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Posted by cvbox 12/18/2025

Ask HN: Those making $500/month on side projects in 2025 – Show and tell

It's the time of the year again, so I'd be interested hear what new (and old) ideas have come up. Previously asked on:

2024 → https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42373343

2023 → https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38467691

2022 → https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34190421

2021 → https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29667095

2020 → https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24947167

2019 → https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20899863

2018 → https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17790306

2017 → https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15148804

485 points | 560 commentspage 13
FarProfessor 12/18/2025|
I run an iOS app! Half Lemons. It finds recipes using your ingredients. (https://halflemons.com)

It's freemium. And offers lifetime purchases and monthly sub. Will experiment with adding an annual sub soon.

jawuilp 12/18/2025||
This year I've been working on AccelPrompt--> https://accelprompt.xyz , a tool to generate instructions for different AIs, but I haven't been able to monetize it yet :(
firefax 12/20/2025||
I play poker.

I buy in for 500 and can make 1-200 a session.

But a session is ~8 hours, so I stopped and use that time to study or work a job outside my field that has health benefits that is less fun than playing Texas Hold 'Em.

BrunoBernardino 12/19/2025||
bewCloud [0] is a simpler alternative to Nextcloud if you don't use a lot of its customization options.

This year I got a grant from NLNet [1] for it, which averaged to over $500 / month. I also have some customers for it, but not close to that at all, which I'd rather have, as more sustainable way to keep improving it.

Still, I'm quite grateful to NLNet!

[0]: https://bewcloud.com

[1]: https://nlnet.nl/project/bewCloud/

ebobby 12/18/2025||
I built a SaaS for photographers specifically designed for latam’s market: https://pickyour.photos/

Been running 1.8 years, current mrr is ~$790 usd.

ebobby 12/18/2025|
Current costs are around ~$190 usd monthly

- vps: $69 - cloudflare: $25 - r2: ~$50 - crisp: $45 - customer.io $1

pawurb 12/20/2025||
https://abot.app/ currently at ~$2k/m, down from 4k a few years ago.
pdyc 12/18/2025||
does negative 500 count?
KellyCriterion 12/18/2025|
sure, its just about turnover :-D
pdyc 12/18/2025||
wow i did not think of that! here is my project EasyAnalytica.com - Build dashboards from google sheets, CSV files.
KellyCriterion 12/18/2025||
What you have looks like an "up & running product" - great! How many paying customers do you have, if I may ask?
aria-sfl 12/18/2025||
Save For Later – an AI-powered bookmark manager that resurfaces what you save

Link: https://saveforlater.pro

davidkuennen 12/18/2025||
https://stockevents.app

Created around 2019 and have recently moved it from side project to main job.

davidkuennen 12/18/2025|
https://stockevents.app

Created around 2019 and have recently moved it from side project to main job.

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