How Sergey Earned $40k with AliExpress Affiliate Mobile Apps

From Zero Coding to an Affiliate App Business

Sergey had a background in C# but no Android experience. In early 2020 he decided to learn Java and build a mobile app that pulled product data from AliExpress. His goal was simple: display top deals in a lightweight interface, send the user to AliExpress via affiliate links, and earn commission. Within two months he saw just $100, but he also got banned. Instead of giving up, he took notes on what went wrong.

Rebuilding as Aligram: Key Features

The second version, later rebranded Aligram, solved the first app’s UX gaps. Sergey added a search field with optional Google or Yandex translation. He grouped products into real categories, added a favorites list, and built dynamic pricing that adjusted based on a user’s geo. To sweeten deals he integrated popular cashback platforms—EPN, Letyshops and Kopikot. All data still came from the AliExpress JSON feed, but the presentation went from endless scroll to a polished browse experience.

Localization was a game-changer. All texts, buttons and screenshots were in Russian. He worked proxies into his server-side parser so AliExpress wouldn’t block requests. Every new feature was driven by one question: would it help a shopper decide faster?

Growth, Revenue and Marketing

Aligram eventually peaked at $1,800 net profit per month. On average it saw around $1,200 to $1,500 each month. Sergey promoted the app using Facebook and Google ad SDKs, plus Cheetah Mobile’s ad network. He actively managed in-app ratings—1,500 reviews at launch—and ran A/B tests on icons and screenshots. A sharper onboarding flow boosted conversions by nearly 20% month over month.

Battling Google Play Bans

Despite solid numbers, Google Play flagged Aligram several times. The main issue was trademark infringement: referencing AliExpress in the app name. Sergey removed every brand mention, renamed it, then got reinstated. In late 2019 Google blocked it again for ‘sub-quality experience.’ He iterated on UI polish but eventually turned to a third app that scraped data through his website, where writers crafted unique descriptions. That app was more robust for users but still faced policy removals.

Over two years Sergey generated over $40,000 net from these mobile apps, all while working mostly alone and without outside funding.

Lessons Learned

Sergey’s journey shows that affiliate commissions can scale in mobile environments if you solve real pain points: search, organization, pricing transparency, and trusted cashback. But platform rules and brand usage matter just as much. When Google Play enforcement kicked in, every detail from title to API calls was under scrutiny. He balanced polish against rapid iteration and never invested huge sums into untested features.

For anyone wanting to turn affiliate links into app revenue, the core takeaways are clear: start with a simple MVP, gather user feedback fast, add only the features that move the needle, and be ready to navigate platform policies.