FiveThreeOne App (+ Vis Fitness)
"A weightlifting app built around the 5/3/1 training program that replaces clunky spreadsheet tracking with a polished mobile experience including rest timers and notifications, earning ~$1000/month for over two years."
Marketing Channels
Apple Search Ads
Worked pretty well as an initial acquisition channel for the app
Instagram Ads
Also worked well for user acquisition
HN Show thread
Showcased the app and recruited beta testers for the successor product Vis
Bing and Google Ads
Tried but had really bad results
Organic App Store traffic
Creator advises not to rely on this until reaching a certain size
Growth Levers
- Fix Android compatibility issues — multiple users reported the app being unavailable on Pixel 6 Pro and Nothing Phone 1 running Android 15
- Add Apple Watch integration for the successor app Vis to capture the gym-goer segment that dislikes phone fiddling during workouts
- Launch Vis (custom workout program builder) as an upsell path for existing FiveThreeOne users who want more sophisticated training regimens
- Leverage the existing FiveThreeOne user base for Vis beta testing and word-of-mouth — creator is actively recruiting via email
- Consider Siri integration marketing as a differentiator for home gym users
- Explore partnerships or licensing with Jim Wendler / EliteFTS for official endorsement
First Customer Strategy
The creator started with Apple Search Ads which performed well for acquiring initial users in the fitness/weightlifting niche, followed by Instagram ads. The app was built to scratch their own itch — replacing spreadsheet tracking during workouts — which gave it authentic product-market fit from day one.
Pricing Insight
The app uses a freemium model with paid features as the main revenue driver. Tips are offered but are insignificant ($31 out of $5,090 over 6 months on iOS). The creator noted that tip buttons on free apps do not generate significant income, but feel rewarding as a signal of user appreciation.
New Market Opportunities
- Custom workout program users beyond 5/3/1 User wanted more sophisticated training regimens like GZCLP — the successor app Vis targets exactly this by allowing custom formula-based programs
- Apple Watch wearable fitness User requested Apple Watch integration to avoid fiddling with phone at the gym — planned for Vis but not yet built
- Jim Wendler / EliteFTS partnership Commenter assumed a partnership exists and noted the app's success is linked to Wendler's marketing of the 5/3/1 methodology
Key Takeaways
- • Solving your own pain point (spreadsheet tracking at the gym) creates authentic product-market fit and sustained motivation to maintain the product
- • Apple Search Ads and Instagram Ads work well for niche mobile apps; Google and Bing Ads can have poor ROI in the same context
- • A simple, well-executed app in a niche with an established methodology (5/3/1) can generate ~$1K/mo consistently for years with minimal ongoing marketing
- • Tip jars on freemium apps generate negligible revenue but serve as a user satisfaction signal
- • Android device compatibility is an overlooked growth blocker — testing across device generations matters
- • Building a successor product (Vis) that addresses the original app's limitations (lack of custom programs) is a natural expansion strategy with a built-in user base for beta testing
Sentiment Analysis
9 Pos / 3 NeuNotable Quotes
"This is a perfect example of taking a simple idea and elevating it/ executing it well. — dumfries"
"Thank you for building this! I've been using the app for almost a year after I switched to the Boring But Big routine. — plastic_bag"
"Don't rely on organic App Store traffic until you've hit a certain size. — strongpigeon"
"Tips are insignificant compared to the paid features. On iOS for the last 6 months I made $5090. $31 was tip. — strongpigeon"
"This app isn't available for your device because it was made for an older version of Android — ahhmki"
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