From September 6 to October 13, 2026, Appto checked 134 niches for iPhone apps. In 16 of them we found no app that clearly makes $100K a month (our estimate, not Apple data). They include a noise meter, a hidden camera finder, a lottery ticket checker, a sourdough helper and a 3D knot guide. Markets move, so check a niche again before you build.
How we decided the money isn't there
Appto only takes on a niche if at least one app in it makes $100K a month on the App Store. That is the proof that people in the topic pay. We estimate revenue from the growth in App Store ratings, always as a range, and a niche only clears the bar when even the low end of the range is above $100K.
There is a second check. The app has to actually sell through the App Store, which means it sits in its category's top grossing chart or costs money to download. Otherwise ratings growth can show a big number for an app that really lives on ads or store commissions.
Between September 6 and October 13, 2026, 28 of 134 niches dropped out on money. This article covers 16 of them. We left out six that were checked before September 23 against our old $1M bar, because at $100K they need measuring again. Two of those six already showed money in October. One more niche turned out to have money when we rechecked it in October. Two are waiting for a recount, and three were research slices rather than app ideas.
The 16 niches that fell short
| Idea | Category | Checked | What we found |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spirit box for Halloween | Utilities | Sep 22 | The leader, Necrophonic at $9.99, has 545 reviews in eight years and got no new US ratings from September 24 to October 13. The top three apps belong to one developer |
| Camera that stamps time and place | Photo & Video | Sep 27 | The largest range is $80K to $321K a month, and no app from the niche is in the category's US top 100 grossing |
| Wish list and gift registry | Lifestyle | Sep 29 | The leaders earn affiliate commissions from stores and have never appeared in the top grossing chart |
| Are conditions good today (aurora, tides, light for photos) | Weather | Oct 2 | Sun Seeker $12K to $49K a month, My Aurora Forecast Pro $14K to $54K, River Levels & Flows $3K to $24K |
| Noise meter | Utilities | Oct 3 | Decibel X has 162,594 reviews over 14 years but is in neither the US top 100 grossing nor the top 25 paid Utilities |
| Delivery route planner | Navigation | Oct 4 | Spoke Route Planner $72K to $288K a month, the rest several times less. Companies pay for subscriptions on the web, outside the App Store |
| Twisty motorcycle routes | Navigation | Oct 4 | REVER $57K to $229K a month, calimoto $47K to $189K. Only 4% of calimoto's ratings come from the US, so its figure may run low |
| Earthquake alerts | Weather | Oct 6 | The biggest app lives on ads. QuakeFeed $65K to $261K a month, Earthquake alerts and map $58K to $232K |
| Hidden camera finder | Utilities | Oct 6 | Peek (Hidden Camera Detector) $80K to $321K a month and not in the US grossing charts. On October 13 the niche still showed no money |
| Lottery ticket checker | Entertainment | Oct 6 | Not one lottery app in the US top 50 grossing Entertainment. Lucky Lottery Scratchers has 60,411 reviews and no update since 2021 |
| Sourdough and home baking | Food & Drink | Oct 7 | Loaflo $6K to $52K a month, and no home baking app in the category's US top 50 grossing |
| Drawing together and drawing lessons | Graphics & Design | Oct 8 | The leaders gain ratings fast but are not in the US grossing charts, so App Store sales are not confirmed |
| Export text messages to PDF | Utilities | Oct 9 | TextPort $40K to $160K a month, and no second app with measurable money |
| Gut and IBS diary | Health & Fitness | Oct 9 | No app in the niche is in its category's top 200 by revenue or by downloads |
| Stop motion animation camera | Photo & Video | Oct 11 | Stop Motion Studio Pro $64K to $257K a month |
| 3D knot guide | Reference | Oct 11 | Knots 3D $67K to $267K a month, the next apps several times less. Animated Knots by Grog has had no update since 2019 |
Appto data on the check dates, 2026. Monthly revenue ranges are our estimate from App Store ratings growth, not Apple data. US App Store charts on the check date.
What these ideas have in common
The money goes around the App Store
In five of the 16 niches there is money, but it doesn't flow through the App Store. The largest earthquake alert app lives on ads. Gift lists earn commissions from the stores they link to. Lotteries make money for the lotteries and ticket sellers. Delivery route planners are paid for by companies on the web. Apps for drawing together gain ratings fast, yet they are nowhere in the grossing charts.
One player and nobody around it
In 3D knot guides only Knots 3D has real money. The top three spirit box apps belong to one developer. Text message export has no second app whose money we could measure. When one player earns everything, a newcomer has to take buyers away from it.
Reviews pile up for years
A big review count doesn't prove revenue. The noise meter Decibel X has 162,594 reviews over 14 years and still isn't among the top grossing Utilities. Lucky Lottery Scratchers collected 60,411 reviews and hasn't been updated since 2021.
Top of a small paid chart
Ranking first among paid apps in a small category isn't money either. On October 2, 2026, the top spots in the US paid Weather and Navigation charts brought in $8K to $27K a month by our estimate. Sun Seeker costs $11.99 and ranked 6th among paid Navigation apps.
When to check again
This list will change. In eight of the 16 niches the leader's range spans $100K, so they sit right on the edge. A month from now their numbers could move either way.
It has already happened. Water eject for the speaker was checked on September 21 against the old bar, and the money wasn't proven then. By October 12 a speaker cleaning app was clearing $100K a month by our estimate. The anatomy trainer dropped out on October 3, and on October 12 an anatomy atlas with 2,794 ratings was clearing the bar too. The blood pressure and glucose log dropped out on September 21, and on October 12 a glucose tracking app released on August 31, 2026 was clearing it.
We left prediction markets and live world webcams off the list. The most visible prediction market app launched on September 2, 2026, and its money is worth recounting once it has more history. In live webcams an app with fast ratings growth turned up in October, but its sales through the App Store aren't confirmed yet.
How we estimate the money
We estimate revenue from the growth in App Store ratings. It is our estimate, not Apple data. In half of the cases the estimate is within 2x of the real figure, in four out of five within 3x, and for large apps it tends to run low. Ads, web sales and Google Play are not included.
Where to find niches with money
Niches that passed Appto's cut are in the book 50 iPhone app niches. Each one has money as a range, the leaders, complaints about them and a five-screen plan for version 1. Five niches are free.
You can check your own idea in Appto. The check shows whether apps in the niche make money, whether the leaders are weak and whether newcomers break through. Checks come with a subscription from Solo at $9.99 a month. There's no free trial. Before you pay, you can look around Appto in the demo that's built into the app and runs on sample apps. The full path from niche to App Store is in our step-by-step guide.
Questions
So nobody needs these apps?
People do use noise meters and hidden camera finders. They just pay little for them, or the money goes around the App Store. If you are building for income, look at the money in the niche first.
Can a niche without money turn into one with money?
Yes. Water eject and the anatomy trainer dropped out in September and early October 2026, and by October 12 apps in both niches were clearing $100K a month by our estimate.
Why a $100K a month bar?
Below it there is no solid proof that people in the niche pay. It is a bar for the niche, not a forecast of what your app will make.
How do I check my own idea?
In Appto. A topic check shows whether there is money in the niche, who the leaders are and whether newcomers break through. It comes with a subscription from Solo at $9.99 a month. There's no free trial, but before you pay you can look around Appto in the demo that's built into the app and runs on sample apps.
Build your own app in Appto
Appto checks the niche on fresh App Store data, designs the screens, writes the code, builds the App Store page and submits to Apple from your account or shows you what to press in App Store Connect. Runs on your own Claude Code or Codex.
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