App Marketing by App Masters

This Simple Note-Taking App Makes $20K / Month (and How You Can Build Your Own)

Jan 27, 2026
A 10-year-old notepad app pulls in $20K/month with a retro interface. The conversation digs into why distribution beats fancy design and how ASO drives top-three rankings. Pricing tricks, ad strategies, and a $15/year model get attention. An AI tool demo shows how to spin up a Notion-syncing notes app fast.
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INSIGHT

Distribution Beats Design

  • Distribution matters more than product polish for long-term success.
  • Fixing UX or monetization is easier than building sustained discovery.
ANECDOTE

Ten-Year Notepad That Still Pays

  • Notepad launched in 2013 and still earns around $20K/month today.
  • The app uses simple UI and a $15/year price with lifetime at $30 to drive steady revenue.
ADVICE

Prioritize Simple Monetization Tests

  • Test simple monetization like a one-time remove-ads IAP instead of pushing monthly plans.
  • Use small, targeted tweaks (banners or remove-ads purchases) to increase conversions without harming UX.
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