From Copycat to Original: My Journey of Acquiring and Transforming an App

How a Risky Purchase Turned into a Valuable Lesson in Innovation, and Persistence

In my latest “Diary of an Indie App Developer” podcast episode, I delved into a recent venture that has been both a learning experience and a rollercoaster ride—purchasing a copycat app. As always, my goal is to share insights and lessons that can help fellow developers and entrepreneurs navigate similar challenges.

The Copycat App Saga

Six months ago, I decided to buy an app from a marketplace. Having built several apps myself, I knew it typically takes 6-9 months to gain meaningful traction. I thought acquiring an app with an existing user base would be a smart shortcut. I found an app called SubFollow, a widget tracking app for YouTube and Twitter, with 211 reviews, a 4.2-star rating, and about 461 monthly downloads. Despite its low revenue—only $10 a month—I saw potential.

Due Diligence and Initial Challenges

During due diligence, I discovered issues, including a broken Twitter functionality due to recent API changes. Despite these, I negotiated and purchased the app for $900, focusing on user acquisition rather than immediate revenue. However, post-purchase, I found several negative reviews and significant security flaws in the code, such as plain text API keys.

Rebuilding and Rebranding

Given the app’s state, I decided to rebuild it from scratch. Learning UIKit and storyboards was a steep curve, but I managed to implement a proxy server to secure the API keys. I rebranded the app to “Subscribe Count for YouTube” to improve its App Store optimization.

Discovering It’s a Copycat

To my dismay, I learned the app was a direct copy of another app called Sub Widget. This revelation accelerated my plans to redevelop the app in SwiftUI. After an intensive coding session, I launched the updated app, introducing new features like tracking individual video stats and offering improved widgets.

Monetization Strategy

The app’s original business model was a one-time lifetime purchase for $0.99. I decided to switch to a subscription model to create recurring revenue. By offering a free version initially to garner reviews and increase App Store ranking, I planned to transition to a subscription-based model later.

Lessons Learned

This experience taught me the importance of thorough due diligence, including verifying if an app is a copycat. It also reinforced the value of learning new technologies and being adaptable. Despite the setbacks, the app now has a growing user base and positive reviews, setting the stage for future monetization.

Your Support

As a subscriber, your support means the world to me. For my birthday in July wish is to reach 501 subscribers on my YouTube channel. It would be an incredible milestone, and you can be part of this journey by subscribing. Thank you for being with me on this adventure, and stay tuned for more updates.

Adam Lyttle

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By focusing on the journey, challenges, and lessons learned, this newsletter article aims to engage your subscribers and provide valuable insights from your recent experiences.