3 Red Flags That Make or Break Your App Idea

Whenever I mention I’m a designer and developer, it seems everyone has an app idea to pitch. While many ideas have potential, I’ve identified three red flags that often signal a lack of viability. If any two are present, I usually consider the idea a non-starter.

1. Lack of Problem Clarity: If someone can’t clearly state, “When I encounter [this problem], I wish I could solve it [this way],” that’s a red flag. Too often, app makers focus on features without articulating the problem their app solves. People don’t pay for features; they pay for solutions. If the problem isn’t clear, neither is the solution. One of the best examples is the early version of Cash App. Its purpose was simple: send money to other people. It had a clear problem definition, and the interface was designed to solve that specific problem—nothing more.

2. No Single-Player Experience: Think of apps as sandboxes and users as kids playing in them. If there’s nothing to engage a user alone, they’ll leave before others join. Unless you can attract a huge audience from day one (like Facebook or Google), you need an experience that works well for one person and gets better as more users join. Instagram is a great example. Its initial appeal was the ability to apply filters that transformed mediocre photos into something artistic. The sharing aspect was a bonus, letting users show off the beautiful images they created.

3. Requiring Login or Download: The world is tired of endless logins and downloads. If your app demands sign-up or installation before offering any value, you’ve added a barrier that many users won’t cross. Think about what your app can provide without a login or download. Make the experience seamless so that when users do sign up, they already see the value. Unsplash does this well. It offers access to its image library without any sign-up or download, allowing users to experience the benefits first. Once they understand the value, signing up enhances their experience.

These are my three red flags. I love hearing passionate ideas, but if the problem isn’t clear, there’s no single-user experience, or your app requires a sign-up or download too soon, I’m skeptical about its potential to be successful.