Look Before You Leap
Acquiring an existing app is a fast track to business ownership, but it comes with hidden risks. Performing thorough due diligence is your shield against fraud, technical debt, and sudden traffic drops post-purchase.
1. Financial Verification
Never rely on screenshots alone. Request live video walk-throughs of the payment dashboards (Stripe, Dodo Payments, Google Play Console, App Store Connect) and cross-reference these payouts with verified bank statement logs.
2. Technical Code Audit
Assess the codebase health before signing the deal. Key areas to evaluate include:
- Code cleanliness and documentation (is it easy for a new developer to take over?).
- Licensing of third-party assets, graphics, and library SDKs.
- Server costs and hosting scalability limits.
3. Account Integrity & Policy Compliance
Ensure the app has a clean standing with Apple and Google. Review its policy history, check for previous trademark strikes, and verify that the target audience review profile is authentic and not populated by fake bot accounts.
