Using Free APIs to Build a SaaS That Makes 5K MRR

In this episode of The Indie Hacker Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore how solo developers can build profitable SaaS products by stitching together free or low-cost APIs. They dive into the story of a developer who created a social media scheduling tool for nonprofits using the free tiers of the Twitter API, a headless CMS, and a cloud function service — hitting 5K MRR with zero upfront costs. Lucas breaks down the technical stack, the economics of API rate limits, and how to avoid common pitfalls like vendor lock-in. Luna shares tips on finding underutilized free tiers and building trust with users when your product depends on third-party services. Whether you're a developer looking to launch a side project on a shoestring budget or a founder curious about the viability of API-based products, this episode offers a concrete playbook for turning publicly available building blocks into a sustainable micro-SaaS. #API #SaaS #MicroSaaS #IndieHacker #SoloDeveloper #SideProject #FreeTier #TwitterAPI #NonprofitTech #CloudFunctions #VendorLockIn #Bootstrapping #MRR #NoCode #TechStack #Technology #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo