How to grow your app in 2025

There are more than 2 million apps on the App Store right now, and we’re going to bet there are a good handful that promise the same thing to users that you do. 

So how do you grow your app so it climbs up the top of the pile? 

App growth doesn’t have to mean flashy gimmicks or a complete overhaul. Often, it’s about the small, strategic changes that make your product indispensable to users. 

Let’s explore how to approach app growth — from the 101 on boosting conversions to how we approach building user loyalty — and how you can apply these principles to your app. 

5 growth strategies for your app

We're spilling the beans on our favourite app growth strategies for 2025.

Make small changes – and make them count

When it comes to app growth, sometimes the smallest tweaks yield the biggest results. 

Take YouMail, for example. They had a lot of users, but most were sticking to the free plan. Once we honed in on showcasing the benefits of the premium plans more effectively, the app saw a noticeable boost in conversions.

Our strategy was focused but impactful: we gently optimised key elements to better highlight the benefits of each premium plan. 

• We worked on making the advantages of each feature clearer, showing how they directly improve users’ daily lives
• We also reconfigured the layout, added more visual cues, and improved readability, ensuring the benefits were not just understood but felt

It doesn’t sound like much, but those small tweaks achieved a 60% increase in premium subscriptions.

→ The lesson here: Growth doesn’t always require big moves. If you optimise existing touchpoints to make them more seamless and appealing, you can significantly improve user engagement and conversions. 

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Get to the root of the problem(s)

Before growth can happen, you need to identify where your app might be falling short. One of our clients’ websites was seeing 50,000 monthly visitors, but only a handful of downloads. Why? Lack of trust. Users weren’t convinced the app was legitimate or worth downloading.

To fix this, we focused on establishing credibility. We refined visuals and communicated the app’s unique value, we aimed to make the platform feel trustworthy and approachable. 

Growth starts with understanding the friction points in your user journey — and resolving them with precision.

Personalise your way to loyalty

Today’s users demand more than generic experiences — they expect personalisation. Apps like Headspace thrive because they put user goals at the center and customise every single interaction. 

The way these apps have become firm staples in users’ lives around the world isn’t magic. It’s because they make using their app feel like an experience built specifically for each user ⬇️

• Spotify – personalised playlists like “Discover Weekly” and “Release Radar” adapt to individual listening habits
• Duolingo – the app adapts the whole experience to match the user’s skill level, pace, and goals
• Netflix – uses sophisticated algorithms to recommend shows and movies based on user preferences
• Pinterest – a personalised feed showing pins and boards based on the user’s saved content, search activity, and interests

→ Want to replicate this? Think about what your users hope to achieve. 

• Are they looking to save money? 
• Build better habits? 
• Achieve specific milestones? 
• Gain knowledge or learn a new skill?
• Simplify daily tasks or routines?
• Solve a specific pain point or problem in their life?

Then, align your app’s features and content with their unique goals, to create experiences that feel deeply personal — and keep users engaged for the long run.

Be specific with your target user

The apps that succeed in saturated marketplaces are the ones with laser-sharp focus: they solve a specific problem for a specific audience.

Start by revisiting your user personas. Who is your ideal user, and what unique value do you provide them? 

Apps like Ovom thrive because they understand their audience intimately — IVF patients that hadn’t had great experiences in the past, seeking a tech-enabled platform they could really trust.

→ Tailoring your design, messaging, and features to a very well-defined group of core users can make all the difference.

Use data (the right way)

Data is your best friend when it comes to app growth. But rather than blindly collecting every single metric you can get your hands on, focus on the metrics that help you understand and measure success for your users. 

At Lumi, we always start by identifying the right KPIs – not just identifying how many users the app has, but tracking how well the app is solving users’ problems. Quantify the problem you help solve, and then measure how well you’re solving it for your users. 

Our favourite tools for collecting app data?

‍MixPanel – the best analytics tool to track user behavior and key metrics

Superwall – to build really great paywalls

Revenuecat – simplifies subscription management and revenue tracking

Crazyegg – heatmaps and visual tools to understand how users interact with your app

Another strategy is to never underestimate the impact of direct user feedback. It’s always a good idea to ask product-market-fit questions to your current users:

1. How would you feel if you could no longer use this product?
2. What problem does this product solve for you?
3. What would you miss the most if you stopped using this product?
4. What motivated you to download/use this product?
5. What’s the one thing we could do to make this product better for you?
6. Which features do you use most frequently?
7. What are the top reasons you continue to use this product?
8. What’s been your biggest frustration with this product so far?

The takeaway

The best apps don’t aim to be everything to everyone — they aim to be everything to someone. 

Every choice, every feature, every update should stem from a commitment to your users’ core needs. Define your app’s purpose, align it with user needs, and deliver with precision, one intentional decision at a time.

Need a helping hand to grow your app? Let’s chat!