Fexingo

The Mobile App Business with Fexingo: iOS, Android, and Consumer App Companies

Business EN ↓ 104 episodes

The mobile app economy is a multi-trillion-dollar market, yet most apps fail within 30 days. Lucas and Luna dissect the strategies behind the hits and the graveyard of misses. They explore iOS vs. Android monetization models, from subscription fatigue to the rise of super apps in Asia. They analyze the economics of user acquisition, the psychology of retention, and the pivot of legacy companies like Microsoft into mobile-first design. Each episode takes a specific app category — health, gaming, fintech — and a specific company inside it: how did Strava build a social moat? Why did Snapchat sur...

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Fexingo

Episodes

The App That Beat The Freemium Model 22.05.2026 9:32

Everyone assumes freemium is the only way to launch a mobile app. But a small meditation app called Unwinding proved the opposite — it launched paid-only, charged $49.99 upfront, and hit one million downloads in its first year without a single in-app purchase. In this episode, Lucas and Luna break down exactly how Unwinding's founder, Jenna Holloway, built trust through a 7-day free trial that con...

How Mobile Apps Win With Referral Programs 21.05.2026 9:24

In this episode, Lucas and Luna break down why referral programs have become a core growth engine for mobile apps. They look at the specific mechanics behind Uber's early rider referral — which gave $20 to both parties — and how that simple incentive created a two-sided flywheel. They also discuss Dropbox's famous referral program, which boosted sign-ups by 60 percent and increased storage space a...

The Hidden Millions in App Subscription Pricing 21.05.2026 9:51

Episode 2 of The Mobile App Business digs into the mechanics of subscription pricing that separates breakout apps from also-rans. Lucas and Luna examine the specific pricing model behind the meditation app Headspace, which went from a $12.99 monthly option to a $69.99 annual plan with a 30-day free trial. They break down why that annual price point was chosen, how it changes user behavior, and wha...

The App Store Economics That Billion-Dollar Apps Depend On 19.05.2026 6:17

In the debut episode of The Mobile App Business, Lucas and Luna break down the hard numbers behind mobile app economics, using the example of a hypothetical fitness app to illustrate the cost of customer acquisition, the 30 percent platform tax from Apple and Google, and the brutal retention curve that kills 80 percent of apps within three months. They discuss how developers navigate rising CPI (c...