App Showcase: Domestika

What it does

Domestika is a mobile platform for online courses focused on creative disciplines. It connects users with professional instructors across fields like illustration, design, photography, and marketing. The app serves as a discovery engine and library for these courses, allowing users to browse, save, and eventually purchase and watch creative lessons.

Where it shines

Domestika excels at making learning feel tangible and aspirational. A prime example is how it integrates student projects directly into the main feed (00:24) and course detail pages (02:13). This immediately shows potential students what they can achieve, turning social proof into a core discovery feature. The app also presents its 'Plus' subscription not just as a banner, but through contextual tags on courses labeled 'FREE WITH PLUS' (00:18), which is a smart psychological framing.

UX highlights

• Dense, layered content discovery: The home feed (00:16) combines multiple carousels for new courses, popular content, recommendations, and categories, catering to various browsing styles.
• Unobtrusive Login/Sign-up: Users can browse the entire catalog without creating an account. The sign-up prompt only appears when they try to interact, such as by tapping the sale banner (00:32).
• Integrated Teacher Profiles: It's easy to go from a course to its instructor's profile (02:19) and follow them, fostering a connection that goes beyond a single class.
• Actionable Saving: The 'Add to list' feature (01:58) is quick and allows for immediate list creation, encouraging users to curate their interests.
• Clear Course Structure: The 'Content' tab on course pages (02:30) provides a clear, expandable outline of the curriculum, helping users evaluate the course before committing.

Monetization & growth

Domestika employs a hybrid model. Individual courses are available for purchase, often with a visible discount timer to create urgency (00:12). The primary monetization push, however, is for its 'Domestika Plus' subscription. This is promoted through a persistent banner on the home screen (01:22) and contextual course tags. The subscription paywall (01:24) is well-designed, featuring a dynamic video background and two clear plan options (Yearly and Monthly), with the annual plan highlighted as the 'Best Value'.

Who it’s for

This app is designed for creatives, aspiring artists, and professionals looking to learn or refine specific skills. Its user base likely ranges from hobbyists interested in needle felting (01:53) to designers wanting to master Canva (02:46) or marketers looking to build an online presence (04:36). The focus on tangible projects suggests it appeals to users who are goal-oriented and value practical application.

Notes & opportunities

The search and filter functionality is powerful but could be slightly streamlined. After selecting multiple categories, the user has to close the modal to see the applied filter count (04:21), which is an extra step. Similarly, the search results page shows 'Oops! No results' (04:26) when filters are too restrictive, but it could offer suggestions to broaden the search, like removing the least common filter, to prevent a dead end.