Apptisan #006 — Cush
Cush is a magical budgeting tool with a simple and natural user experience, making it fun and easy to develop healthy spending habits!
Name: Cush
Developer / Team: ShaSha
Platforms: iOS, macOS
Read this newsletter issue in Chinese (中文) .
Please describe your product.
Have you ever heard that budgeting can help you save money but found yourself quitting shortly after getting started? Cush is here to change that. It streamlines the entire bookkeeping process with its intuitive and beautifully design, making it a breeze to adopt a habit of managing your finances. Moreover, if you’re about to overspend, Cush will give you a vivid reminder, helping you save on every transaction, every single day. Say goodbye to exceeding your budget by the month’s end!
Was there a pivotal moment that inspired your product’s creation?
My personal journey with financial tracking began in college, though I often found myself giving up after a few weeks. However, I noticed that during the periods when I did maintain my budgeting habit, I was much more aware of how much money I was spending. This awareness alone helped me cut back on unnecessary expenses. Whenever I found myself overspending, I’d return to budgeting as a way to correct course, which gradually improved my financial habits.
This personal experience inspired me to develop an app when I became an independent developer. I wanted to make something incredibly simple and user-friendly, to encourage consistent use and not just serve as a traditional budgeting tool, but also as a means to tackle overspending. That’s how Cush was born.
What makes your product unique compared to others in the market?
Traditional budgeting apps can be overwhelming with their complexity, making it hard for many to stay the course. Cush revolutionizes this process with a brilliantly simple approach to tracking expenses: a gentle swipe lets you log amounts without the hassle of categorizing every penny. The interface is not only intuitive and delightful but also elegantly designed, inviting you to engage with your finances more happily.
What truly distinguishes Cush, however, is its focus on budgeting and overspending awareness. It offers a smart daily budget feature, and should you exceed your limits, the interface cleverly turns red as a visual cue. This feature serves as a constant reminder to foster a savings mindset with every entry and review, steering you towards healthier spending habits.
How have you marketed your product, and what key lessons have you learned?
I’ve leveraged platforms like Xiaohongshu, a popular social media platform in China, for promotion. This strategy significantly increased Cush’s visibility, assisting greatly in user acquisition. However, I’ve encountered a challenge recently as my account began facing restrictions, which has been quite frustrating. As for my next steps in marketing, I haven’t settled on a specific plan yet. I plan to immerse myself in learning from the experiences of other developers online before cautiously experimenting with new strategies.
What has been some memorable feedback since your product’s release?
One feature in Cush allowed users to review their spending daily, a personal habit of mine that I believed others would find beneficial. However, feedback revealed that daily reminders were perceived as negative, making users reluctant to engage with the app. Acting on this feedback, I removed the feature, which was a crucial learning moment: the importance of developing Cush around user needs rather than personal biases.
We’ve also established a community in a WeChat group, where I share ideas and receive invaluable feedback. For anyone developing a product, I highly recommend creating such a community—it’s a great source of insight and support.
How do you typically discover new products, and how do you learn from their strengths when you find ones that impress you?
I make it a point to try out apps that have received the Apple Design Award, a hallmark of excellence in design and innovation (interestingly, Evernote is one of its recipients). Additionally, when new apps pop up on Twitter or within my group chats, my curiosity leads me to check them out, though I wouldn’t say I follow any particular strategy in these discoveries.
Rather than immediately dissecting a good product for learning, I prefer to save it to a dedicated folder for periodic review. This way, I can draw on these examples when I need inspiration. A recent project involved revamping the launch page for Cush, during which I revisited the app Streaks. Its exceptional execution provided a wealth of ideas, underscoring the value of blending simplicity with functionality.
Are there any products out there that you feel deserve more recognition?
I’ve reserved prime real estate on my phone’s home screen for products that I find exceptionally well-designed, as a constant learning reminder.
It’s tough to narrow down, but here are three gems: Transit, for its stunningly elegant approach to promoting green travel without feeling preachy—it’s evident a lot of thought has gone into user consideration. Pluck it—an app for, believe it or not, plucking hairs. Its uniqueness and humor make it a standout for me. And Chameleon, a minimalist runner game that’s caught my attention despite my usual indifference to gaming. Its simplicity, beauty, and engaging nature are magnetic. There’s something to be said about the allure of simplicity in design.
Tell us a bit about yourself and what you envision for the future.
I’m ShaSha, I started out in business ad placements, and after leaving my job, I taught myself how to code and went on to create Cush. What began as a solo endeavor has blossomed into a small but dedicated team. Our newest developer hails from Hangzhou, and we’ve recently teamed up. He’s currently giving the Cush interface a complete overhaul using UIKit, aiming to enhance its responsiveness and overall user experience.
This year, our focus is on refining Cush through thoughtful iterations, with the goal of reaching and assisting an even wider audience. Along this journey, we’re equally committed to developing our expertise in product development and marketing, striving to bring more beauty and utility into the world!
About Apptisan
Apptisan is a portmanteau of “application” and “artisan”, signifying “a weekly exploration into the world of apps and the passionate artisans who create them.” Each issue is a conversation with global creators, aiming to uncover and present intriguing products to a wider audience.
For those who prefer Chinese, you can subscribe via Quail. Creators interested in featuring their products are encouraged to submit them through our form, and we’ll be in touch promptly.
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