Solo dev's Mac app hits 128 paying users, thanks to niche subreddits
A 's Mac app reached 128 paying users: 90 through the Mac App Store and 38 through Stripe. Early on, the endless list of tasks — , , website, bug fixes — became exhausting, and the developer nearly abandoned the project, going back to client work and leaving only a online. Weeks later, checking back revealed that 40 strangers had joined the waitlist, some replying to emails.
One person said they had discovered the app through ChatGPT even though it wasn't available yet. That response was enough motivation to resume work. The most effective channel for early users was Reddit — not broad, generic communities like r/SaaS, but small, Mac-focused communities where people already buy apps.
Two posts there drove about 12,000 views, hundreds of comments, and a few hundred visitors, and more importantly generated real, usable feedback. Another lesson was to launch before everything feels ready: the first evening after launch was messy, with a broken download link, crashes on some Macs, and one customer never receiving their license, requiring the developer to manually email DMG installer files to fix it.
Key points
- Mac app reached 128 paying users: 90 via Mac App Store, 38 via Stripe
- Nearly abandoned the project from burnout, then resumed after seeing 40 strangers join the waitlist and reply to emails
- One user discovered the app through ChatGPT before it was even released
- Small, niche Mac-focused outperformed broad communities like r/SaaS for early users and feedback
- Launched before it felt ready, and manually fixed a broken download link, crashes, and a missing license via email