From One to Two
our story from version 1.0 to 2.0
Going from version 1.0 to 2.0
It’s hard to believe that a whole year has passed since we embarked on this journey. As I look back, I can’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of pride for what we’ve accomplished together. Every single person involved has poured their heart and soul into this project, and it shows in the work we’ve produced.
Before we get started, you can read part one here if you haven’t already (https://www.lettre.app/lettreblog/from-zero-to-one)
I would like to take this opportunity today to reflect on some things I consider important
What We Stand For
At the core of our mission is a commitment to fostering deeper communication among each other. In an age where swipe culture dominates, leaving people more disconnected than ever, we’ve chosen a different path. We believe in meaningful interactions, the kind that don’t just scratch the surface but dive deep into the essence of human connection. To cement our commitment to this vision, we went against the AI wave and set out to build something with innate authenticity, impossible for bots to replicate. This is also the same reason we exclusively work with independent artists across the world — (generative) ai “art” is plagiarism and we want to stand firm on that for the unforeseeable future
Our approach to monetization reflects this belief. We’ve rejected the predatory tactics so prevalent in the industry—no FOMO triggers, no locked features. Everyone has access to every feature we offer, no small print. The way we even designed the free pack(s) of stamps; someone probably does not need to ever spend money on the app unless they absolutely want to considering they get to keep the stamps from every lettre they receive. Our subscription plan is also designed with the same philosophy in mind, subscribers get extra perks which takes absolutely nothing away from the non-subscribing users. With that said, please buy our supporter’s pack or subscribe to the “Pippin’s Supporters Club” so we get to keep the lights on with the ads off.
And when we say no ads, we mean it. We’re dedicated to providing the best experience possible, free from the distractions and intrusions of ad-driven platforms.
“And when we say no ads, we mean it. We’re dedicated to providing the best experience possible, free from the distractions and intrusions of ad-driven platforms.”
Why We Do This
The industry we love has, unfortunately, strayed from its original vision. What began as a group of cool people making cool stuff has devolved into a cesspool of dodgy financial practices and greed. We see the harm in this, the way it warps innovation into something soulless and purely profit-driven. Bootstrapping has been hard but absolutely worth it (so far)
So, we’ve decided to reject all that. We embrace the ancient, the timeless—monke, if you will. It shows in the fact that we’re turning back to the first skill we ever learn as humans, one that we so easily discard in the digital age: handwriting. It’s more than just a way to communicate; it’s a return to authenticity, to the tactile, to the human.
What’s the Result?
The response has been nothing short of incredible. Our community is now 10k strong! People love what we’re doing—so much so that we’ve earned an average rating of 4.8 stars across the board (4.9 alone in the US), and in some places, a perfect 5 stars. We’ve made it onto the top 5 list on Product Hunt and even cracked the top 25 list on the App Store’s Lifestyle category. What’s also impressive is our retention metrics, even with next-to-no retention mechanism built in. People just seem to love it. These achievements only prove the power of our vision, the dedication of our team and the fact that people seem to really connect with the idea!
What’s the Future Looking Like?
The future is slow but bright. We’re not in a rush, and we don’t need to be. Our focus remains on quality and authenticity, on building something that will stand the test of time. We’re excited about what’s to come, and we’re grateful to have you with us on this journey.
Now, as a treat for reading this far — lets take a stroll down memory lane
Visuals from our very first Apple App store listing (2022)
Visuals from our Apple App store listing from last year (2023)
Visuals from our Apple App store listing from this year (2024)
The envelope screen before version 2.0 (left) —> top-nav menu has only two buttons, envelopes and stamps
The envelope screen after version 2.0 (right) —> top-nav menu has five buttons, envelopes, stamps, stickers, fonts and Express Mail toggle
Going from zero to one and crossing 10k downloads within a year is no small feat. A feat we could never have achieved without the love and appreciation of each and every person who has been a part of the journey. On behalf of the entire team, I thank you all.
Thank you once again for reading this far; will see you next year with the next article in this series - hopefully titled “from two to three” and beyond!
PS: We love you <3
