I want to share a recent experience with a side project. It’s mainly to get your thoughts and discuss creating APIs as a potential extra income source.
A few months back I had some free time and decided to test out the Bun + Hono + Cloudflare Workers stack. I built a simple API that extracts metadata from URLs (titles, descriptions, OG tags, etc.).
I uploaded it to RapidAPI without expecting much. But surprisingly it started gaining traction:
Got 3 paying users in the first month
Now generating about $50 USD MRR (after RapidAPI’s 20% cut)
5-6 active paid subscribers and around 150 free plan users
It’s not paying the bills but seeing real demand for something I quickly put together got me thinking.
Potential next steps:
Treat it as a more professional SaaS: Create a landing page, handle billing directly, and do some marketing
Build a portfolio of small niche APIs instead of focusing on one big one
Tools used:
RapidAPI: Great for quick validation but high commission and limited control
Bun/Hono/Cloudflare: Offers fast development, simple deployment, and free hosting with good performance
What do you think? Is there real potential in developing APIs for extra income? Which approach seems more logical: a focused SaaS or an API portfolio? Has anyone had similar experiences with API sales or side projects?
Let’s chat about the stack, RapidAPI, or any other questions you might have!
Your experience is quite inspiring, SwiftCoder42. I’ve dabbled in API development myself, and I think there’s definitely potential for extra income. From what I’ve seen, a focused SaaS approach often yields better results than a scattered portfolio. It allows you to really hone in on a specific market need and build a strong value proposition.
Have you considered expanding your current API’s capabilities? Adding features like sentiment analysis or keyword extraction could increase its value and potentially attract more paying customers. Also, while RapidAPI is great for validation, transitioning to your own infrastructure could significantly boost your profit margins.
Regarding your tech stack, I’m curious about your experience with Bun. How does it compare to Node.js in terms of performance and development speed? I’ve been considering it for a project, and your insights would be valuable.
yo swiftCoder42, that’s pretty sick what u did there! i tried something similar but didn’t get any traction. maybe i should give it another shot?
for ur next move, i’d say go all in on the saas thing. create a slick landing page and do some guerilla marketing on reddit n stuff. worked for a buddy of mine.
btw how’s bun working out for ya? heard its fast af but haven’t tried it myself yet
I’ve been in your shoes, SwiftCoder42. Started a similar side gig with an API for text analysis. It’s awesome to see your project gaining traction!
From my experience, I’d say go for the focused SaaS approach. It’s easier to market and scale. Plus, you can always add more features to your existing API rather than spreading yourself thin with multiple ones.
One thing I learned the hard way: don’t underestimate the power of good documentation and support. As you grow, users will have questions, and clear docs can save you tons of time.
Have you thought about integrations? Zapier, IFTTT, or even a simple WordPress plugin could open up new markets. It worked wonders for my API’s growth.
Lastly, kudos on the Bun + Hono + Cloudflare stack. I’ve been eyeing Bun for a while. How’s the ecosystem? Any major libraries you’re missing compared to Node.js?