Why I built an all-in-one ERP with flat $5/mo pricing (tired of per-seat SaaS taxes)
Like many running agencies, consultancies, or small teams, I hit a breaking point with per-seat SaaS pricing. Here is why I built Appleno with a flat $5/month model.
Hey Indie Hackers,
Like many of you running agencies, consultancies, or small teams, I hit a breaking point with software pricing last year.
Every time our team grew, our monthly tool bill exploded. Not because we needed new features, but because of the per-seat pricing trap:
$12/user on project management
$15/user on CRM
$8/user on time tracking
$10/user on invoicing
$10/user on client portal access
For a 10-person team, that is easily $500–$600+ every month just to keep 5 disconnected tools duct-taped together with Zapier.
So I set out to build Appleno — an all-in-one business management ERP built on a single unified database with strictly flat-rate pricing.
What We Built (All 12+ Modules Unlocked):
CRM & Lead Pipelines: Track deals, contacts, and conversions without bloated enterprise setup.
Project & Task Management: Kanban boards, sprint workflows, task assignments, and milestone tracking.
Time Tracking & Timesheets: Log billable hours directly against client projects without third-party plugins.
Invoicing & Billing: Generate professional invoices directly from logged time or fixed milestones and accept payments.
White-Label Client Portal: Give clients a branded self-service hub to view project status, approve deliverables, and pay invoices (unlimited client accounts included at $0 extra).
Supplier & Vendor Portal: Manage contractors, purchase orders, and supplier relationships in one shared workspace.
HR & Team Operations: Manage leave requests, team capacity, and employee records.
The Pricing Philosophy: $5/Month Flat (Up to 50 Users)
I did not want to penalize teams for hiring. So our model is simple:
Solo / Evaluation Plan: $0 / Forever for 1 user (all 12+ modules fully unlocked).
Team Plan: Flat $5/month (or $50/year) for up to 50 active team members. Zero per-seat fees. Zero feature gating.
No locked modules, no surprise upgrades, and external client portal accounts are always unlimited and free.
Check it out: https://appleno.com
I would love honest feedback from other founders and agency owners here:
What is the biggest headache in your current agency or business tech stack?
How do you feel about flat-rate vs per-seat pricing models for operational software?
