This week I've interviewed Sebastian Röhl, the founder of a series of habit tracking mobile apps. Almost all the indie founders I know make web apps so it's interesting to see someone doing really well on mobile! Read on for Sebastian's best marketing tips, the benefits of building mobile apps and his favorite app builders that you should be following.
Can you tell us about what HabitKit is and your achievements so far?
HabitKit is a habit-tracking app designed to help users build and maintain healthy habits through a visually appealing and intuitive interface. The app features a grid-based visualization similar to GitHub’s contribution graph, allowing users to easily track their consistency over time. HabitKit emphasizes simplicity and privacy, requiring no sign-in and storing all data locally on the user’s device.
In terms of achievements, HabitKit has seen significant success since its launch in November 2022. Here are some key milestones:
- Revenue: HabitKit is the primary revenue generator among my apps, with a monthly recurring revenue (MRR) of approximately $7,900. Including both subscription and lifetime purchase options, the total monthly revenue is around $15,000.
- User Base: The app has gained a strong user base, with thousands of active users who rely on HabitKit to track their daily habits and improve their lives.
- Traffic: Most of HabitKit’s growth has been organic, driven by strong app store optimization (ASO). The app has consistently ranked well in habit-tracking categories, which has helped drive new user sign-ups.
The success of HabitKit has allowed me to focus full-time on my indie hacking journey, and I’m excited to continue growing and improving the app.
Why did you create HabitKit?
I created HabitKit out of a personal need to improve my daily habits and track my progress in a way that was both visually appealing and motivating. I’ve always been passionate about self-improvement and have read numerous books on the subject, including "Atomic Habits" by James Clear, which had a significant impact on my approach to habit formation.
The inspiration for HabitKit came from my desire to combine the principles I learned from these books with a tool that could help me stay consistent. I particularly loved the idea of visualizing progress in a clear and simple way, similar to GitHub’s contribution graph, where you can see your streaks and consistency at a glance. However, I couldn’t find an app that did exactly what I wanted, so I decided to build one myself.
The app is designed to be simple and intuitive, so users can focus on building their habits without being overwhelmed by unnecessary features.
// pop-up with indie acquisitions offer