Ask HN: Why Are Honest Devs Getting Punished by Algo?

1 checklistgenie 0 7/25/2025, 2:03:26 AM

I’ve been building apps for 10+ years. Back then, if an app hit 1k+ or even 10K+ reviews, it meant something huge. It was rare. It was earned.

Now? Feels like every second app has 10K+ glowing reviews — many of them clearly fake or gamed.

Meanwhile, indie developers like me — no bots, no shady tactics, no massive ad budgets — are being buried. Our apps get solid reviews, great user feedback, and even recognition (like Product of the Day on Product Hunt)… yet my app Checklist Genie still invisible to the algorithm.

Why is the App Store rewarding volume over authenticity?

Why are honest creators punished for not playing the game?

What can we do about it? Or should we all just play the game and push it to 1m+ reviews in 2 years. Who wins then?

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Ask HN: Why Are Honest Devs Getting Punished by Algo?

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