Simone Montalto
@simonemontalto.bsky.social
Indie Developer on iOS and macOS 👨💻 Creator of Book Tracker 📚 Movie Tracker 🍿 Music Tracker 🎶 Habit Tracker 🎮 Game Tracker 🧘 Countdown Widget 📆
I work on several apps, and each one has a different age.
One codebase is six years old, another is three, another two, and the rest are much younger.
Opening them feels like opening old journals.
You see who you were as a developer at that time.
One codebase is six years old, another is three, another two, and the rest are much younger.
Opening them feels like opening old journals.
You see who you were as a developer at that time.
November 25, 2025 at 3:45 PM
I work on several apps, and each one has a different age.
One codebase is six years old, another is three, another two, and the rest are much younger.
Opening them feels like opening old journals.
You see who you were as a developer at that time.
One codebase is six years old, another is three, another two, and the rest are much younger.
Opening them feels like opening old journals.
You see who you were as a developer at that time.
Some of the most difficult bugs are the ones you cannot reproduce.
They appear on a few devices, under conditions you cannot replicate, and then vanish without explanation.
These are the bugs that test you the most as a developer.
They appear on a few devices, under conditions you cannot replicate, and then vanish without explanation.
These are the bugs that test you the most as a developer.
November 24, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Some of the most difficult bugs are the ones you cannot reproduce.
They appear on a few devices, under conditions you cannot replicate, and then vanish without explanation.
These are the bugs that test you the most as a developer.
They appear on a few devices, under conditions you cannot replicate, and then vanish without explanation.
These are the bugs that test you the most as a developer.
One of the hardest parts of being an indie developer is deciding which feature requests to follow and which ones to let go.
People often assume that every suggestion should become part of the roadmap, but that is not how a product grows.
People often assume that every suggestion should become part of the roadmap, but that is not how a product grows.
November 21, 2025 at 4:55 PM
One of the hardest parts of being an indie developer is deciding which feature requests to follow and which ones to let go.
People often assume that every suggestion should become part of the roadmap, but that is not how a product grows.
People often assume that every suggestion should become part of the roadmap, but that is not how a product grows.
Answering support emails is not the most glamorous part of building apps, but it is the one that teaches me the most.
It is the closest I ever get to seeing how people actually use what I create. Users rarely write just to report a bug. They write to share a piece of context.
It is the closest I ever get to seeing how people actually use what I create. Users rarely write just to report a bug. They write to share a piece of context.
November 20, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Answering support emails is not the most glamorous part of building apps, but it is the one that teaches me the most.
It is the closest I ever get to seeing how people actually use what I create. Users rarely write just to report a bug. They write to share a piece of context.
It is the closest I ever get to seeing how people actually use what I create. Users rarely write just to report a bug. They write to share a piece of context.
Sync is one of those features that looks simple from the outside and incredibly complex from the inside.
When it works, no one notices it.
When it fails, everything else in the app becomes unreliable.
That is why designing sync is mostly about avoiding fragility.
When it works, no one notices it.
When it fails, everything else in the app becomes unreliable.
That is why designing sync is mostly about avoiding fragility.
November 19, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Sync is one of those features that looks simple from the outside and incredibly complex from the inside.
When it works, no one notices it.
When it fails, everything else in the app becomes unreliable.
That is why designing sync is mostly about avoiding fragility.
When it works, no one notices it.
When it fails, everything else in the app becomes unreliable.
That is why designing sync is mostly about avoiding fragility.
Most apps today are built around numbers.
Clicks, conversions, funnels, retention curves.
Metrics can be useful, but they also change the way you think about your product.
You stop designing for people and start designing for graphs.
Clicks, conversions, funnels, retention curves.
Metrics can be useful, but they also change the way you think about your product.
You stop designing for people and start designing for graphs.
November 18, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Most apps today are built around numbers.
Clicks, conversions, funnels, retention curves.
Metrics can be useful, but they also change the way you think about your product.
You stop designing for people and start designing for graphs.
Clicks, conversions, funnels, retention curves.
Metrics can be useful, but they also change the way you think about your product.
You stop designing for people and start designing for graphs.
When people talk about UX they usually think about big redesigns or major features, but most of the experience is shaped by the smallest details.
Margins, timing, alignment, typography, animations that last just long enough.
Things you do not notice unless they are wrong.
Margins, timing, alignment, typography, animations that last just long enough.
Things you do not notice unless they are wrong.
November 17, 2025 at 4:39 PM
When people talk about UX they usually think about big redesigns or major features, but most of the experience is shaped by the smallest details.
Margins, timing, alignment, typography, animations that last just long enough.
Things you do not notice unless they are wrong.
Margins, timing, alignment, typography, animations that last just long enough.
Things you do not notice unless they are wrong.
People usually see a feature only in its final form, but most of the work happens before a single line of code is written.
Designing a feature is mostly about understanding what you should not build.
Designing a feature is mostly about understanding what you should not build.
November 15, 2025 at 5:01 PM
People usually see a feature only in its final form, but most of the work happens before a single line of code is written.
Designing a feature is mostly about understanding what you should not build.
Designing a feature is mostly about understanding what you should not build.
Privacy is often treated as a feature on a checklist.
For me it is the foundation that shapes everything I build.
Not for marketing reasons, but because it changes how you design a product from the first line of code.
For me it is the foundation that shapes everything I build.
Not for marketing reasons, but because it changes how you design a product from the first line of code.
November 14, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Privacy is often treated as a feature on a checklist.
For me it is the foundation that shapes everything I build.
Not for marketing reasons, but because it changes how you design a product from the first line of code.
For me it is the foundation that shapes everything I build.
Not for marketing reasons, but because it changes how you design a product from the first line of code.
People often imagine that being an indie developer means freedom.
And in some ways it does.
But most of what defines this job is not freedom.
It is responsibility.
And in some ways it does.
But most of what defines this job is not freedom.
It is responsibility.
November 13, 2025 at 4:03 PM
People often imagine that being an indie developer means freedom.
And in some ways it does.
But most of what defines this job is not freedom.
It is responsibility.
And in some ways it does.
But most of what defines this job is not freedom.
It is responsibility.
I often get asked why I do not integrate AI into my apps.
The short answer is that I do not want them to lose their human intention.
But the long answer is more interesting.
The short answer is that I do not want them to lose their human intention.
But the long answer is more interesting.
November 12, 2025 at 11:27 PM
I often get asked why I do not integrate AI into my apps.
The short answer is that I do not want them to lose their human intention.
But the long answer is more interesting.
The short answer is that I do not want them to lose their human intention.
But the long answer is more interesting.
Movie Tracker 2.3.4 is out!
* You can now mark movies and TV shows as watched on their release date.
* It’s now even easier to mark titles as watched directly from the detail page.
* Added support for importing from Delicious Library 3.
A small update, but packed with useful improvements!
* You can now mark movies and TV shows as watched on their release date.
* It’s now even easier to mark titles as watched directly from the detail page.
* Added support for importing from Delicious Library 3.
A small update, but packed with useful improvements!
November 6, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Movie Tracker 2.3.4 is out!
* You can now mark movies and TV shows as watched on their release date.
* It’s now even easier to mark titles as watched directly from the detail page.
* Added support for importing from Delicious Library 3.
A small update, but packed with useful improvements!
* You can now mark movies and TV shows as watched on their release date.
* It’s now even easier to mark titles as watched directly from the detail page.
* Added support for importing from Delicious Library 3.
A small update, but packed with useful improvements!
Countdown Widget 1.3.3 is here! You can now keep your countdowns live on the Lock Screen and Dynamic Island with Live Activities, watching the seconds tick away as your event gets closer.
Plus, you’ll now see a real-time countdown directly on the event page.
Plus, you’ll now see a real-time countdown directly on the event page.
October 28, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Countdown Widget 1.3.3 is here! You can now keep your countdowns live on the Lock Screen and Dynamic Island with Live Activities, watching the seconds tick away as your event gets closer.
Plus, you’ll now see a real-time countdown directly on the event page.
Plus, you’ll now see a real-time countdown directly on the event page.
I just opened a Discord server for Game Tracker!
It’s the first time I’m trying something like this, a small space where users can share feedback, ideas, and discuss upcoming updates.
Do you think a similar server could work for my other apps too?
discord.gg/2uCpWM9bWG
It’s the first time I’m trying something like this, a small space where users can share feedback, ideas, and discuss upcoming updates.
Do you think a similar server could work for my other apps too?
discord.gg/2uCpWM9bWG
Unisciti al server di Discord Game Tracker!
Official server for Game Tracker, the iOS and macOS app for tracking your gaming progress.Here you can report bugs, request features, and follow updates directly from the developer. | 3 membri
discord.gg
October 19, 2025 at 4:59 PM
I just opened a Discord server for Game Tracker!
It’s the first time I’m trying something like this, a small space where users can share feedback, ideas, and discuss upcoming updates.
Do you think a similar server could work for my other apps too?
discord.gg/2uCpWM9bWG
It’s the first time I’m trying something like this, a small space where users can share feedback, ideas, and discuss upcoming updates.
Do you think a similar server could work for my other apps too?
discord.gg/2uCpWM9bWG
Reposted by Simone Montalto
Book Tracker just got even better.
You can now generate shareable images for any finished book, showing detailed stats like pages read, reading time, and progress, ready to post anywhere.
You can now generate shareable images for any finished book, showing detailed stats like pages read, reading time, and progress, ready to post anywhere.
October 8, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Book Tracker just got even better.
You can now generate shareable images for any finished book, showing detailed stats like pages read, reading time, and progress, ready to post anywhere.
You can now generate shareable images for any finished book, showing detailed stats like pages read, reading time, and progress, ready to post anywhere.
All the apps are now waiting for review… What a summer! Can’t wait for you to see how the app works with Liquid Glass. Let’s see on September 15.
September 9, 2025 at 10:32 PM
All the apps are now waiting for review… What a summer! Can’t wait for you to see how the app works with Liquid Glass. Let’s see on September 15.
Book Tracker 4.2.9 is out! This update adds support for external barcode scanners, making it super easy to catalog large book collections in no time.
Perfect for collectors, librarians, or anyone who wants to speed up the process of adding physical books.
Perfect for collectors, librarians, or anyone who wants to speed up the process of adding physical books.
You can now scan barcodes using external barcode scanners, perfect for quickly cataloging multiple books at once! Whether you’re organizing a large collection or just prefer using a physical scanner, this update makes adding books even faster.
Update to v4.2.9 and give it a try!
apple.co/4jiSi0a
Update to v4.2.9 and give it a try!
apple.co/4jiSi0a
April 2, 2025 at 10:57 AM
Book Tracker 4.2.9 is out! This update adds support for external barcode scanners, making it super easy to catalog large book collections in no time.
Perfect for collectors, librarians, or anyone who wants to speed up the process of adding physical books.
Perfect for collectors, librarians, or anyone who wants to speed up the process of adding physical books.
Game Tracker’s first update is here! Now you can customize the app’s tint color, log purchase dates and prices, and track your monthly purchases. Plus, quickly access a game’s detail page from the progress entry. Fixed an issue with upcoming games and added a new ‘Upcoming’ status.
January 30, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Game Tracker’s first update is here! Now you can customize the app’s tint color, log purchase dates and prices, and track your monthly purchases. Plus, quickly access a game’s detail page from the progress entry. Fixed an issue with upcoming games and added a new ‘Upcoming’ status.
Reposted by Simone Montalto
Game Tracker: A Powerful App to Track, Organize, and Customize Your Videogame Library https://www.macstories.net/reviews/game-tracker-a-powerful-app-to-track-organize-and-customize-your-videogame-library/
Game Tracker: A Powerful App to Track, Organize, and Customize Your Videogame Library
Game Tracker is a new videogame tracking app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac from Simone Montalto, who is probably best known to MacStories readers for developing the excellent Book Tracker. In fact, Montalto has created an entire suite of tracking apps that also includes Movie Tracker, Music Tracker, and Habit Tracker. That experience with various
www.macstories.net
January 29, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Game Tracker: A Powerful App to Track, Organize, and Customize Your Videogame Library https://www.macstories.net/reviews/game-tracker-a-powerful-app-to-track-organize-and-customize-your-videogame-library/
Reposted by Simone Montalto
I think it depends on what you’re after. For me it’s recommendations and maybe a book club. I’ve settled on StoryGraph.
If you have an iPhone I use Book Tracker which is a privacy first tracker. Nothing gets synced to server. It’s all your iCloud. It’s great.
apps.apple.com/us/app/book-...
If you have an iPhone I use Book Tracker which is a privacy first tracker. Nothing gets synced to server. It’s all your iCloud. It’s great.
apps.apple.com/us/app/book-...
Book Tracker: TBR
Book Tracker is the perfect companion for every book lover, available on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Easily track your books—whether they’re already on your shelf or on your wishlist for future reading.
...
apps.apple.com
January 27, 2025 at 3:36 PM
I think it depends on what you’re after. For me it’s recommendations and maybe a book club. I’ve settled on StoryGraph.
If you have an iPhone I use Book Tracker which is a privacy first tracker. Nothing gets synced to server. It’s all your iCloud. It’s great.
apps.apple.com/us/app/book-...
If you have an iPhone I use Book Tracker which is a privacy first tracker. Nothing gets synced to server. It’s all your iCloud. It’s great.
apps.apple.com/us/app/book-...
Reposted by Simone Montalto
I use this dev’s Book Tracker app, which is *superb*. This new one looks rather fab too.
I’m thrilled to announce the release of my brand-new app, Game Tracker, now available for iPhone, iPad, and Mac!
Game Tracker is the ultimate tool to organize your video game collection and enhance your gaming experience. Let’s dive into its features!
Game Tracker is the ultimate tool to organize your video game collection and enhance your gaming experience. Let’s dive into its features!
January 24, 2025 at 3:15 PM
I use this dev’s Book Tracker app, which is *superb*. This new one looks rather fab too.
I’m thrilled to announce the release of my brand-new app, Game Tracker, now available for iPhone, iPad, and Mac!
Game Tracker is the ultimate tool to organize your video game collection and enhance your gaming experience. Let’s dive into its features!
Game Tracker is the ultimate tool to organize your video game collection and enhance your gaming experience. Let’s dive into its features!
January 24, 2025 at 2:50 PM
I’m thrilled to announce the release of my brand-new app, Game Tracker, now available for iPhone, iPad, and Mac!
Game Tracker is the ultimate tool to organize your video game collection and enhance your gaming experience. Let’s dive into its features!
Game Tracker is the ultimate tool to organize your video game collection and enhance your gaming experience. Let’s dive into its features!
Tomorrow, a new app takes flight. Designed with privacy and a personal approach, it’s something I’m excited to finally share with you. 📱🔥
January 23, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Tomorrow, a new app takes flight. Designed with privacy and a personal approach, it’s something I’m excited to finally share with you. 📱🔥
Something exciting is coming soon… I’ve been working on a brand-new app, and I can’t wait to share more details with you all! It’s another tracker, but I won’t spoil the surprise just yet.
If you want to be among the first to try it out, I’m looking for beta testers! Feel free to DM me.
If you want to be among the first to try it out, I’m looking for beta testers! Feel free to DM me.
January 8, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Something exciting is coming soon… I’ve been working on a brand-new app, and I can’t wait to share more details with you all! It’s another tracker, but I won’t spoil the surprise just yet.
If you want to be among the first to try it out, I’m looking for beta testers! Feel free to DM me.
If you want to be among the first to try it out, I’m looking for beta testers! Feel free to DM me.
In recent days, we've seen a lot of discussions around the issues with generative AI in reading apps. Unfortunately, these technologies have produced not only problematic but also racist and exclusionary responses, raising concerns across the community.
January 3, 2025 at 2:11 PM
In recent days, we've seen a lot of discussions around the issues with generative AI in reading apps. Unfortunately, these technologies have produced not only problematic but also racist and exclusionary responses, raising concerns across the community.