Card Value Scanner for Pokemon
apps.apple.com
Scans Pokémon trading cards to identify them and estimate their value.
diff ~/p/adam-lyttle ~/p/david-smith
Adam Lyttle vs David Smith
Products, revenue & stack compared side by side.
Adam Lyttle vs David Smith at a glance
Both Adam Lyttle and David Smith are bootstrapped solo founders and are serial makers. They overlap in Mobile App Makers and Creators & Writers. Adam started in 2020 and David in 2008. Adam Lyttle has 6 products listed on IndieMakerList vs David Smith's 4. Adam self-reports $70K/mo (as of 2026); David hasn't shared a revenue figure publicly. They share 3 tools in their stacks: Swift, SwiftUI and RevenueCat. On X, Adam has about 59K followers and David about 28K.
Side-by-side comparison
- Based in
- Adam Lyttle: Melbourne, Australia
- David Smith: —
- Started
- Adam Lyttle: 2020 (6 yrs indie)
- David Smith: 2008 (18 yrs indie)
- Revenue (self-reported)
- Adam Lyttle: $70K/moself-reported, as of 2026 · source for Adam Lyttle's revenue
- David Smith: Not public
- Products listed
- Adam Lyttle: 6
- David Smith: 4
- Product status
- Adam Lyttle: 6 active
- David Smith: 4 active
- X followers
- Adam Lyttle: 59K
- David Smith: 28K
- Categories
- Adam Lyttle: Mobile App MakersIndie Game MakersCreators & Writers
- David Smith: Mobile App MakersCreators & Writers
- Style
- Adam Lyttle: solobootstrappedbuilds in publicserial maker
- David Smith: solobootstrappedserial maker
- Courses & resources
- Adam Lyttle: 2
- David Smith: 2
Revenue figures are self-reported by each maker and not audited; dates and scope differ. Highlighted categories are shared by both.
Top products
Swipe the cat
apps.apple.com
Casual game built around a viral TikTok trend.
PIANORUN
apps.apple.com
Game that teaches you to play piano notes.
Fish Identifier: AI Scanner
apps.apple.com
Identifies fish species from a photo using AI.
Widgetsmith
apps.apple.com
Customizable home screen and lock screen widgets for iPhone, with 100M+ downloads.
Pedometer++
apps.apple.com
Simple, popular step counter for iPhone and Apple Watch.
Sleep++
apps.apple.com
Sleep tracking app for Apple Watch.
Watchsmith
apps.apple.com
Custom complications for Apple Watch faces.
Tech stack
3 shared tools, marked with ★: Swift, SwiftUI, RevenueCat. See the indie maker tech stack.
Swift (shared) SwiftUI (shared) RevenueCat (shared)
Swift (shared) SwiftUI (shared)WidgetKit RevenueCat (shared)
How they build
- Build a portfolio of simple apps instead of betting on one.
- Shipping volume is practice — one app a month teaches fast.
- Validate demand with keyword research before building.
- Create value first, then monetize with well-tested paywalls.
- Keep shipping for years — overnight successes are usually a decade in the making.
- Build in an Apple-like way: craftsmanship and consideration for users.
- Ride new platform features early; that is where indies can win.
- Sustainable, healthy work beats short bursts of crunch.
Learn from Adam and David
- [youtube] Adam Lyttle on YouTube
- [podcast] Launched #86: Swipe the cat – Adam Lyttle
- [podcast] Developing Perspective
- [podcast] Under the Radar (with Marco Arment)
Adam Lyttle vs David Smith FAQ
Who makes more money, Adam Lyttle or David Smith?
Adam Lyttle self-reports $70K/mo (as of 2026). David Smith's revenue is not public, so a direct comparison isn't possible.
Who has built more products, Adam Lyttle or David Smith?
Adam Lyttle has 6 products listed (including Card Value Scanner for Pokemon, Swipe the cat and PIANORUN); David Smith has 4 products listed (including Widgetsmith, Pedometer++ and Sleep++).
What tech stack do Adam Lyttle and David Smith use?
Adam Lyttle uses Swift, SwiftUI and RevenueCat. David Smith uses Swift, SwiftUI, WidgetKit and RevenueCat. Tools they have in common: Swift, SwiftUI and RevenueCat.
Where are Adam Lyttle and David Smith based?
Adam Lyttle: Melbourne, Australia. David Smith: not listed.
Who has been an indie maker longer, Adam Lyttle or David Smith?
Adam Lyttle started in 2020 (6 years indie); David Smith started in 2008 (18 years indie).
Are Adam Lyttle and David Smith bootstrapped?
Yes, both are listed as bootstrapped founders on IndieMakerList.
Full profiles
Read the full story, timeline and links on Adam Lyttle's profile and David Smith's profile.
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Adam Lyttle vs Derek Yu
David Smith vs Marco Arment