Category research playbook for finding lower-competition app ideas
Category research is often more useful than keyword search because it gives you a structured market view. When you compare adjacent categories, patterns become easier to see.
1. Scan several neighboring categories, not just one
If you only inspect one category, you usually inherit its blind spots. Compare two or three adjacent categories that solve similar jobs so you can see whether demand and competition are concentrated or spread out.
2. Shortlist niches with both demand and weakness
The best candidates are rarely empty markets. They are markets where users clearly exist, but top apps look weak, outdated, overpriced, or poorly reviewed.
3. Compare pricing and maintenance behavior
A niche with healthy pricing and active users can still be attractive if maintenance quality is poor. Pricing and update rhythm often reveal whether incumbents are building durable products or just harvesting old installs.
4. Convert category findings into a product brief
End the session with a short document: target user, core pain, weak competitors, pricing angle, and first feature bet. If you cannot write that brief, your research is still incomplete.
Category research checklist
- Open the top five apps in each shortlist
The point of category research is not to prove that a market exists. The point is to find a market gap specific enough that you can design a better product around it.