Eighteen days into the public launch of a side project, the numbers haven’t changed much since the last update—but the experience has. The tool, designed to help users calculate rates quickly, continues to process over 3,200 calculations daily. Yet revenue remains at zero, and the path to monetization is blocked by an unexpected obstacle.
The project, hosted at ratecalc.fyi, remains free to use with no sign-up required. It’s available in 23 countries, and its core functionality hasn’t faltered. People still visit to solve a real problem—calculating rates—without friction. What has shifted is the entrepreneur’s perspective on progress and the invisible barriers that can stall even the most promising ventures.
The Numbers Stay Steady, But the Journey Isn’t Linear
The calculator’s usage has held strong at over 3,200 calculations per day. Twitter followers total nine, Reddit karma sits at 20, and the payment processor remains in review with no response after three emails. The product works; the distribution and monetization strategies, not so much.
This isn’t a story of failure—it’s a story of persistence in an environment where success often depends on factors beyond your control. The most surprising insight? The only reliable source of engagement has been Twitter. Not for follower growth, but for genuine conversations. A single reply to a tweet by @StevBuilds sparked a meaningful exchange about whether businesses could survive without AI. That conversation led to questions about the product itself. Distribution, it turns out, happens one real interaction at a time.
When the Payment Processor Becomes the Bottleneck
The Pro plan was launched seven days ago, but customers can’t pay for it. Lemon Squeezy, the payment processor, hasn’t approved the account. Three emails sent. Zero replies. The product is ready. The infrastructure to monetize it is not.
This is the unglamorous side of building in public that rarely gets discussed. You can build something people want, but if a third-party service delays or denies your ability to accept payments, progress stalls. There’s no leverage when the bottleneck isn’t your code or your marketing—it’s someone else’s approval process.
The developer’s options are limited. They can’t force a response, but they can keep showing up elsewhere. Pinterest pins are posted daily, leveraging evergreen content. Dev.to hosts the project’s updates, reaching a tech-savvy audience. Twitter remains the most active channel, with 20 to 30 genuine replies sent each day. Reddit is treated as a long-term play—karma is built carefully, and links are avoided for now.
The Unspoken Reality of Side Projects
Day 18 feels different than Day 12. The initial excitement of shipping has faded. What remains is the discipline of showing up, even when the results aren’t visible. Zero revenue with a product people use is frustrating, but it’s also a reminder that solving a problem doesn’t guarantee success—especially when external systems control critical paths.
The calculator still works. People still need it. The payment processor, however, holds the key to turning usage into revenue. Until that changes, the project remains a labor of love in the truest sense—built not for profit, but for the sake of building.
What’s Next?
The developer isn’t giving up. They’re doubling down on organic methods that prioritize real conversations over vanity metrics. Pinterest, Dev.to, and thoughtful Twitter engagement will continue. Reddit will grow organically, one contribution at a time. The goal isn’t to force growth, but to ensure the right people find the tool when they need it.
For now, the focus is on what can be controlled: the product’s reliability, the clarity of its value, and the authenticity of its distribution. When the payment processor finally responds, the path to monetization will open. Until then, the project serves as a case study in resilience—proving that even the most well-intentioned launches can hit unforeseen roadblocks.
AI summary
Ücretsiz bir araçla binlerce kullanıcıya ulaşan girişimci, 18. günde gelir elde edememenin ve ödeme sisteminin engellerinin nasıl aşıldığını anlatıyor.
