Hey fellow developers,
It’s now been 3 weeks since I launched my mini Project Management SaaS tool for indie developers, which I originally built for myself: https://swiftboard.dev.
Over the years, I’ve built more than 10 different SaaS projects, but none of them have really made any money. So this time, I decided to build something around a real pain point I had.
Owning multiple projects made it increasingly difficult to manage them all—keeping track of where each one was hosted, where I bought the domains, their project repositories, API keys, and most importantly, their progress and tasks. I could’ve used Jira, Asana, Trello, or similar tools to manage tasks, but they all felt like overkill.
Most indie developers, myself included, typically spend 2-3 months (or even less) building a project, so I wanted something as simple as a note-taking app yet powerful enough to track my progress and oversee all project-related info in one place. That’s when I started building Swiftboard.dev.
Since launching, it has grown to 165+ free users, and while I introduced a paid plan at just $6/month, no one is converting. This makes me suspect that maintaining the project might become too costly in the long run.
A lot of developers have suggested making it open source so that others can contribute and help sustain it. I’m seriously considering it now, but I have some concerns:
• What are the best practices for open-sourcing a project like this?
• Is there a way to prevent people from simply copying the code, rebranding it, and launching their own version?
• Since it’s cloud-hosted, how do open-source projects typically handle ongoing maintenance costs if donations or sponsorships don’t cover them?
Would love to hear thoughts from anyone who has been through this!
Top comments (1)
Congratulations on the incredible milestone of gaining 165+ free users within just three weeks of launching your indie project management tool! That’s an impressive achievement and a testament to the demand for innovative solutions in this space. Your consideration of open-sourcing the tool is a fascinating dilemma, and it’s great to see you weighing the pros and cons thoughtfully.
One insight I’d like to share is that open-sourcing can be a double-edged sword. While it can foster community engagement and accelerate development through contributions, it’s important to have a clear strategy for maintaining control over the project’s direction. In my experience, setting boundaries—like licensing terms or deciding which parts of the tool to open-source—can help strike a balance between collaboration and sustainability.
For inspiration, you might want to check out Teamcamp, another project management tool that has successfully carved its niche by focusing on collaboration and simplicity. While not open-source, it highlights how a clear vision and user-centric design can drive growth.
What are your thoughts on balancing community-driven development with maintaining your original vision for the tool? I’d love to hear how you plan to navigate this exciting stage in your journey!