How Did I Start My First SaaS Project?

This is going to be a long one, so get ready!

My first "big" project took 1.5 months to complete—it was a tool-based website.

I found API Ninjas on RapidAPI, which offered high-quality APIs for free—password generators, COVID-19 trackers, nutrition calculators, and more. Seeing this, I got an idea: What if I built a multi-tool platform using 45 different APIs?

I spent 1.5 months building the product, assuming everything was free. But right before deployment, I thought, Let’s check the official site of API Ninjas…

I visited their website, and the first thing I saw: "Pricing Page."

I was like, What…? 🤯

Turns out, the APIs were only free for development. For commercial use, it was $9/month.

At the time, I had limited money—I had already taken some funds from my dad for the domain and hosting. Paying an extra $9/month? Not an option.

I reached out to RapidAPI, and they told me to contact API Ninjas directly. Before emailing them, I did some research—I even used my own domain lookup tool to gather info. That’s when I realized:

🚀 API Ninjas was a USA-based company with 20M+ users—a massive platform!

I emailed them, and after 10 days of back-and-forth conversations, they agreed to give me a lifetime free plan in exchange for adding "Powered by API Ninjas" in my header.

I negotiated and convinced them to let me put it in the footer instead—and they agreed! The next morning, my account was upgraded to the $9/month plan for free for life. 🥹🙌

My first-ever deal with a US company. It felt like a huge achievement.

I launched the site, expecting big traffic and ad revenue within two months. But one year later, I had made exactly $0.

When the domain renewal came up, I reflected on what went wrong.

And I got my answer: "I did not make a single rupee from my product because no one knows me." ✔️

A year later, I shared the site in a community, asking for feedback. Within 24 hours, massive engagement—people loved it!

That’s when I realized:
👉 If I had built a SaaS instead of a tool site, at least 10% of visitors might have paid for it.

That moment changed everything. I dropped the project and shifted my focus entirely to SaaS.

My first SaaS? A document analyzer—you upload a document and ask questions about it.

After building it, I purchased a domain and tried activating Stripe to accept payments.

🚧 Another roadblock: Stripe had changed its rules. New Indian accounts needed an invite to activate.

I emailed them. They said:
"Sorry, currently we can't support your business, but in the future, we definitely will."

Fast forward:
📌 I built my first SaaS in September 2024.
📌 Now in April 2025, I’ve built 6 SaaS products.
📌 Currently, I’m working on my 7th.

A few months ago, I tweeted at Stripe, and they responded:
"Maybe we will start supporting new Indian accounts by December 2025."

So now, my goal is clear:
💡 Build at least 10 SaaS products before then—so when Stripe finally opens up, I can focus 100% on marketing and scaling, instead of starting from scratch.

At the same time, I’m also working on personal branding—so by the time I launch, I’ll already have an audience ready.

And when that day comes… Boom! 🚀

I wrote this from the bottom of my heart.

I hope this gives you a clear picture of my journey. I’m sharing this so you can learn from my mistakes and avoid the setbacks I faced.

👉 Lesson? Keep building, stay consistent, and you’ll get there!

Who else has learned something from their first SaaS project? Let’s talk 👇

#BuildInPublic #SaaS #Entrepreneurship #IndieHacker