The Complete Guide to Finding Users and Getting Feedback for Your App in 2025
Launching an app in 2025 is easy. Getting people to actually use it—and care enough to tell you what they think—isn't.
The truth is, most apps fail not because they're bad ideas, but because they never find their first hundred real users. You post on Reddit, tweet a few screenshots, maybe launch on Product Hunt—but the feedback that comes in is vague or nonexistent.
The problem isn't visibility; it's connection. You're competing with thousands of founders chasing attention at once. And if you're bootstrapping, spending $5,000 on ads just to "get data" isn't an option.
This guide walks you through what's working right now—how founders are finding users, getting high-quality feedback, and turning early traction into sustainable growth. From pre-launch waitlists to reciprocal testing communities, you'll learn actionable tactics that work even if you have zero budget or followers.
Let's break down exactly how founders in 2025 are finding their first users—and what's actually working.
Understanding Modern User Discovery
In 2025, finding users isn't about blasting your link everywhere—it's about meeting your users where they hang out. The biggest shift in user acquisition over the last few years has been from "spray-and-pray" marketing to community-driven discovery.
Your potential users are already talking—on Reddit, Discord, Slack, and niche indie maker groups. The question is whether you're listening and showing up with value, not just links.
💡 Pro Tip:
Before you promote, spend two weeks observing where your target users talk online. What problems come up repeatedly? What language do they use? Build your messaging around that.
📊 Stat:
According to Indie Hackers' 2024 survey, 68% of apps that reached 1,000 users did so through community engagement, not paid ads.
✅ Quick Win:
Join three active online communities (e.g., Reddit's r/SideProject, Indie Hackers, or ProductHunt discussions) and participate without pitching for a week. Then share your product with context once you've added value.
Transitioning from a mindset of "how do I promote?" to "how do I contribute?" changes everything.
Why Feedback Is the New Growth Channel
User feedback isn't just validation—it's the foundation of your growth loop. Apps that listen early scale faster because they build what people actually want, not what founders think they want.
In 2025, feedback is its own growth channel. The apps that stand out are the ones that involve users early and often—turning testers into advocates and users into co-creators.
⚠️ Common Mistake:
Treating feedback as a one-time event after launch. Continuous feedback turns your app into a living, evolving product that users feel invested in.
💬 Founder Insight:
"We didn't grow because we launched—we grew because we listened." — Maker of a top-ranked app on Product Hunt, 2024.
✅ Quick Win:
After onboarding new users, send a simple follow-up message:
"If you could change one thing about your experience so far, what would it be?"
That single question often surfaces insights that weeks of analytics can't.
Validating Your App Before You Spend on Ads
Every founder has felt the temptation: "Let's just run some ads and see what happens." But without validation, ads amplify uncertainty—they don't fix it.
Validation means proving that someone cares before you pay for clicks. It's about finding early signs of traction—waitlist signups, landing page conversions, user interviews—that tell you your idea has a pulse.
💡 Pro Tip:
Build a quick landing page using tools like Carrd, Notion, or Typedream. Collect emails and see if people sign up before you write a single line of code.
📊 Stat:
Indie founders who validated ideas via pre-launch waitlists reported saving an average of $2,300 in ad costs (MakerStack Survey, 2024).
⚠️ Common Mistake:
Asking for general opinions like "Would you use this?" Instead, ask for commitment signals—signups, pre-orders, or time spent testing.
✅ Quick Win:
Offer an early-access benefit (e.g., "Founding User Badge" or "Lifetime Discount") to make signups meaningful.
How to Build a Waitlist That Converts
Most waitlists don't fail because of traffic—they fail because of intent. You can get 1,000 signups, but if those people aren't genuinely curious about your app, your beta launch will fall flat. The goal isn't to collect emails; it's to collect future users who care.
To build a high-converting waitlist, start with a landing page that speaks to why your product matters, not just what it does. Use one clear call-to-action and show social proof early—screenshots, testimonials, or "maker notes" about your progress. Make it human.
💡 Pro Tip:
Use simple tools like Typeform, Tally, or Viral Loops to create referral-style waitlists. Reward signups for sharing, but only if referrals are verified through actual engagement.
📊 Stat:
Pre-launch pages with a short explainer video or product demo convert 34% higher than those with static screenshots (Unbounce, 2024).
📖 Learn more: How to Build and Launch a High-Converting Waitlist for Your App
Turning Beta Testers into Advocates
Beta testers are your app's first true believers—but only if you treat them that way. Too often, founders see testing as a checkbox, not a relationship. But the feedback you get during beta can literally decide your product's direction.
Instead of running a one-time "beta launch," think of it as a feedback sprint. Your goal is to collect actionable insights fast and make users feel part of something being built with them, not for them.
💬 Founder Insight:
"We renamed two features and rewrote our onboarding flow after 12 testers told us they were confused—and our retention jumped 27%." — Indie SaaS founder, 2024.
📖 Learn more: Finding Your First 100 Beta Testers: Practical Strategies
Finding Communities That Fuel Early Traction
Communities are the modern distribution engine for indie apps. Reddit threads, Slack groups, and peer testing platforms have replaced traditional ad funnels for thousands of developers. But success comes down to how you show up in these spaces.
If your strategy is "join and drop a link," you'll get ignored—or worse, banned. The right approach is to participate, contribute, and earn visibility through reciprocity. Platforms like Indie Hackers, Reddit, and peer-testing spaces like SwapUser are designed for exactly this kind of genuine exchange.
✅ Quick Win:
Make a "give-first" list. Before you post about your app, comment on five others. Reciprocity is how you stand out.
📖 Learn more: Community-Based Marketing: Growing Through Reciprocal Value Exchange
Cost-Effective Marketing Tactics for Solo Founders
When you don't have a marketing budget, creativity becomes your biggest asset. Luckily, 2025 is full of free or nearly free channels that can generate your first wave of users—if you're consistent.
Start by documenting your build in public. X (Twitter), LinkedIn, and Reddit reward transparency. Share what's working, what isn't, and the "why" behind your app. People don't just follow products—they follow stories.
📊 Stat:
Founders who posted regular "build-in-public" updates saw 3× higher engagement and 2× more organic backlinks than those who didn't (Founder Growth Report, 2024).
📖 Learn more: Cost-Effective Marketing Strategies for Startups with Zero Budget
Continuous Feedback Loops: The Secret to Iteration
User feedback isn't a box to check—it's your product's heartbeat. The best founders don't wait for feedback; they engineer it into their product cycle.
Start simple: after every major interaction (signup, feature use, cancellation), ask one targeted question. The more contextual your ask, the higher your response rate.
💡 Pro Tip:
Use micro-prompts like, "What stopped you from completing this step?" or "What would make this feature 10% better?" Add them right inside your app using tools like Hotjar or Survicate.
📖 Learn more: How to Get Feedback That Actually Improves Your App
Real Stories: How Indie Developers Found Their First 100 Users
Every founder's path to 100 users is different—but the principles are consistent: start small, listen hard, and build publicly.
Case 1: The Developer Who Shared Every Step
A solo founder launched a journaling app on Reddit. Instead of spamming links, he posted updates about his design process and asked for feedback. Within three months, he hit 200 users—all from a single subreddit thread.
Case 2: The Waitlist That Became a Movement
A duo used Viral Loops to create a gamified waitlist. Every referral unlocked early access. Their 500-person waitlist turned into 1,500 signups before launch.
Case 3: The Reciprocal Tester
One maker joined a peer feedback group, testing others' apps weekly. In return, 50+ users tested his and provided detailed comments. His onboarding conversion jumped from 32% to 68%.
→ That's exactly what SwapUser was built for: turning peer testing into a structured, scalable growth loop.
📖 Learn more: How Reciprocal App Testing Can Save Your Marketing Budget
Common Mistakes That Kill Early User Growth
No matter how great your idea is, a few common missteps can stall your early traction. Here's what to avoid if you're serious about finding and keeping users.
⚠️ Common Mistake 1:
Launching too late. Perfection is the enemy of learning. The sooner you launch, the sooner you'll know what works.
⚠️ Common Mistake 2:
Ignoring feedback because it's uncomfortable. If users are confused, that's data—not failure.
⚠️ Common Mistake 3:
Focusing only on acquisition, not retention. Finding users is one thing; keeping them requires clarity, communication, and updates.
⚠️ Common Mistake 4:
Not documenting your journey. Transparency builds connection; silence breeds indifference.
FAQs
Q1: How do I find users for my app without ads?
Start where your audience already gathers—Reddit, Slack, or Indie Hackers. Contribute value first, then share your app organically.
Q2: How do I get useful feedback from early users?
Ask specific questions tied to user actions, not opinions. For example: "What stopped you from completing this step?" yields better insights than "What did you think?"
Q3: What's the ideal number of beta testers?
Aim for 20–50 active testers. Beyond that, feedback gets repetitive. Focus on quality, not quantity.
Q4: How do I know when my app is ready for launch?
When testers can use it without confusion—and when feedback shifts from "it's broken" to "it'd be cool if…"
Q5: What's the best free way to find testers?
Join reciprocal testing platforms like SwapUser, where developers exchange app feedback in structured, 50+ word detail.