You commented DESIGN · from @iamvishal16_ios

Make your app feel expensive

The exact steps I follow on every app. No AI-generated design.

Same app, same data

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Left: what an AI suggested. Right: what I shipped. Which one feels expensive?

The steps

1. 1

   Don’t ask AI to design it

   I never ask Claude or any AI agent to design screens for me. AI tends to reach for the same gradients, glows and emoji. I start from the platform’s own design system instead.

2. 2

   Pick the system

   Apple’s design system and native components on iOS. Material Design on Android. People trust what already feels familiar.

   Apple HIGMaterial Design
3. 3

   Use native apps as reference

   When I need a direction, I share screenshots of real native apps as the reference. Not a prompt.

4. 4

   System icons only

   SF Symbols on iOS, Material Symbols on Android. They’re made to sit next to the system text.

   SF SymbolsMaterial Symbols
5. 5

   One accent colour

   One accent colour, and the default app theme for everything else. Light and dark mode come with it.

6. 6

   Add motion with taste

   For animation, I use my swiftui-microinteractions skill. It already carries my taste, and it’s free. A Compose version for Android is still maturing.

   Get the free skill
7. 7

   Polish the store assets

   When there’s no designer on the project, I use my App Store Ship Kit skill for the app icon and App Store screenshots.

   App Store Ship Kit

The short version

Want it done for you?