From 7 spam calls to 2,500 users: my first indie app story
While writing this post I kinda wonder if I’ll sound too excited about something so small...
But I believe in sharing. And sometimes that fear of looking "too self-promotional" can actually kill authentic connections..
So here I am, with my small story of 2,500 downloads and €0 ads.
No crazy numbers, no movie-like pivots.
Just the weird feeling of finally building something on my own.
Built a tiny app to silence unknown calls. 2,500+ users, €0 ads.
The moment that changed everything
I’ve always worked in design and development, but always for others.
Client projects, corporate apps, products with someone else’s name on it.
I was the invisible hand behind interfaces and code.
Then one afternoon just broke it all.
I was coding for a client, super deep in the flow, when my phone started ringing.
Important calls: colleagues, my mom, my partner.
But in between? Seven anonymous calls.
Seven useless interruptions that totally killed my focus.
That’s when I got it: the problem isn’t “filtering spam better” — it’s stopping interruptions at the root.
Why anti-spam apps fall short
I had worked on anti-spam apps before, so I knew their limit.
They rely on databases trying to catch numbers that regenerate faster than they can track.
It’s like playing whack-a-mole: you block one, 3 more pop up.
They work... kinda.
But that “kinda” still means you get interrupted.
Building DBMB (Don’t Break My Balls)
I decided to build something different: an app that chooses silence instead of the illusion of control.
The concept is brutally simple:
If a number isn’t in your contacts, the phone doesn’t ring.
The call is logged, but it doesn’t disturb you.
Basically: it either rings, or it doesn’t. No middle ground.
Core principles:
- One tap to activate/deactivate
- Zero complex configs
- No tracking, no ads
- Reliability first
I built it for me.
Then I shared it with a couple friends, almost like a joke.
One after another they told me: “you should publish this — it makes me feel sooo much calmer.”
Launching (without really knowing what I was doing)
I had never published an app on Google Play.
No marketing plan, no budget. Just that little voice saying “ok, let’s just try.”
Day 1: 10 Pro purchases. €0 ads.
For an indie app, I was told that’s pretty rare. I was shocked.
Week 1: sudden spike in downloads.
Found out a YouTuber made a spontaneous video about DBMB. Pure word of mouth.
The organic growth I didn’t expect
From there, word just started to spread.
Other YouTubers added it to their roundups.
A podcast tested it live, bought it live (!!), praised the simplicity.
Some sites mentioned it as an example of digital minimalism.
Total ad spend: €0.
All organic, all unexpected.
Where I am today
- 2,500+ downloads in ~2.5 months
- 5.0 rating on Google Play
- Strong Pro conversion rate (higher than I imagined tbh)
- Steady growth with zero paid promotion
But more than the numbers, what strikes me most is a word users keep using: peace.
Knowing only the ppl who matter can reach you changes the way you relate to your phone.
What I’ve learned
- Building for myself changed everything.** For the first time, I knew exactly what I wanted.
- Simplicity is more powerful than I thought.** I believed you need complex features. Turns out the radical “yes/no” approach is way stronger.
- Word of mouth is magic.** Hearing people recommend something you made without asking is just unreal.
- The “invisible freelancer” years weren’t wasted.** Everything I had learned working for others poured naturally into this.
What it really means (to me)
DBMB isn’t just an app.
It’s the first time I put my name on something.
A small, silent rebellion against the noise that invades our lives.
Every download, every thank-you msg, every review isn’t just a metric — it’s proof that a personal frustration can turn into something useful for thousands.
Maybe it’s small. But for me, it means a lot more.
If you’re curious, it’s on Google Play under “DBMB"
thank you
