Once, the App Store empowered indie creators - small teams could launch great apps and find users easily. But in 2025, that era feels long gone, with algorithms, big players, and pay-to-win discoverability reshaping everything.
Is there still a real chance for indie iOS developers today, or has Apple’s evolving ecosystem made independent success nearly impossible?
Once, the App Store empowered indie creators - small teams could launch great apps
Nothing has changed in that respect. There are more opportunities now for people to build low-quality apps by using low-quality, cross-platform frameworks and tools. But people are still able to launch great apps with discipline, intelligence, and hard work.
and find users easily
This part has changed. There are lots more apps to choose from, a radically different marketplace, and different user expectations. It now takes more work and more time to find users.
But in 2025, that era feels long gone, with algorithms, big players, and pay-to-win discoverability reshaping everything.
Many things have changed over the past 17 years.
Is there still a real chance for indie iOS developers today, or has Apple’s evolving ecosystem made independent success nearly impossible?
Many people are having success. They're just focused on their products and providing a great experience for their customers. Posting content on social media doesn't help with that. That's why you see so much negativity. Negativity and hate, not success, are what drive social media.
I think one big difference from 2008 is the idea of "indie". Back then, it generally meant working for yourself instead of working for some larger company. These days, it essentially means someone makes a few hundred dollars from 6 months of work. On social media, people cheer making a billion dollars and making 25. But nobody wants to hear about making a living.
It does take more work now. Being a developer isn't enough. One also needs to know how to run a business, advertise, attract customers, and support them. At first, everything was new, and that was easy. Now, people expect Apple to do all that for them. When that doesn't happen, they try cheats and scams, which usually get traction in social media. Avoid the labels and build software that people will value.
A thoughtful reflection on the changing App Store landscape, highlighting the challenges indie developers face and questioning if true independence is still achievable today.
