The latest articles on DEV Community by Mahere Fluxera (@mahere_marley_25462f7cf9e). https://dev.to/mahere_marley_25462f7cf9e https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F3897414%2Fbfc22c11-6b87-42ab-bf97-f9eb5c813c3b.png https://dev.to/mahere_marley_25462f7cf9e en Mahere Fluxera Sat, 25 Apr 2026 11:08:34 +0000 https://dev.to/mahere_marley_25462f7cf9e/from-factory-worker-to-2000-installs-what-actually-worked-4ng3 https://dev.to/mahere_marley_25462f7cf9e/from-factory-worker-to-2000-installs-what-actually-worked-4ng3 <p>I'm not a CS graduate. I didn't go to a bootcamp. <br> Two years ago I was working in a factory.</p> <p>Today I have an Android app on the Play Store with 2,000+ installs, <br> 4.6 stars, and users in 5 languages.</p> <p>Here's what actually moved the needle:</p> <h2> What didn't work </h2> <ul> <li>Product Hunt launch → 1 upvote (the community needs warming up weeks before — I didn't know that)</li> <li>Google Ads → too expensive without clear conversion data</li> <li>Reddit → got removed from subreddits for "quality reasons" even with genuine content</li> </ul> <h2> What did work </h2> <ul> <li>Posting real scan findings of apps like Binance, PayPal, WhatsApp — people care when it's data they recognize</li> <li>One post hit 7K+ views and users started mentioning AppXpose in comments organically — without me asking</li> <li>Adding Spanish support after noticing Spanish-speaking users downloading — small move, big signal</li> </ul> <h2> The app </h2> <p>AppXpose scans Android apps for hidden trackers, risky permissions, GDPR flags, and generates a Breach Risk Score. No other app combines all four in plain English for regular users.</p> <h2> Current status </h2> <ul> <li>2,000+ installs, 31 reviews, 4.6 stars</li> <li>Free tier: 5 scans/week</li> <li>Pro Lifetime: €4.49</li> <li>GUARD subscription with breach alerts: €39.99/year</li> </ul> <p>Still figuring a lot out. Happy to answer questions about Android development, ASO, or bootstrapping solo.</p> android privacy startup security