Piñata Birthday Reminder
Piñata
A cross-platform birthday reminder app I built and shipped solo using Claude Code and Codex. Live on iOS and Android with a freemium monetization model and real users.
Objective
Most people want to remember birthdays, but calendars full of meetings and noise make it easy to forget. I built Piñata as a dedicated app that keeps birthdays separate, sends timely reminders, and makes it easy to send a message, call, or buy a gift without leaving the app.
Roles and Responsibilities
- Founder and Principal Product Designer
- Designed the full user experience and UI
- Built the app using Claude Code and Codex
- Shipped on iOS and Android
- Designed and implemented freemium monetization (Piñata Pro)
- Acted as product owner, making design, feature, and technical decisions through rapid prototyping
Problem
Birthday reminders are easy to forget because most tools weren’t designed for celebrating. Google Calendar or Reminders just add birthdays to an already crowded list, and last-minute notifications leave no time to plan or take meaningful action.
Solution
Piñata organizes birthdays and turns reminders into quick actions.
Core experience:
- Add birthdays fast via manual entry or import
- Clean list and calendar views so you always know what’s next
- Notifications sent days in advance (7-day or 30-day default)
- One tap to text, call, or start gift shopping
Pro features:
- Bulk import to load your list quickly
- Premium notifications (e.g., confetti animations)
- Pre-written messages and customizable advance reminders
- Sync across devices and iCloud backup
Constraints
- Cross-platform (mobile and consistent behavior across iOS and Android)
- Reliable notifications across both platforms
- Freemium onboarding and upsell workflow
Process
I approached this project iteratively, working through the core user flows first (add birthday, receive reminder, take action), then refining edge cases and polish. I used Claude Code and Codex as development partners to move quickly from wireframes to working prototypes, allowing me to test ideas in real builds rather than static mocks. This tight loop between design and implementation let me validate decisions faster and ship a higher-quality product.
Outcome and Impact
Piñata shipped on iOS and Android with a live user base and an optional Pro subscription. It is intentionally minimal, fast to set up, and designed to help people remember what actually matters without adding noise to their day.
