Most app ideas fail, so I made a list of mobile apps that already work.
Hey everyone,
I kept seeing founders spend months building apps that never make a dollar. So I started building Clone The App: a directory of validated mobile app ideas.
Each app listed includes:
Real MRR numbers
What the app actually does
It’s marketing strategy
Maker’s X or LinkedIn profile
These aren’t theory or “app ideas” - they’re apps already making money on the App Store. The goal is to help makers decide what’s worth cloning or improving before they write a single line of code.
I’m still early and actively improving it.
Would love your honest feedback: Is this useful?
It is very interesting I have made an alternative to Trello my application is called do-tasks [dot] com and I am in the process of Friend and Family, I am exploring how feasible it is to clone projects and make improvements, It is very interesting I have made an alternative to Trello my application is called do-tasks [dot] com and I am in the process of Friend and Family, I am exploring how feasible it is to clone projects and make improvements,
I will tell you how I am doing.
Interesting. I really want to learn more about business.
Nice work! Just curious, where do you find out about all these apps?
I am really passionate about mobile app business. I have been learning about apps from different resources, articles, blog posts, founders profile, youtube interview, podcast, senseortower and thought to make a directory about mobile apps
This is genuinely useful especially for founders who struggle with idea validation more than execution. Seeing real MRR + what the app actually does removes a lot of guesswork early on.
One suggestion:
it would be powerful to add why these apps work (distribution edge, timing, niche pain point) and maybe a “clone difficulty” score (tech complexity, marketing moat). That would help makers decide what to clone vs what to avoid.
Good suggestions. I try try to make the list more informative over time.
This is super useful. The best part about studying apps that already work is you’re not guessing demand — you’re reverse-engineering proven behavior + monetization. One pattern I keep seeing is the winners usually have: a clear recurring use case, a fast “win moment” in the first minute, and a simple pricing model people don’t need to think about. Great list — would love to see which categories show the strongest retention over time.
I am really happy that you found it helpful.
It's really useful to learn about existing ideas because we don't always need new ones to build successful ventures. A good strategy is to clone a validated idea, modify it to add a unique twist, and then focus on distribution and reaching customers.
Glad you found it useful!
This seems like a genuine problem solver. Best of luck with the launch!
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Love this. Iterating and improving on existing products has to be the most direct line to a successful product there is.
100% agree. Starting from proven demand removes so much risk — then it’s just about executing better on one thing (speed, simplicity, or a tighter niche). Most “new ideas” still end up winning by being a clearer version of something people already want.
great resource!
I love it. It's short and to the point. anyone can learn about an app within a minute.