This ASO Hack Got 8,900 Installs & 600+ Ratings in 2 Days for an iOS App

A simple App Store strategy turned two indie apps—SnapLeaf and PhotoCaption AI—from near-invisible to getting consistent downloads within days. The growth wasn’t viral luck. It was a carefully executed campaign: offering a free lifetime product for 24-48 hours, promoted through high-leverage channels like Reddit, AppAdvice, and Indie App Santa.

Both developers followed a repeatable process: optimize ASO, time the launch, collect reviews, and restore pricing quickly to capitalize on momentum.

Plant Identifier - SnapLeaf: Reddit and Free Lifetime Giveaway

On 5th June 2025, the SnapLeaf developer Morgan listed his $29.99/year app as free for life.

Using StoreUtils, he offered 500 lifetime codes and shared the promotion across subreddits like r/iosapps and r/ProductivityApps. The posts gained traction quickly due to clear value and urgency.

The strategy paid off:

• Thousands of installs within days

• High engagement from Reddit

• No paid ads required

The hard paywall was key to convert more users.

These are its first 7 day stats:

$185 MRR for 7 days is not too shabby.

PhotoCaption AI: 9,000+ Downloads in 2 Days with AppAdvice

Another indie developer Juanjo ran a 24-hour free campaign for PhotoCaption AI using AppAdvice's "Apps Gone Free" feature.

The results were immediate:

• 5,000+ downloads on day one

• 3,300+ on day two

Revenue was initially low—just $40—but the app had significantly increased its visibility.

After the campaign ended:

• Total downloads exceeded 8,900

• Ratings jumped from 5 to over 600 in two weeks

• Organic downloads stabilized at 20–30 per day

• Maintained a 4.76 rating average across 66 countries

This works because processing 1000s of images using AI models like Gemini 2.5 Flash now cost <$1, making it affordable for developer to offer lifetime pricing without breaking their bank.

And countless people download things just because it's free without ever using the product.

The Strategy Behind Both Successes

These campaigns follow a proven growth framework popularized by app marketing strategist Steve P. Young. The formula is clear:

1. Create a non-consumable lifetime in-app product

   • Must not be a subscription or consumable item

   • Or control your costs using cheaper AI models like Gemini 2.5 Flash or free models like Mistral

2. Schedule a temporary price drop to $0 for 48 hours

   • Use App Store Connect or RevenueCat to control pricing in real-time

3. Promote through discovery platforms

   • AppAdvice (free)

   • Indie App Santa (paid, usually higher reach)

4. Prompt users for reviews

   • Ideally during onboarding and after the "purchase"

5. Return to regular pricing after the promo ends

6. Optionally, run a follow-up discounted campaign

   • A $5–$10 lifetime offer works well on Indie App Santa

This method takes advantage of download velocity to improve App Store keyword rankings. In Steve’s most successful case study, an AI app using this exact strategy received 106,000 downloads and generated $77,000 in the first month, spending just $1,000 on server costs. Ratings jumped by 800, and keyword rankings soared.

Indie App Santa campaigns were especially useful after AppAdvice promotions. While AppAdvice provided initial volume for free, Indie App Santa allowed developers to monetize with discounted lifetime sales afterward.

Here's how it works:

• Accelerates downloads quickly, boosting ASO rankings

• Builds user trust through rapid review accumulation

• Drives long-tail organic installs

• Creates urgency through limited-time free access

On a decent product with a strong keyword, this strategy can be a game-changer. It's a win-win situation for both the developer and the user. The developer gets more downloads and higher ratings plus a push from Apple ASO, while the user gets a great product at a discounted price or for free.

Top Tweets of the day

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