Build Competitors, Not Copies

The past few days have been interesting, tiring, and eye-opening.

What started as a discussion about copying and originality quickly became personal. My original point was simple. As builders, we should aim to do more than reproduce another person's work feature by feature.

Some people understood that as me saying that no one should compete with me. That was not what I meant.

I do not believe I invented finance apps. I do not believe that common features belong to me. I also do not believe that other developers should be stopped from building similar products.

I believe competition is good. I just think competitors should bring something of their own.

Inspiration and Copying Are Different

Almost nothing is created without inspiration.

Finance apps have categories and budgets. Social networks have feeds. Messaging apps have chat bubbles. Fitness apps track workouts. Products in the same category will naturally share features and design patterns.

That is normal.

The concern begins when the similarities go beyond common features. A repeated pattern involving layouts, interactions, branding, mascots, onboarding, and newly released ideas may raise fair questions, especially when the timing is close.

Similarity and timing alone do not prove that copying happened. Common problems can lead different people to similar solutions. Any concern should be discussed carefully and supported by clear evidence, such as dated releases and direct comparisons of distinctive product decisions.

The goal should not be to attack another developer. It should be to have an honest discussion about where inspiration ends and copying begins.

Apple Also Discourages Copycat Apps

This concern is not unique to our community.

Apple addresses copycat apps in its App Review Guidelines. Guideline 4.1 tells developers not to simply copy a popular app or make small changes to another app's name or interface and present it as their own.

Apple also warns that this can create intellectual property risks, make the App Store harder to use, and be unfair to other developers.

Source: Apple App Review Guidelines, Section 4.1

Apple's rule is an App Store policy. It does not prove that a specific app copied another one, and it is not a legal ruling. Still, it supports a simple idea: developers should add something original instead of making products that are almost the same as existing ones.

There can be hundreds of budgeting apps, workout trackers, and note-taking apps. There can be many developers solving the same problem.

The question is not whether two apps share a category or a feature. The question is whether each product offers its own point of view, identity, or way of solving the problem.

Why This Matters to AppBuildersPH

I created AppBuildersPH to help Filipino developers find one another and build products.

I wanted it to be a place where someone could share an app with only ten users. A first-time developer could appear beside someone with years of experience. People could exchange feedback, learn, work together, and find new opportunities.

As the community grows, we also need to think about the culture we want.

People spend time designing flows, testing interactions, building an identity, and finding new ways to solve problems. We should encourage others to learn from that work while also asking how they can make their own product different.

Something may be legally allowed and still fall below the standards a community wants to promote. Our standard can be simple:

Learn from other products, but add something of your own.

The Discussion Became Personal

After screenshots and parts of the discussion were shared, the focus moved away from the original issue.

People commented on my programming ability, my use of AI, my apps, my career, and whether I had the right to speak about the subject.

Those comments do not answer the original question. A person's character or skill does not decide whether an argument is right or wrong. The discussion should focus on the work and the evidence.

That same standard should protect everyone involved. Concerns about copying should not become an excuse to harass or insult another developer. Personal attacks against either side do not help.

I Am a Builder Too

I have never claimed to be above other developers. I am a builder too.

I make mistakes. I write bugs. I use frameworks, libraries, documentation, open-source software, AI tools, and ideas I learn from other products. That is how modern software is built.

Some of my projects succeed. Some do not. I am still learning like everyone else.

AppBuildersPH was not created so people would follow me. It was created so more Filipino builders could find and support one another.

AI Makes This Discussion More Important

AI has made many parts of software development faster and more accessible. It can help people create interfaces, write code, fix bugs, make assets, and build prototypes.

I use these tools too.

Because more people can now build faster, I believe ideas, judgment, taste, and original execution matter even more. AI gives us the chance to test ideas that were once too difficult or expensive to try.

We should use that opportunity to explore more ideas, not to copy existing products more quickly.

Competition Is Good

I want competition.

If someone builds a better finance app than Tarsi, that is good. If they create a better budgeting experience, I want to learn from it. If users choose another product, then my team and I need to improve.

That is how products get better.

Healthy competition can take many forms. A developer can improve an existing idea, serve a group that others have ignored, challenge a common assumption, or create a different experience around the same problem.

That is the kind of competition worth celebrating.

Where I Could Have Done Better

I also accept that some of my words were sharper than they needed to be.

When you care deeply about something you have built, frustration can affect how you speak. My wording made it easier for people to miss my point. I can take responsibility for that.

At the same time, the subject is still worth discussing. We should be able to talk about copying, originality, and competition without turning the discussion into a fight between people.

Moving Forward

I want AppBuildersPH to have better standards for originality, credit, competition, and reports of possible copying.

These standards should not make people afraid to build similar products. They should help people discuss concerns fairly.

Any concern should be supported by evidence. The people involved should have a chance to explain their side. The discussion should stay focused on the work. Personal attacks should not be accepted.

I do not want a community where everyone agrees with me. Disagreement is healthy. People should criticize Tarsi, challenge my opinions, and build products that make my work obsolete.

I want ten people to solve the same problem and create ten interesting versions of the solution.

So my message is simple:

Build competitors. Build alternatives. Learn from the work around you.

But add something of your own.