- Steven Cravotta
- Posts
- 10 tools I used to scale to $44k/month solo
10 tools I used to scale to $44k/month solo
Hey there,
Most founders think they need a team, funding, and a massive budget to scale an app.
I did it with one outsourced developer and 10 tools.
Here's the exact stack I used to scale Puff Count to $44k/month before selling the app.
1: Sensor Tower
Spy on competitors. See exactly how much other apps are making. If someone in your niche is printing, you know the market demand is real.
2: Google Trends
Validate demand with real search data. The keyword "quit vaping" was trending upwards for months when I first checked the data.
3: TikTok
Test keywords and trends fast. If content about your topic is going viral, there's an audience waiting for your app.
4: 99Designs
Run a contest, get 50-100 UI designs, pay only for the winner. I got 102 submissions for Puff Count and picked the best one.
5: Screens design
Spy on onboarding flows from top apps. Duolingo spent millions optimizing their onboarding. You can see every screen for free.
6: Paywall Screens
See which paywalls are printing for $25M+/month apps. Copy what works instead of guessing.
7: Upwork
Hire top devs from Eastern Europe. I found my CTO on Upwork. Best decision I ever made.
8: Superwall
AB test paywalls remotely without pushing app updates. This tool 10X'd my MRR. Went from $3k to $30k/month just by testing pricing, copy, and design.
9: RevenueCat
Track LTV, churn, and revenue. Know exactly what each user is worth so you can scale ads profitably.
10: Posted
Run creator contests. Get videos for your app, pay only for the ones you love. I used Posted to market Posted. Got a $0.37 cost per install.
All of these tools are free to start. They only cost money once you're making money.
If you're building solo, these tools are your unfair advantage.
Peace,
Steven