The App Growth Strategy Behind LightX’s 50M+ Installs

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Aug 9, 2025

In this discussion, Sharad Shankar, Founder of AndOr Communications and the mind behind LightX, shares insights from his journey to achieving over 50 million installs. He reveals how LightX transitioned from a paid app to a successful subscription model and delves into effective marketing strategies like ASO, ads, and SEO. Sharad emphasizes the importance of user-first product design and details his experience leading a 60+ member team. He also discusses innovative user engagement techniques and the role of cultural sensitivities in marketing.

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ANECDOTE

Launched Paid To Buy Runway

Sharad started LightX as a low-priced paid app to buy runway and early revenue.
He used initial paid sales to validate product-market fit before scaling marketing.

ANECDOTE

Made Paid App Ads Work

Sharad ran Meta (Facebook) ads to a paid LightX app after iterating creatives extensively.
Creative improvements turned slow early traction into top-paid app ranks in 2017.

ANECDOTE

Earned Multiple Play Store Features

Sharad persistently pitched Google and highlighted LightX's iOS success and videos to earn featured slots.
Multiple featured placements expanded visibility across territories and boosted downloads.

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In this episode, we’re joined by Sharad Shankar, Founder of AndOr Communications Pvt Ltd, the team behind the viral AI photo editing app LightX, which has surpassed 50M installs on Android and 8M+ on iOS.

Originally launched as a paid app, LightX transitioned to a subscription model in 2019 and has since evolved into a powerful, AI-driven platform for image generation and editing.

An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, Sharad’s career spans roles in mobile engineering and building high-impact, user-focused products. In this conversation, Sharad shares his full growth playbook — from ASO, paid ads, and SEO to Web2App conversion strategies and cracking the Google Play featured placement.

He also reveals how he led a team of 60+ to turn LightX into a breakout success. This episode is a must-watch for anyone building or scaling a mobile app in 2025 and beyond.

You will discover:

✅ How LightX went from a paid app to top-grossing AI subscription

✅ Mobile growth playbook: ASO, ads, SEO, Web2App & more

✅ The secret to getting featured on Google Play

✅ Building user-first products with a strong USP

✅ Managing & scaling a 60+ member team

Learn More:

Explore LightX:

Web Product: https://www.lightxeditor.com/

iOS App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/lightx-photo-editor-retouch/id1400740705

Android App Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lightx&hl=en_IN

Connect with Sharad:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharad-shankar-796b773/

https://andor.in/

Work with us: https://www.appmasters.com

Indie App Santa: https://www.indieappsanta.com

Get training, coaching, and community: ⁠https://appmastersacademy.com/

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