Is it worth building an app just for me?

100% worth it. Building something that solves your own problem is how some of the best products start.
Even if it doesn’t make money, you’ll learn a ton — from design to user empathy to shipping discipline.
Plus, if it delights you, chances are others will feel the same frustration too.

Yes—it can absolutely be worth it, even if the app ends up being “just for you.”

A few things to keep in mind:

Personal utility is a valid outcome – If the app genuinely solves a problem in your life, that alone makes it worthwhile. Many great products start as tools their creators built for themselves.

Learning value – The process of designing, coding, and shipping an app will sharpen your skills. Even if this project never makes money, the knowledge you gain will carry into your future projects (including ones that might be profitable).

Saturated doesn’t mean pointless – Wellness apps are common, yes, but your frustration with the existing ones shows there’s still unmet need. If you feel this gap strongly, chances are others do too—even if you don’t aim to monetize.

Creative satisfaction – There’s intrinsic value in making something that delights you. Think of it like writing a book, composing music, or quilting—you don’t have to sell it for the work to be meaningful.

Future possibility – You might never push this app beyond personal use. Or, you might discover that others resonate with it once you share it. Either way, you win.

In short: Building an app only for yourself isn’t pointless—it’s practice, it’s problem-solving, and it’s creative expression. If it brings you joy and teaches you something, that’s already success. Any external adoption or money is just a bonus.

Just go ahead and build it. If it solves your problem, it will very well solve others problem too. If you have the time to build it just do it.

You should definitely go ahead and build this. Start without worrying about having users focus on creating it for yourself and documenting what you learn along the way. Building and engineering are creative processes, and not every creative project needs to generate money. In your case, the app will give you personal value while also serving as a creative outlet.

If you have this problem and there are no solutions out there for it, I think it's worth it, even if it's very niche. If your goal is to earn money, that's a totally different thing, you could try to validate it first. But for me, what's important is to keep the mind moving.

I think it's worth it, especially if you're creating an app to solve a real problem that no one else has thought of solving. It's hard to look for solutions and find none. So if you can create one for yourself, go for it!

Creating your own wellness app empowers you to design tools and features that truly support your unique physical and mental health goals. Along the way, you’ll gain valuable insights about yourself, others, and the technology that brings it all together.

Go for it!

You've mentioned that the apps in the space are "either far too cluttered, in partnership with some corporate entity with whom I do not want to share my health data, or lacking in customization options".

Have you thought about the reason for this? IMO a good % of those apps probably started simple. Then (as they gained in popularity), they probably:

• Got a lot of feature requests (and found the more features the offer, the more people want to buy their premium memberships)

• Needed to partner because they couldn't easily monetize the app, and found that selling data/partnerships is an easier option to make $

B2C mobile apps are really tough. I've analyzed 490+ founder interviews and there were a few B2C mobile apps and many of them said something like this:

I poured three months of all my free time into this app, and reading feedback from some users who complain about having to pay for the upgraded version of the app because they say they can get the charts free from the doctor's office was exasperating. I'm thinking about what I can build next to target businesses instead.

Based on this, I'd assume the real reason for the clutter/partnerships/selling data is simply because these apps found it really, really hard to get money from actual users.

Privacy is a luxury these days. Go for it.
I just joined indiehackers for a similar. I have a pain point in my own life that I want to design an app around. (Absolutely zero skill in this but now is a good time to start). I'm not sure if it will ever be useful to another person but it could change my life! Great to hear that I'm not the only one!

Honestly, I think you're exactly the kind of person who should be building an app. Creating something because it fills a gap in your own life, that’s how some of the most meaningful and useful tools are born. The wellness space might be crowded, but your unique frustrations and preferences are probably shared by way more people than you think.

Even if it only ever serves you, that’s still a huge win. You’ll have built something real, something intentional. And the skills, experience, and joy you gain from building it will always be valuable, whether it makes money or not.

Also, I’d totally follow a blog that flips between wellness tech and cat updates 😂 Looking forward to seeing your journey unfold!

I’m in that process too, pitching an app just for me and anyone else on board with this wellness trend that does not have its own app. Keepin it hush here. I know that I will lose money in the beginning, outsourcing to developer and designer who meets my vibe, but if one person benefits it may be worth it, if I get mast mvp. But I secretly hope others get on board with one time purchase or donation models, that I might recover the cost and serve/charge others. It’s not about the money, it’s about magnetism. Literally the magnetism of the moon… I won’t plug here, go find my pitch…

Start from solving for one person perfectly. There will be others just like you. The unknown is: how many others would LOVE it as much as you do

It's very worth it if it means a lot to you. If you have an idea that is solid and you believe in it completely then don't stop. I know you said you don't plan on making money from it but who knows, if it works for you it might work for tons of other people.

Absolutely worth it. Here’s why:

The "Just for You" Trap
Many founders start by solving their own pain points, only to later realize others share them. Your hyper-specific wellness tracker might feel niche now, but privacy-focused tools are in demand. Apps like Bear (minimalist writing) and Signal (private messaging) started as alternatives to bloated options—now they’re staples.

Skill Building > Short-Term Profit
Even if the app never monetizes, you’ll gain:

UX design skills (from refining your ideal interface)

Data security expertise (critical in today’s apps)

A portfolio piece proving you can ship a product.

The "Cat Blog" Advantage
Documenting your journey (even with cat cameos) builds an audience. People love underdog stories—your blog could pivot into a "Build in Public" diary, attracting indie devs facing similar doubts.

Relevant Example:
I run a site for CapCut app —tools creators use to bypass app limitations. It started as a personal need (I hated watermarks on edits). Turns out, thousands of influencers felt the same. Your wellness tracker could follow a similar path: solve your problem first, then find your tribe.

Action Step:
Launch a v1 with your ideal features. Share it in privacy-focused communities (r/Privacy, Indie Hackers). If even 10 people say, "I needed this," you’ve validated a micro-niche.

Hey,

when I started my own app Maxout in April during lockdown, I was in the same situation. I just wanted an app to schedule my workouts but all the apps on the market were either really ugly, too complicated and time consuming to use or not that much better than pen & paper (what I was using at that time).

So, I went ahead and built that project. And for months, I used it for myself only. But over time, people noticed that I was sharing something in my Insta stories that looked good and I seemed to use often, so people started asking questions about it.

This made me opening it up a bit and now I'm building it out to invite more users. For a few months, I will try it out if it's worth it.

But you know what? If it isn't successful, I will still keep the app and keep on going because I'm in love with what I have and I use it every single day right now <3

You absolutely should build this. Launch it without the expectation of any users besides yourself and document your learning process as you build. Engineering and building things is an inherently creative process. Not all creative processes need to make money. In your case, it sounds like you are going to gain value from the app in addition to it being a creative outlet.

I wrote about the idea that building things doesn’t always have to be about making money or starting a business. You can build to learn and to create.

Your app idea sounds amazing, and I definitely think it’s worth pursuing. Building something that fulfills a personal need often leads to the most genuine and impactful products. The focus on privacy is especially commendable since so many wellness apps overlook that aspect.

If you're concerned about secure connections during development or even for future users, pairing your app with tools like XNXubd VPN Browser could be a great way to ensure privacy and security. Sometimes, creating something just for yourself can resonate with others who share the same frustrations—who knows, it might be more successful than you think!

Yes, building an app just for you is really great! You can customize it to your needs. I've started building my app with no code using Fuzen, and It's so easy to customize.

If the time and money you loose on it doesn't impact you negatively, then definitely go for it. Even if you don't plan to monetize it right now doesn't mean that it won't become worth monetizing in the future. It may happen, that once you build it you'll discover other people who will also see the value in it. And even if that doesn't happen you can still get a lot of learning out of it.
I also build things just because I need them and that I don't plan on monetizing, like this Chrome extension. Sometimes the need to scratch your own itch is just stronger 😄

I'd say yes it is. At best, there might be other people like you and you'll make some money. At worst, you'll solve your own problem and have a product that makes your own life easier. You'll also have a great portfolio piece and subject to talk about in any job interviews. Not to mention what you'll learn from taking a project from inception to release. It's really really hard to follow through on a project idea.

I made Chapter24 (https://chapter24.app) for myself. The product philosophy and every feature is designed just "for me". I didn't do any user research or anything and I still don't have any paying users. However building and launching the project was incredibly good fun. I'm also motivated to write on my own blog now because it's powered by Chapter24 and I built the product just so I could use it to write a blog 😂

So I'd definitely say, go for it!! What the worst that could happen? You'll end up with a finished app on an app store. Not a bad result at all :)

Building an app for yourself can be rewarding if you are developing skills and/or solving a problem that will save you time and money. A lot of people I know are using AI to write micro apps to solve their own problems and then sharing it with friends and family who share the same problems.

@lexhaynes This is actually how I started my venture. I had a personal pain point and the current solutions just were not working for me. I created an application that I wanted to use and turns out a lot of people I showed it to wanted to use it as well. The best thing you can do is start. I'd highly suggest you go for it. If you need any help at all, feel free to reach out to me!

Hi Alexandra! I built my first mobile app for myself & now there's over 6k MAU. It doesn't pay the bills really but it helped me get my last job & it helps me immensely in other ways. I've had amazing conversations with 100s of users from all over the world that were seeking tools to better their mental health.

The market will always be saturated in wellness, but if you truly care about the product & your users (including yourself) & can iterate the product over time it could turn into a much bigger thing than you can imagine. Hope that helps!

Have you joined the Mobile group here on IH yet? Would love to have you join & share questions or content about your mobile app journey :)

So there are lots of comments below, but I thought to share my thoughts on this matter and use some references I think are important.

You mention that:
"I struggle with the idea that it is "pointless" to build an app that meets the very specific need of only one person (me). Is it worth the time, effort, and frustration to build an app that probably won't make me a dime?"

Well if you build something you yourself want, you've already achieved two successful points:

1. You have 1 user (you!) Congratulations! 👏 Sounds silly, but even Airbnb at the beginning was used by just a handful of people, including the founders.

2. You've validated the problem. This is the most important point! Back to the Airbnb example, they started it because they needed money to pay their rent. And after running out of money, they solved their problem but renting out air mattresses from their apartment.

Many people never get to this stage of validation at all, so go ahead and build it!

On the other hand, if you build something you are motivated about, that you're curious about, and excited to use, this will push you to move faster, build better and eventually, make something (hopefully) valuable for others. Yes, there is no unique way to validate if other people also have this problem, but there are a bunch of ways you can try to use to answer this. Mainly by talking with other people:

If you're potential users hang out in physical places, go there and talk to them, if they hang out in digital spaces (like Indie Hackers, social media, forums, groups, etc.) go there and talk to them. I'm always happy to support and help, and I'm sure others will too.

Finally, Paul Graham (co-founder of YC) has a fantastic essay about making great work. It's long (took me over 2 hours to fully read and pay attention to all details), but it is extremely valuable and full of insights. I felt identified from beginning to end. And talks exactly about this: follow your curiosity.

"Curiosity is the key to all four steps in doing great work: it will choose the field for you, get you to the frontier, cause you to notice the gaps in it, and drive you to explore them. The whole process is a kind of dance with curiosity." - Paul Graham. I can't post links yet but check out his website and search for "How to do great work".

Hope this helps. Keen to connect, build and help more entrepreneurs succeed together.

Hi @lexhaynes, I say go for it! There's a reason people forever have been pottering in the garden shed or building ships in bottles. Building for yourself, learning and enjoying your craft can be very rewarding.

I just arrived here because I've been building https://braintool.org for my personal use over the last couple of years and am now thinking maybe its good enough for other people to enjoy also.

I'd say the key for a software project is that the first step is small enough that you can get to an MVP-For-Me stage without too much frustration. After that its all gravy!

Good luck,
Tony

You should definitely build it. Not only you will enjoy the whole process of building something which is going to solve one of YOUR need, there are some chances that there exist people who will like it as well.

Take my project, Designtack, for example. I didn't know if it was something people would need because there already exists giant alternatives but I was happy that it will solve my problem of content marketing. Turns out, I have people paying for the tool I built and I use.

No brainer. Build it. You will learn a lot, it will be challenging and you will get a lot of satisfaction from doing it. Also, 'The likelihood of making money from this app is slim' is an untested assumption.

Do you want to make money from building an app? If yes, then the best way to do this, is find and speak to others who are also frustrated with the apps in the market. You can easily do this through ethnographic research (observing peoples behaviour). Read the reviews of the app, particularly the bad ones. Who else feels your pain? Find online communities and reach out to people, speak to them.

As per others on the thread, happy to help with advice etc, don't hesitate to reach out. Best of luck, look forward to hearing how you get on!

Yes, as you said, it starts with a personal problem that you want to solve (e.g. repetitive work, etc.) or things you want to improve in your self (e.g. health, habits, learn faster, etc.).

I, for example, have stuggled with social media addiction which affects my productivity a lot, so I created an app (https://dailynewsound.com) to fix it. It goes back to fundamentals really, and the fact that you experience it, means that others do as well.

What you could also do is to add content (e.g. blogs or posts) and dig deep around your problem you are working on (fitness), strong enough that people will take notice.

It also helps to frequently get feedback from IH community, as to how you can improve your product. But you'd still go with your gut feeling and later on, the user data/feedback to make your decisions.

I would say it is worth it if you enjoy developing the app, otherwise it probably isn't. You should also not forget the knowledge and skills you will develop along the way, that can be invaluable! Enjoy the process and think of all the things you will learn, at the end of your journey you will have a tailored app as a bonus! That said, the perfect answer is to find something you enjoy working on, enjoy to use and can be enjoyed by others.

Hi @alexhaynes, I have been struggling with the same question for last one month. And there are two parts to the answer which I have found

1. Validate the problem: this part is not easy as it sounds because people even themselves dont know what they want. Specially until you build an MVP, it's hard to assess the idea.

2. Learn to enjoy the process: I am currently building StyleScan, an app for discovering multiple fashion products at once. I started working on this because shopping online became hard for me, specially with lots of websites, options. It was a time consuming process. Since I started building my interest in the problem has also diminished because I don't shop that often :P. What kept me going is that learning in this project. I am building search stack, using LLMs to understand query, building UI, etc. And this learning is what I am enjoying and is keeping me going. I still don't know if the problem is worth solving or not. If someone can add to it, I would really appreciate it. But since I am enjoying the process I am continuing to work on it.

Hope this helps.

i think if its a product you need and you like build stuff its whort it build

In my opinion, if you are building it by yourself, without outsourcing it. That's worth every single second you invest in. Because,

1. You can learn new things + expand your portfolio.
2. You can pull a lot more value out of it.
3. It's your app. You can do whatever you want.
4. you can also generalize the app a bit with another version and push it to the marketplace. But I will not suggest pushing too hard in the fitness industry. Maybe just publish it and leave it.

As others say, if the project will help you in your life, why not do it?

Moreover, why ban even before the creation to potentially monetize in the future (even if it is not the basic plan)?

And even if it's not your plan to monetize it, why not do it to strengthen a professional portfolio or even as a personal accomplishment?

(I don't expect to have an answer since the post is quite old, but I really think that these questions can help people who are in the same position.)

The way I like to think about it... Every time you build an app and publish it you're getting better at your craft. These skills are sometimes worth more than money.

Even the most prolific indie hackers like Peiter Levels admit that most of their projects don't make money. But they recognize the value of continually creating.

Of course, the danger is that you spend years building something and still don't put it on the App Store. Stay focused on the goal, try to reduce the scope and publish an MVP. It will be much more satisfying to see if their are other people download the app than it will be if you just build it in private.

I did build the app for my personal use and put it on the play store for fun. And I'm not expecting the installs. But surprisingly I got 10K install and also monetize for 3 Months. Later admob suspended my account saying some policy violations.

Often the best ideas are born when you're trying to solve your own problems. You don't expect much of it, so you don't focus on buzzword techniques for growing a business. Instead, you focus on creating the best solution possible.

I love how you explained why you're building it, and why you don't like other apps that do the same things.

When you're promoting the app, focus only on those things!

People who would want it are already aware of mainstream apps like this. If they look further, it means they don't like them.

And it's probably one of the things you mentioned.

By explaining your problem with other apps and the solution you created, those people will recognize themselves. They will eagerly download and use your app.

Do you think nobody else feels the same frustrations as you? Still think it's pointless to build it?

Good luck with your journey!

Somehow the probability that somebody as the same problems is very enormous. Go for it 💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾

thank you for your information. I create a app for my client website iunfun

Building yourself a wellness app will give you total control of what you feel YOU need to be successful in your physical / mental health journey. You will learn many valuable things about yourself, others, and technology along the way!

Building an app just for yourself can be incredibly rewarding, even if it doesn't generate revenue or reach a broad audience. The value lies in creating something that meets your unique needs and brings you satisfaction. The personal growth, skills, and experience you'll gain from the process can be invaluable. Moreover, many successful apps started as solutions to their creators' personal frustrations. Even if your app only serves you, the sense of accomplishment and the potential to refine your skills could make the efforts worthwhile. Sometimes, the fulfillment and joy of creating something meaningful outweigh the external measures of success.
hubpak

These types of ideas can make people achievers, If you are working pasionately you can make it beneficial with the help of AI.

These ideas can make people achievers, and if you are trying with passion you can build anything with the help of AI. I've made many apps for different methods to create an app for gas station locators in the US. Need ideas for my creating an app about fuel stations in Michigan. You can use Geolocator to findout: https://gasolineracercademe.com/michigan/

Software devs, Say there was an AI platform that will try to understand your vision and build an entire software for you with a single prompt: not a no code drag and drop app builder or another platform where you give a prompt and get an app that will run only on that platform, here you will get your entire software with its source code and UI etc. Would it be a succesfull platform/startup?

Building an app that meets a personal need can be incredibly rewarding, even if it doesn't turn into a commercial success. Your passion and frustration with existing options are strong motivators and can lead to a uniquely tailored solution that perfectly fits your requirements. The process itself can also be a valuable learning experience, helping you improve your skills and potentially uncovering other opportunities along the way. The satisfaction of creating something that enhances your own life might just make the entire effort worthwhile, regardless of its market success. Keep pushing forward and enjoy the journey of bringing your vision to life!

Good Luck with that dear. Keep it up :)

Late to the party, but in general I think simplified and privacy-forward versions of bigger apps are great ideas--especially if you know the space well

You absolutely should build this.

You were immersed in this process and forgot your original intention. Your original intention should be to serve specific customers rather than your own

Hi @alexhaynes, I build www.chessdejavu.com mainly for myself to learn chess openings as I find it really hard to remember all the opening moves. With this app I can train like you would train for a marathon. I find it really helpfull since other chess apps don't do it like I prefer.

Ofcourse as a IH i'd like to get some revenue with it which I failed at until this far, but creating it, thinking about it, validating it helps you for your future projects. On my next project I would validate my idea first before coding anything. But still I wasn't able to create a website or app before. Now I know how to, so the next time I have a validated idea I know it won't be a roadblock, something to worry about.

Good luck!

i understand your frustration with existing wellness trackers. Building an app that meets your specific needs can be incredibly fulfilling, even if it doesn't generate much revenue. Your app could resonate with others facing similar challenges. Don't worry about building something for one person - your experiences may represent a larger audience. Share your journey on your blog and inspire others. If you need help along the way, check out ValidatorAI (https://validatorai.com/) and Checkmyidea-IA (https://www.checkmyidea-ia.com/), AI tools that streamline validation. Follow your passion, build that app, and enjoy the process. Good luck!

I'm a fresh college grad aiming to learn most of the skills needed to a basic indie product from scratch. I don't quite know where to start yet,, or what to focus on, or whether my idea makes sense for anyone except me, but the discourse under your post has been eye opening Alex!

I have built two apps that I wanted, hoping that others would want it too. It was a great learning experience. Now I can build an MVP (react-native) in a few days and test it by myself or others.

But I couldn't grow the app beyond a hundred users. Why? because it wasn't something that I really wanted (when I was building it I thought I wanted it). It was something that I would build if I was forced to do a school project. Something that makes sense in my head but in reality not needed. It took me a few months of coding to find the reality out.

So if you are looking beyond learning and hoping others would use the app, I'll first talk to people who might be interested in what you are building.

Nice concept, building app for oneself. May be you are putting a thought on creating Micro app which has the capacity to know more about your preferences.

Who knows in few yers, there may be there will be app for each individual, where the brands will come and integrate with you..

Super concept. I liked. it.

All the best Alex.

Yes. I built two for myself:

I'm obsessed with superfoods and getting daily nutrition through food: Built https://recmend.com

I needed a simple tool that I can collect and save links and make them searchable: Built https://linklist.io

Go for it. But try to sell it anyway. Get feedback early on for sure.

There are probably others who want a health app that is private. You won't be the only one.

I advise you try and build it so it's easily useable and easy to understand. You can still make it highly customisable and personal to your goals, but this should be done with a lot of thought into the UX so it feels natural and there isn't a steep learning curve.

This way, it won't just be for you and others may want it and worst case scenario, even if it is just for you, you have learned a lot about creating a nice UX.

If you insist on a high standard to entertain and fulfill needs for yourself, I think you are on track to build a great product. The only thing I would ask myself if I were in a similar situation might be would a beta version be enough for a market test rather than building every possible feature I could think of.

Many applications were first designed for oneself, and if we have this problem, it means that others have the same problem.

if it helps you, then why not ?

Hey, you can create a app for yourself but it is based on your opinion.

def keep building it because if you make something that you love for sure it is going to help and impact other individuals.

Go for it!

Echoing others why not? Just be reasonable in your expectations. On the upside, If you're your audience, only polish it to the point that you'll actually care.

Unironically, a friend (seriously, not me) did this building Habit100 and ended up getting a couple people emailing him thanking him for it. Which is pretty great for an app that hasn't been marketed. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/habit-100/id1577102319.

If it is something you would use and see a need for, I expect others will too!

I also prepare my projects completely according to my needs, in fact, something we need may be needed by others.

I think as a developer if I can create something to simplify things for myself, then the answer is always for me is - Why not!

I'm actually doing something similar for me, even thought it will be a website.

• You will learn or improve your current dev skills (I'm a dev and it's never enough, we can always learn something new :D)
• It will be tailored exactly to your needs, like nothing else
• You can still show it to other people, and you will get feedback that can make that app even more useful for you
• A lot of soft skills involved, nmw, even if you aren't a developer. Problem solving, UI design, product design, etc.
• The market may be saturated.... but who knows what will happen ;)

Hi Alex,

I'm trying the same, also in saturated area :)
One thing, there's a typo in your blog url :)

More people need to build for themselves.

If you think about an enterprise or growing business, they make tools to allow their process to be less friction. As a single person, you can gain more from this then they can...

Look at yourself as a cyborg (we kinda are nowadays...). You can let someone else you don't know write your personal OS or you can write your own and be who you choose to be vs what others decided.

This is my mentality when making software for myself. And I make a ton for super specific reasons, and you can cut as many corners as you need and keep it raw to satisfy what you need.

I can write a small book on this topic after doing it for so many years, around if you want stories!

Go for it! You are on the right track

I think its good, and if you have this problem then maybe some other people do too. Its just that you dont know how to find them or who they are yet

Absolutely, I see it for 2 reasons

1. You're building something that's solving a true problem. If you're having that problem that more likely that not, someone else is

2. You're continuing to hone your skills. Even if this becomes a project that only you will use, you're honing skills that will pay dividends in the future

As long as it's useful to you then yes. I have built myself a flash card app (to learn a language) simply because it was very easy to build and I did not want to pay a subscription monthly for such a simple thing

I'd say go for it! It depends on how complex the concept is, and what the effort/reward curve looks like for the development process, but in general it sounds like it'll solve a real problem.

I created a small time-tracking app for myself; the first version of this was literally a PostgreSQL table into which I manually inserted entries! Eventually I threw a slim UI on top of it, but despite still being very simple/ugly it meets my needs. For personal projects I like to be aggressive about the "M" of "MVP" -- as a personal project it can even be a little buggy, since you're the developer and know how to work around the bugs.

Yup. I've built all sorts of stuff. Just keep talking about it and sharing it and you might uncover a great need! Good Luck!

I think it definitely is! I say go for it! I have built a couple of things that I thought would be useful to only me and they have gone a long way to help my work flow. Good luck!

I think you answered your own question. "the level of delight it would bring me to create the product that is missing from my life might just validate the whole endeavour."
Be Bold. The Mighty Forces Will Come to Your Aid. - jj

you should be building an app which solves your problems and people like you mostly internet based startups had a profitable app idea

You need some strong validation, here are some free tools for you to help in this situation - https://unicamel.io/checklist-kit/

God bless people like you!

I'm doing the same for the last two years. I didn't even validate the market and if it's needed for anyone.
What motivates me is that I'm building a tool that I will use on daily basis myself (once it's built and working).
While working with startups I taught a lot from them, and main thing I learned was: "first, you need to solve problem for a single person, and later look at bigger picture"

Great tale! Good part of it is when you fixing you difficulties, you will achive the greatest outcomes and can develop a wonderful product, but there is other side, did this product is actually required for other people? I think the best option is to create services based services or sell for the people checklist or any other digital product, to validate did they really want to spend money on that, only than you can understand what can be your expectation in the market and also you collect some audience, which can answer your questions!

I'm doing exactly that for the past few months, and it feels great! It started with my own frustration about a problem I had.

I knew it could be better, and I went on and started building a site to solve my own problem. The creative energy being poured on this hobby project feels just great, even if it's just for me. Turns out a few friends wanted this as well, so they started using it as well.

I'd say just go for it, until it stops being fun and starts feeling like a chore.

Hi man, its not pointless, I assume youre a programmer so building anything will make you a better programmer, secondly if this app solvesa problem you have im sure that other people needs the solution so making money out of it is realistic with the right business model. I wish you good luck bro 😁

Obviously, if you are happy to just build it for you: do it ;)

Then again, if you have checked all the apps out there and your particular need is not met, chances are there are more people like you out there. From what I read here, it would be health and data privacy conscious users.

So if you need a little extra nudge, try to find those people online - for example in facebook groups and engage with them. See if they also have this need.

Monetization should be fairly simple - as far as b2c apps go - with a freemium model. Since there is an ongoing, continuous use subscriptions should work fine.

Yes build it! Or talk about it here? You will get early validation on the idea if you are being transparent.

If you are frustrated so are other people so don't write it off as not a business yet! IF it makes you happy then it is worth spending time on. Once you have it you can see about making it into a business.

Oxogen.io is launching to help founders with just this sort of thing BTW

EfficientNetHack on Gmal d0t com was really good to work with. They were helpful and patient in answering all my questions and making sure I understood the process. Sign up was very easy and for once I feel positive about my future credit as I know I am in good hands. They seem to really know their stuff and I finally feel I am on the path to repairing my credit. Thumbs up guys

Not a bad idea! I like the idea of building your own app for a personal purpose. First and foremost, all apps should be used by the team behind them. You can actually validate your app if you are interested enough to use it yourself. That's where success begins! Good luck! If you are exploring open source platforms to build your mobile app, I recommend visiting https://catalyst.zoho.com/build-serverless-mobile-applications.html?src=footer - the reason I suggest is that the build environment is completely free. (A late comment to your post, any which ways if you are still planning to build apps this might be relevant)

There is one thing I can say for sure. If this app is solving this crucial problem for you, then for sure it is the same for several others. I can see that you've figured out what problem you really want to solve so badly, then that is just why many others would want to use this solution for you.

Therefore, go for it!

I've had a similar thought about "todo" apps. There's hundreds of them... but none of them work in a way that work just right for ME. My work style can't be THAT unique... maybe it's worth building even if it's just for me and if it works for others, even better.

I think more people start this way. There is no 1 perfect way of building what is to be a "successful company" (whatever the metric for success for each individual is). You can't pick winners, no matter how good we plan or ideate. I've been building brands, products, and apps for people for myself and clients for a while now, and it's just a fact. A winner is built, iterated, tested, and all of that in a continuous cycle.

That said, you can just look at this phase as your ideation/validation phase. I don't see anything wrong with that. Especially if it's financially not damaging to you, why not?

After it being built, will it actually solve the need you were trying to meet? Does it need itteration? And these questions you have to be utterly critical about when answering as your a testing audiance of 1.

You pretty much take a different direction and at some point will probably try to find a market fit for your product (as opposed to some who start with a defined market and build products for them).

I think both can work.

What would be even sweeter (my personal strategy) is that you building this app can actually aid your main revenue-driving business (whether it be; a case study, portfolio piece, consulting work,...) this way you can use this project and package it as a productized piece (sell your sawdust to some extend).

Hope it helps a bit.

Sai

Alex, I'm having the exact same struggle as you. Literally. I've been so disappointed with every fitness app, that I want to build my own. I also have low/no expectations of it, but I think it would be great for myself, and will help me learn by going through the planning & building process.

Even in a crowded space, I can guarantee you aren't the only one who hates the current options. I know that I'm responding a year and a half after you posted this, but I think you need to go for it!

Love this post! I would definitely build it if I were you. It's worth creating the app if it enriches your life. It doesn't have to generate any revenue.

I also think that building the app for your personal needs without caring about the profitability might help innovate the health/wellness trackers. You may not be interested in making the app available to others now but there have been a lot of cases where people's hobbies turned into a successful business later and revolutionized the whole industry.

Exciting project! Please keep us updated:)

I would say if you have the time, money, and energy to expend, then go for it because if you experience this, then you are not alone, which means you can build a niche market for yourself and if you work hard enough at it, make a great living for yourself. Sure, it's not gonna make you Bezo's rich, but who cares if you can make a living doing what you love and even retire early with a great life!

But, it really just boils down to how much time, money, and energy you're willing to dedicate to this because no matter what...It's a lot of work.

Same question!! I have had a Vikings clothing product store running for 2 years my ROI has been reached 30%. Would it be a good idea if I create my brand app for growth? This store has Viking jewelry, armors, and clothes https://vikingclothing.net/. please help...

You should do that. I built a small browser extension to manage clipboard history just for myself in 2014. I had no expectations since clipboard managers is a pretty staffed market.
I never invested in marketing, but the extension has 100,000+ users right now. Turned out I wasn't alone who needed such a thing.

Hey! If your app solves your problem, there is a chance it can solve problems for others too. Did you get a chance to work on your idea?

I did exactly this with www.everyhour.xyz and learnt so much and gained so much confidence doing it.

Also I just looked at your personal site and your portfolio is amazing!

Ya i'm on the same bus and i think if its your first real project then better to build it and learn than keep waiting for some world changing idea... i'm building https://www.indiehackers.com/product/teamlink for myself and my tech teams and would be happy to collaborate/give-feedback to others in same boat.

Definitely!

Worst case you learn how to build an app.
Best case, others also need it and you have a potential business!

I am all about building -- and really polishing -- my personal tools, even if they're never seen by anyone else. Spending a week or two building out a new tool or connecting a feature in an existing one is pretty much always time well spent: the worst case is that I end up with a new superpower (hello, automatic cloud orchestration tooling).

And in the best case I end up with a standalone, interesting, pre-validated product like the revenue forecaster I use to look at growth metrics from the future 🚀!

Hi Alexandra,

Absolutely. First, you'll learn a lot. Second, you might find others could use it.

I created one for myself as well - it adds an option into the Share menu on my android, so I can post the URL to airtable, where I'm building up a list of a certain type of tool online. It saves bookmarking it and trying to add it manually. It took me a few hours to write (I guess around 7-8), but it saves me maybe 2-3 minutes every time I use it, which mounts up over time.

Plus it just feels great to do something in 1/4 the number of clicks it normally takes :-)

Andy

Could you please send more details ( what functionality would you like to have etc.) concerning your future app?

Good luck, you may find others that have similar needs.

Hi Alexandra! If you have a strict budget you need to test market demand for your product. The best way to do it - launch an MVP of your project. It saves you a lot of money in the future and helps to identify the "pains" of your future customers. For more detailed information you could read this article https://linkupst.com/blog/what-is-the-discovery-phase-and-why-is-it-necessary

Build it and share it here so I can check it out (and very possibly use it haha)!

Many successful ventures started as "pointless" ideas - good on you for giving it a go! How have progressed so far?

I'm in the same boat. I want to build a "media archive journal" app for myself and I've been struggling with whether it's a worthwhile use of my time to build it or not. Although I haven't opened Glide in almost a month, I actually have a session with my Glide mentor tonight.

I hope you build the app. I say go for it!

Privacy matters more and more. If you store the data in NoSql or storage method on the users device, people would pay for it rather than get it for "free" and the user be the "product". I've been watching this trend for the past year now of decentralized apps, especially in certain segments where privacy matters the most. Health/wellness seems like a perfect place to implement this.

Yes! I'm building Hitsnag, which shoots what you email yourself straight to the productivity app it needs to be in. I email myself all the time and usually its the problems you encounter the most that cause one to create a useful solution for many. You should def ask around for some validation and make sure the cost stays low.

Hitsnag's waitlist 🙏
https://www.producthunt.com/upcoming/hitsnag/