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Napkin Math

$1M Scanner App Ideas

Aug 5, 2026 · 29 min · 11 segments

The identifier app category is quietly exploding and most people still haven’t noticed. Some of these apps are generating $1M–$20M in ARR. In this episode, we break down the full playbook: using…

The identifier app category is quietly exploding and most people still haven’t noticed. Some of these apps are generating $1M–$20M in ARR. In this episode, we break down the full playbook: using keyword data to find the right niche, the “come for the snap, stay for the hobby” retention loop, and the 60-second onboarding flow that leads straight to a hard paywall. **Timestamps:** 00:00 Guess the revenue 02:31 How to find the idea 07:24 Come for the snap, stay for the hobby 10:14 How they grow 13:25 The hard paywall 19:29 The problem with high-churn apps 20:32 The unsexy version: $50M+ B2B 25:38 What to build next

The identifier app category is quietly exploding and most people still haven’t noticed. Some of these apps are generating $1M–$20M in ARR. In this episode, we break down the full playbook: using…

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Show signals: SuitabilitySafeAudience≈19k followers

Speakers: Charlie WardHostSabba KeynejadHost

Top entities: Shazam×5 Tractable×5 Episode×2 search engine optimization×3 Hobby

Guess-the-Revenue Game: Rocks, Coins & Plants0:35 – 2:11

Charlie WardHost

0:35

Sabah, I want to play a game.

Charlie WardHost

0:37

What's the game, Charlie? It's called Guess the Revenue.

Charlie WardHost

0:41

I love this game already.

Charlie WardHost

0:43

First one, Stone ID.

Charlie WardHost

0:44

It is a rock identifier app.

Charlie WardHost

0:47

So you just scan a, you take a photo of a rock and it tells you what it is? Exactly.

Sabba KeynejadHost

0:53

I don't know, like $20,000 a month.

Sabba KeynejadHost

0:57

That makes about $6 million a year? Okay, no.

Sabba KeynejadHost

1:01

There's a problem with your

Charlie WardHost

1:03

data.

Charlie WardHost

1:03

This is from Sensor Tower.

Charlie WardHost

1:05

Sensor Tower is a reputable app store data analysis tool, which I know you know.

Charlie WardHost

1:09

It's also

Sabba KeynejadHost

1:10

very correct.

Sabba KeynejadHost

1:11

When I look at the data of our apps on it, it's pretty much bang on.

Charlie WardHost

1:14

So the next one is called Coin Snap.

Sabba KeynejadHost

1:16

It's a

Charlie WardHost

1:17

coin identifier, if you couldn't guess from the

Sabba KeynejadHost

1:18

title.

Sabba KeynejadHost

1:19

Okay, so you take a photo of a coin, it tells you what coin it is.

Sabba KeynejadHost

1:21

Okay, so is that bigger than rocks? It's a little lower.

Sabba KeynejadHost

1:24

Interesting, because I would actually say that there's more people that are interested in coins than rocks, but I'm clearly

Charlie WardHost

1:30

wrong.

Charlie WardHost

1:30

Well, geology rocks, so...

Sabba KeynejadHost

1:32

Okay, so...

ShazamSoftware ApplicationSoftware
98%5 mentions
TractableCompanyArtificial intelligence company
94%5 mentions
EpisodeEntity
90%2 mentions
search engine optimizationEntity
87%3 mentions
HobbyEntity
83%1 mention
Optical character recognitionEntity
79%3 mentions
PokédexEntity
75%2 mentions
BrandEntity
71%1 mention
SpanishLanguageSpoken language
67%2 mentions
iOSSoftware ApplicationOperating system
63%2 mentions
AhrefsCompanyWebsite
60%2 mentions
application programming interfaceEntityType of software
56%2 mentions
GoogleCompanyTechnology corporation
52%2 mentions
PokémonProduct ModelVideo game series
48%1 mention
App store optimizationEntity
44%1 mention
Large language modelEntity
40%1 mention
ChineseEntitySpoken language
37%2 mentions
AndroidSoftware ApplicationOperating system
33%1 mention
United KingdomCountryCountry in Europe
29%2 mentions
Google MapsSoftware ApplicationWeb site
25%1 mention
Jimi HendrixPersonAmerican guitarist and singer-songwriter
21%1 mention
EnglishEntitySpoken language
17%1 mention
ChatGPTSoftware ApplicationSoftware
13%3 mentions
LondonCityCapital of England
10%1 mention
iPadProduct ModelTablet computer
6%1 mention
CloudflareCompanyCompany
2%1 mention

Market AnalysisTechnology > Mobile Applications > Identification Apps
Revenue GenerationTechnology > Mobile Applications > Identification Apps > Market Analysis
App DevelopmentBusiness > Consumer Apps
Marketing StrategiesBusiness > Consumer Apps > App Development
User EngagementBusiness > Consumer Apps > App Development > Marketing Strategies
Influencer MarketingMarketing > Digital Marketing > App Store Optimization > User Acquisition
Nature EnthusiastsSociety > Hobbies > Collecting
GardeningSociety > Hobbies > Collecting > Nature Enthusiasts
Consumer BehaviorFinance > Revenue Models > Subscription Services
Market TrendsFinance > Revenue Models > Subscription Services > Consumer Behavior
Society
Consumer AppsBusiness
HobbiesSociety
Revenue ModelsFinance
App Store OptimizationMarketing > Digital Marketing
Identification AppsTechnology > Mobile Applications
Subscription ServicesFinance > Revenue Models
Mobile ApplicationsTechnology
CollectingSociety > Hobbies
User AcquisitionMarketing > Digital Marketing > App Store Optimization
Digital MarketingMarketing
Technology
Business
Finance
Marketing

Guess-the-Revenue Game: Rocks, Coins & Plants0:35 – 2:11

Charlie WardHost

0:35

Sabah, I want to play a game.

Charlie WardHost

0:37

What's the game, Charlie? It's called Guess the Revenue.

Charlie WardHost

0:41

I love this game already.

Charlie WardHost

0:43

First one, Stone ID.

Charlie WardHost

0:44

It is a rock identifier app.

Charlie WardHost

0:47

So you just scan a, you take a photo of a rock and it tells you what it is? Exactly.

Sabba KeynejadHost

0:53

I don't know, like $20,000 a month.

Sabba KeynejadHost

0:57

That makes about $6 million a year? Okay, no.

Sabba KeynejadHost

1:01

There's a problem with your

Charlie WardHost

1:03

data.

Charlie WardHost

1:03

This is from Sensor Tower.

Charlie WardHost

1:05

Sensor Tower is a reputable app store data analysis tool, which I know you know.

Charlie WardHost

1:09

It's also

Sabba KeynejadHost

1:10

very correct.

Sabba KeynejadHost

1:11

When I look at the data of our apps on it, it's pretty much bang on.

Charlie WardHost

1:14

So the next one is called Coin Snap.

Sabba KeynejadHost

1:16

It's a

Charlie WardHost

1:17

coin identifier, if you couldn't guess from the

Sabba KeynejadHost

1:18

title.

Sabba KeynejadHost

1:19

Okay, so you take a photo of a coin, it tells you what coin it is.

Sabba KeynejadHost

1:21

Okay, so is that bigger than rocks? It's a little lower.

Sabba KeynejadHost

1:24

Interesting, because I would actually say that there's more people that are interested in coins than rocks, but I'm clearly

Charlie WardHost

1:30

wrong.

Charlie WardHost

1:30

Well, geology rocks, so...

Sabba KeynejadHost

1:32

Okay, so...

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