Browse and Back Hundreds of Great Projects with Kickstarter for Mobile

Back when I needed some sense of organization to my phone, I used to have a folder for apps that I like using to pass the time—”Time Suckers,” for a lack of a better name for it.

In it are my favorite social media apps + this one gem that makes idle time both fun and meaningful: Kickstarter.

I’m a huge fan of the crowdsourcing platform and have already backed seven projects since becoming a member three years ago. I only discovered the mobile app last year and enjoy using it whenever there’s an exciting project to back that can’t wait till I sit down at my keyboard.

I’m currently using Kickstarter for iOS and have since placed it among my favorite apps because of how often I use it.

There is an Android version available for download; unfortunately I don’t have an Android phone to compare the app on either platforms, so these are the major features when on the former.

Make sure to click on the screenshots to take a closer look at the featured campaigns!

Browse new, ending soon, popular, and fully-funded projects.

Home is the first thing I see when I launch the Kickstarter app. I can quickly browse hundreds of projects that have just launched, are quite popular within the community, are fully-funded, and that are ending soon.

“Project of the Day” highlights a popular and places it at the top of the list. Simply swipe to the right to change campaign categories, or scroll down to see the full list of active projects.

There are several options at the bottom of the screen as well. The lightning bolt symbol shows you all project activities that have transpired, such as updates from creators. The magnifying glass lets you search for projects based on keywords. You can then access your Kickstarter profile by tapping on your avatar.

Interacting with a Kickstarter campaign

Usually I pledge to Kickstarter projects on the browser, but the mobile app allows you to do the same thing whenever and wherever you may be.

There’s always a ton of information to go through when reading through a Kickstarter campaign. Creators need to both tell their stories and market their project, all while keeping the economy of the page space in mind.

The mobile app handles the layout of such a busy page so well. Right away you see the campaign video, important details (i.e. pledge value, backer count, campaign count down, project summary) and still have the freedom to jump to the backer comments and creator updates.

If you scroll down, you’ll immediately see the different pledges you can make to a project. If you want to read more, tap on the “Read more about the campaign” link where the app will display the full project page. I spend the most time here because I love learning what motivated these makers to launch their ambitious projects.

How else can you use the app?

The app’s main purpose is to let you discover and back projects wherever you go. It can however be used for other meaningful things as well.

• Inspiration – Kickstarter is brimming with creative ideas and stories. It’s a great place to fuel the mind and heart with inspiration to pursue my own endeavors
• Connections – you can follow creators or friends, which means you’ll get notifications on projects they’ve backed
• Learning – Kickstarter is a fantastic source of real-life marketing—the kind that is authentic, personal, and that’s deeply rooted on passion for an idea. I can observe how these makers tell their stories, design their pledges, and communicate with their backers.

At the very least, it’s a great way to waste the time away. You don’t even need to sign up for an account to start browsing.

But if you’re already a member, let’s follow one another! ? here’s my profile

Resources:

1. Kickstarter main website
2. Kickstarter for iOS and Android
3. Long read: “Why Kickstarter Decided to Radically Transform its Business Model” via Fast Company