App Starter

App Starter is a free, how-to guide for anyone with an idea for an app. The guide takes you through each of the steps required when planning and developing your idea. At the end of each step there's a task for you to complete. Once complete, you'll have a much fuller picture of your app, it's market, the financials, and what to do next...

Our role

Shortly after we formed Katana Code back in 2011, we noticed a recurring trend. A lot of people were getting in touch with us with excellent app ideas, but they were contacting us a little prematurely — without really planning their idea first. (Sometimes it’s hard to curb your excitement when you have a great idea).

We found ourselves spending a lot of time talking these clients through the same steps: developing their concept, researching their market and competition, and doing some basic financial planning.

After writing down the same steps again and again, we realised it would be more helpful if this information was made public, so that anyone with an app idea would know the right steps to take; the same steps we’d take with our clients.

App Starter was launched in the App Store in 2012, and we’ve been maintaining it since then.

The guide is also available here for those who don’t have access to an iOS device.

App Starter iOS App

The App Starter iOS application works great on both iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad devices. The app functions as an interactive book, broken up into short sections, with a homework task at the end of each. Over time, we've also added extra helpful features to help keep track of your ideas, and to better understand your financials.

• Tasks list shows your progress over time
• Projected income calculator does the tricky sums for you
• Note down your ideas as they come to you
• Step by step guide written in plain English.