, 2025 (Analysis Group, funded by Apple), Apple: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/pdfs/Apples_Global_App_Store_Ecosystem_and_Its_Growth_2025.pdf (checked 2026-10-17)
- The Apple Ecosystem in the US (Analysis Group, funded by Apple, May 2025), Apple: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/pdfs/2024-US-Apple-Ecosystem-Report.pdf (checked 2026-10-17)
- State of Subscription Apps 2026, RevenueCat: https://www.revenuecat.com/state-of-subscription-apps (checked 2026-10-17)
- App Review Guidelines, 4.3 Spam, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/ (checked 2026-10-17)

## Which niches are worth building an iOS app in?

URL: https://launchindieapps.com/blog/ios-app-niches-to-build-in
Updated: 2026-10-21

### Short answer

Pick a niche where spending is growing and where you'd use the app yourself. Health and fitness, photo and video, and productivity all grew strongly, and AI features now run through all three. Avoid the niches Apple calls saturated, such as flashlights, wallpapers and simple timers, unless your app is clearly different.

The niche question usually arrives as "what should I build?" The honest answer has three parts: where money is moving, what people are asking for, and what you can build better than the apps already there.

The first two have data. The third is yours.

#### Which niches are growing fastest?

- **AI apps.** In 2025, spending in generative AI apps [nearly tripled to more than $5 billion](https://sensortower.com/blog/state-of-mobile-2026), and downloads doubled to 3.8 billion. In the second quarter of 2026, spending in the category [more than doubled again](https://sensortower.com/blog/q2-2026-digital-market-index-report).
- **Health and fitness.** Spending hit [a record $4.5 billion in 2025](https://sensortower.com/blog/health-and-fitness-apps-ai), up 13%, while downloads barely moved. People aren't installing more fitness apps; they're paying more for the ones they keep. AI nutrition apps were among the fastest-growing earners.
- **Photo and video, productivity, education.** These had the biggest earnings growth for US developers from 2019 to 2024, in Apple's own study. [Our article on category earnings](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/app-store-categories-that-make-the-most-money) has the full table.

#### Is AI a niche or a feature?

Increasingly, a feature. RevenueCat found that [61.4% of Photo & Video subscription apps](https://www.revenuecat.com/state-of-subscription-apps) are AI-powered, and 27.1% of subscription apps overall. Apple's ecosystem study says apps with consumer-facing AI features saw [4 times higher growth in billings](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/pdfs/Apples_Global_App_Store_Ecosystem_and_Its_Growth_2025.pdf) in 2025.

So "an AI app" isn't a niche. "Meal logging you can do by describing your plate" is. The niche is the job; AI is how you do it better.

#### What are people asking for?

When we built pages around problems people bring to search and AI assistants, we checked how they phrase them. Google suggested these on October 16, 2026, which means enough people type them:

| Problem | How people search for it |
|---|---|
| Habits | habit tracker app; app to build habits; best habit tracker app for iphone |
| Books, films and TV | book tracker app; app to track books i read; app to track movies and tv shows watched |
| Food and water | food journal app; app to track what i eat; meal planner app with grocery list; water tracker app |
| Money | budget app; expense tracker app |
| Phone time | app to limit screen time for adults |
| Clothes and travel | outfit planner app; packing list app |

A suggestion shows demand, not size. It's a starting point for your own research, not a verdict.

#### Where are indie makers already building?

On Launch Indie Apps, 17 of the first 30 apps listed (as of October 16, 2026) are health and fitness or productivity apps: habit trackers, journals, focus timers, workout logs. [Browse them](https://launchindieapps.com/discover) and you'll see the pattern.

Crowded isn't the same as closed. Our three journaling apps do three different jobs, from three short lines a day to a page for each day of your calendar. A crowded niche just means your app has to say, in one line, what it does differently.

#### Which niches does Apple say are saturated?

Apple's guidelines name categories where there are [already enough apps](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/): dating, flashlights, sound effects, wallpapers, simple timers and fortune telling. New apps there need a clearly different or better experience to be approved at all.

Product Hunt says something similar: it avoids featuring [minimal, undifferentiated products](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/9883485-product-hunt-featuring-guidelines) that seem focused on making money fast.

#### How do you pick yours?

Five questions, in order:
1. **Would you use it every week?** You'll make better decisions for a problem you have.
2. **Do people already pay to solve it?** A niche with paid competitors has proven demand. One with none might have a reason.
3. **Can you say what's different in one line?** If not, you're building a copy.
4. **Can you reach the people who have the problem?** A subreddit, a forum, a newsletter. If you can't name one, launching will be hard, though [not impossible](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/launch-ios-app-with-no-audience).
5. **Is it on Apple's saturated list?** If yes, be sure your difference is obvious.

Once you have one, search the App Store for the name you have in mind. The [name checker](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/app-store-name-checker) does it in one go and shows the closest apps, which is a quick look at your competition too.

#### What should you avoid?

- **Niches owned by giants.** Social networks, streaming and dating earn huge sums, but mostly for a handful of companies with network effects you can't copy.
- **A thin AI wrapper.** A chat box on top of someone else's model is easy to build and easy to replace. Some communities, such as [r/iosapps](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/post-ios-app-on-reddit), already route AI-wrapper apps to a separate monthly thread.
- **Chasing the biggest number.** The fastest-growing niche is also where everyone else is heading.

### Where Launch Indie Apps fits

Launch Indie Apps lists indie iOS apps by the problem they solve as well as by category, on pages such as [Build daily habits](https://launchindieapps.com/needs/build-daily-habits) and [Track what you watch and read](https://launchindieapps.com/needs/track-what-you-watch-and-read). Each page goes live only when at least three real apps fit it, so they double as a map of where indie makers are already building.

### Do this today

Write your app's niche as a problem in the words a stranger would type into Google, then type it in and read the suggestions. If they match how you'd describe it, you've found your niche's language, and the words for your [keyword field](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/app-store-keyword-checker).

### Questions

**What is the most profitable niche for an iOS app?** In RevenueCat's 2026 data on subscription apps, Photo & Video had the highest median revenue a year after launch, and Health & Fitness the highest revenue per subscriber. Spending in AI apps grew fastest in 2025.

**Which app categories does Apple say are saturated?** Apple's App Review Guidelines name dating, flashlights, sound effects, wallpapers, simple timers and fortune telling, and ask new apps there to offer a clearly different or better experience.

**Is it too late to build an AI app?** Not if AI is how you solve a specific problem better. RevenueCat found 27.1% of subscription apps are already AI-powered, so AI alone no longer sets an app apart.

### Sources

- State of Mobile 2026, Sensor Tower: https://sensortower.com/blog/state-of-mobile-2026 (checked 2026-10-17)
- Q2 2026 Digital Market Index, Sensor Tower: https://sensortower.com/blog/q2-2026-digital-market-index-report (checked 2026-10-17)
- Health and fitness apps and AI, Sensor Tower: https://sensortower.com/blog/health-and-fitness-apps-ai (checked 2026-10-17)
- State of Subscription Apps 2026, RevenueCat: https://www.revenuecat.com/state-of-subscription-apps (checked 2026-10-17)
- Apple's Global App Store Ecosystem and Its Growth, 2025 (Analysis Group, funded by Apple), Apple: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/pdfs/Apples_Global_App_Store_Ecosystem_and_Its_Growth_2025.pdf (checked 2026-10-17)
- App Review Guidelines, 4.3 Spam, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/ (checked 2026-10-17)
- Product Hunt featuring guidelines, Product Hunt: https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/9883485-product-hunt-featuring-guidelines (checked 2026-10-16)

## What is Launch Indie Apps?

URL: https://launchindieapps.com/blog/what-is-launch-indie-apps
Updated: 2026-10-20

### Short answer

Launch Indie Apps is a launch platform and directory for iOS apps made by indie makers. You paste an App Store link, pay once, and a person reviews the app. Approved apps get a permanent listing with checked facts, launch posts written for them and public App Store click counts. Homepage spots are optional and labelled Sponsored.

This is our own site, and I'm the one who built it, so read this as the maker's description. Every fact below is also on [the pricing page](https://launchindieapps.com/pricing) or [the about page](https://launchindieapps.com/about), and you can check it there.

When Squatoll went live on the App Store, I had a link, a dashboard and no idea what to do next. Building it had taken months. Getting anyone to look at it was a different job, and nothing I'd read covered it.

Launch Indie Apps is the next step I didn't have.

#### Who is it for?

Indie makers and solo founders with an iOS app on the App Store. Most have no audience yet, no marketing budget and no team, which is why I wrote up [how to launch an iOS app as a solo developer](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/launch-ios-app-as-solo-developer).

It's also for people looking for apps made by independent developers. A reader sees what an app costs, whether it needs an account and whether it works offline before they download it.

#### How does an app get listed?

1. Paste your App Store link on [the submit page](https://launchindieapps.com/submit). The name, icon and screenshots come in from the App Store.
2. Pick a plan and pay once. There is no subscription.
3. A person reviews the app. If it isn't approved, you're refunded. If there's no decision within 48 hours of payment, you're refunded too.

Approved apps get a listing that stays up. There is no launch day to win or lose. We're one of a handful of [directories built for iOS apps](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/ios-app-directories-worth-submitting-to), and that article puts us next to the others, catches included.

#### What does it cost?

| Plan | Price, paid once | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Listed | $5 at the launch price (12 of 15 spots left), then $9 | A permanent listing, the Launch Kit, the Launch Badge, Launch Reports at day 7 and day 30, the Launch Map, and a place in the next newsletter |
| Daily Spotlight | $15 at the launch price (15 of 15 spots left), then $29 | Everything in Listed, plus 24 hours on the homepage as one of up to three apps, on the day you choose |
| Weekly Spotlight | $25 at the launch price (10 of 10 spots left), then $49 | Everything in Listed, plus the top of the homepage for 7 days and the featured slot in that week's newsletter |

These are today's prices. The launch prices last until their spots are gone, and [the pricing page](https://launchindieapps.com/pricing) always shows the current numbers.

#### Is Launch Indie Apps pay to win?

No, because there's nothing to win. There are no votes, no leaderboard and no ranking to buy a place in. Paying buys a listing and the tools around it. It does not buy approval. It doesn't buy kinder wording either, or a place on one of our comparison pages.

Paid spots on the homepage are labelled Sponsored, on the site and in the newsletter. Links from paid listings to the App Store carry `rel="sponsored"`, which is what [Google asks for on paid links](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/qualify-outbound-links). If you're shopping for a followed backlink, this isn't one, and we'd rather say so up front.

#### What comes with a listing?

- **The Launch Kit.** Launch posts written for X, Reddit, LinkedIn, Indie Hackers and email, in three styles each.
- **The Launch Badge.** A badge for your own site that shows the live count of App Store clicks your listing has sent.
- **Launch Reports.** At day 7 and day 30: views, clicks and where they came from.
- **The Launch Map.** 33 other places to launch an iOS app, each checked against its own site. It's [free to read](https://launchindieapps.com/guides/where-to-launch-ios-app) whether you list with us or not.
- **The newsletter.** New listings go in the Fresh section of the next weekly issue.

#### How is it different from Product Hunt?

A Product Hunt launch competes for one day. Its own launch guide says your product is [ranked on the leaderboard for your launch day](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/17350772-launch-guide), and after that it keeps a permanent product page. Launching there is free.

A listing here is the other half: a page that's still there in month four, built around one iOS app, with its facts checked. I think most makers should do both. The Launch Map lists Product Hunt for that reason, and [whether it suits your iOS app](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/should-you-launch-ios-app-on-product-hunt) depends on who the app is for.

#### What do the numbers measure?

We count clicks from our pages to the App Store. A click isn't a download, and we never call it one.

The site's own numbers are public on [the stats page](https://launchindieapps.com/stats): visits, where they came from and App Store clicks by source. A listed app gets the same view for itself in its Launch Reports.

#### Who runs it?

I do. Rashem, a solo founder based in Berlin. There's no team behind the curtain, and every review decision is mine.

### Do this today

If your app is live, paste its App Store link on [the submit page](https://launchindieapps.com/submit) and look at the preview of your listing before you pay. If it isn't live yet, open [the Launch Map](https://launchindieapps.com/guides/where-to-launch-ios-app) and pick the two places you'll launch on first.

### Questions

**Is Launch Indie Apps free?** Reading it is free, and so is the Launch Map. Listing an app is a one-time payment with no subscription. An app that isn't approved is refunded.

**How long does review take?** You get a decision within 48 hours of payment. If there's no decision in that time, you're refunded.

**Does a listing give me a followed backlink?** No. Links from paid listings to the App Store are marked rel="sponsored", as Google asks for paid links.

**Can I list an Android app?** No. Launch Indie Apps lists iOS apps from the App Store, made by indie makers and solo founders.

### Sources

- Pricing, Launch Indie Apps: https://launchindieapps.com/pricing (checked 2026-10-16)
- About, Launch Indie Apps: https://launchindieapps.com/about (checked 2026-10-16)
- Live stats, Launch Indie Apps: https://launchindieapps.com/stats (checked 2026-10-16)
- Where to launch an iOS app, Launch Indie Apps: https://launchindieapps.com/guides/where-to-launch-ios-app (checked 2026-10-16)
- Launch Guide, Product Hunt: https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/17350772-launch-guide (checked 2026-10-16)
- Qualify your outbound links to Google, Google Search Central: https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/qualify-outbound-links (checked 2026-10-16)

## The iOS app launch checklist, from App Review to day 30

URL: https://launchindieapps.com/blog/ios-app-launch-checklist
Updated: 2026-10-23

### Short answer

Three weeks before launch, nominate your app for featuring and set the release to manual. Get the product page right: a 30-character subtitle, a 100-byte keyword field and promotional text you can change any time. On launch day, release it yourself and reply to everyone. Then track every link for 30 days.

The approval email from App Review feels like the finish line. It's closer to the start. If the release is left on automatic, the app goes out as soon as it's approved, before anyone knows it exists.

That's why this list starts weeks before the approval email, and why it doesn't stop on launch day. If you haven't submitted yet, start with [what to check before App Review](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/before-you-submit-ios-app), and see [how long App Store review takes](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/app-store-review-times) before you pick a date.

It's written for one person shipping one iOS app. Every rule links to Apple's or Product Hunt's own page, and the sources at the end say when I checked them.

#### What should you do three weeks or more before launch?

- [ ] **Nominate the app for App Store featuring.** You do it in App Store Connect, and it's free. Apple's help page asks for [a minimum lead time of 3 weeks](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-featuring-nominations/nominate-your-app-for-featuring/), and its featuring page suggests [up to three months ahead](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/getting-featured/) for wider consideration.
- [ ] **Set the release to manual.** App Store Connect lets you [release a version manually, automatically, or automatically after a date you pick](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-your-apps-availability/select-an-app-store-version-release-option/). Leave it on automatic and App Review picks your launch day.
- [ ] **Open pre-orders if people are already waiting.** A new app can take pre-orders with a [release date between two and 180 days out](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-your-apps-availability/publish-for-pre-order/).
- [ ] **Run a public TestFlight beta.** You can invite [up to 10,000 external testers](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/test-a-beta-version/invite-external-testers/), by email or with a public link. Those testers are your first launch-day audience.
- [ ] **Join Product Hunt now if you'll launch there.** Product Hunt recommends [joining three months or more ahead](https://www.producthunt.com/launch/before-launch), and a new account has to [wait one week before it can post](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/481909-how-can-i-get-access-to-post). Not sure it's for you? Here's [when Product Hunt is worth it for an iOS app](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/should-you-launch-ios-app-on-product-hunt).

#### Is your product page ready?

Most of the page is set once and frozen until your next version. Check these limits before you submit (the [character counter](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/app-store-character-counter) checks them all at once):

| Field | Limit | [Can you change it without an update?](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/reference/app-information/required-localizable-and-editable-properties/) |
|---|---|---|
| App name | [30 characters](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/reference/app-information/app-information/) | No |
| Subtitle | [30 characters](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/reference/app-information/app-information/) | No |
| Keywords | [100 bytes](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/reference/app-information/platform-version-information/) | No |
| Promotional text | [170 characters](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/reference/app-information/platform-version-information/) | [Yes, any time](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/product-page/) |
| Description | [4,000 characters, plain text](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/reference/app-information/platform-version-information/) | No |

Since the name is fixed until your next version, check that no live app already uses it with the [name checker](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/app-store-name-checker). Your icon and preview video go in with the version too: the [icon checker](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/ios-app-icon-checker) and the [preview video checker](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/app-store-preview-video-checker) check them against Apple's specs. Once the app is live, the [ASO score checker](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/aso-score-checker) scores the whole listing against Apple's guidance.

Three keyword rules from Apple's search guide:
- Separate keywords with commas and [no spaces](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/search/).
- Don't repeat words that are already in your app name, subtitle or category.
- Skip plurals of words you've already used. Apple treats them as [duplicates](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/search/).

The keyword field is counted in bytes in App Store Connect, though Apple's marketing pages say characters. An accented letter takes two bytes. If your keywords aren't plain English, count bytes. The [keyword checker](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/app-store-keyword-checker) counts them for you and flags words Apple already indexes elsewhere.

Use promotional text for launch week. It's the one line you can rewrite on launch morning without waiting for review.

#### What should you prepare the week before?

- [ ] **Make a campaign link for every place you'll post.** App Store Connect builds links with a [provider token (pt) and a campaign token (ct)](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect-analytics/acquisition/campaign-links/), and its analytics then shows product page views, downloads and sales for each one. Without them, launch week arrives as one undivided number.
- [ ] **Write each launch post now, in that place's style.** [An X post](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/x-launch-post-for-ios-app), [a Reddit post](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/post-ios-app-on-reddit) and a Product Hunt description are three different things. Writing them on the day is how they end up as one post pasted three times.
- [ ] **Check each community's self-promotion rules.** Subreddits and forums differ a lot. [The Launch Map](https://launchindieapps.com/guides/where-to-launch-ios-app) has the rules for each place, checked on its own site and dated.
- [ ] **Pick the day.** Product Hunt launches go live at [12:01 AM Pacific](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/17350772-launch-guide) and can be [scheduled up to 30 days ahead](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/2724119-how-to-schedule-a-post). Their own numbers say weekend launches get [15% more Visit clicks](https://www.producthunt.com/launch/preparing-for-launch) than weekday ones.

#### What happens on launch day?

- [ ] Release the version yourself in App Store Connect.
- [ ] Post in the places you chose, each with its own campaign link and an image. The [share image generator](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/app-store-share-image-generator) makes one from your App Store link.
- [ ] On Product Hunt, post a first comment as the maker. Product Hunt says [70% of Product of the Day, Week or Month winners](https://www.producthunt.com/launch/preparing-for-launch) had one.
- [ ] Don't ask anyone for upvotes. Product Hunt's guide says to [never ask outright](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/17350772-launch-guide).
- [ ] Reply to every comment the same day, including the critical ones.

Two or three places done properly beat ten done badly. You can't reply properly in ten places in one day, and replies are most of what launch day is.

#### What should you do in the first week?

- [ ] **Ask for a rating at a good moment, not on first open.** The system shows the prompt at most [three times per app in a 365-day period](https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/ratings-and-reviews), so spend it after someone finishes something they came for.
- [ ] **Read your campaign links every day.** Which post sent people who downloaded? Which one only sent views?
- [ ] **Ship the first fix quickly, in phases if you're nervous.** A phased release rolls an update out [over 7 days](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/update-your-app/release-a-version-update-in-phases/) to people with automatic updates on.

#### What should you do from day 8 to day 30?

- [ ] **Match the page to the people.** You can publish [up to 70 custom product pages](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/custom-product-pages/), each with its own link. Send Reddit readers to screenshots that answer what Reddit asked, in [a size Apple accepts](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/app-store-screenshot-sizes).
- [ ] **Plan an in-app event if something real is happening.** Events can appear [in App Store search results](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/in-app-events/).
- [ ] **Launch somewhere new each week.** Don't treat week one as the whole launch. Directories, newsletters and press can still be ahead of you, and the Launch Map has them in order. I go through [the whole first month](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/ios-app-approved-now-what) in more detail.
- [ ] **Write down what worked.** One paragraph per place: what you posted, what it sent, and whether you'd do it again. You'll want it for the next launch.

#### What should you skip?

- **Launching everywhere on the same day.** You won't keep up with the replies.
- **Paying for votes or traffic.** Product Hunt's own rule is [do not pay anyone to hunt or send traffic to your product](https://www.producthunt.com/launch/how-product-hunt-works).
- **Ads in week one.** Until you know which free channel works, you don't know what an ad is competing with.

### Where Launch Indie Apps fits

Launch Indie Apps covers three items on this list: the launch posts (the Launch Kit writes them for X, Reddit, LinkedIn, Indie Hackers and email), the list of places with their rules ([the Launch Map](https://launchindieapps.com/guides/where-to-launch-ios-app), free to read) and the numbers for the first month (Launch Reports at day 7 and day 30). We count clicks to the App Store, not downloads. For downloads, use your campaign links in App Store Connect.

### Do this today

Open App Store Connect, go to your next version and set the release option to manual. It takes a minute, and it means you pick launch day, not App Review.

### Questions

**How far ahead should I nominate my app for App Store featuring?** Apple's help page asks for a minimum lead time of 3 weeks, and its Getting Featured page recommends nominating up to three months ahead for wider consideration.

**How long can an App Store subtitle be?** 30 characters, the same limit as the app name.

**Can I change promotional text without an app update?** Yes. Apple says you can update promotional text at any time without submitting a new version of your app.

**Is the App Store keyword limit 100 characters or 100 bytes?** App Store Connect Help says 100 bytes, while Apple's product page guide says 100 characters. Count bytes to be safe: accented letters and many non-Latin characters take more than one byte each.

### Sources

- Nominate your app for featuring, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-featuring-nominations/nominate-your-app-for-featuring/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Getting featured on the App Store, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/app-store/getting-featured/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Select an App Store version release option, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-your-apps-availability/select-an-app-store-version-release-option/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Publish for pre-order, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-your-apps-availability/publish-for-pre-order/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Invite external testers, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/test-a-beta-version/invite-external-testers/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- App information, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/reference/app-information/app-information/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Platform version information, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/reference/app-information/platform-version-information/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- App Store search, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/app-store/search/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Required, localizable, and editable properties, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/reference/app-information/required-localizable-and-editable-properties/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Creating your product page, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/app-store/product-page/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Campaign links, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect-analytics/acquisition/campaign-links/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Ratings and reviews, Apple Human Interface Guidelines: https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/ratings-and-reviews (checked 2026-10-16)
- Release a version update in phases, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/update-your-app/release-a-version-update-in-phases/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Custom product pages on the App Store, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/app-store/custom-product-pages/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- In-App Events, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/app-store/in-app-events/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Before launch, Product Hunt: https://www.producthunt.com/launch/before-launch (checked 2026-10-16)
- How can I get access to post?, Product Hunt: https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/481909-how-can-i-get-access-to-post (checked 2026-10-16)
- Launch Guide, Product Hunt: https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/17350772-launch-guide (checked 2026-10-16)
- Preparing for launch, Product Hunt: https://www.producthunt.com/launch/preparing-for-launch (checked 2026-10-16)
- How to schedule a post, Product Hunt: https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/2724119-how-to-schedule-a-post (checked 2026-10-16)
- How Product Hunt works, Product Hunt: https://www.producthunt.com/launch/how-product-hunt-works (checked 2026-10-16)
- Where to launch an iOS app, Launch Indie Apps: https://launchindieapps.com/guides/where-to-launch-ios-app (checked 2026-10-16)

## How to launch an iOS app: the first 30 days after approval

URL: https://launchindieapps.com/blog/ios-app-approved-now-what
Updated: 2026-10-20

### Short answer

Don't release it the minute it's approved. Pick a launch day, two or three places to tell people and a way to see which one worked. Release on that day and reply to everyone. Then launch somewhere new each week for a month. Plan for a month of small days, not one big one.

When Squatoll went live on the App Store, I had a link, a dashboard and no idea what to do next.

This is what I'd do now, in order.

#### Should you release the moment it's approved?

No, if you can help it. App Store Connect lets you [release a version manually, or automatically after a date you choose](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-your-apps-availability/select-an-app-store-version-release-option/). Use that. It turns "Apple approved it at some hour" into a launch day you picked.

It also buys time for the one free thing Apple offers: featuring nominations. Apple asks for [a minimum lead time of 3 weeks](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-featuring-nominations/nominate-your-app-for-featuring/).

Already released? That's fine. Your launch day is the day you tell people, not the day the version went live. Nobody else knows the difference.

#### Where should you launch first?

Two or three places, picked for an iOS app. Not ten.

[The Launch Map](https://launchindieapps.com/guides/where-to-launch-ios-app) lists 33 of them, each checked against its own rules. They fall into four groups:

- **Launch platforms.** Product Hunt takes iOS apps, and its own guide says the URL can be [a link to the App Store](https://www.producthunt.com/launch/preparing-for-launch). A launch competes on [the leaderboard for one day](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/17350772-launch-guide), so plan to be around all day to reply. Whether it's [worth it for an iOS app](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/should-you-launch-ios-app-on-product-hunt) depends on who you want to reach.
- **Directories for indie iOS apps.** An App Store link is usually all you need, and the page stays up after launch week. Not all of them are [worth submitting to](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/ios-app-directories-worth-submitting-to).
- **Communities.** Subreddits and forums where developers may share what they made, each with its own self-promotion rules ([Reddit's, subreddit by subreddit](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/post-ios-app-on-reddit)).
- **Apple-focused press and newsletters.** Only when you have a story they can test.

My rule now: one launch platform, one directory, one community, in that order, over the first week.

#### What should you post?

One post per place, written for that place. A Reddit post written like an X post usually lands badly.

Start with the problem the app solves, in the words of the person who has it. Then say what the app does about it. Then a screenshot or a short screen recording. Features come last, if at all. For X, [here's what the launch posts that travelled had in common](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/x-launch-post-for-ios-app).

And say you made it. People are kinder to "I built this" than to an anonymous announcement.

#### How do you know what worked?

Make a campaign link for each place before you post. App Store Connect builds them with [a provider token and a campaign token](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect-analytics/acquisition/campaign-links/), and its analytics then shows page views, downloads and sales for each campaign.

Without them, launch week shows up as one number and you learn nothing from it.

Keep two numbers apart: clicks to your App Store page, and downloads. Launch sites can count the first. Only App Store Connect counts the second.

#### When should you ask for ratings?

Later than you think. The system shows the rating prompt at most [three times per app in a 365-day period](https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/ratings-and-reviews). Spend those on people who've just done the thing they came for, not on someone who opened the app ten seconds ago. In SwiftUI, Apple's current way to ask is [RequestReviewAction](https://developer.apple.com/documentation/storekit/requestreviewaction).

#### I launched and nothing happened. What now?

Usually something did happen: a small spike, and then quiet. That's when it's tempting to stop.

Don't stop. Week two is when the rest of the Launch Map earns its keep:

- List the app on the directories you haven't used yet. Most of them [cost nothing](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/free-places-to-promote-ios-app).
- Post in one community you skipped in week one.
- Rewrite your promotional text. Apple lets you [change it any time without a new version](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/product-page/), within 170 characters (the [character counter](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/app-store-character-counter) keeps count).
- Run your App Store link through the [listing checker](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/app-store-listing-checker) and fix the first thing it flags. The [ASO score checker](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/aso-score-checker) puts the same checks into one score, biggest fixes first.
- Make a [custom product page](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/custom-product-pages/) for the place that sent the most interested people, with screenshots that answer what they asked about, in [sizes Apple accepts](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/app-store-screenshot-sizes).

#### When is it worth launching again?

When the app has changed enough that someone who saw it once would want to see it again. Product Hunt draws the line at [6 months and a significant update](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/484934-can-i-relaunch-my-product), and says new UIs and pricing changes don't count. That's a fair test for anywhere.

#### What does the month look like?

The [launch checklist](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/ios-app-launch-checklist) has every step. This is the short version.

| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 3 weeks or more before | Set the release to manual, nominate for featuring, make campaign links, write the posts |
| Day 1 | Release, post in your first place, reply to everyone |
| Days 2 to 7 | Your second and third places. Read the campaign data daily. Fix what breaks |
| Days 8 to 14 | Directories you haven't used, and one new community |
| Days 15 to 30 | Pitch a newsletter or press with a real story. Make a custom product page for your best channel. Write down what worked |

### Where Launch Indie Apps fits

This month is what [Launch Indie Apps](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/what-is-launch-indie-apps) was built for. A listing comes with launch posts written for each place (the Launch Kit), [the Launch Map](https://launchindieapps.com/guides/where-to-launch-ios-app) for weeks two to four, and Launch Reports at day 7 and day 30 that show which sources sent App Store clicks.

### Do this today

Write down the date you'll tell people about your app and the first place you'll tell them. If App Review hasn't approved you yet, set the release to manual before it does.

### Questions

**Should I release my iOS app as soon as it's approved?** Not if you can avoid it. App Store Connect lets you release manually or after a date you choose, so you can pick a launch day and nominate the app for featuring first. Apple asks for a minimum lead time of 3 weeks for featuring.

**How often can I ask users to rate my app?** The system shows the rating prompt at most three times per app in a 365-day period, so ask after someone has done what they came to do.

**Can I launch on Product Hunt again later?** Product Hunt allows a relaunch after 6 months with a significant update. It says new UIs and pricing changes don't count as significant.

### Sources

- Select an App Store version release option, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-your-apps-availability/select-an-app-store-version-release-option/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Nominate your app for featuring, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-featuring-nominations/nominate-your-app-for-featuring/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Campaign links, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect-analytics/acquisition/campaign-links/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Ratings and reviews, Apple Human Interface Guidelines: https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/ratings-and-reviews (checked 2026-10-16)
- RequestReviewAction, Apple Developer Documentation: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/storekit/requestreviewaction (checked 2026-10-16)
- Custom product pages on the App Store, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/app-store/custom-product-pages/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Creating your product page, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/app-store/product-page/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Preparing for launch, Product Hunt: https://www.producthunt.com/launch/preparing-for-launch (checked 2026-10-16)
- Launch Guide, Product Hunt: https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/17350772-launch-guide (checked 2026-10-16)
- Can I relaunch my product?, Product Hunt: https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/484934-can-i-relaunch-my-product (checked 2026-10-16)
- Where to launch an iOS app, Launch Indie Apps: https://launchindieapps.com/guides/where-to-launch-ios-app (checked 2026-10-16)

## Should you launch your iOS app on Product Hunt?

URL: https://launchindieapps.com/blog/should-you-launch-ios-app-on-product-hunt
Updated: 2026-10-16

### Short answer

Yes, if your app has something tech early adopters will want to try and you can spend the whole launch day replying. Launching is free and the audience is large, but you compete for a single day against thousands of products. If your app is for everyone else, make Product Hunt one stop, not the launch.

Product Hunt launches go live at [12:01 AM Pacific](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/17350772-launch-guide). From Berlin, that's nine in the morning, and the day doesn't end until nine the next morning. That's the whole deal: one day on a leaderboard, with everyone who launched that day.

Whether that day is worth it depends on two things, your app and your calendar. Here's how to decide.

#### What does a Product Hunt launch get you?

- **A day on the leaderboard.** Your launch competes for [that day's rank](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/17350772-launch-guide). Product of the Day goes to the launch with the most points, and Product Hunt says [points combine upvotes and meaningful engagement](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/11751186-product-of-the-day-week-month). [One upvote doesn't always equal one point](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/484938-how-is-the-homepage-ranked).
- **A product page that stays.** After launch day the app keeps [a permanent home](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/17350772-launch-guide) on its Product Page, which collects [launches, reviews and awards](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/6255061-what-are-product-pages) over the years.
- **Followers.** People who upvote your launch [become followers of your Product Page](https://www.producthunt.com/launch/launch-day-duties).

It doesn't get you a guaranteed spot on the homepage. Product Hunt says [the homepage is curated by its team](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/484923-how-do-things-end-up-on-the-homepage) and featuring can't be guaranteed. Launches that aren't featured are still [visible in the All feed](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/484926-why-is-my-post-not-on-the-homepage).

#### Does Product Hunt take iOS apps?

Yes. Product Hunt's own guide says your link can be [an external site like the App Store](https://www.producthunt.com/launch/preparing-for-launch).

Three things trip up app makers:
- **It has to be available now.** Product Hunt only features [products people can use today](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/9883485-product-hunt-featuring-guidelines). An app behind a waitlist isn't featured unless people get immediate access, so pick the date after App Review, not before. Here's [what to check before you submit](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/before-you-submit-ios-app).
- **Closed betas rarely work.** A launch [isn't a good fit](https://www.producthunt.com/launch/how-product-hunt-works) if the community can't take part.
- **Small, me-too apps struggle.** Product Hunt says it avoids [minimal, undifferentiated products](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/9883485-product-hunt-featuring-guidelines) that seem focused on making money fast.

#### What does it cost?

Nothing. Product Hunt says plainly that [launching is free](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/7950405-ad-campaigns).

You also can't buy your way up on the day. Ads aren't allowed during a launch, [Promoted Products aren't available](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/1444961-how-do-i-get-my-product-promoted) for brand-new launches, and Product Hunt tells makers to [never pay anyone to hunt or send traffic](https://www.producthunt.com/launch/how-product-hunt-works).

The real cost is time: the weeks before, and the whole day itself.

#### Who will see your app?

Product Hunt describes its community as [early adopters, makers, tech people, entrepreneurs and investors](https://www.producthunt.com/launch/how-product-hunt-works). Its Daily Digest newsletter reaches [more than 350,000 readers](https://www.producthunt.com/launch/launch-day-duties), by its own count.

That's a big audience, but a particular one. It's strong for apps that developers and founders would use themselves. It's weaker for a meal planner your mum would love.

And it's crowded. Product Hunt says it sorts through [thousands of submissions every day](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/17350772-launch-guide), and major launches from well-known companies [go live on the day they choose](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/14440291-daily-hunt-limits).

#### What should you prepare, and how early?

| When | What |
|---|---|
| 3 months or more before | [Join and take part](https://www.producthunt.com/launch/before-launch), as Product Hunt recommends |
| At least a week before | Have a personal account; new accounts [wait one week before they can post](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/481909-how-can-i-get-access-to-post), and company accounts can't post |
| Up to 30 days before | [Schedule the launch](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/2724119-how-to-schedule-a-post) for a day you can be online |
| The day before | Write your first comment as the maker |

That first comment matters more than it looks. Product Hunt says [70% of Product of the Day, Week or Month winners](https://www.producthunt.com/launch/preparing-for-launch) included one.

#### What happens on launch day?

You reply. All day.

Answer every comment, thank people who try the app, and share the launch with your own followers. Don't ask anyone for upvotes: Product Hunt's guide says to [never ask outright for upvotes](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/17350772-launch-guide) or run anything that requires them.

If you can choose the day, consider a weekend. Product Hunt's own numbers say weekend launches get [15% more "Visit" button clicks](https://www.producthunt.com/launch/preparing-for-launch) than weekday ones.

#### What happens after launch day?

The leaderboard moves on. Your Product Page stays, and so do the followers you gained. The rest of your first month still matters more than one day, and [here's how I'd spend it](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/ios-app-approved-now-what).

The link stays too. On [a recent iOS launch](https://www.producthunt.com/products/nostaliga), the Visit button linked straight to the App Store with `rel="ugc"`. That's a hint to search engines, not a plain followed link, so don't plan your SEO around it.

#### When should you skip Product Hunt?

- Your app is for a general audience, with nothing that would excite early adopters.
- You can't be online for most of launch day.
- The app is behind a waitlist or only on TestFlight.
- Your plan depends on asking people to upvote.

Skipping it isn't failing. [Directories built for iOS apps](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/ios-app-directories-worth-submitting-to) and [free communities](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/free-places-to-promote-ios-app) reach people who already want what you made, and [the Launch Map](https://launchindieapps.com/guides/where-to-launch-ios-app) has all of them.

#### Can you launch the same app again?

Yes, after a while. Product Hunt allows a relaunch [6 months after the last one](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/484934-can-i-relaunch-my-product), with a significant update. It says new UIs and pricing changes don't count.

### Where Launch Indie Apps fits

Launch Indie Apps works alongside Product Hunt, not instead of it. A Product Hunt launch competes for one day; a listing here is reviewed by a person and stays up afterwards, with launch posts written for X, Reddit, LinkedIn, Indie Hackers and email. [The Launch Map](https://launchindieapps.com/guides/where-to-launch-ios-app) keeps Product Hunt's rules checked and dated, next to the other places.

### Do this today

If you don't have a Product Hunt account, make one today from your personal profile. New accounts wait a week before they can post, and Product Hunt recommends joining months ahead.

### Questions

**Is Product Hunt free for iOS apps?** Yes. Product Hunt says launching is free, and an iOS app can use its App Store link as the product link. Ads aren't allowed during a launch.

**What time does a Product Hunt launch start?** Every launch goes live at 12:01 AM Pacific on its scheduled date, and it competes on that day's leaderboard.

**Can I ask people to upvote my Product Hunt launch?** No. Product Hunt's launch guide says to never ask outright for upvotes or run anything that requires them.

**How often can I launch the same app on Product Hunt?** Product Hunt allows a relaunch 6 months after the last one, with a significant update. New UIs and pricing changes don't count as significant.

### Sources

- Launch Guide, Product Hunt: https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/17350772-launch-guide (checked 2026-10-16)
- Product of the Day, Week and Month, Product Hunt: https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/11751186-product-of-the-day-week-month (checked 2026-10-16)
- How is the homepage ranked?, Product Hunt: https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/484938-how-is-the-homepage-ranked (checked 2026-10-16)
- What are Product Pages?, Product Hunt: https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/6255061-what-are-product-pages (checked 2026-10-16)
- Launch day duties, Product Hunt: https://www.producthunt.com/launch/launch-day-duties (checked 2026-10-16)
- How do things end up on the homepage?, Product Hunt: https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/484923-how-do-things-end-up-on-the-homepage (checked 2026-10-16)
- Why is my post not on the homepage?, Product Hunt: https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/484926-why-is-my-post-not-on-the-homepage (checked 2026-10-16)
- Preparing for launch, Product Hunt: https://www.producthunt.com/launch/preparing-for-launch (checked 2026-10-16)
- Product Hunt featuring guidelines, Product Hunt: https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/9883485-product-hunt-featuring-guidelines (checked 2026-10-16)
- How Product Hunt works, Product Hunt: https://www.producthunt.com/launch/how-product-hunt-works (checked 2026-10-16)
- Ad campaigns, Product Hunt: https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/7950405-ad-campaigns (checked 2026-10-16)
- How do I get my product promoted?, Product Hunt: https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/1444961-how-do-i-get-my-product-promoted (checked 2026-10-16)
- Daily hunt limits, Product Hunt: https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/14440291-daily-hunt-limits (checked 2026-10-16)
- Before launch, Product Hunt: https://www.producthunt.com/launch/before-launch (checked 2026-10-16)
- How can I get access to post?, Product Hunt: https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/481909-how-can-i-get-access-to-post (checked 2026-10-16)
- How to schedule a post, Product Hunt: https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/2724119-how-to-schedule-a-post (checked 2026-10-16)
- Nostaliga, an iOS app launched October 15, 2026 (link markup checked), Product Hunt: https://www.producthunt.com/products/nostaliga (checked 2026-10-16)
- Can I relaunch my product?, Product Hunt: https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/484934-can-i-relaunch-my-product (checked 2026-10-16)
- Where to launch an iOS app, Launch Indie Apps: https://launchindieapps.com/guides/where-to-launch-ios-app (checked 2026-10-16)

## How to write an X launch post for your iOS app that doesn't read like an ad

URL: https://launchindieapps.com/blog/x-launch-post-for-ios-app
Updated: 2026-10-23

### Short answer

Open with why you built it or the problem it solves, not "just launched". Show the app in a screenshot or a short screen recording, keep the lines short, skip hashtags and say in one line what makes it different. In our sample of small accounts, posts with an image or video got more than twice the views.

Most launch posts disappear. In our sample, the typical one got about 70 views and 2 likes, replies or reposts in total. Almost a third got none at all.

A few went much further. One maker with [790 followers](https://x.com/v_kas_kumar/status/2060235457666134477) posted about an app that puts your social feeds in one place and lets you hide Reels and Shorts. It passed 7 million views.

That's not luck you can plan for. But the posts that did well had things in common, and none of them read like an ad.

#### Where do these numbers come from?

We read 1,113 public X posts announcing an iOS app, posted between March 14 and September 13, 2026. The figures here use the 1,012 from accounts with fewer than 5,000 followers, so famous accounts don't skew them. If you're starting with almost no followers yourself, [launching with no audience](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/launch-ios-app-with-no-audience) covers the rest of the plan.

It's an observational sample. It shows what tends to go with more views, not what causes them.

#### What did the launch posts that travelled have in common?

| What the post did | Median views | Got 10+ engagements |
|---|---|---|
| Had an image or video | 95 | 21% |
| Had no image or video | 40 | 8% |
| Used 3 or more lines | 80 | 17% |
| Was one block of text | 39 | 11% |
| Told a "first app" story | 81 | 20% |
| Didn't | 67 | 14% |
| Used a hashtag | 62 | 13% |
| Didn't | 72 | 17% |

The pattern is simple. Show the app, give the post some air, and tell people who made it and why.

#### What should the first line say?

Not "just launched". Posts that opened with "just launched" or "is now live" had a median of 50 views, against 78 for the rest.

The first line has to give a stranger a reason to stop. Three openings that worked in our sample:

- **The story.** A maker with 832 followers opened with [their first app finally being on the App Store](https://x.com/nanahrii/status/2089463523843965221), and got more than 1,700 likes, replies and reposts.
- **What it does, in plain words.** [An App Store screenshot generator for Claude Code](https://x.com/kacperkapusciak/status/2091908832662372712), said in one line, with a demo video under it.
- **A number.** [Revenue up front](https://x.com/frederickjames/status/2080603050327097694), then how it got there, step by step.

#### Should you show the app or describe it?

Show it. Posts with media had a median of 95 views against 40. About one in five got no engagement at all, against 44% of text-only posts.

A screenshot did as well as a video in our sample: 99 median views for photos, 95 for video. So don't wait to edit a trailer. A clean screenshot of the one screen that explains your app is enough. If you'd rather post a card with your icon, name and that screenshot, the [share image generator](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/app-store-share-image-generator) makes one from your App Store link.

My own account says the same. Over my last 136 posts, the ones with an image or video had a median of 349 views against 231, and more than twice the replies.

#### How long should it be?

Short lines, more than one of them. Posts with 3 or more lines had double the median views of posts written as one block.

Almost every launch post in the sample fit in a single post of 280 characters. You don't need a thread to launch an app.

#### Do hashtags help?

Not here. Posts with a hashtag got fewer views, and fewer of them reached 10 engagements. They also make a post look like marketing, which is the opposite of the point.

#### Should you ask for feedback?

A vague request didn't help in our sample: 9% of posts asking for feedback got 10 or more engagements, against 16% of the rest.

The 7-million-view post asked a specific version: what people like, what they don't, and what they'd want added. A question people can answer in a reply beats "thoughts?"

#### What does a launch post that doesn't read like an ad look like?

Six lines, in this order:

1. Why you built it, in one line.
2. What it does, in plain words.
3. The one thing that makes it different.
4. A screenshot or a 15-second screen recording.
5. The price, if it isn't free.
6. One question someone can answer in a reply.

Then stay around. Reply to everyone for the first hour or two, including the critics.

Don't paste the same post into Reddit. It has [its own rules for app posts](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/post-ios-app-on-reddit), subreddit by subreddit.

#### How do you know if it worked?

Views and likes tell you about the post, not the app. Use an App Store [campaign link](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect-analytics/acquisition/campaign-links/) in your post or your first reply, and App Store Connect will show you page views and downloads from that link alone.

### Where Launch Indie Apps fits

A listing on Launch Indie Apps comes with the Launch Kit, which writes your X launch post from your app's own listing, in three styles. One follows the shape of that 790-follower post: what the app does, what makes it different, the price, and a specific ask for feedback, with the link in the first reply. It writes Reddit, LinkedIn, Indie Hackers and email versions too.

### Do this today

Write the first line of your launch post as the reason you built the app, then take one screenshot of the screen that explains it best. That's most of the work.

### Questions

**Do hashtags help a launch post on X?** Not in our sample. Among 1,012 launch posts from accounts with fewer than 5,000 followers, 13% of posts with a hashtag got 10 or more engagements, against 17% of posts without one.

**Should an X launch post have a video or a screenshot?** Either. In our sample, posts with a photo had a median of 99 views and posts with video 95, against 40 for text-only posts. A clear screenshot is enough.

**Why does my launch post get no engagement?** Most launch posts get very little: the median in our sample was 2 likes, replies and reposts combined. Posts that showed the app, used short lines and told a story did better.

### Sources

- A launch post from an account with 790 followers that passed 7 million views, X (@v_kas_kumar): https://x.com/v_kas_kumar/status/2060235457666134477 (checked 2026-10-16)
- A first-app launch post from an account with 832 followers, X (@nanahrii): https://x.com/nanahrii/status/2089463523843965221 (checked 2026-10-16)
- An App Store screenshot generator, announced with a demo video, X (@kacperkapusciak): https://x.com/kacperkapusciak/status/2091908832662372712 (checked 2026-10-16)
- A launch post that leads with revenue, then the steps, X (@frederickjames): https://x.com/frederickjames/status/2080603050327097694 (checked 2026-10-16)
- Campaign links, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect-analytics/acquisition/campaign-links/ (checked 2026-10-16)

## Which iOS app directories are worth submitting to?

URL: https://launchindieapps.com/blog/ios-app-directories-worth-submitting-to
Updated: 2026-10-16

### Short answer

The ones built for iOS apps, where people go to find something to download: Discover Indie Apps, Indie Apps, Indie App Catalog and ours. General software directories rarely send app users and often need a website. Pay only where a person reviews the app, and don't expect the link to help your SEO.

Search "submit your app" and you'll find lists of a hundred directories. Most were built for web software. A few were built for exactly what you made: an indie iOS app with nothing but an App Store link.

Those few are worth an afternoon. The rest mostly aren't. This is how to tell them apart, with every directory's terms read on its own site.

#### What makes a directory worth your time?

Four questions, in order:
1. **Do people go there to find apps?** A directory of iOS apps has readers looking for something to download. A general software directory has founders looking for SaaS.
2. **Does a person review what goes in?** A reviewed directory is one people trust, and it keeps your app out of a pile of spam.
3. **Is an App Store link enough?** Some want a website on your own domain.
4. **Does it still look alive?** Check the newest listings and the date of the last one.

#### Which directories are built for iOS apps?

| Directory | Cost | Reviewed? | Link to your app |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Launch Indie Apps](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/what-is-launch-indie-apps) (ours) | $5 at the launch price, then $9, once | Yes, before it goes live | App Store link, `rel="sponsored"` |
| [Discover Indie Apps](https://www.discoverindieapps.com/) | $9 once, or $99 for a week at the top | Yes, usually within 24 hours | [A plain App Store link](https://www.discoverindieapps.com/app/modraly-drink-counter) |
| [Indie Apps](https://indie-apps.com/list-your-app) | Free; paid weekly spots | [After it goes live](https://indie-apps.com/terms) | [Nofollow](https://indie-apps.com/apps/episodepal-tv-show-tracker-142566) unless you add their badge or pay |
| [Indie App Catalog](https://indieappcatalog.com/app/submit) | No price shown | Yes, before it appears | Not stated |

All four take an App Store link on its own. None needs a website.

Each has a catch. Discover Indie Apps has no free option. Indie Apps publishes first and checks later. Indie App Catalog only takes apps on the US App Store, and turns away low-effort ones such as basic QR scanners. Ours costs money and is new, so its audience is still small.

#### Are free directories worth it?

Free and reviewed is the best deal there is. [Indie App Catalog](https://indieappcatalog.com/app/submit) shows no price on its submit page and reviews what goes in. Free and unreviewed is fine too: [Indie Apps](https://indie-apps.com/list-your-app) costs nothing and your listing never expires.

The trade is attention. A free directory with no review can fill up fast, and a new listing sinks. For free places beyond directories, see [where to promote an iOS app for free](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/free-places-to-promote-ios-app).

#### When is a paid listing worth it?

When a person reviews it and the price is paid once. Both paid directories here refund you if your app isn't approved: Discover Indie Apps says so in [its refund policy](https://www.discoverindieapps.com/refund-policy), and so do we.

Be careful with anything billed by the month or the day. [Indie App Santa](https://indieappsanta.com/pricing/), for example, sells a one-day feature for $150, and only if your app runs a deal that day. That can work for a launch-day offer. It's a poor fit for a listing.

#### What about general software directories?

They're mostly for web products, so check what they ask before spending time:
- [AlternativeTo](https://alternativeto.net/faq/) is free, but it says most apps in its free queue won't be looked at for a very long time. A one-time priority review, priced at checkout, usually takes a day or two. It's worth it if your app replaces a famous one, because people arrive searching for alternatives.
- [SaaSHub](https://www.saashub.com/services/submit) is free, but takes mobile apps only with a decent website on your own domain.
- [Tiny Startups](https://www.tinystartups.com/submit) is free to submit and hand-approved, and lists apps as well as web tools. Free listings wait in a queue; £69 skips it.

Product Hunt is a one-day launch rather than a directory, so [whether it suits an iOS app](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/should-you-launch-ios-app-on-product-hunt) is a separate question.

#### What kind of link will you get?

Mostly not the kind that helps SEO. Paid listings are supposed to be marked as sponsored, and many free ones use nofollow. Ours is `rel="sponsored"` for that reason, and we say so.

Submit for the people who browse, not for the link. A followed link in exchange for a badge on your site is closer to a link swap than a listing, and Google's spam policies warn against [excessive link exchanges](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies).

#### How many should you submit to?

Two or three of the iOS directories above, done properly, beat twenty generic ones. Write a real description, use your best screenshots, and fill in every field.

Then check back in a month. If a directory sent nobody, don't renew anything there.

#### What should you have ready before submitting?

- Your App Store link. Directories show what Apple shows, so run it through the [listing checker](https://launchindieapps.com/tools/app-store-listing-checker) first.
- One sentence on what the app does, in plain words.
- Your best 3 to 5 screenshots.
- The price, and whether there's a free tier or trial.
- For Indie App Catalog's news form: a 16:9 header image.

[The Launch Map](https://launchindieapps.com/guides/where-to-launch-ios-app) has every directory here, plus launch platforms and communities, each checked on its own site and dated.

### Where Launch Indie Apps fits

Launch Indie Apps is one of the four directories above, so weigh this article knowing that. What's different here: a person reviews every app before it goes live, the price is paid once and refunded if the app isn't approved, and each listing shows checked facts such as price, free tier and whether an account is needed. The link is marked sponsored, so it isn't a backlink play.

### Do this today

Pick two directories from the table and submit to both this week. Write the one-sentence description first: every directory asks for it.

### Questions

**Do I need a website to list my iOS app in a directory?** Not for the directories built for iOS apps. Discover Indie Apps, Indie Apps, Indie App Catalog and Launch Indie Apps all take an App Store link. SaaSHub wants a website on your own domain.

**Are free app directories worth it?** Yes, if people go there to find apps. Indie App Catalog shows no price and reviews submissions; Indie Apps is free and checks listings after they go live.

**Do app directory links help SEO?** Rarely. Many free directories use nofollow links, and paid listings should be marked sponsored. Submit for the people who browse, not for the link.

### Sources

- Homepage and pricing, Discover Indie Apps: https://www.discoverindieapps.com/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- A listing page (link markup checked), Discover Indie Apps: https://www.discoverindieapps.com/app/modraly-drink-counter (checked 2026-10-16)
- Refund policy, Discover Indie Apps: https://www.discoverindieapps.com/refund-policy (checked 2026-10-16)
- List your app, Indie Apps: https://indie-apps.com/list-your-app (checked 2026-10-16)
- Terms, Indie Apps: https://indie-apps.com/terms (checked 2026-10-16)
- A listing page (link markup checked), Indie Apps: https://indie-apps.com/apps/episodepal-tv-show-tracker-142566 (checked 2026-10-16)
- Submit an app, Indie App Catalog: https://indieappcatalog.com/app/submit (checked 2026-10-16)
- Pricing, Indie App Santa: https://indieappsanta.com/pricing/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- FAQ, AlternativeTo: https://alternativeto.net/faq/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Submit, SaaSHub: https://www.saashub.com/services/submit (checked 2026-10-16)
- Submit, Tiny Startups: https://www.tinystartups.com/submit (checked 2026-10-16)
- Spam policies for Google web search, Google Search Central: https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies (checked 2026-10-16)
- Where to launch an iOS app, Launch Indie Apps: https://launchindieapps.com/guides/where-to-launch-ios-app (checked 2026-10-16)

## Where can you promote an iOS app for free?

URL: https://launchindieapps.com/blog/free-places-to-promote-ios-app
Updated: 2026-10-16

### Short answer

Start with Apple's featuring nomination in App Store Connect, then the communities where iOS users already look for apps, such as r/iosapps and r/IndieAppNews. Add Product Hunt and one or two free directories. Free costs time instead of money: waiting lines, posting rules and replying to people.

Every place below costs nothing to use. Each one has a catch, and the catch is usually where makers get stuck: a post removed for breaking a rule, or a free launch date months away.

This list is drawn from [the Launch Map](https://launchindieapps.com/guides/where-to-launch-ios-app), where every place was checked on its own site. Rules change, so open the linked page before you post.

#### Where should you start?

With Apple. Nominating your app for App Store featuring is [free and done in App Store Connect](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-featuring-nominations/nominate-your-app-for-featuring/). Apple asks for at least 3 weeks' notice, so it's the one free thing that has to happen before launch day.

Nothing else on this list reaches people while they're standing in the App Store.

Starting with no followers? Free places like these do most of the work. Here's [how to launch with no audience](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/launch-ios-app-with-no-audience).

#### Which communities let you post your app?

| Place | When you can post | The rule that trips people up |
|---|---|---|
| [r/iosapps](https://www.reddit.com/r/iosapps/comments/1v7lb8w/clarification_of_trust_and_transparency/) | Once every 30 days | 10 karma there, plus App Store ratings or your real name and website for the main feed |
| [r/apple](https://web.archive.org/web/20260710062741/https://old.reddit.com/r/apple/wiki/rules) | Sundays only, California time | 5 posts or comments a month that aren't about your app |
| [r/iOSProgramming](https://web.archive.org/web/20260802214619/https://old.reddit.com/r/iOSProgramming/about/rules) | Saturdays, one app a year | Your tech stack, one problem you solved, and an AI disclosure |
| [r/IndieAppNews](https://web.archive.org/web/20260802214659/https://old.reddit.com/r/IndieAppNews/about/rules) | Launches and real updates | A post written for Reddit beats a bare link |
| [r/TestFlight](https://web.archive.org/web/20260722071600/https://old.reddit.com/r/TestFlight/about/rules) | Before launch, for testers | Only your TestFlight link, and no tags in the title |
| [Hacking with Swift forums](https://www.hackingwithswift.com/forums/app-announcements) | Any time | Include the App Store link |
| [Show HN](https://news.ycombinator.com/showhn.html) | Any time | Something people can try without signing up, and not a quick one-off |

Reddit is where most launches go wrong, because each subreddit has its own rules. [Our Reddit guide](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/post-ios-app-on-reddit) goes through them one by one.

#### Which launch platforms are free?

| Platform | Free option | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Product Hunt | [Free to launch](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/7950405-ad-campaigns) | One day on the leaderboard, against thousands |
| [Uneed](https://www.uneed.best/how-it-works) | Free waiting line | A date 30 days to 5 months out, and a score of 10 to stay up |
| [CodeHype](https://www.codehype.ai/pricing) | Free standard queue | Built for AI products and wants a website; a followed link needs their badge |
| [Tiny Startups](https://www.tinystartups.com/submit) | Free to submit | A queue, hand approval, and a link that isn't do-follow |

Product Hunt is the big one. [Should you launch there?](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/should-you-launch-ios-app-on-product-hunt) depends on your app and your calendar. If Uneed's free date is too far off, there are [Uneed alternatives for iOS apps](https://launchindieapps.com/alternatives/uneed). BetaList, often listed next to these, has no free option and won't take an App Store link, so here are [BetaList alternatives for iOS apps](https://launchindieapps.com/alternatives/betalist) too.

#### Which directories are free?

- [Indie Apps](https://indie-apps.com/list-your-app): free, permanent, and live straight away. It checks listings after they go up.
- [Indie App Catalog](https://indieappcatalog.com/app/submit): no price shown, reviewed before it appears, US App Store apps only, and no low-effort apps.
- [AlternativeTo](https://alternativeto.net/faq/): free, but it says most free suggestions won't be looked at for a very long time. Worth paying for priority review if your app replaces a famous one.

More on choosing between them in [which iOS app directories are worth it](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/ios-app-directories-worth-submitting-to).

#### Can press and newsletters be free?

Yes. Apple-focused writers don't charge to cover an app, and [MacStories says](https://www.macstories.net/about/) it has never done paid reviews. What they want is a short, personal note and a way to try the app.

[Indie Dev Monday](https://indiedevmonday.com/about) has no form at all: you subscribe, then reply to an issue with what you're building.

#### What does "free" really cost?

Time, in three forms:
- **Waiting.** Free launch lines can run for months.
- **Rules.** Each community has its own. In r/iosapps, even a removed post starts your 30-day wait again.
- **Replies.** Free places reward makers who answer every comment, all day.

Some "free" places also want something back, like a badge or a link on your website. That's a trade, not a gift, so decide whether you want their badge on your site.

#### Which free places should you skip?

- Places that need a website, if you only have an App Store page.
- Launch sites built for web products, where an iOS app is the odd one out.
- Anywhere you'd need to ask friends for upvotes to stay published.

#### How do you know which free place worked?

Give each place its own App Store [campaign link](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect-analytics/acquisition/campaign-links/). App Store Connect then shows page views and downloads per link, so a month later you know which free place was worth the time.

### Where Launch Indie Apps fits

[Launch Indie Apps](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/what-is-launch-indie-apps) isn't on this list, because it isn't free: a listing is a one-time payment, refunded if the app isn't approved. What is free is the Launch Map, with every place here checked on its own site and dated, whether you list with us or not.

### Do this today

Nominate your app for featuring in App Store Connect if you haven't. Then pick one community from the table, read its rules page start to finish, and comment there for a week before you post.

### Questions

**What is the best free way to promote an iOS app?** Start with Apple's featuring nomination in App Store Connect, which is free and needs at least 3 weeks' notice. Then post where iOS users look for apps, following each community's rules.

**Can I post my iOS app on Reddit?** Yes, in subreddits that allow it and on their terms. r/iosapps allows one app post every 30 days once you have 10 karma there, and r/apple allows developer posts on Sundays.

**Is Product Hunt free for iOS apps?** Yes. Launching on Product Hunt is free, and an iOS app can use its App Store link.

### Sources

- Nominate your app for featuring, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-featuring-nominations/nominate-your-app-for-featuring/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Clarification of Trust and Transparency (pinned moderator post), r/iosapps: https://www.reddit.com/r/iosapps/comments/1v7lb8w/clarification_of_trust_and_transparency/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- r/apple wiki: rules (archived copy of July 10, 2026), Reddit: https://web.archive.org/web/20260710062741/https://old.reddit.com/r/apple/wiki/rules (checked 2026-10-16)
- r/iOSProgramming rules (archived copy of August 2, 2026), Reddit: https://web.archive.org/web/20260802214619/https://old.reddit.com/r/iOSProgramming/about/rules (checked 2026-10-16)
- r/IndieAppNews rules (archived copy of August 2, 2026), Reddit: https://web.archive.org/web/20260802214659/https://old.reddit.com/r/IndieAppNews/about/rules (checked 2026-10-16)
- r/TestFlight rules (archived copy of July 22, 2026), Reddit: https://web.archive.org/web/20260722071600/https://old.reddit.com/r/TestFlight/about/rules (checked 2026-10-16)
- App Announcements forum, Hacking with Swift: https://www.hackingwithswift.com/forums/app-announcements (checked 2026-10-16)
- Show HN guidelines, Hacker News: https://news.ycombinator.com/showhn.html (checked 2026-10-16)
- Ad campaigns (launching is free), Product Hunt: https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/7950405-ad-campaigns (checked 2026-10-16)
- How it works, Uneed: https://www.uneed.best/how-it-works (checked 2026-10-16)
- Pricing, CodeHype: https://www.codehype.ai/pricing (checked 2026-10-16)
- Submit, Tiny Startups: https://www.tinystartups.com/submit (checked 2026-10-16)
- List your app, Indie Apps: https://indie-apps.com/list-your-app (checked 2026-10-16)
- Submit an app, Indie App Catalog: https://indieappcatalog.com/app/submit (checked 2026-10-16)
- FAQ, AlternativeTo: https://alternativeto.net/faq/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- About, MacStories: https://www.macstories.net/about/ (checked 2026-09-14)
- About, Indie Dev Monday: https://indiedevmonday.com/about (checked 2026-09-14)
- Campaign links, Apple Developer: https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect-analytics/acquisition/campaign-links/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Where to launch an iOS app, Launch Indie Apps: https://launchindieapps.com/guides/where-to-launch-ios-app (checked 2026-10-16)

## How to post your iOS app on Reddit without getting removed

URL: https://launchindieapps.com/blog/post-ios-app-on-reddit
Updated: 2026-10-20

### Short answer

Pick subreddits that allow app posts, read each rules page, and earn your place before posting: karma in that subreddit, some real comments, and its posting day. Say you made the app, write the post for Reddit instead of dropping a link, and stay to answer every comment.

Most removed app posts break a rule the maker never read. Each subreddit sets its own, and they're specific: a day of the week, a karma threshold, a format for the post.

The good news is that the rules are written down. Here they are for the subreddits where an iOS app can be posted, as of October 2026. Reddit blocks automated reading of its rules pages, so each rule below comes from the subreddit's pinned moderator posts or the latest archived copy of its rules, linked and dated. [The Launch Map](https://launchindieapps.com/guides/where-to-launch-ios-app) keeps them alongside every other place to launch.

Rules here change often. Open the subreddit's own rules page before you post.

#### What does Reddit itself say about self-promotion?

Reddit's own rules ask you to [participate authentically](https://redditinc.com/policies/reddit-rules) in communities you care about, and not to spam. Its Reddiquette guide puts a number on it: only [1 in every 10 of your submissions](https://web.archive.org/web/20261011192409/https://support.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/205926439-Reddiquette) should be your own content.

Every subreddit below builds on that. Most removals come from ignoring it.

#### Why do app posts get removed?

Three reasons cover most of them:
- **Wrong day.** Some subreddits only allow app posts on one day of the week.
- **No history.** Many want you to have taken part, in that subreddit, before you promote anything.
- **Wrong format.** A bare link, a missing flair, no price, or a title in the wrong shape.

None of these are about your app. They're about following the house rules.

#### Which subreddits allow iOS app posts?

| Subreddit | When you can post | What you need first |
|---|---|---|
| r/iosapps | Once every 30 days | 10 karma there, and more for the main feed |
| r/apple | Sundays, California time | 5 posts or comments a month that aren't about your app |
| r/iOSProgramming | Saturdays, one app a year | Previous activity in the subreddit |
| r/IndieAppNews | Launches and real updates | Nothing stated |
| r/iphone | Only with permission | A message to the moderators |

Two more fit particular moments: r/TestFlight before launch, for beta testers, and r/AppHookup later, for a real price drop.

#### What does r/iosapps ask for?

It's the closest thing to an audience of people looking for apps, and it has the most detailed rules.

- **Karma first.** You need [10 karma earned in r/iosapps](https://web.archive.org/web/20260802214256/https://old.reddit.com/r/iosapps/about/rules) before posting, and one app post per developer every 30 days, counted from your last one even if it was removed.
- **Main feed or the monthly thread.** To post in the main feed you also need either a trust signal (such as 20 or more ratings on the App Store) or [full transparency](https://www.reddit.com/r/iosapps/comments/1v7lb8w/clarification_of_trust_and_transparency/): your real name, contact details, and a website with a privacy policy and terms. Everyone else posts in the monthly App Shelf thread [pinned at the top of the subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/iosapps/), and that post counts toward your 30 days too.
- **A fixed format.** The pinned thread asks for an "ABC" post: the problem your app answers, what it does better than named competitors, and what it costs. Pricing and a flair are required.
- **Links and honesty.** Download links go to the App Store or TestFlight only, and you always say you made the app. Apps built on generative AI, or mostly built with AI, go in the monthly thread.

#### What do r/apple and r/iOSProgramming ask for?

**r/apple** gives developers [Sundays, California time](https://web.archive.org/web/20260807222015/https://old.reddit.com/r/apple/about/rules/), as a self-post. Its wiki asks for [at least 5 posts or comments in the past month](https://web.archive.org/web/20260710062741/https://old.reddit.com/r/apple/wiki/rules) that have nothing to do with your app, and no more than 10% of your activity can be self-promotion. A bare link to your app isn't allowed.

**r/iOSProgramming** is developers, not users. App posts go up [on Saturdays](https://web.archive.org/web/20260802214619/https://old.reddit.com/r/iOSProgramming/about/rules), one app a year. An [App Saturday post](https://web.archive.org/web/20260830081542/https://old.reddit.com/r/iOSProgramming/wiki/app-saturday) needs three sections: your tech stack, one development challenge and how you solved it, and an AI disclosure (self-built, AI-assisted, or mostly AI-generated).

#### What about r/IndieAppNews and r/iphone?

**r/IndieAppNews** is made for this. Its rules ask for app introductions and real updates, say content written on Reddit will probably work [better than a link elsewhere](https://web.archive.org/web/20260802214659/https://old.reddit.com/r/IndieAppNews/about/rules), and ask for less than one post per app per day.

**r/iphone** asks developers to [message the moderators first](https://web.archive.org/web/20260802214341/https://old.reddit.com/r/iphone/about/rules), and doesn't allow release notes as posts.

#### How much should you take part first?

Enough that your post isn't the first thing anyone sees from you. r/iosapps and r/apple put numbers on it; others just say activity is required.

In practice that means a few weeks of comments that help people, in the subreddit you want to post in. It's slower than posting today. It's also the difference between a post that stays up and one that's gone in ten minutes.

#### What should the post say?

- **Say you made it,** in the first lines. r/iosapps requires it, and everywhere else people respect it.
- **Write it for Reddit.** The problem, what's different and the price. Not your App Store description, and not your [X launch post](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/x-launch-post-for-ios-app) either.
- **Show it.** A screenshot or two in the post.
- **Ask something specific.** "Would you use this for X or Y?" gets more replies than "thoughts?"
- **Stay.** Answer every comment, including the critical ones.

#### Where can you post a beta, or a deal?

Before launch, [r/TestFlight](https://web.archive.org/web/20260722071600/https://old.reddit.com/r/TestFlight/about/rules) is for recruiting testers: only your TestFlight link, your app's name as the title with no tags like [Tester], and the right flair.

After launch, [r/AppHookup](https://web.archive.org/web/20260809110059/https://old.reddit.com/r/apphookup/about/rules) takes real price drops on paid apps, with a strict title format. Launch deals are at the moderators' discretion, and it doesn't take betas or apps that are always free, so it's for later.

#### What if your post gets removed?

Read the removal reason, if there is one. Don't repost straight away: in r/iosapps, even a removed post starts your 30-day wait again.

If you don't understand why, message the moderators once, politely, and ask. They run these places for free.

And Reddit is only one of the [free places to promote an iOS app](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/free-places-to-promote-ios-app). If it isn't working, the others are still there.

### Where Launch Indie Apps fits

The Launch Kit that comes with a Launch Indie Apps listing writes a Reddit post for your app in three styles, written for Reddit rather than pasted from the App Store. [The Launch Map](https://launchindieapps.com/guides/where-to-launch-ios-app) keeps each subreddit's rules with the date they were checked, which matters because they change.

### Do this today

Open r/iosapps and read the pinned App Shelf thread start to finish. Then leave three genuinely helpful comments there this week, so you have the karma when your app is ready.

### Questions

**How do you promote your iOS app on Reddit without getting banned?** Post only in subreddits that allow app posts, on their terms, and take part there first. r/iosapps allows one app post every 30 days once you have 10 karma there, r/apple allows developer posts on Sundays, and r/iOSProgramming on Saturdays. Say you made the app, and don't repost one that was removed.

**Why was my app post removed from Reddit?** Usually for breaking a subreddit rule: posting on the wrong day, not having enough activity or karma there yet, a missing price or flair, or a bare link instead of a post written for Reddit.

**Where can I find beta testers for my iOS app on Reddit?** r/TestFlight is for that. Post only your TestFlight link, use your app's name as the title and pick the right flair.

### Sources

- Reddit Rules (Rule 2), Reddit: https://redditinc.com/policies/reddit-rules (checked 2026-10-16)
- Reddiquette (archived copy, updated October 5, 2026), Reddit Help: https://web.archive.org/web/20261011192409/https://support.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/205926439-Reddiquette (checked 2026-10-16)
- r/iosapps rules (archived copy of August 2, 2026), Reddit: https://web.archive.org/web/20260802214256/https://old.reddit.com/r/iosapps/about/rules (checked 2026-10-16)
- Clarification of Trust and Transparency (pinned moderator post), r/iosapps: https://www.reddit.com/r/iosapps/comments/1v7lb8w/clarification_of_trust_and_transparency/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- The App Shelf, October 2026 (pinned at the top of the subreddit), r/iosapps: https://www.reddit.com/r/iosapps/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- r/apple rules (archived copy of August 7, 2026), Reddit: https://web.archive.org/web/20260807222015/https://old.reddit.com/r/apple/about/rules/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- r/apple wiki: rules (archived copy of July 10, 2026), Reddit: https://web.archive.org/web/20260710062741/https://old.reddit.com/r/apple/wiki/rules (checked 2026-10-16)
- r/iOSProgramming rules (archived copy of August 2, 2026), Reddit: https://web.archive.org/web/20260802214619/https://old.reddit.com/r/iOSProgramming/about/rules (checked 2026-10-16)
- App Saturday (archived copy of August 30, 2026), r/iOSProgramming wiki: https://web.archive.org/web/20260830081542/https://old.reddit.com/r/iOSProgramming/wiki/app-saturday (checked 2026-10-16)
- r/IndieAppNews rules (archived copy of August 2, 2026), Reddit: https://web.archive.org/web/20260802214659/https://old.reddit.com/r/IndieAppNews/about/rules (checked 2026-10-16)
- r/iphone rules (archived copy of August 2, 2026), Reddit: https://web.archive.org/web/20260802214341/https://old.reddit.com/r/iphone/about/rules (checked 2026-10-16)
- r/TestFlight rules (archived copy of July 22, 2026), Reddit: https://web.archive.org/web/20260722071600/https://old.reddit.com/r/TestFlight/about/rules (checked 2026-10-16)
- r/AppHookup rules (archived copy of August 9, 2026), Reddit: https://web.archive.org/web/20260809110059/https://old.reddit.com/r/apphookup/about/rules (checked 2026-10-16)
- Where to launch an iOS app, Launch Indie Apps: https://launchindieapps.com/guides/where-to-launch-ios-app (checked 2026-10-16)

# Articles for people looking for apps

## How do you start journaling when you have no time?

URL: https://launchindieapps.com/blog/how-to-start-journaling-no-time
Updated: 2026-10-18

### Short answer

Write less than you think you should. One study found benefits from two minutes of writing on two days, and gratitude lists helped when people wrote them once a week. Pick a moment you already have every day, write three short lines right after it, and don't make up for missed days.

Most advice about journaling assumes you have a quiet half hour. A notebook, a candle, a page to fill.

If you don't, the advice quietly tells you journaling isn't for you. The research says otherwise.

#### Do you need 20 minutes a day?

No. The 20-minute figure comes from expressive writing studies, where people write about something stressful for [15 to 20 minutes on 3 to 5 occasions](https://doi.org/10.1192/apt.11.5.338). That's a short course, not a daily habit.

Even the team behind those studies, on James Pennebaker's [expressive writing site](https://exw.utpsyc.org/index.php) at UT Austin, suggests starting with 5 to 10 minutes.

#### Does a short entry still count?

It seems to. In a small study, people who wrote for [2 minutes a day on 2 days](https://doi.org/10.1348/135910707X250910) reported fewer health complaints weeks later than people who wrote about something neutral.

One honest caveat. When the goal is working through something painful, longer sessions did better: a review of 146 studies found sessions of [at least 15 minutes](https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.132.6.823) had clearly larger effects. So keep the long sessions for the hard days. For everyday notes, short is fine.

#### How often should you write?

Less often than you'd guess can work. In a well-known gratitude study, students filled in [one form a week for ten weeks](https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/pdfs/GratitudePDFs/6Emmons-BlessingsBurdens.pdf), listing up to five things they were grateful for. Compared with the other groups, they felt more optimistic about the week ahead, reported fewer physical symptoms and exercised about an hour and a half more each week.

A later study went further: counting blessings [once a week](https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.9.2.111) raised well-being, while doing it three times a week didn't. The authors guessed people got bored. It was a small study, and the gratitude study above found daily lists shifted gratitude more. So the honest answer is: daily is fine, weekly is fine, and stopping is the only thing that doesn't work.

#### When in the day should you write?

At the same moment every day, tied to something you already do. Habit research recommends repeating an action [in the same context](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3505409/), and says a cue inside an existing routine is the easiest place to start.

Good cues are boring ones:
- after you brush your teeth at night
- when you sit down on the train home
- right after you put your phone on the charger

It's the same trick that helps people [drink more water](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/how-to-drink-more-water): tie it to something that already happens.

On average, a new habit took about 66 days to feel automatic in that research, with big differences between people. Expect two months, not two weeks. I wrote up [what the habit research says](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/how-to-build-habits-that-stick) in more detail.

#### What should you write about?

Whatever is easiest tonight. The University of Rochester Medical Center's advice is to [make it easy](https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentID=4552&ContentTypeID=1) and forget about structure or spelling.

If a blank page stops you, use three prompts and rotate them:
1. What happened today?
2. How did it feel?
3. What's one thing worth remembering?

Three lines, one answer each. That's an entry.

#### What if you miss a day?

Skip it and carry on. In the habit research above, missing the occasional day didn't seriously slow the habit down. Making up missed entries turns a two-minute habit into a 20-minute chore, which is how most journals end.

#### Can journaling make you feel worse?

Sometimes, briefly. Writing about something painful usually brings a [short-term rise in distress](https://doi.org/10.1192/apt.11.5.338) right afterwards, which the research doesn't consider harmful.

Pennebaker's site is clear about the limits: if writing upsets you, stop. If you're highly distressed or depressed right now, expressive writing isn't recommended, and it's not a substitute for therapy.

#### Paper or an app?

Whichever you'll open. Paper is lovely if it lives where your cue happens. An app wins if your phone is already in your hand at that moment, which for most of us it is.

Look for three things in an app: it opens straight to today's entry, it doesn't punish you for a missed day, and you can get your writing out if you ever leave.

### Where Launch Indie Apps fits

Launch Indie Apps lists indie journal apps on [Keep a daily journal](https://launchindieapps.com/needs/keep-a-journal): triday for three short lines a day, Lumarii for writing without streaks, and Hibi for a page on each day of your calendar. Each listing shows the price and what's free before you download.

### Do this today

Pick your cue: something you already do every evening. Tonight, right after it, write three lines: what happened, how it felt, one thing worth remembering. Then stop.

### Questions

**How long should a journal entry be?** As short as you need it to be. A small study found benefits from two minutes of writing, and three short lines a day is enough to build the habit. Save longer sessions for working through something difficult.

**Is it better to journal every day or once a week?** Either can work. A gratitude study found weekly lists helped, and another found once a week did better than three times a week. What matters most is that you keep going.

**Is journaling on your phone as good as on paper?** The research hasn't found a reason to prefer one. Pick the one you'll actually open at your chosen moment, which for most people is the phone already in their hand.

### Sources

- Emotional and physical health benefits of expressive writing (Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 2005), Baikie and Wilhelm: https://doi.org/10.1192/apt.11.5.338 (checked 2026-10-17)
- Experimental disclosure and its moderators: a meta-analysis (Psychological Bulletin, 2006), Frattaroli: https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.132.6.823 (checked 2026-10-17)
- Effects of (very) brief writing on health: the two-minute miracle (British Journal of Health Psychology, 2008), Burton and King: https://doi.org/10.1348/135910707X250910 (checked 2026-10-17)
- Counting blessings versus burdens (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2003), Emmons and McCullough: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/pdfs/GratitudePDFs/6Emmons-BlessingsBurdens.pdf (checked 2026-10-17)
- Pursuing happiness: the architecture of sustainable change (Review of General Psychology, 2005), Lyubomirsky, Sheldon and Schkade: https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.9.2.111 (checked 2026-10-17)
- Making health habitual (British Journal of General Practice, 2012), Gardner, Lally and Wardle: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3505409/ (checked 2026-10-17)
- Journaling for emotional wellness, University of Rochester Medical Center: https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentID=4552&ContentTypeID=1 (checked 2026-10-17)
- Expressive writing, James W. Pennebaker's research team, UT Austin: https://exw.utpsyc.org/index.php (checked 2026-10-17)

## How do you drink more water?

URL: https://launchindieapps.com/blog/how-to-drink-more-water
Updated: 2026-10-18

### Short answer

Tie water to things you already do: a glass with every meal, a bottle that stays in sight, a refill when you sit down to work. Aim for pale yellow pee rather than a number. Tea, coffee and milk count too, and if plain water bores you, try it sparkling or with a slice of lemon.

People ask Google how to drink more water in dozens of ways: when you hate water, when you're not thirsty, when you keep forgetting. The questions are different. The answers mostly aren't.

#### How much water do you actually need?

Less precisely than the "8 glasses" rule suggests. The NHS says to aim for [6 to 8 cups or glasses of fluid a day](https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-guidelines-and-food-labels/water-drinks-nutrition/), and calls that a guide.

The US National Academies put total water at about [3.7 litres a day for men and 2.7 for women](https://www.nationalacademies.org/news/2004/02/report-sets-dietary-intake-levels-for-water-salt-and-potassium-to-maintain-health-and-reduce-chronic-disease-risk), but that includes food, which supplies about a fifth of it. The European figures are [2.5 litres for men and 2.0 for women](https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/press/news/nda100326), food included too.

None of these are strict targets. Your size, the weather and how active you are all move the number.

#### Do tea and coffee count?

Yes. The NHS says water, lower-fat milk and lower-sugar drinks, [including tea and coffee](https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-guidelines-and-food-labels/water-drinks-nutrition/), all count. Harvard's Nutrition Source agrees that [caffeinated drinks contribute](https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/water/) to your daily water.

Food counts as well, especially fruit, vegetables and soup. What the NHS suggests limiting is fruit juice and smoothies: one small glass a day.

#### How can you tell you're drinking enough?

Look, don't count. The NHS advice is to drink enough that your pee is [a pale yellow colour](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dehydration/). Dark, strong-smelling pee and feeling thirsty are early signs you need more.

For most healthy people, the National Academies say [thirst is a good guide](https://www.nationalacademies.org/news/2004/02/report-sets-dietary-intake-levels-for-water-salt-and-potassium-to-maintain-health-and-reduce-chronic-disease-risk). Two caveats from Harvard: some foods, medicines and vitamins change the colour, and thirst gets less reliable as you get older.

#### How do you drink more water when you keep forgetting?

Stop relying on remembering. Attach water to something that already happens every day, the same trick that [makes any habit stick](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/how-to-build-habits-that-stick).

Habit research recommends doing a new action [in the same situation](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3505409/) each time, ideally right after something in your existing routine. For water, that looks like:
- a full glass with every meal, which the [CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-weight-growth/water-healthy-drinks/index.html), Mayo Clinic and Harvard all suggest
- a refill every time you sit down at your desk
- a glass after you brush your teeth in the morning

The same kind of cue works for other small habits, like [a three-line journal](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/how-to-start-journaling-no-time) at night.

The other half is keeping it in sight. A bottle on your desk gets drunk; one in your bag doesn't. Harvard's version is simple: fill a [20-ounce bottle four times a day](https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/water/) and sip.

#### How do you drink more water when you hate water?

Change the water, not your willpower. The NHS suggests [sparkling water, no-added-sugar squash, or a slice of lemon or lime](https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-guidelines-and-food-labels/water-drinks-nutrition/). Harvard adds mint, cucumber, berries and orange zest.

Cold helps too. The CDC's tip is to freeze water in a bottle the night before, so it stays cold all day.

And remember that tea counts. If you'd rather have three cups of tea than three glasses of water, that's fine.

#### Do reminders and water tracker apps help?

For people who forget, it looks like they do, though the evidence is thin. In one trial with 85 people prone to kidney stones, [60% said not remembering](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35283036/) was what kept them from drinking more. Those given a smart bottle with phone reminders increased their urine output by about 1.4 litres a day, against 0.8 litres with advice alone.

That's one trial, in people with a strong reason to drink. But the idea transfers: if forgetting is your problem, a reminder at the right moment fixes it. If disliking water is your problem, a tracker won't.

#### When do you need more?

The NHS lists four situations: when you're [pregnant or breastfeeding](https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-guidelines-and-food-labels/water-drinks-nutrition/), in a hot place, active for a long time, or ill or recovering. In a heatwave, it also suggests [avoiding alcohol, caffeine and hot drinks](https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/seasonal-health/heatwave-how-to-cope-in-hot-weather/).

Mayo Clinic adds the obvious one for exercise: [drink before, during and after](https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256) a workout.

#### Can you drink too much water?

Yes, but it's rare. Drinking a lot in a short time can make your sodium levels drop too low, a condition called [hyponatremia](https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hyponatremia/symptoms-causes/syc-20373711), which can be life-threatening. Endurance athletes are most at risk, and Mayo's advice is to drink only as much as you sweat out.

If you have heart failure or kidney disease, your doctor may want you to drink less, not more. Ask before you set yourself a target.

### Where Launch Indie Apps fits

Launch Indie Apps lists indie apps for [building daily habits](https://launchindieapps.com/needs/build-daily-habits), including two for water: Water Tracker Wellness, with a daily goal and Apple Watch logging, and GO Club, which pairs water with walking. Each listing shows the price and what's free before you download.

### Do this today

Pick one meal you never skip. From today, it comes with a full glass of water, poured before you sit down.

### Questions

**How many glasses of water should I drink a day?** The NHS suggests 6 to 8 cups or glasses of fluid a day as a guide, and tea, coffee and milk count. You need more in hot weather, when you exercise, and when you're pregnant or breastfeeding.

**Does sparkling water count as water?** Yes. The NHS suggests sparkling water as one way to drink more if you find plain water boring.

**Is it bad to drink a lot of water at once?** It can be. Drinking a large amount in a short time can lower your sodium levels, which can be dangerous. Spread your water through the day instead.

### Sources

- Water, drinks and hydration, NHS: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-guidelines-and-food-labels/water-drinks-nutrition/ (checked 2026-10-17)
- Dehydration, NHS: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dehydration/ (checked 2026-10-17)
- Heatwave: how to cope in hot weather, NHS: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/seasonal-health/heatwave-how-to-cope-in-hot-weather/ (checked 2026-10-17)
- Report sets dietary intake levels for water, salt and potassium (2004), National Academies: https://www.nationalacademies.org/news/2004/02/report-sets-dietary-intake-levels-for-water-salt-and-potassium-to-maintain-health-and-reduce-chronic-disease-risk (checked 2026-10-17)
- EFSA sets European dietary reference values for nutrient intakes (2010), EFSA: https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/press/news/nda100326 (checked 2026-10-17)
- Water: how much should you drink every day?, Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256 (checked 2026-10-17)
- Hyponatremia: symptoms and causes, Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hyponatremia/symptoms-causes/syc-20373711 (checked 2026-10-17)
- About water and healthier drinks, CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-weight-growth/water-healthy-drinks/index.html (checked 2026-10-17)
- How much water do you need?, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health: https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/water/ (checked 2026-10-17)
- Randomized trial of a smart water bottle in people with kidney stones (Journal of Renal Nutrition, 2022), Stout et al.: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35283036/ (checked 2026-10-17)
- Making health habitual (British Journal of General Practice, 2012), Gardner, Lally and Wardle: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3505409/ (checked 2026-10-17)

## How do you build habits that stick?

URL: https://launchindieapps.com/blog/how-to-build-habits-that-stick
Updated: 2026-10-18

### Short answer

Pick one small action and attach it to something you already do every day, then do it at that moment every time. Expect it to take around two months, often longer, and don't worry about missing a day. Ticking it off on paper or in an app helps you keep going.

Most habits don't fail on day one. They fail around week three, when the motivation is gone and the action still feels like a decision.

The research on getting past that point is surprisingly consistent, and a little boring. Good.

#### How long does it take to build a habit?

Longer than 21 days. In the best-known study, 96 volunteers each picked one daily eating, drinking or exercise habit and tied it to something they did every day. For the people whose data could be modelled, the median time until it felt automatic was [66 days, with a range from 18 to 254](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ejsp.674).

The researcher behind that study now stresses the range, not the average: what it really showed is that [habit formation is highly variable](https://www.surrey.ac.uk/news/does-it-really-take-66-days-form-habit-we-asked-expert-dr-pippa-lally). In that study, drinking habits tended to form faster than exercise ones, though the groups were small.

So plan for about two months, and don't read anything into it if yours takes longer.

#### What makes a habit stick?

A cue. A habit is an action your surroundings start for you. Once it forms, [the context triggers the response](https://dornsife.usc.edu/wendy-wood/wp-content/uploads/sites/183/2023/10/wood.runger.2016.pdf) without you having to decide.

That's why the most useful advice is about when and where, not how much you want it. A GP-focused summary of the research puts it as: [repeat the action in the same context](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3505409/), and pick a cue inside a routine you already have.

Examples that work because the cue never moves:
- after I pour my morning coffee, I write tomorrow's top task
- after I park the car at work, I walk one lap of the block
- after I sit down for dinner, I [drink a full glass of water](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/how-to-drink-more-water)

#### Should you start small?

Yes. The same summary recommends small, manageable changes, because failing early is discouraging, and notes that [simpler actions become habitual more quickly](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3505409/). That's why [a three-line journal](https://launchindieapps.com/blog/how-to-start-journaling-no-time) is easier to keep than a page a day.

It adds one more rule worth knowing: you can't form a habit of *not* doing something. "Stop scrolling in bed" won't become automatic. "Put the phone on the kitchen charger at 10" can.

#### Do if-then plans help?

They do, a lot. Writing a plan in the form "when X happens, I will do Y" had a [medium-to-large effect on reaching goals](https://kops.uni-konstanz.de/entities/publication/2e749bfb-8533-437c-8203-7e788c910c5f) across 94 tests with more than 8,000 people.

It's the same idea as the cue, written down. "I'll exercise more" is a wish. "When I get home on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, I change straight into running clothes" is a plan.

#### Does tracking your habits help?

Yes. A review of 138 experiments found that monitoring your progress [helped people reach their goals](https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/91437/), and the effect was larger when people physically recorded it or shared it with others.

That's the honest case for a habit tracker: it isn't magic, but writing it down works better than keeping it in your head.

#### Do streaks and rewards help?

Less clearly than apps suggest. Research on streaks shows an intact streak [makes people keep going](https://www.colorado.edu/business/faculty-research/2023/04/19/or-track-how-broken-streaks-affect-consumer-decisions), but that's about engagement, not about the habit becoming automatic.

Rewards help most at one specific moment. In a study of more than 60,000 gym members testing 54 ideas, the best one offered small rewards for [coming back after a missed workout](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8822539/). And the original habit study gave no rewards at all, yet habits still formed.

A streak is fine if it motivates you. Just don't let a broken one end the habit.

#### What if you miss a day?

Carry on. In the habit study, missing one day [did not materially affect](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ejsp.674) the habit forming. What hurts is turning one miss into a week.

A rule that helps: never miss twice. One skipped day is noise. Two in a row is the start of a new pattern.

#### Should you rely on reminders?

Not on their own. A study of habit apps found that relying on reminders [supported repetition but hindered habit development](https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1468224/): people did the action, but because the phone told them to, not because the moment did. Cues tied to events, like finishing breakfast, built more automatic habits.

Use reminders while you set up the cue, then lean on the cue.

### Where Launch Indie Apps fits

Launch Indie Apps lists indie habit trackers on [Build daily habits](https://launchindieapps.com/needs/build-daily-habits): HabitKit for any habit you want to build or break, and apps for single habits like drinking water or walking more. Each listing shows the price, what's free, and whether you need an account.

### Do this today

Write one sentence: "After I [something you already do every day], I will [one small action]." Do it once today, right after that moment.

### Questions

**Is it true that it takes 21 days to form a habit?** No. In the best-known study, the median was 66 days for the people whose data could be modelled, ranging from 18 to 254 days. Simple habits form faster than hard ones.

**What is the best way to track habits?** Any way you'll keep up. Research found that physically recording your progress works better than just thinking about it, so a tick on paper or a tap in a habit tracker both count.

**Does missing a day ruin a habit?** No. Missing a single day didn't materially affect habit formation in the research. The risk is letting one missed day become several.

### Sources

- How are habits formed: modelling habit formation in the real world (European Journal of Social Psychology, 2010), Lally, van Jaarsveld, Potts and Wardle: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ejsp.674 (checked 2026-10-17)
- Does it really take 66 days to form a habit? We asked expert Dr Pippa Lally, University of Surrey: https://www.surrey.ac.uk/news/does-it-really-take-66-days-form-habit-we-asked-expert-dr-pippa-lally (checked 2026-10-17)
- Making health habitual (British Journal of General Practice, 2012), Gardner, Lally and Wardle: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3505409/ (checked 2026-10-17)
- Psychology of habit (Annual Review of Psychology, 2016), Wood and Rünger: https://dornsife.usc.edu/wendy-wood/wp-content/uploads/sites/183/2023/10/wood.runger.2016.pdf (checked 2026-10-17)
- Implementation intentions and goal achievement: a meta-analysis (Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 2006), Gollwitzer and Sheeran: https://kops.uni-konstanz.de/entities/publication/2e749bfb-8533-437c-8203-7e788c910c5f (checked 2026-10-17)
- Does monitoring goal progress promote goal attainment? (Psychological Bulletin, 2016), Harkin et al.: https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/91437/ (checked 2026-10-17)
- Beyond self-tracking and reminders: designing smartphone apps that support habit formation (CHI 2015), Stawarz, Cox and Blandford: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1468224/ (checked 2026-10-17)
- On or off track: how (broken) streaks affect consumer decisions (Journal of Consumer Research, 2023), University of Colorado Boulder: https://www.colorado.edu/business/faculty-research/2023/04/19/or-track-how-broken-streaks-affect-consumer-decisions (checked 2026-10-17)
- Megastudies improve the impact of applied behavioural science (Nature, 2021), Milkman et al.: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8822539/ (checked 2026-10-17)

# Comparisons

## Launch Indie Apps vs Product Hunt

URL: https://launchindieapps.com/compare/launch-indie-apps-vs-product-hunt
Updated: 2026-10-20

### Short answer

Product Hunt is free and has a far bigger audience, but your launch competes for a single day. Launch Indie Apps is a paid listing for one iOS app that stays up, with launch posts and click numbers. If you can be around to reply all day, launch on Product Hunt. Most makers can do both.

### Side by side

| | Launch Indie Apps | Product Hunt | Better fit | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What you get | A permanent listing. No votes and no launch day to win or lose. | One launch day on [the daily leaderboard](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/17350772-launch-guide), then a permanent product page. | Depends | A day of attention against a page that stays. They do different jobs. |
| Cost | $5 at the launch price, then $9, paid once. No free listing. | [Free to launch](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/7950405-ad-campaigns). Ads aren't allowed during a launch. | Product Hunt | Free beats any price. |
| Audience | New and small. Its own numbers are public on [the stats page](https://launchindieapps.com/stats). | A community of early adopters, makers and investors, and a Daily Digest with [more than 350,000 readers](https://www.producthunt.com/launch/launch-day-duties) (Product Hunt's own figure). | Product Hunt | Product Hunt reaches far more people. |
| Fit for an iOS app | iOS apps on the App Store, made by indie makers and solo founders. Nothing else. | iOS apps are welcome and the link [can be the App Store](https://www.producthunt.com/launch/preparing-for-launch), but it covers every kind of tech product. | Launch Indie Apps | Here an iOS app isn't competing with AI tools and SaaS for the same attention. |
| Getting seen | A person reviews every app before it goes live. A decision within 48 hours of payment, or a refund. | Every launch is reviewed, but [the homepage is curated](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/484923-how-do-things-end-up-on-the-homepage) and featuring isn't guaranteed. Unfeatured launches stay in the [All feed](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/484926-why-is-my-post-not-on-the-homepage). | Launch Indie Apps | An approved app here is listed; on Product Hunt being featured is up to the team on the day. |
| Preparation | An App Store link. The name, icon and screenshots come in by themselves. | Product Hunt recommends [joining three months or more ahead](https://www.producthunt.com/launch/before-launch), and a new account [waits a week before it can post](https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/481909-how-can-i-get-access-to-post). | Launch Indie Apps | Less to prepare, which matters if you're launching next week. |
| Link to your app | Links to your App Store page carry rel="sponsored", because the listing is paid. No link to your website. | The Visit button on [a recent iOS launch](https://www.producthunt.com/products/nostaliga) links straight to the App Store with rel="ugc". | Depends | Neither is a plain followed link, so neither is a backlink play. |
| Launch help | Launch posts written for X, Reddit, LinkedIn, Indie Hackers and email, the Launch Map of other places, and Launch Reports at day 7 and day 30. | Detailed guides on [preparing](https://www.producthunt.com/launch/preparing-for-launch) and [launch day](https://www.producthunt.com/launch/launch-day-duties). | Launch Indie Apps | We write the posts and count the clicks; Product Hunt tells you how. |

### Choose Product Hunt if

- You want the biggest audience you can get for free.
- Your app appeals to tech early adopters, not only to the general public.
- You can spend launch day replying to comments, from 12:01 AM Pacific on.
- You've been part of the community for a while, as Product Hunt recommends.

### Choose Launch Indie Apps if

- You want a page about your iOS app that's still there in month four.
- You have no audience to rally on the day, and you'd rather not compete on a leaderboard.
- You want launch posts for the other places written for you, and to see which ones sent App Store clicks.

### Using both

Most makers can do both, and we'd suggest it. Launch on Product Hunt for the day, and list with us for the page that stays. The Launch Map covers Product Hunt's rules with the date we checked them.

### Questions

**Do I have to ask people for upvotes on Launch Indie Apps?** No. There are no votes or leaderboard here. A person reviews your app, and if it's approved, it's listed. Product Hunt's own launch guide says never to ask outright for upvotes either.

**Is Product Hunt free for iOS apps?** Yes. Product Hunt says launching is free, and an iOS app can use its App Store link as the product URL.

**Can I launch on Product Hunt and list on Launch Indie Apps?** Yes. They don't exclude each other, and the listing stays up after your Product Hunt day ends.

**Is Launch Indie Apps affiliated with Product Hunt?** No. Launch Indie Apps is independent and has no relationship with Product Hunt. Nobody paid for this comparison.

### Sources

- Launch day duties, Product Hunt: https://www.producthunt.com/launch/launch-day-duties (checked 2026-10-16)
- Preparing for launch, Product Hunt: https://www.producthunt.com/launch/preparing-for-launch (checked 2026-10-16)
- Before launch, Product Hunt: https://www.producthunt.com/launch/before-launch (checked 2026-10-16)
- Launch Guide, Product Hunt: https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/17350772-launch-guide (checked 2026-10-16)
- How do things end up on the homepage?, Product Hunt: https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/484923-how-do-things-end-up-on-the-homepage (checked 2026-10-16)
- Why is my post not on the homepage?, Product Hunt: https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/484926-why-is-my-post-not-on-the-homepage (checked 2026-10-16)
- How can I get access to post?, Product Hunt: https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/481909-how-can-i-get-access-to-post (checked 2026-10-16)
- Ad campaigns, Product Hunt: https://help.producthunt.com/en/articles/7950405-ad-campaigns (checked 2026-10-16)
- Nostaliga, an iOS app launched on October 15, 2026 (link markup checked), Product Hunt: https://www.producthunt.com/products/nostaliga (checked 2026-10-16)
- Pricing, Launch Indie Apps: https://launchindieapps.com/pricing (checked 2026-10-16)
- About, Launch Indie Apps: https://launchindieapps.com/about (checked 2026-10-16)
- Live stats, Launch Indie Apps: https://launchindieapps.com/stats (checked 2026-10-16)

## Launch Indie Apps vs Discover Indie Apps

URL: https://launchindieapps.com/compare/launch-indie-apps-vs-discover-indie-apps
Updated: 2026-10-16

### Short answer

They're close. Both are paid, reviewed by a person and built for indie iOS apps. Discover Indie Apps says it usually reviews within a day, and its App Store link is a plain link. Launch Indie Apps costs less to feature and comes with launch posts, the Launch Map and click reports. Pick by which extra you need.

### Side by side

| | Launch Indie Apps | Discover Indie Apps | Better fit | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What you get | A permanent listing. No votes and no launch day to win or lose. | A permanent listing in a directory, with search and categories. [No set end date](https://www.discoverindieapps.com/terms-of-service), and no votes or launch day. | Depends | The same shape: a directory page that stays. |
| Cost to list | $5 at the launch price, then $9, paid once. No free listing. | [$9 once](https://www.discoverindieapps.com/). No free way to submit; Featured picks are chosen by the editors. | Depends | The same at our usual price; less with us while the launch price lasts. |
| Top of the homepage | Weekly Spotlight: $25 at the launch price, then $49 for 7 days at the top of the homepage, labelled Sponsored. | [Spotlight, $99](https://www.discoverindieapps.com/) for 7 days at the top of the homepage and the Apps page, one app at a time. | Launch Indie Apps | Half their price or less for the same week at the top. |
| Review | A person reviews every app before it goes live. A decision within 48 hours of payment, or a refund. | Reviewed by hand after payment, [usually within 24 hours](https://www.discoverindieapps.com/payment-success). Not approved means a [full refund](https://www.discoverindieapps.com/refund-policy). | Discover Indie Apps | They say a day; we promise two. |
| Link to your app | Links to your App Store page carry rel="sponsored", because the listing is paid. No link to your website. | The listing's App Store link has [no nofollow or sponsored](https://www.discoverindieapps.com/app/modraly-drink-counter) on it. No link to your website either. | Discover Indie Apps | If you care about link value to the App Store page, theirs is a plain link. |
| Launch help | Launch posts written for X, Reddit, LinkedIn, Indie Hackers and email, the Launch Map of other places, and Launch Reports at day 7 and day 30. | A [weekly newsletter](https://www.discoverindieapps.com/) of hand-picked apps. We found no launch posts, reports or maker dashboard. | Launch Indie Apps | A listing here comes with the work for the other places you launch. |
| Extras | A Daily Spotlight for 24 hours, and new listings in the next weekly newsletter. | [Deals at $19](https://www.discoverindieapps.com/deals) for listed apps, and an apps-for-sale page. | Depends | Different extras for different needs. |
| Numbers shown | New and small. Its own numbers are public on [the stats page](https://launchindieapps.com/stats). | [86 apps listed and 889 App Store clicks](https://www.discoverindieapps.com/) on the homepage when we checked, with repeat clicks filtered (their figures). | Depends | Both are young sites, and both show their App Store clicks in public. |

### Choose Discover Indie Apps if

- You want a decision within a day.
- You want the plain App Store link.
- You plan to run a deal on your app's price.

### Choose Launch Indie Apps if

- You want a week at the top of the homepage for less.
- You want launch posts written for X, Reddit, LinkedIn and the rest, and the Launch Map for where to post them.
- You want reports at day 7 and day 30 on where your App Store clicks came from.

### Using both

At $9 or less each, plenty of makers will list on both, and nothing stops you. The Launch Map includes Discover Indie Apps with its rules.

### Questions

**How much does Discover Indie Apps cost?** A listing is $9, paid once, and a 7-day Spotlight is $99. There is no free submission; Featured apps are picked by the editors.

**Can I list my app on both?** Yes. Neither asks for an exclusive listing.

**Is Launch Indie Apps affiliated with Discover Indie Apps?** No. The two sites are independent of each other. Nobody paid for this comparison.

### Sources

- Homepage and pricing, Discover Indie Apps: https://www.discoverindieapps.com/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- Terms of Service, Discover Indie Apps: https://www.discoverindieapps.com/terms-of-service (checked 2026-10-16)
- Payment success page, Discover Indie Apps: https://www.discoverindieapps.com/payment-success (checked 2026-10-16)
- Refund policy, Discover Indie Apps: https://www.discoverindieapps.com/refund-policy (checked 2026-10-16)
- Deals, Discover Indie Apps: https://www.discoverindieapps.com/deals (checked 2026-10-16)
- Modraly listing (link markup checked), Discover Indie Apps: https://www.discoverindieapps.com/app/modraly-drink-counter (checked 2026-10-16)
- Pricing, Launch Indie Apps: https://launchindieapps.com/pricing (checked 2026-10-16)
- About, Launch Indie Apps: https://launchindieapps.com/about (checked 2026-10-16)
- Live stats, Launch Indie Apps: https://launchindieapps.com/stats (checked 2026-10-16)

## Launch Indie Apps vs Indie Apps

URL: https://launchindieapps.com/compare/launch-indie-apps-vs-indie-apps
Updated: 2026-10-16

### Short answer

Indie Apps (indie-apps.com) is free to list on and goes live straight away, with checks afterwards. Launch Indie Apps is paid, and a person reviews every app first. Start with Indie Apps if your budget is zero. Pick us if you want a reviewed listing, launch posts and click reports. Both cost little.

### Side by side

| | Launch Indie Apps | Indie Apps | Better fit | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What you get | A permanent listing. No votes and no launch day to win or lose. | A listing that [never expires](https://indie-apps.com/list-your-app), plus a weekly [Debuts board](https://indie-apps.com/debuts) ranked by App Store clicks, not votes. | Depends | Both are directories that keep your page; theirs adds a weekly ranking. |
| Cost to list | $5 at the launch price, then $9, paid once. No free listing. | [Free, "$0 forever"](https://indie-apps.com/list-your-app). | Indie Apps | Free beats any price. |
| Top of the homepage | Weekly Spotlight: $25 at the launch price, then $49 for 7 days at the top of the homepage, labelled Sponsored. | [Spotlight, $9.99 a week](https://indie-apps.com/list-your-app), or a Featured card for $4.99 a week (launch prices, which they say will rise). | Indie Apps | Cheaper, for now. |
| Review | A person reviews every app before it goes live. A decision within 48 hours of payment, or a refund. | [No review before publication](https://indie-apps.com/terms), by design. Listings go live at once and [are checked afterwards](https://indie-apps.com/submit). | Depends | Faster there; checked before going live here. It depends which you value. |
| Who can list | iOS apps on the App Store, made by indie makers and solo founders. Nothing else. | Independent Apple apps for iPhone, iPad and Mac, [by a single developer](https://indie-apps.com/), plus TestFlight betas. | Depends | Both are for indie makers. They also take Mac apps and betas. |
| Link to your app | Links to your App Store page carry rel="sponsored", because the listing is paid. No link to your website. | The App Store button is [nofollow](https://indie-apps.com/apps/episodepal-tv-show-tracker-142566), and so is the website link on [developer pages](https://indie-apps.com/developer/michelle-walstra), unless you add their badge or pay for Featured. | Indie Apps | They offer a followed website link, for a badge or a payment. |
| Launch help | Launch posts written for X, Reddit, LinkedIn, Indie Hackers and email, the Launch Map of other places, and Launch Reports at day 7 and day 30. | A free [App Store price calculator](https://indie-apps.com/llms.txt) for every country, and [a badge for your site](https://indie-apps.com/developer/michelle-walstra). | Launch Indie Apps | Launch posts written for you, and reports on what each place sent. |
| Numbers shown | New and small. Its own numbers are public on [the stats page](https://launchindieapps.com/stats). | [409 apps from 263 developers](https://indie-apps.com/) when we checked (their figures), with weekly click counts that didn't match between pages. | Depends | Both are new, and both publish their numbers. |

### Choose Indie Apps if

- You have no budget at all.
- You want the app live today, without waiting for a review.
- You make Mac apps too, or want to list a TestFlight beta.

### Choose Launch Indie Apps if

- You want every app around yours to have been checked by a person first.
- You want launch posts for each place written for you.
- You want to know at day 7 and day 30 which sources sent App Store clicks.

### Using both

A free listing on Indie Apps costs nothing, so there's little reason not to add it alongside ours. The Launch Map includes it.

### Questions

**Is Indie Apps the same as Launch Indie Apps?** No. Indie Apps (indie-apps.com) and Launch Indie Apps (launchindieapps.com) are separate sites run by different people, with no connection between them.

**Is a listing on Indie Apps free?** Yes. Indie Apps lists apps for free with no expiry. Featured cards, Spotlight and rail placements are paid by the week or month.

**Does Indie Apps review apps before they go live?** No. Its terms say there is no review step before publication, and its submit page says listings are checked afterwards.

### Sources

- Homepage, Indie Apps: https://indie-apps.com/ (checked 2026-10-16)
- List your app, Indie Apps: https://indie-apps.com/list-your-app (checked 2026-10-16)
- Terms, Indie Apps: https://indie-apps.com/terms (checked 2026-10-16)
- Submit, Indie Apps: https://indie-apps.com/submit (checked 2026-10-16)
- Debuts, Indie Apps: https://indie-apps.com/debuts (checked 2026-10-16)
- EpisodePal listing (link markup checked), Indie Apps: https://indie-apps.com/apps/episodepal-tv-show-tracker-142566 (checked 2026-10-16)
- A developer page (link markup checked), Indie Apps: https://indie-apps.com/developer/michelle-walstra (checked 2026-10-16)
- llms.txt, Indie Apps: https://indie-apps.com/llms.txt (checked 2026-10-16)
- Pricing, Launch Indie Apps: https://launchindieapps.com/pricing (checked 2026-10-16)
- About, Launch Indie Apps: https://launchindieapps.com/about (checked 2026-10-16)
- Live stats, Launch Indie Apps: https://launchindieapps.com/stats (checked 2026-10-16)

## Launch Indie Apps vs Uneed

URL: https://launchindieapps.com/compare/launch-indie-apps-vs-uneed
Updated: 2026-10-20

### Short answer

Uneed is a daily launch board for all kinds of tech products. It's free if you can wait for the date it gives you, and its paid launches come with a followed link. Launch Indie Apps lists only iOS apps, with no leaderboard and a decision within 48 hours. Choose Uneed for the backlink, us for the iOS audience.

### Side by side

| | Launch Indie Apps | Uneed | Better fit | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What you get | A permanent listing. No votes and no launch day to win or lose. | A launch day in [a daily batch](https://www.uneed.best/how-it-works) with upvotes and rolling leaderboards. The page stays, depending on how you launched and your score. | Depends | A ranked launch day against a listing with no ranking. |
| Cost | $5 at the launch price, then $9, paid once. No free listing. | [Free in the waiting line](https://www.uneed.best/pricing), $14.99 to fast-track, or $29.99 to pick your date. | Depends | Free there if you can wait; cheaper here if you can't. |
| How soon | A person reviews every app before it goes live. A decision within 48 hours of payment, or a refund. | On the free line Uneed [assigns a date between 30 days and 5 months out](https://www.uneed.best/how-it-works). | Launch Indie Apps | You launch this week, not in a few months. |
| Fit for an iOS app | iOS apps on the App Store, made by indie makers and solo founders. Nothing else. | Mobile apps are [accepted](https://help.uneed.best/common-questions-and-issues/what-we-accept). [266 products are tagged iOS](https://www.uneed.best/tags), against 3,923 tagged AI. | Launch Indie Apps | An iOS app is a small niche there and the whole point here. |
| Staying up | The listing stays up after launch week. | A free launch that scores [under 10 goes back to your dashboard](https://www.uneed.best/how-it-works) and can't rejoin the free line. | Launch Indie Apps | An approved listing here doesn't depend on votes. |
| Link to your site | Links to your App Store page carry rel="sponsored", because the listing is paid. No link to your website. | [Followed for life](https://help.uneed.best/common-questions-and-issues/do-you-provide-a-backlink) on paid launches; on a free launch, from a score of 20. | Uneed | If you want a backlink, Uneed gives one. |
| Audience | New and small. Its own numbers are public on [the stats page](https://launchindieapps.com/stats). | [125K monthly visitors and 26,000 newsletter subscribers](https://www.uneed.best/pricing) (Uneed's figures). | Uneed | A bigger audience, though most of it isn't looking for iOS apps. |
| Launch help | Launch posts written for X, Reddit, LinkedIn, Indie Hackers and email, the Launch Map of other places, and Launch Reports at day 7 and day 30. | A [launch guide](https://www.uneed.best/launch-guide), and paid extras such as [auto-submission to directories](https://www.uneed.best/pricing). | Launch Indie Apps | Posts written for you and reports on what they sent. |

### Choose Uneed if

- You want a followed link to your website.
- Your app is also a web product or a developer tool, which is most of Uneed's audience.
- You can wait for a free launch date, or pay to pick one.

### Choose Launch Indie Apps if

- You want to launch this week without paying to skip a queue.
- You want readers who came looking for iOS apps.
- You'd rather not depend on upvotes to keep your page.

### Using both

Uneed's free line costs nothing but time, so joining it while you list with us is reasonable. By the time your Uneed date comes, the listing here is already up.

### Questions

**Does Uneed accept iOS apps?** Yes. Uneed's help centre lists mobile apps among the products it accepts, and products are submitted with a website URL.

**Do I need upvotes to do well on Uneed?** On a free launch, yes. Uneed says a free launch that scores under 10 goes back to your dashboard and can't rejoin the free line, and its followed link starts at a score of 20. Paid launches get the followed link for life. Here there are no votes: an approved app is listed.

**How long is the wait for a free Uneed launch?** Uneed assigns free launches a date between 30 days and 5 months out. Paid options let you launch sooner or pick the date.

**Is Launch Indie Apps affiliated with Uneed?** No. The two are independent of each other, and nobody paid for this comparison.

### Sources

- How it works, Uneed: https://www.uneed.best/how-it-works (checked 2026-10-16)
- Pricing, Uneed: https://www.uneed.best/pricing (checked 2026-10-16)
- What we accept, Uneed Help: https://help.uneed.best/common-questions-and-issues/what-we-accept (checked 2026-10-16)
- Do you provide a backlink?, Uneed Help: https://help.uneed.best/common-questions-and-issues/do-you-provide-a-backlink (checked 2026-10-16)
- Tags, Uneed: https://www.uneed.best/tags (checked 2026-10-16)
- Launch guide, Uneed: https://www.uneed.best/launch-guide (checked 2026-10-16)
- Pricing, Launch Indie Apps: https://launchindieapps.com/pricing (checked 2026-10-16)
- About, Launch Indie Apps: https://launchindieapps.com/about (checked 2026-10-16)
- Live stats, Launch Indie Apps: https://launchindieapps.com/stats (checked 2026-10-16)

## Launch Indie Apps vs BetaList

URL: https://launchindieapps.com/compare/launch-indie-apps-vs-betalist
Updated: 2026-10-20

### Short answer

BetaList is for startups before launch or just after, and it needs a website on your own domain. A feature lasts about a day, and every submission is paid. Launch Indie Apps is for iOS apps already on the App Store, with only an App Store link. Before launch, BetaList. After, us.

### Side by side

| | Launch Indie Apps | BetaList | Better fit | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your app's stage | Live on the App Store. | [Unreleased or recently launched](https://betalist.com/criteria). Apps launched weeks ago or longer aren't accepted. | Depends | They cover before launch; we cover after. |
| What you need | An App Store link. The name, icon and screenshots come in by themselves. | A landing page on your own domain. [App Store links aren't accepted](https://betalist.com/terms/submissions) as the website. | Launch Indie Apps | No website needed here. |
| What you get | A permanent listing. No votes and no launch day to win or lose. | A feature that [lasts about a day](https://betalist.com/boost) before moving down the list. Startup pages appear to stay up. | Depends | A day of attention against a page that stays. |
| Cost | $5 at the launch price, then $9, paid once. No free listing. | [Every submission is paid](https://betalist.com/support). The plan prices are shown inside the submission form, after you sign in, so we couldn't confirm them. | Launch Indie Apps | Our prices are public before you start. |
| Review | A person reviews every app before it goes live. A decision within 48 hours of payment, or a refund. | An [editorial team reviews](https://betalist.com/support) each paid submission, gives no individual feedback, and its decision is final. | Depends | Both review by hand. Their refund wording differs between the FAQ and the terms. |
| Audience | New and small. Its own numbers are public on [the stats page](https://launchindieapps.com/stats). | [70,000+ newsletter subscribers](https://betalist.com/advertise) and 500,000+ page views a month (BetaList's figures; another line on the same page says 60k+). | BetaList | A much bigger audience of early adopters. |
| Link to your site | Links to your App Store page carry rel="sponsored", because the listing is paid. No link to your website. | The Visit Site button on [a recent listing](https://betalist.com/startups/anchorlight) is a followed link to your website, through a redirect, as [BetaList's FAQ says](https://betalist.com/support). | BetaList | If you want a backlink, BetaList gives one. |
| Fit for an iOS app | iOS apps on the App Store, made by indie makers and solo founders. Nothing else. | Built for tech startups in general. An [iOS version of an app already on another platform](https://betalist.com/criteria) isn't accepted. | Launch Indie Apps | Every listing here is an iOS app. |

### Choose BetaList if

- Your app isn't out yet and you want early sign-ups.
- You have a landing page on your own domain.
- You want a followed link and a large early-adopter audience.

### Choose Launch Indie Apps if

- Your app is already on the App Store.
- You don't have a website, only an App Store page.
- You want a page that stays, and launch posts for everywhere else.

### Using both

They fit different moments. Use BetaList while you collect sign-ups before launch, then list here once the app is on the App Store.

### Questions

**Is BetaList free?** No. BetaList says all submissions are paid and there is no free submission option.

**How long is the BetaList waitlist?** There's no free waitlist any more. BetaList used to offer free submissions, and now every submission is paid. Its support page says the time until you're featured depends on the plan you pay for, and the expected timeline is shown when you choose one.

**Can I submit an iOS app to BetaList with only an App Store link?** No. BetaList's submission terms say it doesn't accept app store links or pages on free subdomains, so you need your own landing page.

**Is Launch Indie Apps affiliated with BetaList?** No. The two are independent of each other, and nobody paid for this comparison.

### Sources

- Support and FAQ, BetaList: https://betalist.com/support (checked 2026-10-20)
- Criteria, BetaList: https://betalist.com/criteria (checked 2026-10-16)
- Submission terms, BetaList: https://betalist.com/terms/submissions (checked 2026-10-16)
- Boost, BetaList: https://betalist.com/boost (checked 2026-10-16)
- Advertise, BetaList: https://betalist.com/advertise (checked 2026-10-16)
- Anchorlight listing (link markup checked), BetaList: https://betalist.com/startups/anchorlight (checked 2026-10-16)
- Pricing, Launch Indie Apps: https://launchindieapps.com/pricing (checked 2026-10-16)
- About, Launch Indie Apps: https://launchindieapps.com/about (checked 2026-10-16)
- Live stats, Launch Indie Apps: https://launchindieapps.com/stats (checked 2026-10-16)