I spent 2 years building an iOS app no one asked for
i built a heart rate zone training app for runners. ios + apple watch. custom zones, real-time haptics, post-run graphs. all the “smart” stuff you’d expect. but i never talked to a single runner before building it. not even myself lol. started as a thesis → kept building → added features → added a paywall (€4/month!) → launched it → and yeah… no one cared. zero feedback. zero users. just code in the void. i recently made the whole thing free. not trying to “sell” anything now — just seeing if it’s actually useful, and listening this time. curious how others handle this. ever build…
I spent 2 years building an iOS app no one asked for launched on May 31, 2025 with 7 votes, #3,816 of 7,905 launches that month and more than 75% of that year's launches. The site was still online in September 2026, 1 year on.
What it does
Transform your running performance with HeartRateHub - the ultimate heart rate zone training companion for iOS and Apple Watch. Create custom training zones, follow pre-designed patterns, and get real-time feedback to optimize every run. Take control of your training with HeartRateHub's customizable heart rate zones. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced runner, easily create personalized zones that match your fitness level and goals. Set up your ideal training zones for different workout types - from endurance-building long runs to high-intensity interval sessions. Access our extensive collection of pre-designed training patterns, crafted by running experts. Choose from a variety of…from basamasa.github.io
In the maker’s words, at launch
i built a heart rate zone training app for runners. ios + apple watch. custom zones, real-time haptics, post-run graphs. all the “smart” stuff you’d expect. but i never talked to a single runner before building it. not even myself lol. started as a thesis → kept building → added features → added a paywall…
Does a similar job
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Steps: Workout & PedometerMar 2026 · getsteps.app · ▲98Hey HN, I'm a solo developer and I built Steps: Workout & Pedometer, an iOS pedometer and workout tracker. Last week, two German iOS publications wrote about the app. I didn't pitch them. I didn't send a press release. I didn't even know it was happening. I woke up to a spike in downloads, checked the analytics, and traced it back to their articles. That coverage pushed the app past $1,000 in sales. I still have no idea how they found the app. I'm wondering if anyone here has experience getting featured in publications, whether organically or through outreach. What worked for you? Any tips…
touch grass2025 · touchgrass.now · ▲525I wanted old school social media back. Actual connections with friends. Not pity likes and performances and highlight reels. All my friends have stopped posting. Everyone's a lurker now. I'm a lurker. The only time I see what anyone's doing is when it's a humblebrag. I have no idea what's actually going on in my friends' lives besides the ones I see every week or so. So I built touch grass. You post once a week: 3 easy questions, max 3 photos. Sunday 6pm mountain time (yeah its my time zone) everyone's posts unlock at the same time. You catch up on what your people have been doing, then…
Smart RunnerJun 2026 · runnerapp.pro · ▲94Ran my first marathon. Didn’t want to keep paying so much for Runna. So I built a running coach app, and then kept improving it more and more, i think it’s pretty good now. Give it a try and share your thoughts.
1 min workouts for people who sit all day2025 · shortreps.com · ▲153I am a software developer and in the last few months after recently becoming a father I was barely finding time for a proper workout. Recently I was reading about new research on Snack Exercises and how beneficial mini workouts of less than 2mins every so often, during the day are to our body. So, I decided to build an iOS App for me and others to help with this. The app generates a list of exercises that I need to tick to complete daily or loose my streak. The algorithm takes into account muscle groups and balancing the exercises to hit most main muscles. I also stayed going through all…
Vibe coded iOS workout app with Apple Watch supportFeb 2026 · apps.apple.com · ▲8I spent a month to put together a workout app without writing a single line of code by hand. It's on par with many apps like Fitbod or Fitness AI. Got approved on iOS App Store. Let me know if you want free access, only thing I ask is to give me genuine feedback and one feature you would like to see. I will be asking Codex/Claude to rank the top features and implement it.
Cardio2025 · mycardio.co · ▲134I kept forgetting names and contacts… so I built Cardio. So I built Cardio: a digital card/profile you can share with just a QR code or link. It saves directly into your contact, so no more “Who was this again?” moments. - Built with Next.js, Adobe, and Stripe - Uses AI tools (Cursor, ChatGPT) to accelerate development - No app install needed: just tap, scan, or share I’m a solo builder from a non-dev background, and this is my first product. I launched it 10 days ago and made my first sales. Would love any feedback! performance, UI clarity, growth ideas or anything. Thanks HN!
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Source: Show HN post ↗ · launch text quoted in part
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