Lynen

It might be worth reaching out to some independent/boutique brands and getting them onboarded even without an affiliate system in place, just to get the ball rolling. Once you've got traffic and you can prove you're making sales, the big affiliate programs will be much more welcoming and you can even get back in touch with those early adopters and say "Hi, we've been pushing $x of sales to you every month for free. Would you like to sign up for $y a month to keep your products listed on the app?"

You are asking the right question but most people answer it the wrong way.

There is no best channel There’s only a first channel that fits your product behavior.

For something like an AI styling app for men, I had think in terms of intent vs discovery:

• High intent (works faster, easier to validate):
  Apple Search Ads, Google (people already searching for style, outfits, etc.)

• Low intent (slower, but can scale):
  TikTok, Instagram, influencers

If you’re solo + limited time, I’d avoid starting with low-intent channels. They look sexy but eat time and money.

I’d separate “can this channel get installs?” from “can this channel get paid users?” For a consumer app, I’d start with the smallest high-intent test you can measure end to end: Apple Search Ads on exact-match keywords, capped tightly, with subscription/trial events wired into App Store Connect or your analytics.

I’m testing this with MetricSync now and the useful signal is not CPI. It’s: search term → install → trial start → day 3 conversion. If you only optimize to installs, broad keywords can look fine while teaching you nothing.

My bias: skip influencers until you know the exact user intent that converts. Then use creators to amplify that angle instead of asking them to discover it for you.

That Shakespeare hook is gold, Eduardo! Paid ads often feel like a casino where the house always wins, especially for B2C mobile apps. Most solo devs I know burn cash on Meta but find high-intent users with Apple Search Ads (ASA) on a small budget. Don't spread yourself thin just pick one single channel to test first to protect your sanity and your wallet!

Nice progress 👏 One thing — you can get more users without ads by improving your organic visibility. Right now you might be missing free traffic.

This is the exact trap. It’s not about picking the right channel — it’s about defining what success looks like before you spend. Otherwise every channel ‘kind of works’ and you only realize 3 months later that nothing actually did.

I’m right there with you. Our stories are almost identical, except for one thing: the support system. While you have people in your corner, I feel like I’m the only one who believes in what I’m building.

To be honest, I’ve received more support here than from my entire circle of friends and family combined. The constant cycle of creating, editing, and posting is exhausting—it’s much harder than people realize! On top of that, I recently got banned from a X and I’m still not even sure what I did wrong.

Despite the setbacks, we’re going to keep creating and believing in our product. Our time will come.

Most men’s fashion tools are too high-end so focusing on the 'functional adult' vibe is a smart move. If you’re looking for zero-budget growth jumping into subreddits where guys are already asking for outfit feedback is probably your best bet for high-intent users. Does the app suggest specific pieces to buy if an outfit isn't working or just give general advice?