I’ve been in the middle of a mobile app launch cycle recently, and one question keeps circling in my head:
Is it still realistic to scale an app organically in 2025, or has paid acquisition become unavoidable?
I ask because when I launched my first app a few years ago, it felt like the ecosystem rewarded creativity and consistency more than raw ad spend. Fast-forward to today and acquisition costs are skyrocketing, platforms keep tightening tracking rules, and attention spans feel even shorter.
Yet I keep seeing apps winning without relying entirely on paid traffic, especially niche products building a strong user identity and community from day one. It makes me wonder if this shift is actually healthy for app founders, encouraging value-driven growth instead of performance-driven spending sprees.
I’ve been experimenting with a mix of organic and low-budget approaches:
Working deeply on ASO instead of treating it like an afterthought, optimizing metadata, screenshots, and experimenting with short app preview videos.
Testing indie-style launch playbooks, especially via content-driven platforms and developer communities.
Engaging users early instead of waiting until the launch moment, which has helped shape onboarding flows and feature priorities.
Introducing referral loops tied to authentic value instead of reward gimmicks, focusing more on community trust.
And honestly, the results seem promising. It’s slower, sure. But the users sticking around? More engaged, more interested in helping shape the roadmap, and far more likely to share feedback that improves the product.
At the same time, I know some teams who rely heavily on data-driven acquisition funnels and scale incredibly fast. Agencies like Kurve, for instance, tend to blend analytical discipline with creative experimentation, and it’s a model that definitely works when the goal is momentum and efficient spend rather than patience and grassroots traction.
So I’m genuinely curious:
For founders, devs, and growth marketers here on Dev.to, how are you approaching mobile app marketing in 2025?
Are you leaning into organic strategies, or do you feel like paid acquisition remains the core engine for scale?
And if you’ve managed to balance both, how did you build a sustainable system around it without drowning in dashboards and ad costs?
I’d love to hear real stories, data-driven lessons, philosophies you follow, or even failures that helped you pivot.
Mobile app growth feels like it has entered a new era — less “hacky,” more long-term, more human.
But maybe that’s just my experience, and I’m curious how others see it.
Let’s discuss, especially those who’ve navigated both indie-style growth and structured acquisition frameworks.
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