App Showcase
App info
- App name: Hiya: Spam Blocker
- Onboarding steps: 20
- Paywall type: Free Trial - Soft Paywall
- Monthly installs: 10,000
- Monthly revenue: $150,000
- App category: utilities
What it does
Hiya: Spam Blocker is a utility designed to intercept, identify, and silence unwanted phone calls. By integrating directly with iOS and carrier-level settings, it aims to prevent robocalls, telemarketers, and fraud from ever making the user's phone ring.
Where it shines
The app shines in its ability to guide users through an inherently complex technical setup. At 01:00, it effectively walks users through obscure iOS Phone settings to enable Call Identification. Later, at 01:31, it orchestrates a complicated sequence of dialing carrier USSD codes to properly configure call forwarding, a process that would otherwise be impossible for the average user to figure out independently.
UX highlights
- The onboarding breaks down massive technical hurdles into atomic, single-action screens, ensuring users are never asked to do two complex things at once.
- Deep linking directly into the iOS Phone settings (01:00) removes the friction of manual navigation.
- When the initial call forwarding setup is unverified, the app elegantly provides a three-step fallback sequence (01:58) that clearly tracks which manual codes have been tried.
- The "Lookup" feature (02:38) provides immediate, tangible value by allowing users to instantly verify unknown numbers.
- The "Block a prefix" feature (04:04) handles the reality of neighborhood spoofing, allowing users to silence an entire block of similar numbers at once.
Monetization & growth
The app presents its paywall early in the experience (00:37), before the heavy technical setup begins. It utilizes a clear feature list to establish value and offers a 7-day free trial on both yearly and monthly plans. A noticeable "Save 47%" badge on the yearly option nudges users toward the longer commitment.
Who it’s for
This app is built for individuals plagued by persistent spam, telemarketing, or scam calls who are willing to invest a few minutes upfront configuring system settings to reclaim the peace and quiet of their personal phone lines.
Notes & opportunities
The onboarding flow is undeniably long, spanning over two minutes of nearly constant friction and permissions. While this is structurally necessary for the app to function, the lack of any early value demonstration—like allowing a quick test number lookup before diving into the OS settings—might result in a higher-than-ideal drop-off rate for less technically patient users.