How to run a small pilot before you launch your own money app
By SendPay Business · · 2 min read
A pilot is a small, real launch: a handful of people using your app with their own money for a few weeks. It is the cheapest way to find problems before the whole world sees them.
Pick the right people
Choose a small group who match the customers you want:
- Ten to thirty people is plenty to start.
- Mix friends with people who don't know you, so the feedback is honest.
- Include someone who finds apps hard to use.
Give them real jobs to do
Ask each person to do the things your customers will do: sign up, add money, make a payment, ask for help. Watch where they get stuck.
Make feedback easy
Give pilot users one place to report problems, such as a WhatsApp group or a short form, and thank every person who speaks up.
Fix, then fix again
Sort what you hear into must-fix before launch and can-wait. Fix the must-fix list, then ask the same people to try again.
Turn pilot users into your first fans
People who helped shape the app often become its loudest supporters. Ask them, when you launch, to tell one friend.
Build it
Create your own financial platform.
Pick a template, name it, brand it, preview every page before you pay. Your brand, your users, your fees.
Build my platform →Questions people ask
What should I ask pilot users?
The guide to talking to customers covers questions that get honest answers.
Talk to customers before launching →What comes after the pilot?
The launch checklist walks through every step to launch day.
Digital bank launch checklist →Can I call it a bank?
In most countries "bank" is a protected word you can only use with a banking licence. Call it an account, a wallet, an app or a platform. The accounts and payments behind a SendPay Business platform are powered by licensed partners.
Is there a step-by-step plan I can follow?
Yes. The free launch checklist takes you from picking your people and naming your app to setting fees, going live and winning your first ten customers.
Digital bank app launch checklist →How do I start?
Pick a template, name it and preview every page before you pay. Your platform can be live on your own domain within 24 hours of confirmation.
Build my platform →Read next
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. SendPay Business is a technology company, not a bank, and does not take deposits; regulated services on the platforms are provided by licensed partners. PayPal, Patreon and Substack are named as reference points only and are not affiliated with SendPay Business.