Should you build a product in this niche? An answer from the numbers: search demand, competitors, napkin economics and what to build first.
Updated · How TGGET measures a niche
Verdict · confidence: medium
Entry is 'maybe' due to declining demand (-45% YoY) and high store competition (11 giants), despite open search SERPs. Success requires strict privacy focus to counter trust issues and ad-free UX to solve top complaints.
| Factor | Value | Level | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demand | 22,200 searches a month | high | +1 |
| Change over a year | -45% over a year | declining | -1 |
| App store | 11 of 45 apps with 10,000+ ratings, median 782 ratings | contested | 0 |
| Search results | 3 of 3 checked search results are weak, 0 strong | open | +1 |
| Paid traffic | $2.78 a click, people pay in this niche | medium | 0 |
Sum of scores: +1. The verdict is computed by rules from the numbers of the research; its explanation is written by the model.
Source: TGGET, researched on 27 September 2026.
Entry point: "flashlight app android": 9,900 searches a month, weak search results.
Positioning
The most transparent, privacy-first flashlight utility. No tracking, no data theft, no intrusive ads. Just a reliable light.
For whom:
Main job: Provide instant, reliable illumination without compromising privacy or user experience.
Platform
ANDROID
Monetization: Free with optional donation or open-source support. · 44/45 apps are free. Paid apps (1) have low ratings. Ads cause churn.
1Ads block the screen and cannot be dismissed, preventing the light from working. strong
Evidence: 12 complaints, 100% low ratings (3.69 avg). Users report 'Disruptive full screen ads make this app unusable' and 'never permits dismissing'.
What the product does: Zero-ad architecture. The app opens instantly to the light source.
2Fear of data theft and location tracking by flashlight apps. strong
Evidence: HackerNews discussions highlight 'Popular Flashlight App has been secretly sharing your location' and 'Most flashlight apps on Android steal your data'.
What the product does: No internet permission, no analytics, no location access. Open-source code for verification.
3App crashes or freezes when trying to use features. medium
Evidence: Complaints mention 'Freezes on gift' and 'Black screen'.
What the product does: Minimalist codebase with no heavy overlays or complex features to reduce crash risk.
| Feature | Pain | Priority | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-tap LED Torch | №1 | must | Core utility. Solves the 'black screen' and 'ads blocking light' complaints. |
| No Permission Request | №2 | must | Addresses privacy fears from HackerNews threads about location tracking. |
| Red Light Mode | — | should | Targets specific niche 'red flashlight app' (2,400 vol) for night vision/reading. |
| SOS Strobe | — | later | Emergency use case, differentiates from generic apps. |
| Competitor | Type | Pricing | App | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| f-droid.org F-Droid — репозиторий бесплатных приложений с открытым исходным кодом для Android | site | no | no | — |
| flashlightapp.com Flashlight App – Free Bright LED Torch for Android Phones and Tablets | SaaS | no | yes | — |
| Flashlight for iPhone + iPad Lemondo Ltd. | App Store | free | yes | 4.5 · 134,663 |
| Flashlight - Night Light Clock Tim O's Studios, LLC | App Store | free | yes | 4.9 · 98,814 |
| Magnifying Glass + Flashlight RV AppStudios LLC | App Store | free | yes | 4.7 · 91,059 |
| Best Flash Light - Flashlight RV AppStudios LLC | App Store | free | yes | 4.7 · 46,451 |
| Flashlight ⊜ Noah Corp. | App Store | free | yes | 4.5 · 44,356 |
Price
Free (Ad-free)
Competitors are free (App Store: 44 free, 1 paid). Paid model fails due to ad complaints.
Does it add up
Economics do not support paid acquisition. Must rely on organic search and community trust.
Customer acquisition cost
Estimated $5.56 (CPC $2.78 / 50% conversion assumption). High for a free utility.
Paid search: CPC $2.78 · bids $0.49–$2.35 · competition: Moderate
Revenue per customer
$0.00 (Ad-free model). Revenue relies on donations or future premium features.
Assumptions to validate:
Product · 29 · 48,840
flashlight app android (9,900) · flashlight light app (4,400) · app for iphone flashlight (1,000) · red flashlight app (2,400) · flashlight app (22,200) · shaking flashlight app (1,000)
Commercial · 7 · 3,680
flashlight app for android free (390) · flashlight app for free (880) · free app for flashlight (880) · flashlight app to download (720) · flashlight torch app download (720) · flashlight app android free download (50)
Comparisons · 4 · 880
best android app for flashlight (260) · top rated flashlight app for android (260) · best app for flashlight (320) · best android flashlight app free (40)
home · Core
title: Flashlight App - No Ads, No Tracking (36)
H1: The Privacy-First Flashlight App
description: Download the safest flashlight app. No ads, no location tracking, no internet permission. Instant light for Android. (116)
flashlight app · flashlight app android · flashlight light app
Bypass ad-heavy competitors by emphasizing 'No Ads' in title.
feature · Product
title: Red Light & SOS Mode (20)
H1: Red Light Flashlight for Night Vision
description: Use red light mode for reading in the dark or SOS signaling. No battery drain, no ads. (86)
red flashlight app · black flashlight app · sos flashlight app
Target niche phrases with lower competition.
faq · Informational
title: Is This Flashlight App Safe? (28)
H1: Privacy & Safety FAQ
description: Does this app track my location? No. We do not collect any data. See our transparency report. (93)
flashlight app android free · best android app for flashlight
Address HackerNews concerns directly.
| Topic | Format | When | Phrases |
|---|---|---|---|
| Why Flashlight Apps Steal Your Data | article | October | flashlight app android · best android app for flashlight |
| How to Use Red Light Mode | guide | November | red flashlight app · black light flashlight app |
No. This app requires no internet permission and does not access your location. It works 100% offline.
Never. We believe utility apps should be free of interruptions. No ads, no pop-ups, no tracking.
Yes. Our code is transparent, and we do not collect any personal data. Check our GitHub repo.
Name: Flashlight: No Ads (18/30)
Subtitle: Privacy Torch & SOS (19/30)
Keywords: light,emergency,safe,open,source,red,night (42/100)
Category: Utilities
Promotional text: The only flashlight app that respects your privacy. No ads, no tracking, no data.
Screenshots:
Name: Flashlight: No Ads, No Trackin (30/30)
Short description: Instant, ad-free flashlight. No internet permission. Safe & open source. (72/80)
Key phrases: flashlight, torch, led, light, emergency, red, sos, night, safe, privacy, open, source
Experience the safest flashlight app. We removed all ads, tracking, and internet permissions. Just a simple, reliable light. Features: One-tap LED, Red Light Mode, SOS Strobe. No data collection. Open source. Perfect for emergencies, reading, and night vision.
The research has no Google Play data: recommendations rely on queries and the App Store.
Benchmarks: 4.8+ (Targeting top 10% to overcome low-share complaints) · 1,000+ (To gain trust against giants) · Localizations: en
| Name | .com | .app | App Store | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PureLight purelight | taken | taken | free | Emphasizes cleanliness and lack of ads. |
| SafeTorch safetorch | taken | free | free | Highlights safety and privacy. |
| ClearFlash clearflash | taken | free | free | Suggests transparency and clarity. |
| NoAdsFlash noadsflash | — | — | free | Directly addresses the main pain point. |
| OpenLight openlight | — | — | similar exists | References open-source transparency. |
Domains checked via RDAP, names via the App Store. Check trademarks before registering.
The Flashlight App That Doesn't Spy on You
No ads. No tracking. No internet permission. Just a reliable light when you need it.
We believe essential tools should be accessible. We rely on donations and open-source contributions.
We don't collect data, show ads, or ask for permissions. We just turn on the light.
| Channel | What the data supports | First step | Effort | When |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEO for Privacy Keywords Organic search | Weak SERPs for 'flashlight app android' (3/3 weak). High intent for 'free' and 'best'. | Publish 'Why Flashlight Apps Steal Your Data' article targeting 'flashlight app android'. | low | now |
| HackerNews & Reddit Communities | High engagement on 'Popular Flashlight App has been secretly sharing your location' (Score 95). | Post 'Show HN: I built a flashlight app with zero permissions' on HackerNews. | medium | now |
| App Store Optimization App stores | High competition (11 giants) but low ratings for top apps (3.69 avg). | Optimize screenshots to highlight 'No Ads' and 'No Tracking'. | medium | at launch |
| F-Droid Repository Partnerships and integrations | F-Droid is a key distribution channel for FOSS apps (2 recurring SERPs). | Submit app to F-Droid with full source code. | low | at launch |
Metrics:
Interview questions:
| Risk | What to do |
|---|---|
| Low monetization potential. | Rely on donations and open-source community support. Avoid ads to maintain trust. |
| High competition from giants. | Differentiate on privacy and transparency, which giants ignore. |
| Declining demand. | Focus on niche features (Red Light, SOS) and privacy-conscious users. |
The report was written by a language model from the collected research data and may be inaccurate; each recommendation cites its source, verify it against the raw data. Generated 2026-09-27T17:52:40+00:00.
Data: search demand, search results, the App Store, public-interest and developer community signals. The verdict is computed by rules from these numbers; the explanation and the plan are written by a language model. Both are evidence to check, not a promise.
There is demand, but not everything is in its favour. TGGET scored “flashlight app” +1 on a scale from -6 to +5. In its favour: demand is high, search results are open. Against it: interest is falling. The verdict is “Needs validation”.
TGGET measured 22,200 monthly searches for “flashlight app” in the United States in September 2026. Search interest fell by 45% over a year.
3 of 3 checked search results are weak and 0 are strong. 45 competing apps were found in the App Store; 11 of them have more than 10,000 ratings, and the median app has 782 ratings.
A click in paid search costs about $2.78, and competitors in this niche charge for their products.
Through “flashlight app android”: 9,900 searches a month and weak search results.
TGGET computes the verdict by rules from five measured factors: demand, its change over a year, competition in the app stores, the strength of the search results and the cost of paid traffic. Each factor adds or takes away points and the sum decides, so the same numbers always give the same answer. A language model writes the explanation and the plan; it does not choose the verdict.
Three full researches are free: demand, sub-niches, competitors, App Store and community signals, and a report like this one. Type a phrase or describe the idea in your own words.
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