Founder Playbook · Starter Story
10 tactics from Steve
I Built a $100K/Month Android App
Watch the full episode“The number one thing that we focus on is simplicity is the quick and easy experience that we offer. There is no simple solution to get you where you need to go. So the reason we started working on this app was to offer the same value to our users. The best-in-class solution with way less complexity.”
Build the Simplest Version of What Competitors Made Complicated
Steve identified that incumbents in the calorie-tracking space had become bloated and complex, giving him a clear opening to do less, better. His entire product strategy was to strip everything down to the core action and make that one thing faster and simpler than anyone else. Simplicity became both the competitive moat and the central marketing message.
“we are bootstrapped We have spent only our own money since day one So we didn't really have huge budgets to work with iOS is way more expensive than Android right so the CPMs the cost per thousand views or generally the cost per view is almost four times as high on iOS than it is on Android”
Turn Capital Constraints Into a Structural Competitive Advantage
Being unable to afford iOS ad costs forced Steve onto Android, which turned out to be a structurally better channel. The limitation that felt like a handicap became the strategic moat — lower CPMs, less competition from vibe-coded apps, and Google's ad network providing spillover iOS installs at no extra cost.
“the CPMs the cost per thousand views or generally the cost per view is almost four times as high on iOS than it is on Android So being bootstrapped and being capital constrained from day one we knew that we needed a solution”
Target Android First to Cut User Acquisition Costs by Four Times
iOS advertising costs roughly four times more per impression than Android, yet Android users convert at nearly the same rate. For bootstrapped founders with limited capital, starting on Android can dramatically extend runway while still building a real subscriber base.
“Instead of just seeing what everyone's doing on X and just taking random advice from people that talk on the internet you guys looked at the data. That report is really telling. And then you looked at the data from your own ads.”
Make Contrarian Decisions by Reading the Data Nobody Else Reads
Steve ignored the universal advice to build on iOS first, instead consulting the RevenueCat State of Subscription Apps report which showed iOS users cost 4x more to acquire. By following the data rather than the hype, he found a less competitive channel that scaled to $100K/month.
“We launched on Product Hunt. It got us a couple hundred installs. Two of those installs converted to subscribers. At which point we knew we had validated the product. We knew that we had something that people were willing to pay for.”
Validate Willingness to Pay With Only Two Paying Subscribers
Steve didn't need thousands of users to feel confident — just two paying strangers proved real willingness to pay. A Product Hunt launch served as a zero-budget validation gate before committing to paid acquisition. This forces founders to confirm demand before spending money on growth.
“Steve's approach to growth is genius. He found just one channel Google and used it to scale his app to over $100,000 a month.”
Own One Paid Channel Deeply Before Diversifying to Others
While most app founders chase TikTok UGC, influencer deals, and multiple ad platforms simultaneously, Steve put nearly $500K through a single Google App Campaigns system and engineered it into a repeatable flywheel. Owning one channel deeply — with proper attribution, asset testing, and CPA campaigns — outperformed diversification at this stage.
“you need to launch install campaigns. Google ads needs data right it needs data in order to optimize. First what we need is install campaigns. You need to start feeding the algorithm. It needs to start to have a heartbeat.”
Run Install Campaigns First to Give the Algorithm Data to Learn
Before chasing conversions or optimizing for purchases, Steve's playbook starts with install campaigns purely to generate signal for Google's algorithm. Without this baseline data the algorithm has nothing to learn from, making any subsequent conversion-focused campaign blind. Starting at $10–$15 per day lets you gather learnings cheaply before scaling spend.
“update your Play Store assets Right so that's where most of the win is because Google App Campaigns use your Play Store assets Your screenshots your app title your subtitle your description Make sure they're great”
Treat Your App Store Listing as Your Most Important Ad Creative
Google App Campaigns pull directly from your Play Store listing, meaning your app screenshots, title, and description double as ad creative. Founders who neglect ASO are effectively running campaigns with weak assets — optimizing the store listing is the highest-leverage SEO move for Android growth.
“optimize your product Your conversion rate needs to constantly be climbing By conversion rate I mean your subscription conversion rate Maybe you optimize your paywall Maybe you optimize your business model your pricing you test your prices optimize every single thing As your conversion rate increases increase your budgets of your campaigns And the flywheel continues”
Optimize Your Paywall Continuously to Keep Conversion Rate Climbing
Steve treats paywall and pricing optimization as an ongoing discipline, not a one-time setup. He links conversion rate directly to ad spend capacity — the better the paywall converts, the more budget can be deployed profitably. This creates a compounding flywheel where product improvements fund growth.
“five times as many iOS apps have been released on the App Store compared to only two times as many Android apps. So on the one hand the barrier to entry is way lower. On the second hand most people who are vibe coding apps and most new apps which are being released are on iOS. So if there is saturation in the market you know it's definitely on iOS.”
Launch on Android First to Escape iOS Competition and Ad Costs
While most indie developers pile onto iOS, the Play Store has seen far less competition growth — making it easier to rank and cheaper to advertise. Steve's cost-per-install on Android was roughly four times lower than iOS, yet conversion rates were nearly identical. For bootstrapped founders, Android is the rational choice the data supports.