MKBHD’s Panels App Shuts Down: Tech Influencer’s Venture Fails to Gain Traction

Popular tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee is shutting down his wallpaper app. The app, called Panels, will cease operations on December 31, 2025. Brownlee made the announcement in an unlisted video and a blog post on Monday.The shutdown marks a rare stumble for the influential reviewer. Brownlee, known as MKBHD, commands an audience of over 20 million subscribers. His foray into app development ultimately could not find a sustainable market.

High Hopes Met With Market Reality

Panels launched in September 2024 with significant fanfare. It quickly rose to the top of the app store charts for photo apps. The app offered exclusive, high-quality wallpapers from selected artists.Users could access the library for a $50 annual or $12 monthly fee. Artists received a portion of the subscription revenue. Despite the strong start, consumer interest faded rapidly.According to data from the intelligence firm Appfigures, the app saw nearly 900,000 lifetime downloads. It generated about $95,000 in total consumer spending. Recent numbers tell a different storyLast month, Panels had only 3,000 new downloads. It brought in roughly $500 in revenue. Those figures were too low to keep it ranked on U.S. app stores.

The Challenge of Monetizing Aesthetics

The core issue was convincing users to pay for wallpapers. People are accustomed to finding free images online. Brownlee acknowledged this fundamental market challenge in his statements.He noted the team made mistakes as first-time app developers. Internal changes also disrupted progress. Finding the right long-term collaborators proved difficult.The app’s closure process is being handled transparently. All users with active annual subscriptions will receive refunds. The company’s blog details how to request a quicker refund.After shutdown, all user data will be deleted for privacy. The app’s source code will be made publicly available. This allows other developers to potentially build upon the original work.

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The shutdown of the Panels app highlights the difficult gap between online influence and a viable software business. Even a powerhouse creator like MKBHD found that a dedicated audience does not automatically translate to paying customers for a niche product.

Thought you’d like to know

Why did the Panels app fail?

It failed to build a large enough paying audience. Consumers are not used to paying for smartphone wallpapers when countless free options exist online. Internal team changes also hampered development.

Will users get their money back?

Yes. Panels will refund all customers with active annual subscriptions. The company has outlined steps for users to request refunds ahead of the official December 31st shutdown date.

How many people downloaded the app?

According to app intelligence firm Appfigures, Panels achieved about 900,000 lifetime downloads across iOS and Android. Users downloaded over 2 million individual wallpapers from the platform.

What happens to the app’s code?

The development team plans to open-source the code. This means they will make it publicly available for other developers to use, modify, and build upon after the service shuts down.

What was the app’s revenue?

Appfigures estimates total consumer spending on Panels reached approximately $95,000. Revenue fell sharply to just around $500 in the month leading up to the shutdown announcement.