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A Consumer Mobile App Doing 15k/Mo Tracking Habbits
Matt Anderson
September 14, 2024
A Consumer Mobile App Doing 15k/Mo Tracking Habbits
Name | Business | $$$/Month |
|---|---|---|
Sebastian Röhl | $15k/Mo |
Table of Contents
🎯 From Dream to Reality: How HabitKit's Creator Built a Sustainable Business
The journey of SaaS founder and app creator HabitKit founder started with a desire for freedom and dissatisfaction with the traditional career path. What began as a personal project to track habits has now blossomed into a business that earns over $7,800 in monthly recurring revenue (MRR).
Here’s how Lukas turned his passion into a full-time career, despite some bumps along the way.
🚀 Taking the Leap: From Software Engineer to SaaS Founder
While studying computer science, I discovered the Indie Hackers podcast, and it completely changed my perspective. I realized that building my own products could lead to the freedom I craved. After working as a software engineer for three years, I finally quit my job in 2022 to focus on building apps full-time.
The transition wasn’t smooth. My first app, Liftbear, didn’t grow fast enough to support me, so I had to return to my old job briefly. But by 2024, my second app, HabitKit, had gained so much traction that I was able to quit my job again and pursue building software businesses full-time.
🏋️♂️ A False Start: Lessons Learned from Liftbear
My first app, Liftbear, was born out of my frustration with complex workout apps. I wanted a simple, intuitive app for tracking my workouts, so I built Liftbear using Flutter, a framework for creating cross-platform apps with a single codebase.
Though Liftbear had some early users and positive feedback, it didn’t generate the kind of revenue or user base I’d hoped for. Despite that, the experience was invaluable in teaching me the ins and outs of mobile app development.
📅 Habit Tracking Made Simple: The Birth of HabitKit
In November 2022, I launched HabitKit, a habit-tracking app inspired by my desire to improve my own daily routines. The idea was simple: I wanted a habit tracker that visualized progress in a grid format, similar to GitHub’s contribution graph.
Built using Flutter and designed to work offline, HabitKit grew quickly, thanks to user feedback and regular updates. Features like streaks, widgets, and notifications were added, turning it into a feature-rich yet straightforward tool. The app now offers a freemium model, with both free features and a paid “Pro” version that includes premium features.
📈 Building in Public: A Marketing Strategy that Works
One of the biggest factors in HabitKit’s growth has been building in public on Twitter/X. Sharing updates about the app, insights from my founder journey, and engaging with the community has driven massive visibility and downloads.
Optimizing my app listings on the App Store and Google Play has also played a huge role in discoverability. Today, 98% of HabitKit’s new users come directly from these platforms. However, not all marketing efforts worked out—attempts to promote the app on Instagram didn’t gain traction, highlighting the importance of finding a marketing strategy that’s sustainable long-term.
🔧 Keep It Simple: Why Less Is More
A key element of HabitKit’s success is its simplicity. I intentionally avoided making it a feature-packed habit tracker, focusing instead on doing one thing exceptionally well: visually tracking habits. This minimalistic approach resonated with users who wanted a clean and focused tool without unnecessary complexity.
The lesson here is clear: Sometimes, doing less leads to greater success. founders can benefit by focusing on a specific problem and solving it effectively.
🤔 Dealing with Uncertainty: A Common Struggle for Solo Founders
Building a product from scratch comes with a lot of uncertainty. You never know if it will gain traction or if users will love it. This doubt can be mentally exhausting, especially when initial growth is slow, as I experienced with Liftbear. Despite the setbacks, I kept pushing forward, refining my approach until I found success with HabitKit.
💡 Turning a Dream into Reality: HabitKit’s Breakthrough Year
The past 12 months have been incredible. From struggling to make my first app work to seeing HabitKit generate over $33,000 in revenue in a single month during the holiday season, I couldn’t be more proud of how far I’ve come. HabitKit now makes roughly $7,800 in monthly recurring revenue with an additional $7,300 from lifetime purchases.
Looking ahead, I have plans for new projects, though they’re still in the “secret” phase. The dream is to continue creating products that sustain my lifestyle and help others in the process.
🎯 Start Small and Stay Focused: Advice for Aspiring Indie Hackers
The best advice I can give to new solo founders is to start small and stay focused. Choose a specific problem to solve, build a minimum viable product (MVP), and iterate based on user feedback. Don’t get distracted by trends or what’s popular at the moment. Instead, focus on building something that genuinely excites you and solves a real need.
🏃♂️ It’s a Marathon, Not a Sprint: Managing Expectations
When I first started, I was impatient to see quick results, but I underestimated how long it takes to build a successful product. Patience and persistence are key. Managing expectations and understanding that success comes slowly and incrementally is crucial for any founder.
🌍 Building Autonomy: Achieving the Solo Founder Dream
One of the most fulfilling aspects of my journey has been the autonomy it’s given me. Being able to work on projects I’m passionate about, while enjoying the freedom to control my own schedule and work from anywhere, has been incredibly rewarding.
The ultimate goal is to sustain this lifestyle for as long as possible, continually creating products that resonate with users and bring in steady income.
Editor's Commentary: What We Can Learn from HabitKit’s Journey
There’s a lot to take away from Lukas’s story:
Start small, think big: Focus on solving a single problem exceptionally well rather than trying to build something overly complex.
Build in public: Sharing your journey and progress can drive visibility and growth.
Patience is key: Success in startups often come gradually, so be prepared for a long-term commitment.
Lukas’s journey from entrepreneur dreamer to full-time app developer is proof that with persistence, focus, and the right marketing strategies, you can turn a passion project into a sustainable business.
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Cheers,
Matt