$250 to $5K MRR: 5 App Store Packaging Rules That Actually Work

If your app is stuck between $10 - $300/month, you don't have a traffic problem. You have a packaging problem. You need to get users to stop scrolling and tap on your app. (Nothing else matters!)

New App Developer?

If you don't have an app, look at the top ranking App Store apps and mimic something that you would use. Simplify the design to 1-3 screens and ship it. Make a great product, and don't worry about revenue.

From $250 to $5,000 MRR

Viktor Seraleev (@seraleev) shared this moving story, which is what inspired this week's article (read the full tweet here):

One of Viktor's followers had an old app that was making money, but it was stuck on a plateau. The monthly recurring revenue (MRR) was $250-$300/month for years on end.

That developer started following @seraleev and made a few small changes:

A year ago he started following me. No drastic moves: just small, consistent changes. Organic traffic only. A few Reddit posts, some comments. The result? The MRR chart speaks for itself.

$5,031 Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) after improving the App Store packaging.

If your app isn't selling, you don't have a traffic problem. You have a packaging problem.

Try these 12 experiments from Viktor that you can run in the next 48 hours.

Here are the top 5 rules Viktor uses on every app he launches.

1. Icon

The icon is the first thing users see. If it doesn't earn the tap, nothing else gets a chance. It is important to have a simple design that conveys the idea of the app.

It needs to feel polished and professional, or users will scroll past it. Customers make decisions in seconds.

Look at his Video Templates & Audio Trends app for creating reels. Bold color. One clear subject. I needs to read clearly on the App Store search.

It doesn't have to be a professionally designed icon, but it does need to stand out. If you're early to the App Store, don't get attached to your app icon design. Experimenting will get you more downloads.

A video reels editor that helps with timing and shot composition.

Here are more examples of app icons from Viktor:

Viktor Seraleev's App Store icons are colorful and simple.

ChatGPT can give you a starting app icon while you iterate. Use this style of prompt to explore app concepts (icon or app screens). Create a prompt for a prompt, and then generate variations to find your style:

Create a prompt for a mood board for an iOS app icon that creates photo collages. Create 9 icons in a grid to explore variations. Be creative, keep the design simple so it is readable at 60x60 points.

Read the full prompt here.

Here is the resulting icon mood board.

An icon mood board from ChatGPT.

These are all great starting points that you can refine for composition. They aren't perfect, but they are very colorful and give you a sense of direction.

Let's take a look at how Viktor's Baby Frame app stands out versus the competition. Here are the top 23 apps for the term: Baby Frame.

Baby Frame is number one and is the only image that conveys a photo collage.

If you're stuck at 1% conversion, you need to start experimenting. Download 12 experiments you can run this weekend to make your app convert better.

2. Screenshots

Stylize real screens from your app. Use large readable text and tell a story across the sequence.

Take a look at this App Store search result with screenshots from Gifmo, one of Viktor's apps. It's a video to GIF generator:

Colorful screens, real emotion, and supportive text that is easy to read.

Gifmo's screenshots show a story:

First: Paint the picture with recognizable memes
Second: The template picker tool is teased
Third: The GIF video editor is shown

You understand the app before you ever tap Get. It's not a tutorial of how to use the app.

The first 3 screenshots are the most important because these are seen from the Search results on iOS (Look at the image above to see what customers see).

Read my article featuring @designerants' best practices for App Store screenshots.

Mar 27

3. Onboarding

Make your onboarding process 3–4 screens and show the outcome.

Do not teach how to use the app.
It should not be a tutorial.
Use one action per step.
Don't make the user work to understand what the app is.
Reinforce the messaging from the App Store screens in your onboarding.

Here is the onboarding from Gifmo:

Onboarding screens show what the app can do using videos.

The GOAL: Get the user to the "aha" moment as fast as possible. If they have to think or don't understand your app, you've lost them. They will close and delete your app.

Use a "Continue" button or a swipe gesture to guide the user to the next screen. Videos in onboarding improve conversions over static images. Try it.

4. Paywall

If you want to monetize the app, you need this step. 75% of Viktor's revenue comes from asking for money before using the app.

If you've ever sold a paid app for $5, this is no different.

You've already been able to get a user to download your app.
Let's show there is value worth paying for in the first session.
Think of your onboarding screens as a free trial into what your app can do.

If you can't do it now, you won't be able to do it later.

I once shipped a paywall that only 1% of users ever saw. Do the math: 1 in 100 vs. ALL 100 customers.

If only 1% of users see your paywall and you convert at 10%, you would need 1,000 people to download your app to get one paying customer.

That's HARD!

Here is the Gifmo paywall:

Gifmo's paywall.

Viktor puts the paywall right after the value moment. No hidden close button. No fake urgency. No price tricks.

Clear offer and clear value.

The App Store keeps changing rules, and you may not be able to do the "Free trial" toggle shown above. But you can leverage some of the tactics here:

Experiment with a 3-day, 7-day, or 30-day free trial
Weekly pricing: $5.99 - $7.99/week
Annual pricing: $29.99 - $59.99/year
Skip lifetime deals to drive recurring revenue

We're not making an app you would pay for; we're making an app that solves a problem the user is searching for.

If you price it based on your preferences, you will leave money on the table.

Let's break down the paywall above:

Annual pricing highlights the 90% discount ($312.34 vs $29.99)
Weekly math is calculated: $5.99/week vs. $0.58/week
App Store rating is shown for trust and social proof

These are all known sales tactics that work. If you want to sell something you need to use comparison, multiple offers, and easy numbers.

Don't make a user think twice about your pricing. If they do, you've already lost the sale.

If you want the exact experiments to run this weekend (icon tests, screenshot swaps, paywall placement), grab the 12-experiments here.

5. Simple User Flow

One screen. One action. Create a clear path forward.

Every extra tap is a chance to lose the user. Every decision they have to make is a chance for them to bounce. Remove anything that makes them stop and think.

This is why Viktor's apps feel obvious. He's already cut the clutter.

CollageKit shows vivid images and highlights the final outcome.

Focus on these 5 Key Points:

Icon: bold, clear, readable at thumbnail size
Screenshots: story sequence, value in position one
Onboarding: 3 to 4 screens or videos, paint the outcome
Paywall: right after onboarding, simple math
Flow: one screen, one action, clear path

If you want to monetize your app, find the value, tell a story, and improve your packaging.

Which of the five are you getting wrong right now? Reply below.

Building iOS/macOS apps with AI tools? Follow @PaulSolt for the workflows I'm actually using. P.S. Want to dig deeper? Read this post from Viktor and watch the video that @adamlyttleapps created about this app strategy.

P.P.S. Download 12 experiments you can run this weekend — inspired by Viktor Seraleev.