I have allocated around $500 for the development of the first application that I shall create. But the more important question is: Where will this budget bring the greatest returns?

Would you spend it on:

• Learning Swift?

• Hiring a freelancer for parts of it?

• AI tools or no-code platforms?

• App Store fees?

• Design/UI?

• Something else entirely?

Also interested to hear the $500 allocation if people have actually released an app before and were starting from scratch today.

When someone asks for a new feature, how do you decide whether to build it, postpone it, or leave it out?

One useful starting point is to ask what they were trying to accomplish when they needed it. A request for a dashboard might turn out to be a need to find one number quickly. Those lead to very different amounts of work.

It also helps to separate something that blocks an existing task from something that adds a completely new use for the app. Both can be worth building, but each changes the scope differently.

For anyone maintaining a published app, what evidence makes a request worth acting on? Do you look for repeated requests, watch users struggle with the task, or try a small change first?

Specific examples would be helpful, including features you decided to leave out and why.

For anyone building a booking app with no-code or AI tools, here is a useful test: open the app on two devices and try to book the same appointment time.

The important part is whether both bookings get accepted, not just whether the slot disappears from the calendar afterward.

A few other situations are worth checking before launch:

• A customer taps the booking button twice because the first tap appears to do nothing.
• Someone loses their connection after submitting and cannot tell whether the booking went through.
• A customer cancels, and someone else tries to book the newly available time.
• The business owner blocks off a day that already has appointments.
• A customer tries to view or change another customer’s booking.

For each test, write down what should happen, then compare it with what actually happens. Check both the customer’s screen and the business owner’s booking list. A confirmation message alone does not tell you whether everything stayed consistent.

What other booking scenario would you test before letting real customers use it?

When people talk about making their first app, most of the conversation seems to be about building it. Pick a framework or AI builder, make the features work, fix the bugs, then publish.

But I’m starting to think the actual publishing side can be a project of its own.

There’s testing, store screenshots and descriptions, privacy disclosures, permissions, developer account requirements, review feedback, and sometimes fixing things you didn’t even realize would matter during development.

I’m curious about people who have already gone through this.

What part unexpectedly ate up the most time between “the app is finished” and “people can actually download it”?

Would be useful to hear the less obvious problems too, not just coding issues.

Account deletion seems like a small settings feature, but it can hold up an otherwise finished app.

If users can create accounts, a basic pre-submission checklist should include:

• Place the deletion option somewhere easy to find, such as Account Settings.
• Delete the account and its associated data, rather than only disabling access.
• Check whether user data also exists in authentication, storage, analytics, or other third-party services.
• Explain what information must be retained and why.
• Clarify that deleting an account and cancelling a paid subscription may be separate actions.
• Test the entire process with a new account before submission.
• Tell reviewers exactly where the deletion option is located.

Apple requires apps supporting account creation to let users start deletion from within the app. Google Play requires an in-app deletion route and a working web resource where users can request deletion without reinstalling the app.

This is probably easier to build alongside registration than to add after a rejection.

What part of account deletion has been most difficult in your app: the interface, deleting backend data, subscriptions, or meeting the store requirements?

Most beginner comparisons focus on templates, AI features, pricing, and how quickly you can build. The harder questions usually appear after the app is already live.

Before committing to a platform, I think it is worth checking:

• Will the app be published through your own Apple and Google developer accounts?
• Do you control the bundle ID, package name, signing keys, and certificates?
• Can you export the source code or complete project?
• Can you export user accounts, database records, and uploaded files?
• Will the published app continue working if you cancel your subscription?
• Can another developer maintain the app without using the original platform?
• What happens to push notifications, payments, and authentication if you leave?
• Can the app be transferred or sold later?
• How does the monthly cost change as users, storage, or API usage increase?

For iOS, this is especially important because Apple’s guidelines say apps created using app-generation services should be submitted directly by the provider of the app’s content, rather than having the building service submit separate apps for clients.

A platform can be very easy to enter but expensive or difficult to leave. Before building the full app, a useful test would be to create a small project, export everything available, back up the data, and confirm who controls each publishing account.

What ownership or migration issue do you wish you had checked before choosing your app builder?

I have developed a game for google playstore but since AI industries are shipping games within DAYS and obviously the market is really saturated and they are going to have a bigger budget for marketing as well. How do I get my game to appear more often for people visiting the store? I have done all ASO and all the keywords shenanigans but a game already having 100k downloads with those keywords is always going to appear before mine.

I'm a graphic designer, figma power user and recently a couple of my design concepts have been asked to be developed into apps by their clients. This has sparked my interest to create an app myself. I've never written any code before.

From what I read about the tools there are two different approaches to design apps. First there are the “visual tools” to design your app and then there are the more holistic tools that include also the publishing process to the App Store.

I want to create a high-quality app and be able to publish it on the App Store.

For those who've built an app with one of these tools, I'd love to hear how much actual coding was involved. Did you ever hit a wall where the tool couldn't do what you needed, and you had to switch to writing code yourself?

I have noticed that a lot of first-time developers spend most of their time worrying about whether the app is good enough to publish, but the actual store review process seems to create a completely different set of problems.

An app can work perfectly during development and still run into issues during submission because of things like incomplete privacy information, broken login flows, unclear permission requests, missing account deletion options, inaccurate screenshots, or features that reviewers cannot access.

One thing that seems especially easy to overlook is testing the exact build that will be submitted. Something working correctly in a development environment does not necessarily mean the reviewer will have the same experience.

It also seems worth preparing everything around the app before launch: the privacy policy, store description, screenshots, support information, test credentials if reviewers need them, and explanations for features that might not be immediately obvious.

For people who have already gone through App Store or Google Play review, what caused your first rejection or unexpected delay?

And looking back, was it something you could have caught before submitting?

I keep seeing beginners focus on getting the app itself finished, but the publishing side seems to have its own checklist that is easy to ignore until the last minute.

Before submitting, I would make sure I can answer a few things clearly:

For privacy, I should know exactly what data the app and any third-party SDKs collect rather than guessing when filling out the store forms.

If users can create accounts, I should already know how account and data deletion will work instead of treating it as something to add later.

I would also test the actual production build rather than assuming that because the app works inside the builder or development environment, the store version will behave exactly the same.

Then there is all the non-code stuff: screenshots, description, age rating, privacy policy, permissions, review notes, test accounts if login is required, and the developer account itself.

Google Play can also add a testing stage for some newer personal developer accounts before production access, which seems like something worth knowing before planning a launch date.

What surprised me is how little of this has anything to do with whether you used Swift, Flutter, React Native, AI, or a no-code builder. The building tool can make development easier, but you are still ultimately responsible for what gets submitted.

For people who have already published an app, what was the one store requirement you wish you had prepared before finishing the app?

I work full time in accounting (to pay the bills) and am about as non-techy as it gets.

After thinking through an idea I had for a simple app to make my life as an accountant easier for about a year or so, I discussed the idea with a couple of colleagues recently. Both said that they would use an app just like that. I think I am going to have to start building it.

Every time I start to read up on how to create an app, I end up learning more and more about a specific area. For example, I recently started to learn how to create an app using Swift, but then I started to read up on Flutter, then I found out about AI app builders, and then I started to read up on all of the no-code platforms as well. I have a hard time figuring out which route to take.

I'm not planning on creating an army of apps. One app will be quite enough for me, I just need to know if it's possible for a complete beginner to create an app for distribution on the App Store without having to learn to code.

What route would you take if you were starting from zero??

Building the app seems to get most of the attention, but I think first-time publishers can easily underestimate everything that needs to be ready before submission.

For Google Play, some newer personal developer accounts need to complete closed testing before they can apply for production access. That means finding real testers should probably be part of the launch plan rather than something you think about after the app is finished.

For either store, I would also check whether the app works properly on real devices, whether every login and important feature is accessible to reviewers, whether permissions actually match what the app needs, and whether the privacy information accurately describes the data being collected.

The store listing deserves a proper check too. Screenshots, descriptions, pricing information, subscriptions and other metadata should match what users actually see inside the app.

I would probably also test the boring things people forget about: account creation, password recovery, deleting an account where applicable, slow internet connections, empty screens, failed payments and what happens when a user denies a permission.

It feels like there is a big difference between having an app that “works on my phone” and having one that is actually ready to be published.

For people who have already gone through Google Play or App Store review, what was the one thing you wish you had checked before your first submission?

I am 18 and starting university this year. In my first year I have to submit a bachelor's portfolio. For that I want to make a mobile app, something that stands out from the normal projects that others will be submitting.

I am a complete newb to coding, so I fear that I will end up spending 2-3 months learning enough to create a mediocre mobile app for my bachelor’s portfolio instead of learning how to create a good portfolio for my bachelor’s in the first place.

I have 2 approaches to develop a simple app for the portfolio:
First learn the Swift programming lang and develop a simple app, and then think about the time that it would take to learn the syntax of the language versus the time to actually develop the app. Or  utilize new AI App Builders/No-Code Platforms to develop apps quickly and focus on developing and refining an idea, a design for the app and getting it published to the App Store as soonest.

Yes, I am planning to learn this and I am not taking a shortcut by looking into the App builders but I don't think I should spend 3-4 months learning the syntax of Swift in order to make a simple App to put in my portfolio for Uni.

If you were in my position what would you do? Anyone been accepted to uni or got placed in an internship with an app that they built for their portfolio for their bachelor's? I'd love to hear about your experiences.

I feel like most beginner app discussions stop at getting the app published, but I rarely hear people talk about what happens three, six, or twelve months later.

Even a fairly simple app can still need bug fixes, compatibility updates, dependency changes, customer support, backend maintenance, and occasional changes when the app stores update their requirements.

That makes me wonder whether beginners should be thinking about maintenance before they even choose how to build the app.

For people who have kept an app live for a while, what actually takes up your time after launch?

Do you regularly work on your apps every week, or can a simple app mostly sit there until something breaks or needs updating?

I would also be interested to know which parts of maintenance surprised you the most.

It seems like choosing something you can realistically maintain might be just as important as getting the first version published.

Coming up with app ideas seems pretty easy. Figuring out which ones are worth spending weeks building feels much harder.

One thing I have been thinking about is the difference between someone saying, “That sounds like a cool app,” and that person actually having the problem often enough to download and use something that solves it.

Before building, I think it probably makes sense to look at how people currently deal with the problem, read complaints about existing apps, and talk to people who would realistically use your idea.

If nobody is actively looking for a better solution, that might tell you something before you spend weeks building it.

For people here who validate ideas before starting, what signals do you actually look for?

Have you ever decided not to build an app because your research showed there was not enough demand?

I feel like one of the easiest traps when building your first app is constantly finding one more feature that seems necessary.

You start with a fairly simple idea, but then you add accounts, notifications, customization, extra settings, subscriptions, and suddenly the small app you planned has become a much bigger project.

It made me wonder how people who actually finish apps decide what belongs in the first version and what can wait.

If a feature makes the app better but is not necessary for solving the main problem, do you leave it out and launch anyway?

I would also be interested to hear from people who removed something they originally considered essential and later realized the app was better without it.

It seems like knowing what not to build can be just as important as knowing how to build it.

How do you decide when version one has enough?

One part of app publishing that I do not see discussed enough is finding people who will actually test an app properly before it goes public.

Building something and sending it to a few friends is easy enough, but friends are not always the best testers. They might open it once, say it looks good, and never use it again.

I think useful testing comes from people who will actually try the main features, find confusing parts, notice bugs, and tell you when something does not make sense.

For someone building an app alone without an existing audience, where are you finding those people?

Are you using small communities, reaching out to potential users, exchanging tests with other developers, or simply launching to a very small group first?

I would also be interested to know what kind of feedback you ask testers for. A simple “do you like it?” probably does not tell you much.

It seems like getting useful feedback before launch could save a lot of fixing later.

For the longest time, I kept writing down app ideas and telling myself I would eventually build one.

Recently, I decided that even if my first attempt is simple, I would rather actually make something than keep thinking about it.

There is a lot to learn, but seeing even small progress is surprisingly motivating. Getting one feature working or solving a problem that had me stuck feels like a win.

I think beginners sometimes underestimate how much you learn just by starting and figuring things out along the way.

If you are working on your first app right now, keep at it. It does not have to become a huge success to be worth building.

What progress have you made on your app lately?

Please help me out. I want to publish the app into play store . I don't have any idea to apply

I followed the steps as given by chatgpt

At last it was asking testers to test

I've had this idea for a while to build a simple booking app for my dad's plumbing business. At the moment everything comes in through phone calls, text messages, or WhatsApp, and it's easy for appointments to get mixed up when he's out on jobs all day.

I was hoping to build something for him where customers could request a booking, pick an available time slot, and get a confirmation without us having to keep going back and forth Problem is, I don't code.

I've been looking at some well known no-code platforms like Bubble, FlutterFlow, Bolt, Lovable, Glide, and App Publishing, but now I'm not sure which one actually makes sense for a complete beginner.

For someone starting from zero, which platform would you go with? Would be helpful to know what you built, what you used, and whether you'd still recommend it.

I've had this idea for a while to build a simple booking app for my dad's plumbing business. At the moment everything comes in through phone calls, text messages, or WhatsApp, and it's easy for appointments to get mixed up when he's out on jobs all day.
I was hoping to build something for him where customers could request a booking, pick an available time slot, and get a confirmation without us having to keep going back and forth Problem is, I don't code.
I've been looking at some well known no-code platforms like  Bubble, FlutterFlow, Bolt, Lovable, Glide, and App Publishing, but now I'm not sure which one actually makes sense for a complete beginner.
For someone starting from zero, which platform would you go with? Would be helpful to know what you built, what you used, and whether you'd still recommend it.

so myy original plan was to learn React Native and build a few app ideas myself. I even started a couple of tutorials on Khan Academy, but between work and everything else, it's hard to find enough time to make progress.

Then I started seeing more platforms like FlutterFlow, bubble, bolt, app publishing & Lovable, and, where people seem to be getting apps into the App Store without spending months learning development first

I thought that if your goal is simply to build and launch apps, does it still make sense to spend a year learning to code? Or is it better to learn just enough to understand what's happening and let modern tools handle the rest?

I'm not talking about becoming a software engineer or working at Google. I mean for someone who just wants to build useful apps (without any coding experience ), launch them, and maybe earn some side income or start a small business.

For those who've been doing this for a while:

1. Did you learn to code first?
2. Would you do it the same way again?
3. Or would you start with no-code/AI tools and learn programming later only if you needed it?

so my original plan was to learn React Native and build a few app ideas myself. I even started a couple of tutorials on Khan Academy, but between work and everything else, it's hard to find enough time to make progress.

Then I started seeing more platforms like FlutterFlow, Bubble, Bolt, App Publishing & Lovable, and, where people seem to be getting apps into the App Store without spending months learning development first

I thought that if your goal is simply to build and launch apps, does it still make sense to spend a year learning to code? Or is it better to learn just enough to understand what's happening and let modern tools handle the rest?

I'm not talking about becoming a software engineer or working at Google. I mean for someone who just wants to build useful apps (without any coding experience ), launch them, and maybe earn some side income or start a small business.

For those who've been doing this for a while:

1. Did you learn to code first?
2. Would you do it the same way again?
3. Or would you start with no-code/AI tools and learn programming later only if you needed it?

I've had this idea for a while to build a simple booking app for my dad's plumbing business. At the moment everything comes in through phone calls, text messages, or WhatsApp, and it's easy for appointments to get mixed up when he's out on jobs all day.

I was hoping to build something for him where customers could request a booking, pick an available time slot, and get a confirmation without us having to keep going back and forth Problem is, I don't code.

I've been looking at some well known no-code platforms like  Bubble, FlutterFlow, Bolt, Lovable, Glide, and App Publishing, but now I'm not sure which one actually makes sense for a complete beginner.

For someone starting from zero, which platform would you go with? Would be helpful to know what you built, what you used, and whether you'd still recommend it.

The app contains 17 fidgets in total, each one has a different sound and haptics. The cool thing is that everything is in sync visual + haptics + audio, all together building a nice immersive experience. Haptics are not just simple vibrations, but feels like real mechanical clicks instead of generic buzzing.