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Interviews with the experts behind the biggest apps in the App Store. Hosts David Barnard and Jacob Eiting dive deep to unlock insights, strategies, and stories that you can use to carve out your slice of the 'trillion-dollar App Store opportunity'.

  1. How the World's #1 VPN App Reached 1 Billion Downloads – Tanuj Chatterjee, Super Unlimited

    1D AGO

    How the World's #1 VPN App Reached 1 Billion Downloads – Tanuj Chatterjee, Super Unlimited

    On the podcast: the product-driven growth loop behind the #1 VPN app in the world, why they intentionally leave money on the table, and how the prettiest design often loses in their A/B tests.Top Takeaways: 📐 Your top-of-funnel is a product decision, not a marketing oneThe apps that dominate app store search aren't winning because of ad spend; they're winning because frictionless, high-quality free experiences generate the ratings volume and engagement signals that compound into organic dominance. 💸 A low conversion rate can be a sign of a great free productIf your free tier is genuinely excellent, your conversion rate will look bad on paper. That's not a problem to fix — it's a trade-off to own deliberately, especially if volume and LTV math still works. 🛡️ Restraint in monetization is a growth strategy Aggressive paywalls, forced ads on first install, and dark patterns erode the trust that drives word-of-mouth and ratings. Leaving money on the table in the short term protects the flywheel that generates far more over time. 🔧 Service quality is the moat that marketing can't replicate The first 85% of any app is a commodity. The last 15% — the edge cases, the network transitions, the offline states — is where category leaders are built and where competitors quietly give up. 🗂️ Put customer support inside the product team When support reports to product rather than a separate org, the feedback loop from user pain to product fix closes in days, not months. The slower the loop, the more quality debt you accumulate. 📸 Your A/B test data will humble your design instincts The prettier, more modern screenshot almost always loses. Users gravitate toward what they already recognize, and familiarity beats novelty in app store conversion tests far more often than designers expect. About Tanuj Chatterjee: 🚀CEO, Super Unlimited, a global leader in building trusted VPN, eSIM, and security products that put users' privacy first. 👋LinkedIn 📲Super Unlimited Careers Page Follow us on X:  David Barnard - @drbarnardJacob Eiting - @jeitingRevenueCat - @RevenueCatSubClub - @SubClubHQEpisode Highlights:[0:00] The Super Unlimited Journey: From product acquisition to global success.[3:15] Building a Billion-Download VPN: How Super Unlimited achieved such rapid growth.[6:50] The Freemium Philosophy: Why Super Unlimited offers a powerful free version of their app.[10:00] Monetization and User Trust: How they balance free and paid models without over-monetizing.[14:30] Service Quality Over Design Trends: The surprising reason Super Unlimited keeps it simple.[20:45] User Privacy: How Super Unlimited protects users while scaling.[25:10] The Power of Organic Growth: How word-of-mouth and product-driven growth led to massive success.[30:00] Handling Global Challenges: The complexities of serving users in different regions.[35:00] The Future of Super Unlimited: What’s next for Super Unlimited as they expand their product suite.[40:02] Lessons for Entrepreneurs: What Tanuj has learned along the way and the advice he’d give to new founders.

    50 min
  2. Bootstrapped to $6.7M ARR and an Exit to Quizlet in 2 Years – Brett Bauman & Zack Hargett, Coconote

    MAR 18

    Bootstrapped to $6.7M ARR and an Exit to Quizlet in 2 Years – Brett Bauman & Zack Hargett, Coconote

    On the podcast: hitting $1M ARR in four months with no paid ads, why trial extensions beat discounts for saving cancellations, and why you should be hiring content creators, not influencers. Top Takeaways: 📈 Momentum is oxygen — get to revenue fast Reaching your first dollars quickly, even with a minimal product, creates a flywheel of confidence and capital that compounds over time. 🎯 Frame your product as a solution, not a toy Content that positions your app as the answer to a real problem converts; content that makes it look fun and novel does not. 🤝 Hire content creators, not influencers Follower counts are irrelevant in the age of algorithmic distribution. Look for creators with 5K followers and a Gmail address, avoid influencers repped by an agency. ⏳ Trial extensions beat discounts for saving cancellations When a user tries to cancel during a free trial, offering more time converts better than offering a lower price, and it avoids devaluing your product. 🚪 Move login to after the paywall Forcing account creation before users have experienced any value is a silent conversion killer. Removing it from the front of onboarding can cut drop-off by 10% or more. About Brett Bauman & Zack Hargett: 🚀Brett Bauman & Zack Hargett, Co-founders, Coconote, an AI-powered note-taking app revolutionizing how students engage with lectures. 👋 Brett Bauman LinkedIn 👋 Zack Hargett LinkedIn 💬Brett on X  - @brttbmn 💬Zack on X- @zackhargett 🖥️ Quizlet website 📩  Quizlet careers Follow us on X:  David Barnard - @drbarnardJacob Eiting - @jeitingRevenueCat - @RevenueCatSubClub - @SubClubHQEpisode Highlights:[0:00] Introducing Coconote: The AI note-taking app that scaled to millions in ARR[2:15] The founding insight: Why students desperately needed better notes[5:05] Launch momentum: Hitting $100K ARR in the first 45 days[7:40] From idea to $1M ARR in just four months[10:12] Why most founders misunderstand marketing early on[12:31] The key distribution insight: Where your customers actually spend time online[15:22] Creator marketing vs influencer marketing: Why the difference matters[18:05] How short-form content became Coconote’s primary growth engine[21:40] Turning viral attention into real revenue with better messaging[24:25] Premium pricing for students: Why Coconote charged $99+ per year[27:11] Building trust when your product affects exams and grades[30:03] Improving conversions: The onboarding experiments that increased trial starts[33:20] Removing friction: Why login moved after the paywall[36:05] Retention lessons: Why trial extensions beat discounts[39:00] The psychology behind cancellations and keeping users subscribed[42:10] Managing explosive growth while keeping the team small[45:35] Acquisition conversations with Quizlet begin[48:10] Keeping acquisition talks confidential while running the company[51:05] The emotional moment when the acquisition finally closed[54:01] Reflecting on the journey from scrappy startup to exit[56:22] Final lessons for founders building AI products today

    1h 6m
  3. How ElevenLabs Turns Feature Launches Into a Growth Engine – Luke Harries

    MAR 9

    How ElevenLabs Turns Feature Launches Into a Growth Engine – Luke Harries

    On the podcast: how ElevenLabs turns every new feature launch into a growth engine, how they're deploying over a hundred million dollars in paid ads, and why directing AI agents is quickly becoming a core skill for marketers and solo founders. This conversation is shorter than usual and will be featured in RevenueCat’s State of Subscription Apps report. Each episode in this series will explore one crucial topic and share actionable insights from top subscription app operators. Top Takeaways: 🚀Turn every feature launch into a full-funnel growth engineDon't just ship and announce. Coordinate each release across organic posts, landing pages, and refreshed ad creative simultaneously so earned attention compounds into paid efficiency. 💰 Train a custom GPT on your own winning ad copyFeed your top and bottom performing Meta and Google copy into a custom GPT, then use it to rapidly translate brand messaging into proven high-performing ad formats. It turns institutional knowledge into a scalable creative tool. 🤖Directing AI agents is the new core marketing skillThe future of marketing isn't just using AI tools but directing agents to handle messaging, storyboarding, ad creation, and localization, all grounded in your creative taste and brand direction. About Luke Harries: 🚀Growth / Engineering at ElevenLabs, is an AI research and product company transforming how we interact with technology. Their vision is to make communication and creation with technology seamless. 👋 LinkedIn Follow us on X:  David Barnard - @drbarnardJacob Eiting - @jeitingRevenueCat - @RevenueCatSubClub - @SubClubHQEpisode Highlights:[0:00] Introduction to Luke Harries, Growth Lead at ElevenLabs[1:05] ElevenLabs' approach to growth through "growth engines"[2:20] The power of AI to unlock viral moments during product launches[3:34] How ElevenLabs maximizes attention through paid ads alongside earned media[4:41] The role of AI in optimizing ad copy and creative for paid campaigns[5:42] Balancing AI-generated content with UGC and in-house production[7:32] Why ElevenLabs stays away from AI influencers for product endorsements[8:51] Leveraging user-generated content (UGC) for effective campaigns[10:30] How ElevenLabs plans to spend over $100M in paid ads and approach campaign scaling[11:38] The importance of localization and segmentation in paid advertising[12:56] How ElevenLabs measures success and uses data to adjust their budget allocation[13:18] Blending brand-building with performance marketing[14:53] The future of marketing with AI-driven creative direction[16:39] How AI could enable solo founders to create billion-dollar startups[17:45] ElevenLabs' upcoming product, Flows, and recruitment efforts

    17 min
  4. Why App Economy Disruption Won’t Happen As Fast As Everyone Thinks – Eric Seufert

    MAR 8

    Why App Economy Disruption Won’t Happen As Fast As Everyone Thinks – Eric Seufert

    On the podcast: why app economy disruption won't happen as fast as everyone seems to think, how AI is just as useful for defending against copycats as creating them, and why the real barrier to app success is still distribution, not code.  This conversation is shorter than usual and will be featured in RevenueCat’s State of Subscription Apps report. Each episode in this series will explore one crucial topic and share actionable insights from top subscription app operators. Top Takeaways: 📲Distribution is the moat, not codeAs AI lowers the barrier to building apps, it raises the barrier to getting discovered. More software competing for attention means user acquisition becomes harder and more expensive, not easier. 🛡️Use AI to defend against copycats, not just to build fasterUse AI to scan the app store daily for copycat apps, monitor rising competitors, and track their ads. Build automated defense processes that keep you ahead of clones. 📊App economy disruption won't happen as fast as everyone thinksNo-code tools, game engines like Unity, and now vibe coding have all promised to democratize app building. None eliminated the real barriers: distribution, product intuition, and the compounding advantage of iterating on user feedback over years. About Eric Seufert: 🚀 Founder of Mobile Dev Memo, a mobile advertising and freemium monetization trade blog. 👋 LinkedIn Follow us on X:  David Barnard - @drbarnardJacob Eiting - @jeitingRevenueCat - @RevenueCatSubClub - @SubClubHQEpisode Highlights:[0:00] Introduction to Eric Seufert, Founder of Mobile Dev Memo[1:00] Why disruption in the app economy is taking longer than expected[2:00] The real barrier to app success: Distribution over code[3:15] How AI is reshaping app development and marketing[4:30] Eric’s thoughts on why AI won’t eliminate the need for great apps[5:45] Standing out in a saturated app market: How to break through[7:00] The role of customer feedback in driving growth[8:15] Why vibe coding isn’t sustainable for scalable app development[9:30] Using AI defensively against copycats in the app economy[10:45] The importance of scalable user acquisition strategies[12:00] The long-term impact of AI on app monetization[13:15] Balancing revenue and user experience in app monetization[14:30] Why building a successful app requires technical expertise and distribution[15:45] The evolving app economy and AI’s future role in scaling[17:00] Closing thoughts on staying competitive in an ever-changing market

    20 min
  5. The Art of Driving Retention Through Product – Ben Gammon, Ladder

    MAR 7

    The Art of Driving Retention Through Product – Ben Gammon, Ladder

    On the podcast: product-driven retention as the foundation for lifecycle marketing, working backwards from results to nail activation, and why talking to individual users can lead you astray. This conversation is shorter than usual and will be featured in RevenueCat’s State of Subscription Apps report. Each episode in this series will explore one crucial topic and share actionable insights from top subscription app operators. Top Takeaways: 🎯 Product-driven retention is the foundation for lifecycle marketingLifecycle marketing hacks and perfect push notifications won't save you if the core product doesn't deliver results. Work backwards from what users say in five-star reviews to identify the results that matter, then build the product loop around consistently delivering those results. 📊 Teach features in the moment, not in onboardingUsers adopt features at far higher rates when coached during the action itself. In-context prompts while users are actively engaged are far more effective than FAQs or standalone tutorials. ⚡ Surveys beat user interviews for consumer product decisionsIndividual interviews with five to ten users can lead you astray in diverse consumer markets. Large-scale recurring surveys provide stronger signal and reduce the risk of over-indexing on outlier feedback. About Ben Gammon:  🚀 VP of Product at Ladder, a fitness app dedicated to providing the world's best strength training plan from the world's best coaches, every single day. 👋 LinkedIn Follow us on X:  David Barnard - @drbarnardJacob Eiting - @jeitingRevenueCat - @RevenueCatSubClub - @SubClubHQEpisode Highlights:[0:00] Introduction to Ben Gammon, VP of Product at Ladder[1:08] Ben explains product-driven retention at Ladder[1:55] Retention is the key metric for Ladder's success[2:50] Activation: Work backward from user results to simplify the experience[3:53] Introducing the journal feature to track progress and boost retention[6:10] The journal as a reinforcement loop for ongoing user engagement[6:37] The widget: A powerful external tool for retention and reminders[7:30] Using subconscious interactions with the widget to maintain user engagement[8:09] Balancing user feedback with business goals and company vision[9:23] Collecting feedback through chat, surveys, and AI tools[10:19] Using feedback to create a positive feedback loop for improvements[11:47] Nutrition tracking: The next major retention challenge[14:15] Hybrid users (workout + nutrition) show higher retention rates[15:03] Secondary product-market fit: How nutrition complements fitness goals[17:03] User expectations vs. behavior: Asking for features but not always using them[18:08] AI and data help guide product iteration and decision-making[19:02] Ladder's vision for product expansion and retention growth[19:33] Ben discusses building a product-first team and a strong culture[20:01] Closing thoughts on user-focused product development

    22 min
  6. The 2026 State of Subscription Apps Report

    MAR 6

    The 2026 State of Subscription Apps Report

    On the podcast: what the explosion in new apps means for the market, how the top 10% of apps grew 306% while the median barely beat inflation, and why hard paywalls convert 5X better than freemium. This conversation is focused on RevenueCat’s State of Subscription Apps report. Head to https://www.revenuecat.com/state-of-subscription-apps to download the report. Top Takeaways:📊 The app economy is a sorting machine The top 10% of apps grew 306% while the median grew just 5.3%, and that gap is only widening as AI raises the ceiling for the best-positioned apps. 💰 Hard paywalls crush freemium on conversion, but context matters Hard paywalls convert five times better than freemium (10.7% vs 2.1% download-to-paid by day 35) with nearly identical year-one retention, but freemium remains the right call when free users drive word of mouth, network effects, or long-term brand scale. ⚡ Day zero is your best shot at converting a user The first session is when users decide both whether to pay and whether to stay. The majority of trial cancellations happen on day zero, meaning users who don't see value immediately rarely come back to find it. 🤖 AI apps sell, but they don't stick AI-powered apps generate 41% more revenue per customer but people churn 30% faster. Apps that solve that retention problem early will own their category; those that don't are just riding a wave of consumer curiosity. 📈 The App Store is experiencing a supply shock The number of new subscription apps launching each month has grown 7X since 2022, creating a hyper-competitive environment where distribution, not just features, is the primary barrier to success. About RevenueCat:  🚀Jacob Eiting, CEO at RevenueCat. 👋LinkedIn 🚀David Barnard, Growth Advocate at RevenueCat. 👋LinkedIn Follow us on X:  David Barnard - @drbarnardJacob Eiting - @jeitingRevenueCat - @RevenueCatSubClub - @SubClubHQEpisode Highlights:[0:27] Unpacking the key findings from the 2026 State of Subscription Apps Report[2:52] How “vibe coding” and new AI development tools have dramatically lowered the barrier to building apps[5:42] The emerging “supply shock” in the app economy as cheaper development leads to a flood of new apps competing for the same users[20:13] Breaking down the SOSA report methodology and why low-traffic apps were excluded from the dataset[21:57] Why the report separates AI apps from non-AI apps—and how AI apps tend to generate higher revenue per paying user[23:15] The explosion of new subscription apps, with launches increasing roughly 7× since 2022[25:33] Why iOS now accounts for about 77% of new subscription app launches, and what that says about platform economics[30:19] The “power law” reality of the app economy: the top 10% of apps grew 306%, while the median app barely grew[39:20] A key finding from the report: hard paywalls convert about five times better than freemium models[45:42] Trial behavior insights: over half of free-trial cancellations happen on day zero[47:40] The “billion-dollar leak” on Google Play: a large share of cancellations come from involuntary billing failures[51:21] The AI app paradox: AI apps generate higher revenue per payer but also churn faster than traditional apps[54:51] Why longer free trials appear to convert better—and why the data may reflect correlation rather than causation[1:00:54] How AI agents could change how developers analyze subscription business data

    1h 6m
  7. How To Repurpose Offline Events Into Millions Of Online Impressions – Larissa Morimoto, PhotoRoom

    MAR 6

    How To Repurpose Offline Events Into Millions Of Online Impressions – Larissa Morimoto, PhotoRoom

    On the podcast: breaking free from the paid acquisition treadmill, how to repurpose offline events into millions of online impressions, and why a celebrity partnership can go viral but still completely flop. This conversation is shorter than usual and will be featured in RevenueCat’s State of Subscription Apps report. Each episode in this series will explore one crucial topic and share actionable insights from top subscription app operators. Top Takeaways:🎯 Measure brand campaigns by search uplift, not cost per installComparing offline and other brand campaign CPAs to paid acquisition CPAs kills creativity before it starts. Track branded search lift and run awareness surveys instead. 📹Design every offline moment for online distributionBring ad creatives to your events and plan for UGC from the start. An in-person activation that reached 15,000 people generated over 4 million impressions once repurposed across ads, social, and even LinkedIn. ⚠️Celebrity reach without audience fit is wasted spendA famous partner whose audience doesn't overlap with your ICP will move zero needles. Calm's LeBron James partnership was their most expensive and worst-performing campaign because his fans care about basketball, not better sleep. About Larissa Morimoto:  🚀 Senior Growth Manager (Special Projects) at PhotoRoom, the best AI photo and design platform for e-commerce. 👋 LinkedIn Follow us on X:  David Barnard - @drbarnardJacob Eiting - @jeitingRevenueCat - @RevenueCatSubClub - @SubClubHQEpisode Highlights:[0:00] Introduction to Larissa Morimoto, Senior Growth Manager at PhotoRoom[1:10] Why PhotoRoom is turning to offline marketing for growth[2:35] How offline experiences create real human connections with users[3:50] The importance of building brand love over chasing growth metrics[5:10] Turning offline interactions into user-generated content (UGC)[6:25] Why UGC is a key driver of PhotoRoom's digital strategy[7:40] The success of PhotoRoom’s London campaign and key learnings[9:05] How PhotoRoom uses creative campaigns to amplify brand awareness[10:20] The role of brand awareness in scaling beyond paid acquisition[12:15] Balancing offline and online efforts to maximize ROI[13:05] How PhotoRoom’s focus on emotional connections leads to long-term growth[13:45] The impact of celebrity partnerships and influencer marketing on brand perception[15:01] PhotoRoom’s strategy for turning offline events into online assets[16:20] Why PhotoRoom believes in repurposing content from offline campaigns for digital platforms[17:05] The importance of testing and experimenting with new marketing strategies[18:02] PhotoRoom’s creative offline campaigns[19:29] Larissa shares upcoming initiatives and job openings at PhotoRoom

    18 min
  8. Why Web Onboarding Should Sell The Problem, Instead Of The Solution – Leon Sasson, Rise Science

    MAR 5

    Why Web Onboarding Should Sell The Problem, Instead Of The Solution – Leon Sasson, Rise Science

    On the podcast: why web onboarding should sell the problem instead of the solution, how discounted paid trials are beating free trials, and why creative that flopped for app ads might crush it for web funnels. This conversation is shorter than usual and will be featured in RevenueCat’s State of Subscription Apps report. Each episode in this series will explore one crucial topic and share actionable insights from top subscription app operators. Top Takeaways: 🎯Web funnels should sell the problem, not the solutionApp onboarding works by rushing users to an "aha moment" because they already want a solution. Web audiences are higher in the consideration phase, so effective web funnels go deeper on helping users recognize and personalize the problem before introducing the product. 💰Discounted paid trials outperform free trials on webRise found that offering a heavily discounted first month instead of a free trial improves both conversion quality and ad optimization. Free trials often attract users who cancel immediately, polluting the signal that ad platforms use to find high-value customers. 🎨Creative that flops on app campaigns can crush it on web, and vice versaWeb funnels attract a different audience than app install campaigns, often older and more e-commerce minded. Rise runs creative across both channels separately and regularly finds winners on one side that failed on the other, effectively doubling the chances of finding a hit from every creative concept. About Leon Sasson:  🚀 Leon is Co-Founder and CTO at Rise Science. RISE is the first energy management app that makes it easy to improve your sleep and daily energy to reach your potential.  👋 LinkedIn Follow us on X:  David Barnard - @drbarnardJacob Eiting - @jeitingRevenueCat - @RevenueCatSubClub - @SubClubHQEpisode Highlights: [0:00] Introduction to Leon Sasson, Co-Founder & CTO at Rise Science[1:05] Leon discusses the evolution of web funnels and their unique challenges[2:10] The difference between app onboarding and web onboarding strategies[3:15] How Leon’s team pivoted to improve web funnels and found success[4:25] The shift in consumer behavior: Web audiences vs. app users[5:50] Insights on why discounted paid trials work better than free trials on the web[7:00] Balancing the user experience with a smooth billing process[8:20] How to test and optimize creatives for both web and app funnels[9:35] Leon’s approach to personalizing funnels based on user personas[10:40] Lessons learned from handling subscription billing outside Apple’s ecosystem [11:55] The future of hybrid monetization and web/app funnel strategies [12:30] Closing thoughts on evolving marketing and product strategies through testing and iteration

    21 min
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About

Interviews with the experts behind the biggest apps in the App Store. Hosts David Barnard and Jacob Eiting dive deep to unlock insights, strategies, and stories that you can use to carve out your slice of the 'trillion-dollar App Store opportunity'.

Information

  • Channel
    RevenueCat
  • Creator
    David Barnard, Jacob Eiting
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    162
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2023 RevenueCat
  • Show Website
    Sub Club by RevenueCat

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