I shipped a free iOS outside-time tracker with a tip jar, then made the App Store page show the whole flow
I shipped Green Time Tracker, a small iPhone/iPad app for logging time spent outside. It is mostly for families doing annual outdoor-hours goals, but the broader idea is simple: notice whether you got outside, then put the phone away.
The app started because our family had been using paper/coloring trackers with the kids. Those were fun at home and much less fun when we were at a park, on a walk, or out running around and somebody had to remember the hours later. My wife asked if I could build a simple iPhone app for it, so I did.
The current version is native SwiftUI/SwiftData after an earlier React Native version. The rewrite was mostly an exercise in restraint: keep the Dashboard, quick logging, History, Settings, charts, streaks, and tags, but avoid turning outside time into another complicated dashboard.
The business model is also intentionally boring:
- No account.
- No backend.
- No ads.
- No tracking.
- No subscription.
- Optional tip jar, but it unlocks nothing.
v1.1.5 is now live with an App Store preview video, which feels like a small but useful milestone. Instead of explaining the app with more copy, the listing can show the actual flow: open Dashboard, log time, see progress, close the app.
I am curious how other indie devs think about this tradeoff. For a small utility that is meant to be used quickly and calmly, would you keep it free/tip-supported, charge up front, or eventually add paid features?
App Store:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/green-time-tracker/id6755641298
tip-jar-unlocks-nothing is honest and correct for a utility built for love. one thing worth naming though: that model pays real rent only above ~5-10k monthly actives at 1-2% tip rate. below that it's craft satisfaction, not iteration budget.
the tradeoff question isn't "add a paid tier now," it's "what install threshold would make me revisit this?" if you never expect to hit it, current model is right.
is the kids/family niche a big enough long-tail that ~10k feels reachable, or is this a labor-of-love ceiling?
Showing the whole flow directly on the App Store page instead of hiding behind screenshots is a bold, honest move — curious if that transparency has actually helped conversion, or if you're still gathering data on that.
Thanks. Still gathering data, and the numbers are tiny enough that I would not overclaim it yet.
The early signal is that product page views and conversion are both up since the preview went live, but we are talking small indie-app numbers, not a meaningful statistical sample. The part I like regardless is that the App Store page now filters expectations better. If someone watches the flow and thinks "yep, that is all I need," they are probably the right user. If they wanted teams, sync, dashboards, etc., the video makes it clear this is not that.
So my current read is: better trust and expectation-setting first, conversion optimization second.
"Better trust and expectation-setting first, conversion optimization second" is a great principle, especially for something as personal as a time/money app. Filtering out the wrong-fit users early probably saves you more support headaches down the line than a few extra installs would be worth.
I'm curious what convinced you removing subscriptions and feature gates creates a better product rather than simply a different pricing model.
Was there a point where you realized the business model itself could either reinforce or undermine the habit you wanted people to build?
Yes, that was basically the deciding point.
The app's job is to help someone notice outside time, log it quickly, and then get off the phone. Once I framed it that way, a subscription or feature gate started to feel misaligned. I would have been asking people to think about the app more, evaluate a paid tier, maybe manage an account, and generally spend more attention inside a tool that is supposed to be almost invisible.
That does not mean subscriptions are wrong for every utility. But for this one, free + optional tips felt more honest. The business model reinforces the product promise: no account, no dashboard addiction, no paywall around your own habit data. If the app earns anything, I would rather it come from goodwill after it has already been useful.
Appreciate the context.
Would be good to continue the conversation outside the thread.
What's the best email to reach you on?