“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.