Value in the development work
Building a mobile app requires significant investment: design, development, testing, and app store submission. Even without downloads, this work has value. A buyer might want to: skip the development phase, acquire your specific features or approach, use your codebase as a starting point, or leverage your app store presence.
What buyers need to see
Buyers evaluating a zero-download app want to understand: what the app does and its intended use case, the technology stack and code quality, current app store status and any reviews, design assets and UI quality, documentation for the codebase, and why you believe it has not gained traction yet.
App store transfer considerations
Mobile apps have specific transfer challenges. App store developer accounts have their own transfer rules. In-app purchase setups may need reconfiguration. Push notification services need new credentials. Analytics and crash reporting need account migration. Understand these requirements before listing.
Realistic pricing expectations
Without downloads, pricing should be based on development cost and buyer value, not potential market size. Be conservative. A buyer is taking on the risk of marketing an unproven app. Price accordingly and explain your logic. Consider that the buyer will need to invest in user acquisition.
How to improve the listing
If possible before listing: ensure the app works properly in current OS versions, clean up the codebase and add documentation, update the app store listing with quality screenshots, and gather any feedback from beta testers. A polished presentation signals a serious seller even without download metrics.