Designing and building a faith-based app from zero to App Store

Role: Founder, Product Designer, Developer

Platform: iOS

Stack: React Native, Expo, TypeScript, Supabase, Swift, PostHog, OneSignal, Next.js, Figma

Waymark is not just a product. It is proof that I can take a problem from personal insight to a live, polished app — handling product strategy, UX and UI design, development, content systems, and launch entirely on my own.

If you are looking for a designer who can also build, or a developer who thinks deeply about experience, this is that work.

Waymark helps people understand and live out the Bible in everyday life. Many people want to engage with Scripture but feel lost without context, unsure how to apply it, or put off by apps that lock meaning behind paywalls. Waymark was built to fix that — a calm, structured daily experience with no streaks, no pressure, and no subscription required to access what matters.

Each lesson walks users through a Bible passage with plain-language explanation, cultural context, real-life application, reflection prompts, and prayer. A private journal, book-level progress tracking, home screen widgets, dark mode, and offline support round out the experience.

Waymark launched on iOS with zero marketing spend. In its first release cycle it recorded 138 downloads, 1,080 App Store impressions, and a 20% conversion rate — four to six times the App Store category average. The product page converted at that rate before any marketing, any social presence, or any paid acquisition. That is a product and positioning result, not a distribution one.

The largest update since launch is currently awaiting App Store approval.

Every part of this. Product direction and strategy. UX research and information architecture. UI design and visual system in Figma. React Native development with Expo and TypeScript. Supabase backend. Native iOS widgets in Swift. Push notification logic via OneSignal. Analytics instrumentation with PostHog. Marketing website designed and built in Next.js, deployed on Vercel. App Store listing, screenshots, and metadata. Content strategy and a six-dimension quality evaluation framework applied to every lesson before it published.

Want to see the full story — the design decisions, content quality system, before/after App Store strategy, early data, and what is coming next?