
César Álvarez
@cesaralvarezll • 7,809 subscribers
I reverse-engineer how top apps grow. Building https://t.co/ekgZXWSesI Bootstrapping mobile apps 90K+ followers on @acadeller
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If you want to build a great onboarding for your app. Checkout how indie ios goat Yoni Smolyar did it with Brainrot. Onboarding: – Starts with a video demo – Clearly shows the problem – Smooth animations & interactions – Collects user data early – Explains how the app solves it – Even asks for a review mid-onboarding Paywall: – Hard paywall – Close it → 50% discount – Close it again → 80% discount This is what high-converting apps look like.
César Álvarez361,259 просмотров • 4 месяцев назад

This is how one Cal AI onboards its users: Onboarding flow - Starts with a short demo video of the app - Includes deep personalization throughout - Full of animations and cool interactions - Prompts for a review mid-onboarding - Generates a personalized plan Soft paywall strategy: - Encourages a “free” trial (via annual plan) - Heavily pushes the annual plan with a 75% discount - Monthly plan without a trial If you want a high-converting onboarding, apply these strategies to your apps.
César Álvarez313,468 просмотров • 4 месяцев назад

Duolingo is one of the best examples of good onboarding in an app. Onboarding - 7 questions to understand the user - Creates a personalised learning plan - Collects contextual data (like where the user hear about the app) - Introduces key features like widgets Paywall - Smooth transition from onboarding to paywall - The paywall feels like part of the experience, not a sales screen - Personalised based on the language selected - 7day free trial for the annual plan One of the most important aspects of an app is onboarding, so make it as interactive as possible.
César Álvarez284,787 просмотров • 4 месяцев назад

Another great example of app onboarding is Macadam. Their onboarding flow is exceptionally well designed. Key things: - Engaging animations and vibrant visuals - Gradually collects information from the user - Clearly explains how the app works - Requests necessary permissions at the right moments - Delivers instant dopamine with coins and streaks It feels less like an onboarding and more like the first experience of the product.
César Álvarez269,522 просмотров • 4 месяцев назад

This is how a hard paywall app making $200K/month onboards its users Onboarding - Really short (just 4 slides) - Clean, professional feel - Smooth, polished animations - Quick video demo showing value Paywall - Hard paywall - “Special offer” framing - Heavy discounted yearly plan - Weekly plan with 3 day free trial You can create great short onboarding if you clearly show the value. Start building yours with Anything
César Álvarez189,919 просмотров • 3 месяцев назад

This sign language app is making $500k/month, and a big reason why is its onboarding. Onboarding - Cute mascot - Vibrant images - Smooth animations - Interactive lesson from the start Paywall - 3 sub options: Annual, 3 months and monthly - All options with 7 day free trial If you want users to convert better, let them try your app during onboarding. Interactive onboarding is one of the best ways to do it.
César Álvarez28,091 просмотров • 14 дней назад

This is how a $300K MRR app onboards its users Take a look at how indie iOS dev Cormac does it with his Oasis Health app Onboarding - Clean, minimal design - High-quality & professional visuals - Clearly communicates the product’s value - Smartly asks for a review mid-onboarding Paywall - Simple, soft paywall - Only one option: annual subscription - 3-day free trial You don’t need a complex onboarding. If you show the value clearly, simple wins.
César Álvarez163,062 просмотров • 3 месяцев назад

Clandle has one of the best examples of good onboarding in an app. Onboarding - The first thing you see is a video demo → instant clarity on how the app works - It collects contextual data (ex: where you discovered the app) - It asks for a review midonboarding, leveraging early excitement to boost ratings Paywall - Seamless transition from onboarding to paywall - Clear pricing: €9.99/month - Strong incentives: 7 day free trial + 71% discount on the annual plan - Exit intent offer: close the paywall and get an 81% discount Onboarding is one of the most critical parts of any app. Make it interactive, dynamic, and optimized for conversion.
César Álvarez168,435 просмотров • 4 месяцев назад

This walking app makes $400k/month and here’s how it onboards its users Onboarding - Uses a mascot to interact with users - Full of smooth, engaging animations - Collects key user data without friction - Creates a personalized plan instantly Paywall - Very vivid and attention-grabbing - Shows the benefit before displaying prices - Monthly and annual plans with a 7 day free trial - Annual with a strong discount Mascots are powerful for making onboarding less boring and more dynamic Start building yours with Anything
César Álvarez133,409 просмотров • 3 месяцев назад

This ADHD cat app by indie dev Ryan Yao has one of the most unique onboardings I’ve seen. Onboarding - Unique style + fun animations - Cat mascot - Lots of personalization - Explains the app in a fun way Paywall - Lifetime option - Annual subscription - 14 day free trial It’s much easier to sell when this much care goes into the experience. Start building yours with Anything
César Álvarez117,170 просмотров • 3 месяцев назад

Strava is one of the best examples of a B2C app done right. Its organic marketing is incredibly smart. After a run, ride or swim, the app generates a beautiful map with your stats. Then you can share it on social media. Just like that, users create real organic UGC for the product for free. When building a B2C app, designing something users want to share can set your product up for success.
César Álvarez155,925 просмотров • 4 месяцев назад

This study app is crazy 😭 The onboarding alone probably converts better than most apps. Onboarding - Animal Crossing inspired theme - Feels like a game, not an app - Collects all the important user data - Asks for a review during onboarding - Lets you personalize your character Paywall - Pushes the annual plan first - Limited time 50% off offer - 3 day free trial If you build an app with this level of detail, conversions will go crazy. Start building yours with Anything
César Álvarez84,356 просмотров • 2 месяцев назад

This baby app with a hard paywall is making $1M/month and a big reason is its onboarding. Onboarding - Cute, memorable mascot - Engaging sounds and animations - Collects key baby data upfront - Asks for a review before the paywall Paywall - Hard paywall - Two subscription options: weekly or 6 months - Weekly plan offers: 1 week free trial or 50% off the first week This app combines two proven conversion drivers: a strong mascot and a hard paywall. Start building yours with Anything.
César Álvarez57,252 просмотров • 1 месяц назад

This app’s onboarding is one of the best examples of using a mascot and animations to create a dynamic, engaging experience Onboarding - Animated mascot that actually talks to you - Fun visuals and smooth animations - Collects key user information - Builds a personalized plan - Matches you with a mascot Paywall - Monthly and annual subscriptions - Annual plan includes a 3 day free trial - Limited time 50% discount offer This is how you use a mascot and animations to make an app feel more personal, interactive and memorable. Build yours with Anything.
César Álvarez30,457 просмотров • 1 месяц назад

This study app made 2x more revenue ($40k) than downloads (20k) and the onboarding is a huge reason why. Onboarding - Cute memorable mascot - Fun and engaging animations - Explains the app visually - Collects key user data early Paywall - Weekly, monthly and annual plans - 7 day free trial on the annual plan - Shows real user reviews for trust Make your onboarding as fun, clear and engaging as possible. Start building yours with Anything.
César Álvarez60,446 просмотров • 2 месяцев назад

This pomodoro app is doing $30K/month and here’s how it onboards users: Onboarding - Cute mascot - Vibrant colors & smooth animations - Features explained visually - Swipe based flow to show how the app works Paywall - Monthly, annual and one-time options - Annual plan with a 7 day free trial - Exit paywall → 72% discount on annual The key: make the value of your app immediately obvious during onboarding. Start yours with Anything
César Álvarez74,849 просмотров • 3 месяцев назад

This app is doing $200k/month with half the downloads and its onboarding is one of the best I’ve ever seen. Onboarding - Super vivid animations - Clean video demos - A mascot led questionnaire - Highly relatable to the user - Signed “contract” Paywall - 3 tiers: monthly, quarterly, annual - 7 day free trial (annual) - 68% off if you wait - If you try to leave, you get a roulette with an extra 50% off This is a top-tier example of how to onboard users and nudge them to convert. Start building yours with Anything
César Álvarez72,869 просмотров • 3 месяцев назад

This self-care app has one of the best onboarding experiences I’ve seen in a while. Onboarding - Choose your own cat mascot - Smooth animations and satisfying sounds - Collects key user data naturally - ;akes you sign a cat “contract” Paywall - Fun, dynamic graphics and copywriting - Clever animation highlighting the discounted yearly plan - Simple yearly + weekly subscription options This is proof that great onboarding can completely change how users feel about your app. If you put this much care into your onboarding, your chances of succeeding go way up. Start building yours with Anything.
César Álvarez36,430 просмотров • 2 месяцев назад

This is how a Bible chat app making almost $1M/month is doing its onboarding: Onboarding - Clean design + smooth animations - Shows social proof (reviews) - Collects key user data - Gets users to interact and commit early Paywall - Eye catching animation - Soft paywall - Only offers a weekly plan - 7 day free trial Your onboarding is your first impression, make it count. Start building yours with Anything
César Álvarez49,500 просмотров • 3 месяцев назад

This math app is making $50K/month and has a pretty unique onboarding Onboarding: - Cute mascot - Smooth animations + polished design - Interactive quiz to figure out your level Paywall: - Appears mid onboarding - Soft paywall (but intentionally hard to close) - 3 day free trial → then €27.46/month What makes it work so well: A memorable mascot An interactive onboarding experience Start building yours with Anything
César Álvarez26,014 просмотров • 1 месяц назад