HabitKit
$15K+/month (subscriptions + lifetime licenses), 1,700+ iOS reviews, solo developer
Self-taught German developer. Discovered indie hacking during his master's thesis. Full-time indie after two app attempts.
Sebastian Röhl quit his enterprise software job with 12 months of savings. His first app (Liftbear) made almost nothing in 6 months. He built HabitKit in 60 days after, posted a single screenshot on X that got 800 likes, and made $1,500 in month one — more than Liftbear's entire run.
The Receipt
“Do people really pay for that?”
“If I don't do anything today, I have nothing to post.”
— @SebastianRoehlThe Journey
Growth trajectory — click a dot to jump
- Jan 2022
launch Sebastian quits corporate job with 12 months savings. Launches Liftbear (workout tracker) — earns ~$100 in 6 months.
- Nov 2022
launch HabitKit launches on iOS and Google Play after 60-day build sprint. Month one: $1,500 — more than all of Liftbear.
- Apr 2023
other Revenue insufficient to replace salary. Returns to corporate job part-time. Keeps building HabitKit.
- Jul 2023
milestone HabitKit organically ranks top-5 in App Store search results without paid campaigns. Growth inflects.
- Dec 2023
milestone Full-year 2023 revenue: $51,000. 120,000 total downloads.
- Feb 2024
milestone Quits corporate job permanently. Goes full-time indie for the second — and final — time.
- May 2024
milestone $110,000 revenue in first 5 months of 2024. Annualized run rate exceeds $250K.
- Jun 2024
milestone Wins RevenueCat's Times Square billboard contest. HabitKit featured in New York Times Square.
- Dec 2024
milestone MKBHD mentions HabitKit in 'The Studio' YouTube video (1M+ views). Largest single revenue spike ever. Hits $10K MRR milestone.
- Jan 2025
milestone Monthly revenue reaches $15K+. HabitKit is fully self-sustaining as Sebastian's sole income source.
- Aug 2025
“Do people really pay for that?”
Outcomes & Insights
Latest outcome
December 2024
MRR / monthly cash
$10K MRR (subscriptions) + ~$15K total including lifetime licenses
App Store Optimization (ASO): strategic keywords, subtitles, and screenshots drive ~98% of new user acquisition — zero paid channels
Build-in-public on X: consistent revenue screenshots and dev updates built audience that amplified early downloads; Sebastian's 'if I don't post, I have nothing to do' forcing function
Review generation flywheel: responding personally to support emails, then asking for reviews — drove 1,700+ iOS reviews and 3,800+ Android reviews
Seasonal positioning: January habit-tracker surge is predictable; December updates and visibility coincide with highest-intent moment in the market
If I don't do anything today, I have nothing to post.
💡 What you can learn
- HabitKit didn't need a new idea — it needed a better-looking version of an old one.
- The grid made tracking feel satisfying.
- Sebastian tried twice; the second succeeded not because the product changed but because the distribution strategy did.
When they pushed back
When revenue stalled in 2023, Sebastian returned to corporate part-time. He abandoned paid ads, went all-in on App Store Optimization — now ~98% of new users — and quit corporate for good in 2024.
Success patterns
See all patterns →Chat about HabitKit loads when this section enters view.