Being a solo developer, especially in the B2C space, means facing a series of demanding challenges. Let's break down why this path might not be as glamorous as it seems.
The Reality in Numbers
Let's take a typical scenario:
- You spend 6 months building a water reminder app
- You get 1,000 monthly active users
- With a 3% subscription conversion rate, that's 30 paying users
- Charging €5 per subscription
- After VAT and platform fees, you get €3.40 per user
- Total monthly revenue: €102
Even scaling to 10,000 users only brings in about €1,020 monthly. At 100,000 users, while the income becomes decent, you're still maintaining an app for 97% non-paying users.
The Many Hats You Wear
As a solo dev, coding is just one part of the job. You're also responsible for:
- Design & Development: Every UI decision and code implementation falls on you
- Project Management: Planning and executing everything alone
- Marketing & Sales: Getting your app noticed in a crowded marketplace
- Customer Support: Handling user issues, paid or not
- Business Management: Taking care of finances and strategy
Why Freelancing Might Be Better
For comparison, freelancing at $90+ per hour:
- Provides immediate income
- Removes the uncertainty of app success
- Lets you focus on what you do best: coding
- Offers a more stable lifestyle
While B2C apps have massive potential when they succeed, the opportunity costs and risks make freelancing a more practical choice for many developers.
The dream of creating the next big app is appealing, but the reality of being a solo developer often means spreading yourself too thin across multiple crucial roles.