What should the first 90 days after launching a work app look like?
A launch is not one day of downloads. For a work app it is three months of getting the right professionals in, fixing what stops them reaching a useful result, and finding the first teams that will pay. This plan breaks that into weeks.
What does a 90-day launch plan for a work app include?
Three phases. Days 1 to 30 bring in a small group of target users and fix activation. Days 31 to 60 test pricing and the first paid channel. Days 61 to 90 turn active teams into company accounts and scale the channel that pays.
Each week ends with the same review: who came in, who reached a useful result, who paid, and what you change next.
| Weeks | Focus | Actions | Measure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-launch | Readiness | Analytics events, store listings, reviewer access, onboarding test with 5 users | Every key event fires once in testing |
| 1–2 | First users | Invite beta users, partners and your network; personal onboarding calls | Activation rate, time to first useful result |
| 3–4 | Fix activation | Shorten onboarding, add templates, fix top crashes | Activation rate week over week |
| 5–6 | Store and search | In-app event, first store listing experiment, task keywords | Product page conversion, activation by source |
| 7–8 | First paid channel | Small Apple Ads or App campaign test optimized to an in-app event | Cost per activated user |
| 9–10 | Pricing and upgrade | Paywall placement test, team plan offer on shared projects | Activated users who pay, team plan starts |
| 11–12 | Company accounts | Contact active teams, offer pilots, admin and invoicing | Company accounts, response time |
| 13 | Decide | Scale, fix or cut each channel | Cost per paying account, payback |
What needs to be ready before launch day?
Most launch problems are found after spend has started. Check these before anyone outside the team installs the app.
- Analytics events for first open, sign-up, first useful result, invite sent, paywall viewed and purchase, each tested on a real device. See analytics and attribution.
- Store listings on both stores with screenshots that show the task, not the menu. See App Store optimization.
- Reviewer access with working demo credentials if your app needs a login.
- Onboarding tested with five target users who have never seen the app. Watch them; do not explain.
- A team plan and a contact path so the first manager who asks can buy without waiting weeks.
- Store links tagged for every source you plan to use, so first-open data is clean from day one.
How do store events and listing tests fit into a launch?
Both stores give you tools to keep the listing fresh during the first months. Apple's in-app events appear on your product page and in search results, and are searchable; you can have up to 10 live at once and up to 15 approved. A launch webinar, a new template pack or a trade show week are all reasonable events for a work app.
On Android, store listing experiments test up to two variants against your current listing, either graphics or localized text in up to five languages, measured on unique-user installs or retained installers, with your own audience share, minimum detectable effect and confidence level. Run one test at a time and give it enough traffic to finish.
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What does a mid-launch review look like?
At week six, look at the whole funnel for users who arrived since launch, split by source. This illustrative review shows a common pattern: plenty of installs, a healthy activation rate from invites and partners, and a weak point between activation and payment.
Illustrative example written by ShoutEx for this guide, not a benchmark.
The decision for weeks seven to ten follows directly: do not scale paid acquisition yet. Move the upgrade prompt to the moment a schedule is shared with a third person, test a team trial, and contact the 38 teams personally. Pricing options are on upgrade triggers and paywalls and pilots and rollout.
One goal per month.
Month one: people reach a useful result. Month two: some of them pay. Month three: a team becomes a company account. Do not chase all three at once.
What mistakes derail an app launch?
- Spending on paid installs in week one. Wait until activation is stable.
- Counting the launch by downloads. Report activated users and paying accounts from the first weekly review.
- Changing five things at once. One store test and one onboarding change at a time, or you will not know what worked.
- Ignoring the managers who ask. A team enquiry in week three may be your first company account; answer it the same day.
- Stopping after 90 days. The plan becomes a monthly rhythm, not a finished project.
What should you measure in the first 90 days?
App Store Connect analytics covers impressions, product page views, conversion rate, downloads, sources, sessions, retention, crashes, proceeds and paying users, with peer benchmarks. Google Play Console has matching acquisition reports. Combine them with your own product events.
| Metric | Question it answers | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Activation rate | Do new users reach a useful result? | Product analytics |
| Time to first useful result | How long does it take? | Product analytics |
| Product page conversion | Does the listing persuade? | App Store Connect, Play Console |
| Crash-free sessions | Is quality hurting activation? | App Store Connect, Play Console, crash tool |
| Activated users who pay | Is pricing working? | Store subscriptions and billing |
| Teams and company accounts | Is the company path opening? | Product data and CRM |
For the channel choices behind this plan, see user acquisition and the conversion funnel.
Frequently asked questions
How long should an app launch plan be?
About 90 days for a work app: long enough for teams to form and the first company accounts to appear, short enough to keep weekly focus.
Should we spend on ads in the first month?
Usually not much. Use your network, beta users and partners first, fix activation, then test a small paid channel optimized to an in-app event.
What is an in-app event on the App Store?
A timely event, such as a launch walkthrough or new feature week, shown on your product page and in search results. Apple allows up to 10 live at once and 15 approved.
Can I test my Google Play listing at launch?
Yes, with store listing experiments: up to two variants against your current listing, measured on installs or retained installers. Run one test at a time.
What is the most important launch metric?
Activation rate: the share of new users who reach a useful result. Without it, every other number is misleading.
When should we contact teams about a company plan?
As soon as three or more people from one company use the app together. Reach out personally and quickly.
What should happen after 90 days?
Keep the weekly review, scale the channels that bring paying accounts, and cut or fix the rest.
Sources & further reading
Regulator rules, platform policies and local data change. These sources let you check the facts on this page, last checked October 6, 2026.