Ask HN: Is building a calm, non-gamified learning app a mistake?

As someone who spent 2+ years building one, I would turn away now if you're looking for traction or sustainability (https://couplingcafe.com). Though I don't regret it and learned enough to speak to my in-laws. My retention numbers are decent, but I just haven't done the marketing bit yet, and am currently taking a break.

Language learning apps are the ultimate sand-pit for solo developers thinking they can offer some random unique feature that Duolingo (or "Anki but better") doesn't offer. Without realizing, they don't do it for a reason. Language learning has extremely low activation and retention. And it's super easy to find one or two early adopters that like your app for some reason to keep going.

And solo developers that get into language learning often are only strong in software development and lack in UX, design, product, or marketing.

You may start with a calm, "not Duolingo gamification" style app, but every language learning app starts with pure intentions until you're many months or years in, your numbers are low, you need to make money, and you need to move the needle.

My two cents, you don't have to heed it obviously.

Aside from the challenges you mentioned I just want to say that this looks really cool, and at first glance looks like a great way to also just bond with your partner while learning.

This is exactly what I ever dreamed of without even realizing it. I am not sure my partner (the one speaking the language I don’t know) will have the patience to do the lessons, but I’ll definitely try the app!

As a life long language learner, I wanted to say this is a unique and clever approach, but I also agree that it is really challenging to monetize. Especially in a way that is respectful to users because they are creating a lot of content with very personal data.

love the idea of using the partner to personalize. kind of genius actually

Just want to say that I appreciate you giving it a good go!

I feel a bit of guilt reading it though. I followed your app from when you first announced it on hn. I liked the idea and still think it's great, I am in theory the target demographic of wanting to learn languages as a couple, and yet it didn't stick.

For what it's worth none of the other language apps stick either.

Maybe it's hard to compete with the heroin-like hyper-optimised attention-drain apps that left all sense of ethic and morals long behind :/

Look, we’re all here instead of studying our Anki decks, so… you got that “dopamine fix needed” problem nailed.

I think me and my partner have read too many fantasy books to use an app named "Coupling" without chuckling :)

I don't even know the other meaning of this word.

I tried your app a while ago and I love the concept. I think the real sticking point for me (and maybe many others) wasn't that it wasn't engaging enough, rather that my partner just didn't want badly enough to learn my heritage language. At that point it was better for me to just go back to grinding Anki and consuming content. Automatically losing two users if one drops off is rough.

Thanks for the feedback, I'm trying to sort of post-mortem and I think that's always been a major point I thought I could overcome.

Thanks for trying and following it. Spent the morning wondering if that's a chance for it and I'm not sure. Just requires Herculean habit building which necessitates dopamine. Anki works because it has 100% of the coverage of people who don't need dopamine.