Software Developer Hits Milestone 80,000 Downloads for Price-Tracking App

Shervin, a 24-year-old indie developer from Norway, has achieved remarkable success with his price-tracking app, reaching an impressive milestone of 80,000 downloads. Through his dedication and strategic promotion on Reddit, Shervin has built a popular and useful tool that has resonated with a large audience.

The Genesis of Anytracker

Shervin's business, Anytracker, is an innovative app that enables users to track any number on any website, allowing them to monitor product prices and make purchases when they drop, or keep an eye on stocks of interest.

From Humble Beginnings to Success

Shervin's entrepreneurial journey began two and a half years ago, during the Covid-19 pandemic. With restrictions in place, he decided to utilise the time to acquire a new skill and chose app development.

Shervin's business model for Anytracker revolves around offering a Premium tier that allows users to track an unlimited number of websites, compared to the single website limit on the free tier. He generates revenue through monthly subscriptions ($3), yearly subscriptions ($29.99), and lifetime licences ($49.99). Most users opt for either the monthly subscription or the lifetime licence, with the yearly subscription being the least popular option.

Shervin recognizes an opportunity for price experimentation to optimise revenue. He briefly tested advertisements within the app but found that they primarily drove users to upgrade to Premium to avoid the ads. He prefers the ad-free experience, as it maintains the app's quality and aesthetic.

According to RevenueCat, Shervin's monthly recurring revenue currently stands at $140. However, this figure does not account for lifetime licence purchases, which contribute significantly to his earnings. During last year's Black Friday sale, he experienced a surge in sales, generating over $1000 in a single weekend. Witnessing the rapid influx of new orders on his RevenueCat dashboard was a surreal experience, underscoring the potential for significant revenue growth.

Finding the Right Focus

Initially, Shervin added features like crypto/stock tracking and text tracking, but soon realised that the app's ability to track prices on any website was the primary draw for most users. This insight guided his development focus.

Marketing Strategies and Challenges

Shervin acquired his first initial customers through a combination of personal networks and strategic online promotion. He experimented with Google Ads, Apple Search Ads, and establishing a brand presence on Twitter and TikTok, but found that promoting on Reddit was the most effective way to reach potential users.

Since launching Anytracker, Shervin has experimented with various marketing strategies to acquire new customers. His efforts have included Google Ads, Apple Search Ads, and establishing a brand presence on Twitter and TikTok.

While Google Ads generated a significant number of new downloads, Shervin found that the users acquired through this channel were not always well-targeted. For instance, many users sought to use the app for tracking phone numbers, a feature that Anytracker does not support.

Shervin's experience with Apple Search Ads was also underwhelming. Initially, the ads yielded few new downloads, prompting him to increase the budget. However, this decision depleted his entire $100 complementary budget, resulting in only a handful of additional downloads.

Acknowledging his limited expertise in using these marketing tools effectively, Shervin has since shifted his focus to a more organic approach. He now periodically engages with relevant threads on Reddit, suggesting Anytracker where appropriate. This strategy has proven to be fairly effective in attracting new users to the app.

A Turning Point

After an initial surge in downloads, the app experienced a lull in the following weeks. But then, a turning point came when renowned App Reviewer and YouTuber "HowToMen" featured Shervin's app on his channel, leading to a significant influx of new downloads.

Business Model and Revenue

Shervin's business model for Anytracker revolves around offering a Premium tier that allows users to track an unlimited number of websites. He generates revenue through monthly subscriptions, yearly subscriptions, and lifetime licences.

Shervin's journey with Anytracker has been remarkable, spanning two and a half years. Initially, he added features like crypto/stock tracking and text tracking, but soon realised that the app's ability to track prices on any website was the primary draw for most users. This insight guided his development focus.

While pursuing his master's degree in Cybernetics and Robotics at NTNU in Trondheim, Shervin dedicated himself to making the app a reality. His goal was to make web content more accessible to everyone, emphasising a simple and user-friendly interface.

The app's humble beginnings involved a mere $25 signup fee on Google Play, with an additional $100 for the domain. Despite the low initial costs, Shervin invested countless hours into the app's development, working on it daily. Although some tasks proved tedious, like accounting, his passion for the project kept him motivated.

This year, Shervin made a significant investment in an M2 Max MacBook Pro to facilitate iOS app development. The purchase has already yielded substantial productivity gains, not only for the iOS app but also for the Android version. Today, Anytracker boasts 80,000 downloads on Google Play and a presence on the Apple App Store, marking a remarkable milestone in Shervin's entrepreneurial journey.