Building a micro-SaaS is a journey, and mine has been no exception! After a year of dedicated focus on one project, I still can’t quite call it finished. But the truth is, this app’s story began even earlier — about two years ago — when I started it as a fun way to learn Flutter. What started as a learning experiment has turned into something so much bigger, and the process has been as rewarding as it’s been challenging.

When I first created my app, the idea was simple: make it easy to generate receipts by just filling out names, prices, and quantities. I designed it specifically for local businesses, even launching it in the local language to make it accessible. But as rewarding as it was to build something for my community, I faced a big challenge — there wasn’t much traction, and downloads were scarce. So, I decided to take a new approach: shift my focus to international users. It’s been a learning curve, but I’m excited to see where this pivot takes me!

Switching the app to English and making it accessible worldwide turned out to be a game-changer! I started seeing traction from places like Malaysia and Indonesia, which was so exciting. What users seemed to love most was how easy it was to get started — no complicated setup required.

Fast forward three months, and the app now has around 200 daily active users! The best part? I’ve been getting tons of feedback, which has not only helped me squash some pesky bugs but also inspired ideas for new and useful features. It’s been an incredible journey so far, and I can’t wait to keep improving!

Last November, I took a big leap — I quit my job to go all-in on my mobile app project. At the time, we had around 400 daily active users on both iOS and Android, and I was confident the app had the potential to generate revenue.

To test the waters, I decided to make a bold move: I phased out the free plan, requiring users to pay to get started. I gave everyone a 3-month heads-up before making the change. While some users found it tough to accept, others were understanding and appreciated the need to cover the costs of keeping the app running. It wasn’t an easy decision, but it was a necessary step to ensure the app’s sustainability.

My journey with building a micro-SaaS app hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows. After making the switch to a paid model, I lost a significant chunk of my users — dropping to around 70–80 daily users, with most of the loss coming from iOS. It was tough, but there was a silver lining: I gained around 30 paying subscribers.

That milestone felt like a win — it marked the beginning of my understanding of turning an idea into a commercial product and finding my target audience.

Now, I’m shifting my focus to rebuilding the entire app from the ground up. I’m aiming for something scalable, with expandable features, that truly empowers SMEs and vendors to work more efficiently and sell faster. With the experience I’ve gained and the data I’ve collected, I’m determined to create a better, stronger product that delivers real value.

Right now, we have 40 active subscribers, and I couldn’t be more excited about what’s next! I’m currently working on developing a new version of the app, and I’m pouring my heart into every single detail. It’s been an amazing journey so far, and I can’t wait to share this improved version with everyone soon!

From 9-to-5 to Micro-SaaS: My Year-Long Journey of Building Something Big