Validate your app idea before you build it
Describe your idea, pick a country and a store, and get a 0 to 100 score built from what people type into App Store, Google Play and Google search, how entrenched the existing apps are, how unhappy their users are, and whether the topic is growing.
Learners who've outgrown streak-based apps are vocal about the speaking gap and seeking alternatives.
“Streak of 500 days, conversation skills of day 1. Anyone else?”
“I finished my tree but still can't speak, what now?”
An app idea validator checks for evidence that people want an app before you build it. ReachFront's Idea Validator scores an idea from 0 to 100 using four measured signals: Demand (35%, from App Store, Google Play and Google autocomplete), Room (25%, how entrenched the apps already serving it are), Pain (20%, how unhappy those apps' users are in recent reviews) and Timing (20%, a two-year Hacker News trend). The verdict reads Build it at 70 and above, Promising at 55, Risky at 40, and Rethink below that. AI only turns your idea into search phrases; it does not score it.
Validate an idea in three steps
Why validate before you build
The most expensive way to test an app idea is to build it. Months of work, a launch, and then silence because the demand you assumed was never there.
Asking friends does not fix this; people are polite about ideas. What predicts demand is behaviour: what people type into a search box, and how they rate the apps they already use. Both are public, and both can be measured before you write any code.
The Idea Validator measures them and shows its working. Each of the four scores is traceable to the searches, apps and reviews behind it, so a low score tells you what is missing (demand, room or pain) and a high score tells you why it is worth a closer look.
How a score adds up
The four parts of a validation for a habit-tracker idea in the United States.
| Signal | Weight | What it measures | Example reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demand | 35% | Store and Google autocomplete for the idea's phrases | 62 |
| Room | 25% | How entrenched the existing apps are | 48 |
| Pain | 20% | How unhappy their users are in recent reviews | 71 |
| Timing | 20% | Hacker News mentions over two years | 55 |
| Overall | Weighted total and verdict | 59, Promising |
Asking around vs. using the Idea Validator
| Asking around | With the Idea Validator | |
|---|---|---|
| Signal | Friends are kind and surveys are hypothetical. | What people search for and how they rate existing apps. |
| Competition | Scroll the store and guess whether there is room. | The apps serving the idea in your country, and how entrenched they are. |
| The opening | Read rival reviews one by one, if at all. | How unhappy their users are, and about what. |
| Trend | A feeling that the topic is hot right now. | Two years of Hacker News mentions by quarter. |
| Decision | Months of building to find out. | A score and its parts in minutes, before any code. |
What the Idea Validator shows you
Measured evidence for each part of the decision, with the sources visible.
Who the Idea Validator is for
Anyone about to spend months building something who wants evidence first.
App Idea Validator at a glance
- The score weights Demand 35%, Room 25%, Pain 20% and Timing 20%.
- Verdicts: Build it at 70 and above, Promising at 55, Risky at 40, Rethink below 40.
- AI only turns the idea into search phrases; it does not score the idea.
- Reddit posts are shown to read and never feed the score.
App Idea Validator, answered
Where does the data come from?
App Store and Google Play search suggestions and Google autocomplete for demand, a store search from your chosen country for existing apps, those apps' recent reviews for pain, and Hacker News mentions over two years for timing. Reddit posts are shown as quotes only.
How is the score calculated?
Four parts, each 0 to 100: Demand (35%), Room (25%), Pain (20%) and Timing (20%). The weighted total is your score. 70 and above reads Build it, 55 Promising, 40 Risky, and below that Rethink. If there is too little data, it says so instead of guessing.
Is the score an AI opinion?
No. AI turns your description into the search phrases to measure. The scores come from the measured signals, and every part is shown.
Can I validate for a specific country?
Yes. Pick the country and the store (App Store, Google Play or both). Existing apps are found by searching that country's store.
Does it save my reports?
Your last 12 reports are kept in your browser on that device. They are not stored on our servers, so clearing your browser data removes them.
What if my idea scores low?
The four parts show why. Low demand, no room or no pain each suggest a different next step: a narrower angle, a different audience, or a different idea. Finding out now is the cheap version.
How much does the Idea Validator cost, and is there a free trial?
The Idea Validator is part of ReachFront Max, which is $19 a month (or $15 a month billed annually). Max monthly starts with a 7-day free trial for first-time subscribers: we take your card at checkout, charge nothing for 7 days, and the first payment comes on day 8 unless you cancel before then. Validation is included on Max. Studio is $49 a month for higher limits and more apps.
Free tools and guides for this job
- Free app rank checker. See which apps rank for your idea's main keyword in five countries.
- Free Google Play rating checker. Check a rival's rating and star breakdown.
- How to validate an app idea. The full method, step by step, before you build.
- App ideas with real demand. 27 ideas and how to validate each one.
Validate your app idea before you build
Get a measured 0 to 100 score for your idea today. Max monthly is free for 7 days: your card is taken at checkout and nothing is charged if you cancel before day 8.