[Checklist Genie] Add WebApp version

Last weekend, I launched my latest app — [Checklist Genie](https://www.checklistgenie.app), a voice and AI-powered checklist app for iOS. I was aiming for a top 10 spot, maybe top 5 if things went really well… but it ended up hitting **#1 Product of the Day** with **646 upvotes** and over **1,000 downloads on launch day**. Here's a quick breakdown of my experience. # WHY CHECKLIST GENIE: People always ask me, “Why build another checklist / to-do app? Didn’t you already make Dope Notes and Aloha Planner?” Yes, I did — but I wanted something even simpler. Just routines and checklists. No clutter, no bloat. Just fast, lightweight, and easy to use. I’ve always hated typing on my phone, so I decided to build something where you can speak or snap a photo and instantly turn it into a checklist — whether it’s a grocery run or packing for a weekend in Yosemite. To make it work the way I wanted, I knew I had to focus on a few features: * **Voice commands** (Skip the keyboard) * **Smart routines** (Daily, weekly, monthly) * **Real-time sharing** (Great for trips, households, and small teams) * **AI-generated checklists** (Say it, see it done) * **Change Log** (Who, What, When) Was it a little crazy? Probably.  # Building it: I wanted the app to be fast and lightweight, so I chose to build it natively with SwiftUI. Most of my recent experience has been in JavaScript, so jumping into Swift was a bit of a learning curve. Thankfully, tools like ChatGPT and [X.ai](http://X.ai) helped speed things up significantly. For authentication, I went with Firebase Auth because it’s straightforward to implement and supports anonymous guest accounts that can later be linked to email, Google, or Apple sign-in. No need to reinvent the wheel. Since I was already using Firebase, it made sense to use it for the API(Functions), website (App Hosting), and database (Firestore) as well. It gave me a solid foundation and the flexibility to easily expand to Android and WebApp down the road. It took around 12 weeks—and plenty of late-night bug hunts—to build Checklist Genie using a hybrid “vibe coding” approach with [X.ai](http://X.ai) and ChatGPT.    After testing it with friends and family for a few weeks, I realized it turned out way better than I expected—so I decided to put in the extra effort to get it out there. With new apps launching every day, especially all the new “vibe” coding tools, I knew I had to find the right users who’d actually use it and share it. I’ve launched on Product Hunt before, so I made that my main focus this time too. # PRELAUNCH PREPARATION: A couple of weeks before launch, I reached out to Chris Messina — a well-known Product Hunt hunter and consultant. I scheduled a Zoom call and shared my app’s website along with a TestFlight link to the Checklist Genie. We discussed my APP, messaging, and launch strategy. Chris gave some fantastic feedback, including UX improvements and feature suggestions. For example, Checklist Genie originally only offered dark mode, but he recommended adding a light mode option for users who prefer a brighter UI — a great call that I ended up implementing. In my previous launches, I noticed that if you don’t break into the top 10, your product can easily get buried—especially on busy weekdays. Weekends tend to have less competition, so after talking it over with Chris, we decided a Sunday launch would give Checklist Genie a better shot at standing out. Since I was doing all the coding myself, I gave myself about two weeks to build out the new light mode, refine the UI/UX, and get everything submitted to the App Store in time for a Sunday, July 20 launch. Tight timeline, but doable. **FINDING SUPPORT** To build an initial support group for the launch, I reached out to my network via direct messages. One thing I’ve learned about Product Hunt—and something you’ll likely experience if you launch there—is that once you post your product, you quickly get pulled into the ecosystem. Makers start reaching out on LinkedIn asking for help with their own launches, and I always tried to support when I could. I know how hard it is to build momentum from scratch. So when I locked in the launch date for Checklist Genie, I went back and messaged everyone who had previously contacted me, asking if they’d be open to returning the favor. I also made a point to engage more actively in daily launches and forums, not just for visibility, but to build real connections with other creators in the community ahead of launch day. # HICCUP: Looking back, I was probably a bit too optimistic about how quickly I could overhaul the UX, add a new light theme, and get the app approved in time for launch. Apple’s review process is always a wild card. I moved fast to give users the option to choose between Dark, Light, or Automatic themes—but in the rush, I completely forgot to update the theme styling for a few onboarding screens and alerts. I didn’t catch the issue until just a few days before launch. Cue the scramble. I fixed the colors, submitted the build to Apple on Thursday, and crossed my fingers. I gave my inner circle a heads-up that we might need to delay. I even preemptively moved the Product Hunt launch to July 27th, just in case. In the past, I’ve been stuck in review for weeks, so I was definitely nervous. But this time? Luck was on my side. The app went from "Waiting for Review" to "Approved" in under 24 hours. On Friday, I made the call—Checklist Genie was ready and proceeded with the launch plan on the 20th as planned. # LAUNCH DAY: Living in Hawaii gave me a bit of a time zone advantage—when Product Hunt resets at midnight PST, it’s only 9PM my time. That meant I could start sending reminders and DMs right as the new day kicked off. Some of the other founders and hunters I’d connected with were based in Asia and Europe, so they were already awake and able to jump in early with support. I also had the benefit of being online and able to respond to comments in real time, which I think made a big difference in building early traction. Throughout the day, it was a mix of replying, thanking people, and gently nudging to keep the momentum going. That consistent engagement helped keep the Checklist Genie at the top. # RESULT: *  \#1 Product of the Day * 646 upvotes * 65+ comments * Product Hunt’s email featured us the following day * Numerous Social Mentions and Shout Outs * 1,000+ real users / downloads After the initial spike from the launch, downloads leveled out to a steady 25–50 per day, mostly from App Store search and word of mouth. The app has a 14-day free trial and then converts to a free tier — I didn’t do any sneaky upsells or tricks. So far, I’ve had a handful of paid subscriptions. I wasn’t expecting to hit $25K MRR out of the gate or anything like that. I’m just a solo founder, and I genuinely appreciate that people are giving the app a shot. There are thousands of to-do apps out there, so the support really means a lot. # LESSONS LEARNED: * Product Hunt is still powerful — But your copy, timing, and follow-up matter more than your follower count. * Keep it simple — Clear, fast UX matters.  * Voice is underrated — People love skipping the keyboard. * Launch before you're “ready” — I could’ve kept tweaking forever, but real feedback only comes from real users.  If it feels right, pull the trigger. # WHAT’S NEXT: * WebApp then Android versions * Templates and save-to-library options — in development * More AI automation (e.g., auto-suggest routines based on time/location) * Possibly adding GPT-powered “smart suggestions” for checklist improvements # MY RECOMMENDATION: If you’re building something you find useful, you never know until you launch it just remember to be realistic with your expectations. Thanks again to the Product Hunt community — you helped bring this to life. Let’s keep building. If you want to try it out: 👉 [ChecklistGenie.app](http://ChecklistGenie.app) Available now on the Apple App Store