Test My App: Real App Feedback Before Launch
IndieAppCircle is where indie developers test each other's apps. Test 2 apps and yours goes live, then other builders try it and send you written feedback. Free, no card needed.
- 1Test 2 apps
- 2Your app goes live
- 3Get written feedback
Most advice on app feedback assumes you already have users: an in-app survey, a feedback button, store reviews. Before launch you have none of those. What you need is a few people who open the app and write down what broke, what confused them and what they liked.
On IndieAppCircle you test other indie developers' apps to earn credits, then spend the credits on testers for yours. Each tester writes a report, and you approve it before they get paid. No money changes hands.
What a test looks like
Real feedback from the platform, and a few of the apps getting tested right now.
See your listing before you sign up
Paste your app's link. We read its name, icon and description and show you the listing other developers will see. You only create an account if you want to keep it.
- No account needed to see it
- Works with website, App Store, Google Play and Chrome Web Store links
- Sign up and the listing is already filled in
- 1.Paste link
- 2.Preview
- 3.Save it
No account needed - sign up only to save it.
Four of the six ways to get app feedback need users first
Surveys, store reviews, interviews and recordings are good tools once people use your app. Before launch, only two methods work without them. The full comparison, with how to run each one for free, is in free app feedback methods compared.
| Method | Needs users? | What you learn | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-app survey or feedback button | Yes, active ones | Why the people who stayed, stayed | Free to paid tools |
| App store ratings and in-app review prompts | Yes, and a published app | What annoyed someone enough to write. Google Play limits how often the prompt shows | Free |
| User interviews | Yes, or people you recruit | Motivation and context | Your time |
| Session recordings and heatmaps | Yes, real traffic | Where visitors get stuck, not why | Free (Microsoft Clarity) to paid |
| Paid usability panel | No | Video of screened people from your audience | From $49 a month for 3 testers to quote-based |
| Peer testing on IndieAppCircle | No | Written reports from other developers on what broke, confused or worked | Free, you test their apps |
What testers flag, by platform
We labelled 3,177 approved reports on 691 apps by what each one pointed out (as of 22 October 2026). The table shows the share of reports on each platform that mention each theme. A report can mention several.
Something broken shows up in about a quarter of reports everywhere, most of all on Chrome extensions. Desktop apps for Windows and macOS get far more "what is this for?" reports than mobile apps, so put the purpose in the first window. And mobile apps collect the most specific praise, which tells you what not to break. All 14 themes, by category too, are on the state of indie app feedback page.
| Platform | Broken | Hard to use | Wanted a feature | Unclear purpose | Praised something |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web1,993 reports | 27% | 25% | 24% | 13% | 36% |
| iOS926 reports | 23% | 23% | 25% | 10% | 45% |
| Android874 reports | 25% | 24% | 23% | 10% | 41% |
| Windows411 reports | 27% | 18% | 19% | 17% | 35% |
| macOS325 reports | 27% | 15% | 19% | 18% | 36% |
| Chrome extension154 reports | 32% | 14% | 23% | 10% | 33% |
How to ask for app feedback you can use
The report you get back is only as specific as the task you give. Testers here are developers, so they follow instructions well. Give them good ones.
- "Test my app and tell me what you think."
- "Do you like the design?"
- "Any feedback is welcome!"
- "Sign up and add your first habit. Tell me the moment you hesitated."
- "Before you sign up: what do you think this app does? Then check if you were right."
- "Name one thing you would remove and one thing that made you want to keep it."
What testers should do
One flow from start to finish, on their own device, the way a stranger would meet it. Ask them to use it like a first-time user, not like a developer who knows where settings usually hide.
Feedback worth the most
The first 60 seconds, the one moment they hesitated, and whether they could say what the app is for. Those are the three things launch visitors never tell you.
When to offer more credits
Raise the reward above the default 5 for long flows, apps that need an account or a device setup, and multi-day tests such as a Google Play closed test.
Stuck on the closed test specifically? The Google Play testers for closed testing page covers the 12 testers and 14 days.
How to get your app tested here
Test apps -> earn credits -> spend them on testers for your app.
Test two apps
New accounts start with 5 credits. Your listing goes live once you have submitted two tests of other members' apps, and each approved test pays its reward, 5 credits by default.
List your app with one task
Add the link testers should open (a website, a store page, a TestFlight public link or a Play opt-in link) and the one flow you want them to try.
Read the reports
Testers write what broke, what confused them and what they liked, with up to 3 screenshots. Approve a good report to pay the tester, or reject a one-liner.
Fix it and ask again
Post an update with a short changelog and testers who already tried the app can test the update, for a reward you set.
Feedback, not store reviews. Testers report on IndieAppCircle, never on the App Store or Google Play. Google Play's ratings and reviews policy bans incentivized reviews, and a test paid in credits is an incentive. Good reports can become verified testimonials on your own site instead.
App feedback FAQ
How do I get feedback on my app before I have users?
Put it in front of a few people who will actually open it and write down what happened. On IndieAppCircle you test other indie developers' apps to earn credits, then spend the credits on testers for yours. Each tester writes a report, and you approve it before they are paid.
How can I get people to test my app?
List the app with the link testers should open, write one task for them, and set a reward. Testers pick it from the feed, use it on their own device and submit a report. A new listing goes live once you have submitted two tests of other members' apps.
What should I ask testers?
One task and two questions: where did you hesitate, and what would make you come back? Specific instructions get specific reports. "Tell me what you think" mostly gets politeness.
Will testers leave App Store or Google Play reviews?
No, and you should not ask. Google Play's policy bans incentivized ratings and reviews, and a test paid in credits is an incentive. Testers write their report on IndieAppCircle, where only you and they can see it unless you choose to publish it as a verified testimonial.
Is it free?
Yes. New accounts start with 5 credits and you earn more by testing. The default reward is 5 credits a test, so five testers cost 25 credits. If you would rather pay, credit packs start at 50 credits for 5€.
How fast will I get feedback?
In 6 of the 7 weeks from 14 September to 1 November 2026, the median new app got its first test within a day. Reports you leave unanswered approve themselves after 48 hours.
Straight answers
What people usually want to know before they list an app here.
Is IndieAppCircle really free?
Yes. You get 5 credits when you join. Test 2 apps and your app goes live. Every test you give that gets approved earns credits, and you spend credits when you approve feedback on your own app. No card needed. If you'd rather skip the testing, a one-time 19€ Permanent Listing puts your app live straight away.
How fast will I get feedback?
There is no fixed turnaround, because the testers are other developers, not staff. Three things speed it up: clear test instructions, a fair credit reward, and the +5 bonus the first tester on every new app earns, which makes new listings worth picking early.
Who are the testers?
Other indie developers and founders who are getting their own apps tested too. They are good at spotting confusing onboarding, unclear copy, bugs and missing basics. They are not your target users, so treat their feedback as a sharp first pass before launch, not as market research.
What if the feedback is lazy?
Reject it and it costs you nothing. You only spend credits on feedback you approve. Feedback you don't review within 48 hours is approved automatically, so check your inbox.
Get your first app feedback this week
Test two apps tonight, list yours with one clear task, and read what real people found before your launch does.
- 1Test 2 apps
- 2Your app goes live
- 3Get written feedback
Free, no card needed.