ASA is the indie-friendly paid channel
No creative studio required. No broad targeting matrix. You bid on App Store searches where intent already exists—ideal for solo founders and small teams shipping subscription apps.
Indie-friendly playbook
- Start with brand + small category exact keywords
- Use cold-start LTV assumptions until RevenueCat data exists
- Keep discovery budget under 10%
- Use a tool that structures campaigns for you—don’t wing one campaign
- Pause before scaling; one bad week can exceed a year of Subvra subscription cost
Mistakes indie devs make
- Bidding on competitor names without margin headroom
- Leaving Search Match on everywhere
- Judging success at 50 installs
- Ignoring brand defense—competitors will bid your name