Antonio Ranivoarison
Antonio
← All posts

Why I built Planify when better apps already exist

Not every project needs to be original. Sometimes you build it because you can — and because you need it.

#project#planify#indie

March 8, 2026


There are dozens of time management apps out there. Notion, Todoist, Motion, you name it. I built one anyway.

Where it started

During a training session, I came across a stat that stuck with me — 90% of people who plan their day consistently tend to perform better over time.

I was already doing it. Every evening, pen and notebook, weekly review every Saturday night. It worked.

But at some point in L1, I basically stopped writing by hand. Everything moved to the computer and my planning system just... disappeared.

The tool wasn't the problem. The friction was. Switching between a notebook and a laptop mid-session breaks flow.

So I built something that fits how I actually work.

The honest timeline

  • October — started the project, no real plan
  • December — v1 shipped. Too complex, features I didn't need, UI that got in my own way
  • February — back at it. v2 shipped end of month. Simpler UI, removed the noise

Four months total. Not because it's a complex app — because I didn't know how to manage a project yet.

The real challenge wasn't technical. It was finishing one feature before starting the next one. Every new idea felt urgent. Most weren't.

What I learned

MVP is not a buzzword. It's discipline. The difference between v1 and v2 wasn't code — it was knowing what to cut.

I still use Planify today. Well — almost. There's a bug I haven't fixed yet, so I'm on a mobile app in the meantime. The refactor is coming.

That's probably the most honest thing I can say about a side project: you ship it, you use it, you break it, you fix it. Repeat.

© Copyright 2026 - Antonio

All Right Reserved