App Showcase: BackThen - Baby Book & Albums
App info
- App name: BackThen - Baby Book & Albums
- Onboarding steps: 8
- Paywall type: No Free Trial - Soft Paywall
- Monthly installs: 0
- Monthly revenue: $100,000
- App category: lifestyle
What it does
BackThen is a digital space for parents to document their child's life. It combines photo and video storage with milestone tracking, creating a unified timeline of memories that can be shared with invited family members.
Where it shines
The app excels in creating a textured, engaging timeline. At 03:25, we see how photos, text entries, and logged milestones (like height and weight) are all presented together in a visually appealing grid. This approach makes the timeline feel like a rich, multi-dimensional record rather than just a simple photo gallery.
UX highlights
- The input mechanism for logging height and weight (seen at 02:30) uses a large, tactile scroll wheel, which is easy to use one-handed.
- Custom, hand-drawn-style illustrations are used throughout, such as on the success screen at 02:45, adding a playful and warm personality to the app.
- The empty state on the timeline (01:16) provides a clear call to action and a preview of what the timeline will look like once populated.
- The process for inviting collaborators (03:30) is straightforward and allows the user to specify the invitee's relationship to the child.
- The filtering system (05:35) is simple but effective, allowing users to quickly sort by media type or likes.
Monetization & growth
The app uses a soft paywall, introduced relatively late in the user journey (07:34). It offers a single, straightforward subscription plan (upgrade for $6.49 per month) that highlights benefits like 200GB of storage, unlimited sharing, and ad-free usage. The paywall is simple and focuses on the utility of the premium features.
Who it’s for
This app is designed for parents, particularly new parents, who want a private, dedicated space to store and organize their child's photos and milestones. It also appeals to users who want an easy way to share these updates with extended family members without relying on public social media platforms.
Notes & opportunities
The onboarding process is functional but somewhat dry, focusing heavily on account creation before demonstrating the app's value. The app could benefit from a short "ValuePropSlide" or "FeatureCarousel" at the very beginning to build excitement before asking for an email and password.