How to Market a Desktop App on a Tiny Budget (2026)

Short answer: Market a desktop app by fixing the download page first (OS detection, one button, a 60-second demo), then listing it everywhere people already install software: the Mac App Store and Microsoft Store, Setapp, Homebrew, winget and Flathub. Launch once on Show HN and Product Hunt, and spend the rest of your time on search pages that answer the problem your app solves, because those keep sending buyers after launch week ends.

Every fee and rule below comes from the official page, checked on 14 Nov 2026. Advice is ours and is labelled "Our read".

TL;DR#

• Download page first. Detect the OS, show one primary button, and put a short demo video above the fold. Desktop apps are a bigger commitment than a web signup, so show the app working before asking for the install.
• Stores are cheap now. Microsoft Store registration has no registration fees, and non-game apps that bring their own commerce keep 100% of the revenue. Apple charges 99 USD per membership year and a 15% commission for small developers.
• Setapp takes 15% on single-app subscriptions, 25% on one-time sales, and 10% plus a 20% partner share on membership revenue (Setapp for developers).
• Package managers count. Homebrew, winget and Flathub are free to get into and reach the users most likely to try a new tool.
• Search compounds. One indie Mac developer says a single how-to guide brings in almost a third of revenue, with no paid ads (MacMD Viewer story).

Disclosure: ZeroRaised publishes this guide and is a launch directory for bootstrapped products, listed below as one of the channels. We have no commercial relationship with Apple, Microsoft, Setapp, Homebrew, Flathub, Canonical, AlternativeTo or Hacker News.

This post is about getting downloads and paying users. Checkout, licence keys, signing, notarisation and refunds are covered in how to sell software online. If you have not picked a framework yet, see Tauri vs Electron for indie developers. Marketing other platforms is a different game: see how to market a mobile app with no budget and how to market a Chrome extension.

Why desktop apps market differently#

A web app asks for an email. A desktop app asks someone to download a binary, get past an OS security prompt, and give it a place on their machine. That is a bigger ask, and it changes the marketing in three ways.

1. Trust has to come before the click. Screenshots, a demo video, a changelog and a real name behind the product all do work that a "Sign up free" button does not need on the web.
2. Install sources matter. Plenty of technical users prefer brew install or winget install to a download page, because the package manager handles updates. Being listed there is marketing, not just packaging.
3. The install base is a channel. Once someone has your app, every update is a chance to show what is new. Web apps have to earn a return visit; desktop apps already have one.

Positioning and the landing page#

Say the job in one line#

Our read: desktop apps win when they do one job better than the built-in tool or the browser tab. Name that job in the headline ("Read Markdown files on your Mac without an editor") rather than the category ("A Markdown viewer"). The line should tell a visitor which built-in tool or workflow you are replacing.

The download page checklist#

Our read: OS detection is a few lines of front-end code and is worth it. On mobile, do not show a download at all; show "Send me the link" or "Available for Mac and Windows" so a phone visitor can come back later at a desk.

Distribution channels, with today's rules#

Mac App Store#

The Apple Developer Program is "99 USD per membership year, or in local currency where available". The App Store Small Business Program offers "a reduced commission rate of 15% on paid apps and Apple In-App Purchases" for developers who made up to 1 million USD in proceeds in the prior calendar year, and for developers new to the App Store.

Our read: the store gives you search inside the App Store app and a trust signal, but sandboxing rules out some app types. Many indie Mac developers sell direct and through the store at the same time.

Microsoft Store#

Microsoft removed the barrier to entry. Its Learn page says that with the new onboarding flow "there are no registration fees for either account type", individual or company, as long as you start at storedeveloper.microsoft.com (Microsoft Learn). Microsoft's developer blog says non-game apps can bring their own in-app commerce and "keep 100% of the revenue" (Windows Developer Blog).

Two details matter for marketing. The Store accepts EXE and MSI installers as well as MSIX. And MSIX packages are re-signed by Microsoft after certification, with "Free Microsoft code signing and CDN hosting" listed as benefits (MSIX package requirements). Our read: for Windows users wary of unknown installers, a Store listing is a familiar, trusted install path.

Setapp (Mac)#

Setapp is a subscription bundle of Mac apps. Its developer page says: "For a single app, we take just 15% on subscription sales and 25% on one-time sales." For membership revenue: "we take 10% and share 20% with partners who bring you users." The membership model is described as usage-based.

Daniel Alm, the developer of the time tracker Timing, told Setapp: "Extra revenue from Setapp has definitely been helping stabilize my business," and "The revenue from Setapp tends to be very stable and reliable" (Setapp: Timing). Setapp hosts that quote, so read it as a happy partner, not a neutral review.

Homebrew cask (Mac)#

Our read: Homebrew is the first place many developers on a Mac look for a tool. The Package Acceptance Policy asks GitHub-hosted projects for "at least 30 forks, 30 watchers or 75 stars", and "at least 90 forks, 90 watchers or 225 stars for a self-submission by the repository owner". Repositories under 30 days old are normally ineligible. Closed-source apps without a public repo are not automatically rejected, but you must provide evidence of notability in the pull request.

The cask rules add that "A cask must use a download published by the developer or by a distribution source the developer publicly endorses", and that apps "must not require System Integrity Protection or Gatekeeper to be disabled or bypassed".

Our read: if you are below the self-submission bar, ask an early user to submit, or wait until press coverage gives you evidence of notability. Until then, a Homebrew tap of your own works for the terminal crowd.

winget (Windows)#

Windows Package Manager takes submissions from publishers and the community. You create a YAML manifest and submit it to the open source winget-pkgs repository on GitHub, following the repository policies. There is no fee. Our read: do this on day one, because winget users are exactly the people who try new utilities.

Flathub and Snap (Linux)#

Flathub submissions are a pull request: fork flathub/flathub, open the PR against the new-pr branch, and title it "Add" plus your app ID (Flathub submission docs). Permissions are reviewed separately, so explain the ones you need. The docs also allow third-party submissions where the licence permits.

The Snap Store organises releases by risk level: "The available levels are stable, candidate, beta, and edge" (Snapcraft channels). Our read: the edge or beta channel is a ready-made early-access list for Linux users, at no extra cost.

Directories and launch sites#

• AlternativeTo. Free to suggest an app once you verify your email. Developers can get developer access to their own page so edits go live straight away, and there is an optional one-time fee to skip the review queue (AlternativeTo FAQ). List yourself as an alternative to the tool you replace; this is where "X alternative" searchers land.
• Product Hunt. One launch, well prepared. Our guide on how to launch on Product Hunt covers timing and assets.
• ZeroRaised. A free launch listing for products built without VC: submit your app.
• For the long list of directories and the order to do them in, see how to submit your startup to directories.

Show HN#

Desktop apps suit Show HN, because the rules reward things people can run. Hacker News says (Show HN guidelines):

• "Show HN is for something you've made that other people can play with."
• "Please make it easy for users to try your thing out, ideally without barriers such as signups or emails."
• "Don't post landing pages or fundraisers."
• "Please don't ask friends to upvote or comment."

Our read: offer a direct download or a trial with no account. Write the post as the developer, explain the technical choices, and stay in the thread for the day.

Search: the channel that keeps paying#

Launch traffic fades. Search does not. The clearest recent example is Arthur Teboul's write-up for Setapp's blog about MacMD Viewer, a Markdown viewer for Mac that launched on 14 April 2026 at a one-time $19.99 (MacMD Viewer story). By his account:

• "I've never run a paid ad. Never done a Product Hunt launch."
• One how-to guide "pulls in almost a third of my revenue on its own".
• He reports over 360 paying customers on the direct side and 1.7 to 1.8% site-wide conversion.
• He also says "don't sleep on Bing and DuckDuckGo", where he ranks top three on commercial queries.
• The app is also offered through Homebrew and Setapp.

All figures are his, self-reported, on a Setapp-hosted page.

Our read: the pages that work for desktop apps are:

1. "How to [do the job] on [OS]" guides. "How to open a .md file on Mac" has buyer intent and almost no competition from big brands.
2. "[Built-in tool or big app] alternative" pages. Be honest about where the incumbent is better.
3. Comparison pages against the two or three apps people shortlist you with.
4. Version and OS pages ("Works on macOS [current version]", "Windows on Arm support"), which catch people checking compatibility.

Content, demos and press#

• YouTube demos. A screen recording of the app solving one problem, titled like the search query. Embed the same video on the download page.
• Reviewers and bloggers. Athanasios Chonias, who shipped four Mac apps in nine weeks, says his Homebrew GUI Taphouse "got picked up by some well-known reviewers and bloggers, and it exploded immediately", and that "one good writeup is worth months of anything else" (Setapp tech talk).
• Niche communities. The same developer says "Reddit drives most traffic", and warns that "an audience for one app almost never converts into an audience for another". Read each subreddit's rules before posting.

Pricing levers that are also marketing#

Free trial vs freemium on desktop#

Our read: a time-limited full trial suits paid utilities, because the user hits the "this saves me time" moment fast and the trial end is a natural prompt. Freemium suits apps that spread by people seeing them (screenshots, shared files), where the free version is the advert. Whichever you pick, state it on the download page.

Bundles and discounts#

MacMD Viewer's developer says the average order "crept from $19.99 to about $22 after adding a bundle" (MacMD Viewer story). A small add-on or a family licence is an easy first bundle. Seasonal sales and indie bundles help too; keep a launch discount short so it creates urgency.

In-app upgrade prompts#

Our read: prompt at the moment of value (the user just exported, synced or hit the limit), not on launch. One clear prompt with the price beats a nag screen every time the app opens.

The update channel as retention#

Every update is a touchpoint. Show a short "What's new" panel after updates, keep a public changelog, and use beta channels (Snap edge or beta, Homebrew @beta casks, a TestFlight-style opt-in) for your keenest users. They become the people who write reviews and answer questions in threads.

A 30-day launch plan#

This plan is our editorial suggestion. Adjust the order to the platforms you ship.

Before launch day, run through our product launch checklist for bootstrapped makers.

Frequently asked questions#

What is the cheapest way to market a desktop app?#

Start with free channels: a download page with OS detection and a demo video, free listings on the Microsoft Store, Homebrew, winget, Flathub and AlternativeTo, a Show HN post once people can try the app without signing up, and search pages that answer the problems your app solves. Paid ads can wait until you know which page converts.

Should I put my desktop app in the Mac App Store or Microsoft Store?#

Usually yes, as an extra channel next to direct downloads. The Apple Developer Program costs 99 USD per membership year and the Small Business Program cuts Apple's commission to 15% for developers with up to 1 million USD in proceeds. Microsoft Store registration is free and non-game apps using their own commerce keep 100% of revenue, per Microsoft.

How do I get my app into Homebrew?#

Submit a cask to Homebrew. Its Package Acceptance Policy asks for at least 30 forks, 30 watchers or 75 stars, rising to 90 forks, 90 watchers or 225 stars if the repository owner submits it. Repositories under 30 days old are normally ineligible, the download must be published by the developer, and the app must not require Gatekeeper to be bypassed.

Is Setapp worth it for an indie desktop developer?#

It can be a steady second income line for Mac apps. Setapp's developer page says it takes 10% on membership revenue and shares 20% with partners who bring users. The Timing developer told Setapp that revenue from it tends to be very stable and reliable. Treat it as an addition to direct sales, not a replacement.

Can I post my desktop app on Show HN?#

Yes, if people can download and run it. Hacker News says Show HN is for something you've made that other people can play with, asks you to make it easy to try without signups, and bans landing pages and asking friends to upvote or comment.

Launch your desktop app on ZeroRaised#

ZeroRaised is a launch directory for products built without institutional VC. When your download page is ready, submit your app for free. For more distribution guides like this one, join the ZeroRaised newsletter.

Sources#

• Microsoft Learn: open a Microsoft Store developer account, last checked 14 Nov 2026
• Windows Developer Blog: free developer registration for individual developers, last checked 14 Nov 2026
• Microsoft Learn: MSIX app package requirements, last checked 14 Nov 2026
• Microsoft Learn: submit packages to Windows Package Manager, last checked 14 Nov 2026
• Apple Developer Program: what's included, last checked 14 Nov 2026
• Apple App Store Small Business Program, last checked 14 Nov 2026
• Setapp for developers, last checked 14 Nov 2026
• Setapp: Timing developer story, last checked 14 Nov 2026
• Setapp tech talk: MacMD Viewer story, last checked 14 Nov 2026
• Setapp tech talk: one developer, four Mac apps, last checked 14 Nov 2026
• Homebrew Package Acceptance Policy, last checked 14 Nov 2026
• Homebrew Acceptable Casks, last checked 14 Nov 2026
• Flathub submission docs, last checked 14 Nov 2026
• Snapcraft channels reference, last checked 14 Nov 2026
• AlternativeTo FAQ, last checked 14 Nov 2026
• Hacker News Show HN guidelines, last checked 14 Nov 2026