How a Solo Founder Built a $30K/Month App with 5.2M Installs

In this episode, we’re joined by one of our community members, John McEvoy, founder of Momego, the worldwide transit tracking app with over 5.2 million installs and 400,000 daily active users, built entirely by one person. John started as a graphic designer and taught himself to code. Today, his app generates $30K in monthly recurring revenue, powered by localized ASO, clever ASA, and great features. He’ll share his exact frameworks for growth, from keyword localisation to subscription retention, all based on real results from running a successful utility app in a competitive market. You will discover: ✅ How localised ASO helped Momego reach 5M+ installs ✅ The Apple Search Ads strategy John uses to scale profitably ✅ How to test app icons, pricing, and onboarding flows that convert ✅ Why reverse trials outperform free trials for mobile apps ✅ The features that keep users paying (widgets + live activities) Learn More: 🚊 Try Momego → https://apps.apple.com/app/momego-live-bus-train-times/id1281251210 🔗 Connect with John → https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbairdmcevoy Want to connect with John and founders like him? Join the App Founders Community → https://appfounders.co/ Timestamps: 00:00 Solo Founder Success Story ($30K/Month) 03:13 Building a Global Transit App Strategy 08:20 The 3-Step App Growth Framework 08:39 Apple Search Ads Strategy (Custom Product Pages) 19:00 ASO for AI Search: Optimizing Descriptions 26:32 App Localization Strategy & A/B Testing 29:31 Global Subscription Pricing Optimization36:50Onboarding Flow Optimization 39:57 Implementing a Reverse Trial Paywall 43:55 Viral Growth Loops & Shareable Features 45:22 Churn Recovery & Win-Back Campaigns 51:00 Combining ASO with Paid User Acquisition 52:23 Live ASO Audit: Screenshot Optimization 01:05:49 High-Converting Paywall Copywriting *************** SPONSORS Still designing, resizing, and uploading screenshots manually? AppScreens lets you pick from hundreds of high-converting templates, generate for every device size and language in minutes, and upload automatically to directly to App Store Connect and Google Play Console. Trusted by more than 100K developers and ASO experts worldwide. Try it free: https://appscreens.com/?via=am ********************************************* Got tons of freemium users who won’t upgrade? Encore turns free users into paying customers and reduces churn by adding smart, curated affiliate offers at key user moments. Everyone wins with Encore. Learn more at https://encorekit.com/ *************** Get training, coaching, and community: https://appmastersacademy.com/ Get your app audited: https://appmasters.com/audit/ CONNECT WITH US: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevepyoung/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stevepyoung Twitter: https://twitter.com/stevepyoung Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AppMastersCo/ Blog: http://www.appmasters.com/blog ***************