I Built a "Give & Take" Feedback App Because Nobody Was Reviewing My Side Projects

The Frustrating Reality of Indie Development

I've shipped a few apps as a solo developer. Getting downloads? Possible with
some marketing. But getting real, actionable feedback? Nearly impossible.

App store reviews are mostly "great app" or "doesn't work" - nothing in
between. I tried posting on Reddit, Twitter, and Discord communities.
Sometimes I got lucky, but most responses were just polite encouragement, not
the honest critique I needed.

I realized other indie developers probably felt the same way.

## The Idea: What If Feedback Was a Trade?

I thought about how feedback works in creative communities. Writers have beta
readers. Designers have critique circles. Why don't indie developers have
something similar?

So I came up with a simple concept:

Give feedback → Get visibility

The more detailed feedback you provide to others, the more your own app gets
promoted to the community. It's like a mutual aid system - everyone helps
everyone.

I called it FeedApp (품앗이 피드백 커뮤니티 in Korean, which roughly
translates to "mutual help feedback community").

## How It Works

1. Register your app/web/game with screenshots and description
2. Browse other creators' projects and leave detailed feedback
3. Earn visibility - your project gets shown to people you helped
4. Receive feedback from other creators who understand the struggle

There's also a "feedback rate" system - if you don't reciprocate within 10
days, your rate drops. This keeps the community active and fair.

## Tech Stack

| Layer | Technology |
|-------|------------|
| Frontend | Flutter (iOS, Android, Web) |
| Backend | Firebase (Firestore, Cloud Functions) |
| Auth | Google, Apple, Kakao Sign-in |
| Push | Firebase Cloud Messaging |
| i18n | 4 languages (KO, EN, JA, ZH) |

I chose Flutter because I wanted to ship on all platforms with one codebase.
Firebase made the backend simple enough for a solo developer to manage.

## Challenges I Faced

1. Preventing "low-effort" feedback

Early on, I worried people would just write "nice app" to game the system. I
added a 30-character minimum requirement, but the real solution was the
community itself - creators naturally want quality feedback, so they give
quality feedback.

2. The "cold start" problem

A feedback exchange only works if there are people to exchange with. I
initially seeded the platform with my own projects and invited developer
friends. It's still small, but growing organically.

3. Cross-platform auth headaches

Implementing Kakao login (popular in Korea) alongside Google and Apple across
iOS, Android, AND web was... painful. Each platform has its quirks.

## What I Learned

• Start with the smallest possible loop. My MVP was just: register → browse → feedback. Everything else came later.
• Community moderation matters early. Even with 50 users, you need clear guidelines.
• Solo development is lonely. Ironically, building an app about feedback made me realize how much I needed feedback myself.

## Current Status

• ~100 registered services
• Web is live, mobile apps under review
• Still early, but the core loop is working

## Try It Out

• 🌐 Web: feedapp-prod.web.app ← Live now!
• 🤖 Android: Under review (coming soon)
• 🍎 iOS: Under review (coming soon)

You can register your service on web first - it'll sync when the mobile apps
launch!

## I'd Love Your Feedback (Ironic, I Know)

• Does this concept make sense?
• Would you use something like this?
• Any features you'd want to see?

As a solo dev, every bit of feedback helps. Thanks for reading! 🙏

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If you're also an indie developer struggling to get feedback, let's connect.
Drop a comment or find me on the app!