TelemetryDeck helped me decide which features to support and which to let go
Indie developer Thomas, creator of the open-source Mastodon client Ice Cubes, uses TelemetryDeck to understand how people actually use his app — helping him decide which features to support and which to sunset, all without compromising user privacy.
About Ice Cubes
I’m Thomas, an indie developer from France. My most popular app is Ice Cubes, an open-source Mastodon client for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and VisionOS. I built it for anyone who enjoys using Mastodon on Apple platforms.
Ice Cubes is built entirely with SwiftUI and offered for free. The app has been around for about three years now. Recently, I published the 2.0 update. With that, the app has been completely adapted to liquid glass on iPadOS, iOS, and macOS. I’m super proud of the features Ice Cubes supports for both power users and casual Mastodon fans alike.
The indie developer community on Mastodon is incredibly supportive
I found TelemetryDeck via Mastodon (of course). If you’re an indie developer and not yet on Mastodon, I highly recommend it. The developer community there is a vibrant mix of open-source enthusiasts, indie devs, and curious minds who value privacy, transparency, and genuine conversation. It feels more like an old-school forum than a social network: focused, thoughtful, and refreshingly free of algorithms or engagement bait.
Developers share their projects, discuss code, and build in public. You’ll find people exchanging snippets, celebrating small wins, and offering honest feedback. It’s a place where curiosity drives interaction — not clout — and where talking about tech still feels human.
Visit: TelemetryDeck’s Mastodon profile
TelemetryDeck is a great analytics solution for developer tools
When you make an app for the most privacy-aware crowd on the internet, you really need to think about which SDKs and APIs you include — because your users will notice. That’s why I chose TelemetryDeck for my usage analytics. I needed a privacy-first solution that respects my users and aligns with my own values. Bonus points: TelemetryDeck is indie-run and fits right into the Mastodon ecosystem.
“Adding TelemetryDeck to my app took only a few minutes — I signed up, integrated the SDK, and shipped. It’s lightweight, privacy-friendly, and just works.”
Working with usage data when working on my app
The most important metrics for me are the numbers of users and sessions. I check these charts daily and monthly and compare it to the previous date range. Seeing growth is a huge boost of motivation for me.
But TelemetryDeck’s data helped me with something even more important: deciding which features to keep supporting — and which to sunset. Like many developers, I tend to add “just one more feature.” So I started tracking which parts of the app my users actually use. One key insight was that quick timeline switching was surprisingly popular — and that informed my roadmap decisions for the next version.
Every app developer should add an analytics service to their app
I can highly recommend TelemetryDeck to anyone who’s making an app. TelemetryDeck is easy to integrate and highly trusted by the Indie Community. I prefer going with a European SMB instead of a big player, and I am glad that I found this with Lisa and Daniel from TelemetryDeck.