The Idea

After deciding to build an iOS app using AI, the first thing I set out to create was a metronome app designed for dark stage environments.

Back in college, I played drums — and while that was a while ago, there weren’t many metronome apps that felt both clean and professional. (Turns out, that’s still true today.)

Most apps are packed with features but suffer from dated design and cluttered interfaces, making them impractical to pull up quickly on stage.

That’s what led me to the idea: a simple, black-and-white metronome where the beat is front and center — and nothing else gets in the way.

Claude Free vs. Paid

I’d already made up my mind to use Claude as my AI of choice. I’d been using things like Gemini and Google AI Studio recently, but the word on Claude was hard to ignore.

So I started with the free plan — and honestly, it held up pretty well.…