@Jahjiren: For you to make just $200K of...

For you to make just $200K off one app,
you would need to capture just 0.00012% of that

The top 5% generate 400x more than the bottom 25%
but out of all apps only 3.5% of them make over $10k/month

Here's the good news:
all winning apps share a few core similarities

More good news:
it's all public

That's the best part of the app space, it's super different compared to SaaS, Ecom, trading, dropshipping, car rentals, and everything else

The AppStore is pretty much completely public:

→ Revenue
→ Downloads
→ Ranking
→ Onboarding Structure
→ App Loop
→ Winning creatives

if you go on a bit of a search, you will find the data

This means you can literally see the apps that are printing money
and break down exactly how

If you already built an app and already make over $10k+/MRR
then keep doing what you're doing and try the AI UGC at the bottom

But if you are stuck below that, or haven't even launched an app yet
then you need to start building the right app FAST now

So if that sounds like you, keep reading

PART 1: THE RIGHT IDEA
( the most important decision you'll make )

"From this decision your success is predetermined"

Because this will determine a few aspects of building and marketing your app

→ How you will market
→ To who you will market
→ Their buying nature
→ What features are mandatory or bloat

So it's extremely important to be aware of who you are building for

What one user might find crowded,
another finds convenient

For example:

The weather app user wants all the data, every number and digit possible
While the alarm clock user, wants a simple accountability and UI

Knowing who you are building for is KEY to be able to build correctly

PART 2: BUILDING FOR A LONG TERM VISION
( extremely important, most ignore this step )

There are many soooo many app makers,
it seems like a new one appears every single week

You have to think of the app builder as your co-founder
( because it really is )

And if you have some experience with co-founders
you know they can either really help you or slow you down

SO CHOOSE THE RIGHT ONE:

I've been reached out by almost every single app builder to promote them
and after trying most of them out, i realized they all fell short from the promise

So i declined

All except one: @rork
specifically Rork Max as the first native SwiftUI app builder in the world

Ironically the one of the smallest in the gold rush
Also became the #1 AI mobile app builder in the world

Rork is #13 globally (raised $3M+)
Replit is #61 (raised $500M+)
Lovable is #78 (raised $550M+)

With just 10 people

This is significant if you know your app would be EVEN better by using native iPhone functions such as

→ Widgets
→ Apple watch
→ Apple tv
→ Dynamic island

And everything else in the picture below:

My app "Unlocked: Screen Time Blocker" would have been literally impossible to make without Rork Max

My only other alternative would have been burning $300+ on cursor
( which i've done before ) twice

With Rork Max i was able to add into my app:

→ Screen Time Blocker
→ AR movement tracking
→ Widgets
→ Along with SwiftUI icons

It's important that you are aware of what is possible
because staying ahead could be a huge victory

The first couple apps to integrate new apple features
each made several hundred thousand
widget apps and screen time blocker apps

For example: Locket Widget

PART 3: BUILDING AN APP THAT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE AI BUILT IT
( this is where most people lose )

In all of the worlds most significant and beautiful creations theres a phase in which it looked terrible

Apps are no different
however AI has advanced so much

That there is zero reason your app should look vibecoded
you simply didn't send enough prompts

Here's how to stop making average looking apps:

Step 1: Brain dump your idea using the voice to text feature

Step 2: make sure "plan mode" and "Opus 4.7" are selected

This will save you a lot of time and tokens later on

Step 3: Answer plan mode's questions then approve once you agree

Step 3.2 : Alternative to using voice to text

I posted this in the my last article and it went Viral again ( 350K views )
so no need to reinvent it

5 simple steps to get the exact same UI or style you want

Again, it is still the same process

#1 - Find examples of winning apps in the niche you want to join
i recommend using https://www.appkittie.com?atp=gPVRiK

#2 -Screenshot the entire app's onboarding and app loop

#3 - Create a perfected prompt for Rork using Claude and specify you'll be building in SwiftUI using Opus 4.7

#4 -Send that prompt & screenshots over to Rork and let it cook

#5 -Tweak the app entirely to have it's own unique soul and taste
( EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, DON'T BUILD COPY CAT CLONES )

*Don't just explain the changes but actually provide a visual example by attaching an image*

Step 4: Add Depth and uniqueness to your app

AI still needs a few extra prompts to get it perfect
but here's what that 4 second voice message turned into

5 pages, clean gradients, brand identity already formed

Most people make the mistake that they believe it looks good to them
so they stop right there

You are obviously being biased because you made it

So get more opinions by:

→ Posting it on X
→ sending me a dm
→ Asking other app founders
→ Asking @grok

All of the other LLMs are just gonna be nice to you and so are your loved ones

Also Rork Max has access to a more extensive library of icons and animations since it taps into iPhones native SwiftUI features

Such as this pixel-art trophy icon i had made for my app

( steal it idc )

You also have to get in the habit of utilizing other tools such as @claudeai to maximize your effectiveness

Their new "Claude Design" helped me create the banner actually

You should also as often as possible
use AI to perfect upon the prompts you are creating

And other tools such as @canva to improve your apps design significantly

1. Google exactly what i'm looking for ex: "stick figures stretching
2. Save the image
3. Import to canva
4. Click on BD Remover
5. Export as a png w/ transparent background
6. Import into Rork
7. Signal were i want the icons placed
8. Repeat

Then once your app is complete, it's time for

PART 4: APP STORE SCREENSHOTS

You have to create screenshots for submission
this is also part of your funnel

Click on the camera button highlighted in the red circle

This will select the sections of the app you are wanting to include in the App Store Screenshots

I got these App Store Screenshots below made in about 2 minutes each

Pay attention to how premium the UI in the app above is

That app was made in about 2-3 days however it looks like it was professionally made not vibecoded

Now these App Store screenshots below took around an hour to make
since i was playing around with all the different possible styles

Here's what actually separates the 3.5%:
( apps making $10k+/MRR and above )

Your competitors already did the research
their onboarding is the proof

Steal the core structure but give everything else it's unique soul

The onboarding is 70% of the app
Tt's actually what converts downloads into paying users

No one will pay if it sucks and most people never give second chances

Build yours based on validated data your competitors already gathered for you

End it with a hard unskippable paywall

Pay upfront or free trial
no way around it

This has been tested more times than anyone can count
don't be scared to ask for money
that is a limiting belief

Use Superwall or RevenueCat for the paywalls
I've used both but i've shifted more to Superwall ( personal preference )

I've found myself lately binging to their youtube channel
since it's extremely informational and entertaining

@jakemor or whoever's idea that was is a genius

This is a very good resource to take advantage no matter the level of experience you are in

Here's an example of the paywall I designed:
also don't forget to mirror your competitors pricing too

This paywall is more of a simple set up to get approved
ideal paywalls have flows, which i've seen come in pairs of 3

PART 5 : GETTING APPROVED BY APPLE

Just send this prompt to Rork:

"Submit to the App Store via the App Store Connect CLI"

And Rork Max handles everything for you including sending the build to the App Store Connect

If you get denied for any reason, paste the error straight into Rork
and it'll get fixed

And if you're ever stuck, dm me
i got you

Then after your app gets approved the real work begins

PART 6: THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE 3.5%

Marketing and distribution

It doesn't matter how perfect and beautiful your app is, if you don't get eyes on the product then no one can pay you

That's the reality between the 3.5% of apps making all of the money in the apps space across both App Store and Google Play

You can literally pick one of those 30 app ideas
then market it a few of the proven marketing methods

You can even scale apps almost entire with AI UGC nowadays

Here's some examples of Jade, my AI UGC i created using Higgsfield

PART 7: AI UGC CREATION

There are 5 core ways to market an app

1. Influencers
2. UGC or AI UGC
3. Faceless Content
4. Founder-Led
5. Paid Ads

@ErnestoSOFTWARE dropped a banger article ( 6 million views )
breaking down each one so what better than to guide you there:

https://x.com/ErnestoSOFTWARE/status/2014110519913857122?s=20

The cheapest of them all is AI UGC

This is exactly how i go about creating my AI UGC characters

1. Go on X and find a prompt you like the result off

EXAMPLE:
"Within this vertical canvas, stretching upward in a reverie of timeless portraiture, a striking vision unfolds in the soft embrace of indoor light. A 21 year old woman commands the foreground, her bold gaze locked with the unseen observer in a moment of warm, radiant stillness. Her straight, natural blonde hair cascades smoothly from a center part, elegantly framing a visage of striking symmetry and radiant allure. A delicate, warm flush graces her prominent cheekbones, complementing the deep, captivating intensity of eyes framed by sweeping, dramatic lashes. Her full lips, painted in a soft, blushing hue, are parted into a soft, natural smile, the corners lifting gently with an effortless warmth, her eyes carrying a quiet, luminous joy that pulls the observer in. She is draped in a form-fitting white tube top, the fabric hugging her curves and sitting low across her chest, accentuating her naturally full figure with an effortless, confident allure, tan lines softly visible against sun-kissed skin. Behind her, the expansive floor-to-ceiling glass windows frame the Miami skyline beyond, warm sunlight pouring across the high-rise interior, the bay shimmering faintly in the background, ensuring her ethereal perfection remains the absolute, unbroken focal point of this luminous tapestry."

2. From this prompt edit details to your desire

- hair color
- clothing
- background
- position

3. Generate an image in Higgsfield using the settings below

go to image
select - Nano Banana Pro
9:16
4k

4. Once you got a character you like, use that image as the "reference" and generate more variations

each time changing 1 of the 4 features

5. Then go to “multi-shot” and generate those 9 angles
save these for consistency

6. Upload all the images, to create a "Soul ID Character"

7. Create videos via prompts or doing complete motion swaps via "Motion Control" with Kling 3.0

PART 8: SPEED SPEED SPEED

The apps and viral content that work today
are not promised to work tomorrow

So those bookmarks might be useless after a few weeks
with how fast AI is currently moving

You have to build the app within 7 days ( today is day 1 )
and work on marketing while the prompts and cooking up

That is the reality
The game of apps is like a video game

Everyone is going after the same loot ( paid clients )

Obsessing over distribution is exactly when you start playing
everything before that is the loading screen

If you have any questions or advice at all, i'd love to hear it

Hesitation kills