How to Get Users for Your App: A Beginner’s Growth Guide
Most apps die with zero users, not because they are bad, but because nobody markets them. This beginner’s guide covers pre-launch audience building, ASO, free and paid channels, a 4-week launch plan, and the metrics that actually matter.
Building the app is the easy part, getting users is where most founders get stuck. The majority of apps launch to near-zero downloads, not because they are bad, but because nobody markets them. This beginner’s guide gives you a complete, no-jargon growth playbook: how to build an audience before launch, the ASO basics that win free installs, the free and paid channels that actually work, a 4-week launch plan, and the metrics that tell you what is working. Built your app yet? Create one free with Appy Pie AI.
What This Guide Covers
- Build an audience pre-launch
- ASO basics that win installs
- Free growth channels that work
- Paid acquisition for beginners
- A 4-week launch plan
- The metrics that matter
Build the app in days, then grow it. Rated 4.7/5 on G2 from 1,388 reviews.
Build Your App to GrowTL;DR Quick Summary
To get users for your app, start before launch by building an audience (a waitlist, building in public, and joining communities where your users already are). At launch, nail App Store Optimization (ASO), title and subtitle keywords, screenshots, description and reviews, so you win free, high-intent installs. Then layer on free channels (content, Reddit and niche forums, Product Hunt, cross-promotion, referrals) and, once the product retains users, paid ads (Apple Search Ads, Google App Campaigns, Meta and TikTok). Focus on retention, not vanity downloads, pick one channel at a time, and give it more than two weeks.
Build Your App to Grow →Table of Contents
Jump to any section: why apps die with no users, what user acquisition is, pre-launch audience building, ASO basics, free channels, paid acquisition, channel-by-app-type, the budget breakdown, the 4-week launch plan, the metrics that matter, 5 mistakes to avoid, and an FAQ.
Why Most Apps Die With Zero Users
The App Growth Playbook, In Order
Growth works best as a sequence: understand the funnel, build an audience before launch, win free installs with ASO, expand with free channels, then add paid ads once the app retains users.
What Is App User Acquisition?
User acquisition (UA) is the process of getting people to download and use your app. Simple as that. But “download” and “use” are two very different things, and the gap between them is where most apps fail.
There are two broad categories of user acquisition: organic and paid.
| App Category | Average CPI (iOS) | Average CPI (Android) |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | $2.50 – $4.00 | $1.20 – $2.50 |
| E-Commerce / Shopping | $2.00 – $3.50 | $1.00 – $2.00 |
| Health & Fitness | $2.50 – $4.50 | $1.30 – $2.80 |
| Education | $2.00 – $3.80 | $0.80 – $1.80 |
| Productivity / SaaS | $3.00 – $5.00 | $1.50 – $3.00 |
| Social Networking | $2.80 – $4.50 | $1.20 – $2.50 |
| Finance | $3.50 – $6.00 | $2.00 – $4.00 |
| Food & Delivery | $2.50 – $4.00 | $1.50 – $3.00 |
Pre-Launch: Build an Audience Before You Build the App
The worst time to start thinking about marketing is after your app is live. By then, you are already behind. The best app launches happen when there are people waiting, and picking the best time to launch your app gives that early momentum an extra push. Not thousands. Even 50 people who signed up for your waitlist and are genuinely excited to try your app is enough to create momentum on day one.
Here is what to do in the weeks and months before launch.
App Store Optimization (ASO) Basics for Beginners
ASO is like SEO for apps. It determines whether people find your app when they search the App Store or Google Play. And here is why it matters so much: roughly 65% of all app downloads come directly from App Store search. If your app does not rank for relevant keywords, you are invisible to the majority of potential users.
The good news: ASO is free. It just takes research and iteration. The bad news: most developers treat it as an afterthought. They spend months building the app and five minutes writing the store listing. That is backwards.
Free Growth Channels That Actually Work
Most beginners do not have an advertising budget, and that is fine. Plenty of successful apps got their first few thousand users entirely through free channels. The trade-off is obvious: free channels cost time instead of money. You will spend hours creating content, engaging in communities, and building relationships. But for a solo founder or small team on a tight budget, these are your best bet.
Paid User Acquisition for Beginners
Paid user acquisition is a powerful tool, but it is the wrong tool at the wrong time for most beginners. Here is the honest truth: if your app does not retain organic users, it will not retain paid users either. Paid channels just deliver the same users faster. They do not make a bad product better.
Start spending money on ads AFTER:
| App Category | iOS CPI | Android CPI | Good CPI Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gaming (Casual) | $1.50 – $3.00 | $0.80 – $1.80 | Under $2.00 |
| Gaming (Midcore/Hardcore) | $3.00 – $6.00 | $2.00 – $4.00 | Under $4.00 |
| E-Commerce | $2.00 – $3.50 | $1.00 – $2.00 | Under $2.50 |
| Health & Fitness | $2.50 – $4.50 | $1.30 – $2.80 | Under $3.00 |
| Education | $2.00 – $3.80 | $0.80 – $1.80 | Under $2.50 |
| Productivity | $3.00 – $5.00 | $1.50 – $3.00 | Under $3.50 |
| Social Networking | $2.80 – $4.50 | $1.20 – $2.50 | Under $3.00 |
| Finance | $3.50 – $6.00 | $2.00 – $4.00 | Under $4.00 |
Which Growth Channel Works for Which App Type?
Not every channel fits every app. Use this matrix to prioritize the channels that matter most for your category.
| Channel | On-Demand / Delivery | E-Commerce | Social / Community | Education | Productivity / SaaS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASO | Essential | Essential | Essential | Essential | Essential |
| Content Marketing | Moderately Effective | Very Effective | Moderately Effective | Essential | Essential |
| Reddit / Forums | Less Effective | Moderately Effective | Very Effective | Very Effective | Very Effective |
| Product Hunt | Less Effective | Moderately Effective | Very Effective | Moderately Effective | Essential |
| Referral Programs | Essential | Very Effective | Essential | Very Effective | Very Effective |
| Apple Search Ads | Very Effective | Very Effective | Moderately Effective | Very Effective | Very Effective |
| Google App Campaigns | Very Effective | Essential | Moderately Effective | Very Effective | Very Effective |
| Social Media Ads | Very Effective | Essential | Very Effective | Moderately Effective | Moderately Effective |
| TikTok Ads | Moderately Effective | Very Effective | Essential | Moderately Effective | Less Effective |
| Local Marketing | Essential | Moderately Effective | Less Effective | Less Effective | Less Effective |
| Partnerships | Very Effective | Very Effective | Very Effective | Very Effective | Essential |
Growth Budget Breakdown: $0 vs $100 vs $500
You can get your first users on almost any budget. Here is what each tier buys you.
| Channel / Action | $0 Budget | $100 Budget | $500 Budget |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASO Optimization | Manual research, App Store auto-suggest | Same + basic ASO tool (Sensor Tower free tier) | Same + paid ASO tool for competitor keyword data |
| Content Marketing | 3-4 blog posts, 10+ social posts | Same + Canva Pro for better graphics ($13) | Same + freelance writer for 2 additional posts ($100) |
| Reddit / Forums | 2 weeks community building, helpful answers | Same (spending money here is counterproductive) | Same |
| Product Hunt Launch | Full launch, organic outreach | Same (PH is free to launch on) | Same + professional thumbnail design ($30) |
| Apple Search Ads | Not possible | $50 for 2-week keyword test (~25-50 installs) | $200 for 4-week campaign (~100-200 installs) |
| Google App Campaigns | Not possible | Not recommended (budget too low for algorithm) | $150 for 2-week test (~75-300 installs) |
| Social Media Ads | Not possible | $37 for 1-week test on one platform (~10-37 installs) | $120 for 2-week test across 2 platforms (~30-120 installs) |
| Referral Program | Built into app, no cost if digital reward | Same | Same + $50 for referral bonuses/rewards |
| Email Marketing | Mailchimp free tier (up to 500 contacts) | Same | Same or upgrade to paid tier for automation |
The 4-Week App Launch Plan
A simple, week-by-week plan to take your app from pre-launch to scaling what works.
Pre-Launch Prep
This week is about making sure everything is ready before you push the launch button.
Launch Week
Your app is live. This is the most intense week. Block off your calendar.
Feedback and Optimization
The adrenaline of launch week fades. This is where discipline kicks in.
Scale What Works
By now, you have three weeks of data. You know which channel drove the most installs. Double down on it.
Metrics That Matter (And What Good Looks Like)
Not all metrics are created equal. Some make you feel good. Others tell you the truth. You want the truth-telling metrics, even when the truth is uncomfortable.
| App Category | Day 1 Retention | Day 7 Retention | Day 30 Retention |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gaming | 28 – 35% | 12 – 18% | 4 – 8% |
| E-Commerce | 22 – 28% | 10 – 15% | 5 – 9% |
| Health & Fitness | 25 – 32% | 13 – 20% | 6 – 10% |
| Education | 20 – 28% | 10 – 16% | 4 – 8% |
| Productivity | 22 – 30% | 12 – 18% | 6 – 11% |
| Social Networking | 25 – 35% | 14 – 22% | 7 – 12% |
| Finance | 22 – 30% | 12 – 18% | 6 – 10% |
| Food & Delivery | 18 – 25% | 8 – 14% | 4 – 8% |
5 Beginner Mistakes That Kill App Growth
Avoid these common traps and you will be ahead of most first-time app founders.
Spending Money on Ads Before the Product Is Ready
A developer I know built a meditation app and spent $2,000 on Facebook ads the week after launch. The app had 12 reviews (average 3.2 stars), a confusing onboarding flow that asked users to create an account before they could try anything, and no push notification system to bring users back.
Ignoring ASO and Relying Only on Social Media
Social media is noisy. Your app launch post competes with memes, news, celebrity gossip, and your follower’s friend’s engagement photos. Even if someone sees your post, they have to remember it later when they are in the App Store.
Launching Everywhere at Once Instead of One Channel
The temptation is real: post on Reddit, X, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Product Hunt, IndieHackers, BetaList, and Hacker News all on the same day. Spread the word as far as possible, right?
Focusing on Downloads Instead of Retention
I have seen founders celebrate hitting 5,000 downloads and then go silent three months later because the app failed. When I asked what happened, the answer was always the same: users downloaded but did not stay.
Giving Up After Two Weeks
This is the most common and the most tragic. Someone builds an app, launches it, gets 50 downloads in two weeks, and concludes that “nobody wants this.” They stop posting, stop engaging in communities, stop updating the app. It slowly fades into the App Store graveyard.
First, Build an App Worth Getting Users For
Growth starts with a solid, retainable product. Build your app on Appy Pie AI no-code platform, launch to the app stores, and put this playbook to work.
Build Your App Free Read: App Store Optimization GuideFrequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to get your first 1,000 app users?
For most indie apps with a limited budget, expect 2 to 4 months to reach 1,000 users. This timeline assumes you are actively doing ASO, content marketing, and community engagement. Apps with a pre-launch waitlist or a Product Hunt launch can sometimes hit 1,000 in the first month. Apps relying solely on organic App Store search might take 3 to 6 months. The biggest variable is not the marketing effort but the product itself. If your app solves a real problem well, users tell their friends, and growth accelerates. If retention is low, every new user leaks out the bottom of the funnel.
What is the cheapest way to get app users?
App Store Optimization is the cheapest way to acquire users because it costs zero dollars and drives the highest volume of installs for most apps. After ASO, content marketing (blogging, YouTube, TikTok) and community engagement (Reddit, forums, Discord) are the next cheapest options. These cost time but not money. Referral programs are also cost-effective because your existing users do the marketing for you. The one free channel most people overlook is simply responding to every single app review. It costs nothing, improves your rating, and builds trust with potential users reading reviews.
Is ASO really that important for new apps?
Yes. 65% of all app installs come from App Store search, making ASO the single most important growth lever for any app. Without ASO, your app is invisible to the majority of potential users. The good news is that ASO for new apps is relatively easy to improve because most developers neglect it. Simply adding relevant keywords to your title, optimizing your first three screenshots, and writing a compelling description can increase your organic installs by 50% or more. You do not need an ASO tool to start. Manual research using App Store auto-suggest gives you enough data for your first optimization pass.
How much should I spend on app marketing as a beginner?
Start with $0 and add budget only after you have validated that users are retaining. Many successful indie apps spent nothing on marketing for their first 3 to 6 months. If you want to test paid channels, $100 is enough for a meaningful Apple Search Ads test. $500 lets you test across multiple channels (Apple Search Ads, Google App Campaigns, one social platform). You can also experiment with export LinkedIn Sales Navigator leads to outreach to build early visibility and connect with potential users organically. Never spend more on marketing than you can afford to lose entirely, because early campaigns are learning exercises, not guaranteed returns.
When should I start marketing my app?
Start marketing at least 4 to 6 weeks before your app launches. This means building a waitlist landing page, creating social media profiles, joining relevant communities, and sharing your development journey in public. The biggest mistake first-time founders make is thinking about marketing only after the app is live. By the time you launch, you should have an email list of at least 50 interested people, an established presence in 2 to 3 communities, and social media accounts with a few weeks of content history. Pre-launch marketing ensures you have users waiting on day one instead of starting from zero.
What is a good retention rate for a new app?
A good Day 7 retention rate for a new app is 15 to 20%, depending on your category. Day 1 retention above 25% means your onboarding works. Day 7 above 15% means users found ongoing value. Day 30 above 6% means you have real stickiness. These numbers vary significantly by category. Social apps and messaging apps tend to have higher retention because of network effects. Utility and e-commerce apps have lower retention because usage is event-driven rather than daily. If your Day 7 is below 10%, focus all your energy on improving the product before investing in user acquisition.
Growth Is a Discipline, Not Luck
The apps that win users are not the ones with the biggest budgets, they are the ones that build an audience early, nail ASO, pick one channel at a time, and optimize for retention over vanity downloads. Run this playbook in order and give each step time to work. Need the app itself first? Appy Pie AI no-code app builder gets you launch-ready fast.
Start Building Free →Build, Launch and Grow with Appy Pie AI
No code, no developers. Build a retainable app, publish to Android and iOS, and start winning your first users.
Start Building Free4.7/5 on G2 with 1,388 reviews | 10M+ apps & sites built since 2016
Aasif Khan
Head of SEO and Growth Marketing Lead at Appy Pie AI with 17+ years in digital marketing, AI-powered optimization, and scalable growth strategies.
Abhinav Girdhar
Founder and CEO of Appy Pie AI. Builder of one of the world’s largest no-code and AI platforms, with 10M+ apps and websites created.