How to Find App Ideas That People Actually Want

How do you come up with good app ideas? The truth is, you don’t need to “invent” something new. You just need to spot what’s already frustrating people and solve it better.

Here are a few simple tactics that work really well:

1. Read app reviews (this is the goldmine)

Go to the App Store or Google Play, pick a few apps in a category you’re interested in, and read the 1-star and 3-star reviews. That’s where people complain the most — things like “I wish it had this feature” or “The app keeps crashing when I…”

Those comments literally tell you what’s missing in the market.

2. Explore Reddit & niche communities

Search Reddit for “best app for [problem]” or “what’s the most annoying part about [task].” You’ll find hundreds of honest answers from people describing exactly what they wish existed.

3. Look at trending tools and copycat ideas

Check Product Hunt, AppSumo, or even TikTok for apps that are suddenly blowing up. Then ask yourself: could this idea work for another audience or region? Many successful apps started by taking an existing idea and applying it to a new niche.

4. Validate before you build

Once you spot a promising idea, don’t code yet. Make a quick landing page, describe your app idea in one line, and run a small ad campaign or share it on Reddit. If people sign up or comment “I’d use this,” you’re onto something.

Or… just let Insightly do the hard part

Instead of manually digging through reviews and forums, Insightly can automatically:

• Find similar apps to your idea
• Collect and analyze their user reviews
• Use AI to show you what users love, hate, and ask for the most

In short, it turns hours of manual research into a few clicks — helping you find ideas that already have proven demand.