From zero to 500 users: How I launched IndieCru.sh solo
Hey, I’m Alex Saint 👋
I’m a solo indie hacker based in Paris, and—fun fact—I only started coding thanks to AI tools. I got inspired watching Marc Lou’s videos on YouTube, picked up some tools, started building… and tweeting.
A few months later:
– Grew a 3.7k+ following on X (started mid-January)
– Built the Fail in Public community, which hit 6,000 members in under 3 months
At the core of everything, I’ve always wanted to help people who are struggling to launch.
I’ve been that person—building alone, failing quietly, watching a product flop in silence. I wanted to change that.
The Problem
When you're launching solo, the story tends to repeat itself:
You build for weeks. Hit “launch.” Post the tweet.
And then… nothing. No users. No feedback. Just crickets.
I didn’t need more motivation. I needed traction. A way to test early, talk to real users, and learn what to fix before launch day. That’s where the idea for IndieCru.sh came from.
The Idea
IndieCru.sh is a place for indie devs to launch early and get feedback while it still matters.
You post your app, spin up a testing program, and start collecting real insights before things go live.
To make it more fun and community-driven, I added:
A leaderboard for devs and testers
Private testing spaces
A native token ($INDIE) to reward feedback and feature standout launches
The Launch
I launched IndieCru.sh solo on Product Hunt—no team, no funding, just me and an MVP.
It somehow landed #8 Product of the Day, right next to heavyweights like Mistral and Rabbit AI.
That one launch brought in:
500+ users
80+ active feedback programs
12 paying customers
And a wave of support I wasn’t expecting
What Worked
Launching early: I didn’t wait until it felt perfect
Building in public: I even live-streamed the 24h launch on X
Sharing everything with my Fail in Public community (now 6k+ strong)
Solving a real, relatable problem indie hackers deal with constantly
To keep things sustainable, I introduced $INDIE, the native token that powers the platform.
Devs use it to pay for premium features (homepage slots, newsletters, private tweets)
Testers earn it by giving quality feedback
It’s a self-sustaining loop that rewards both sides of the early-stage equation.
What’s Next
The goal is simple:
Make pre-launch the new normal.
If you're building something, don’t wait—launch early.
If you love trying new products and helping others improve, come shape the next wave of indie tools.
👉 indiecru.sh.
Big thanks to everyone who's tested, shared, or offered feedback so far. This is just the beginning.
Replies
good job man
I see u on X
IndieCrush
@sayyidalijufri i see you tooo brother !!! let's get it
IndieCrush
@joeytitanium thx for the support bro!!!
Foundity
Cool story!! I'll keep these tips in mind– I'm launching my startup foundity.com next week. I started posting every step of my journey with others, and am iterating with feedback. Let's see how it goes🤞
IndieCrush
@isabelle_dijkhorst good luck for the launch !
Foundity
@alexsssaint Thanks!! :)
Great product and captivating story! Just registered and I am curious how long it will take to get the first test results (if any) :) I think this is the hardest part of building such kind of community based platform.
Very nice UI btw. Have you done it yourself?
IndieCrush
Product Hunt
Nice summary Alex and great product! Did you rely on AI tools to build it, or did you primarily hard code it after learning to code?
IndieCrush
@aaronolearyI actually never learned how to code properly! At first, I was just copying and pasting from ChatGPT, then Cursor saved my life! Now I'm learning to code as I create. Thanks for the support
Fascinating story , I am always fascinated by non-coder founders 👍
IndieCrush
@oz_the_product_wizard thx bro
Really solid execution, Alex. Love how you treated feedback like a core feature, not an afterthought. The $INDIE loop is a smart way to align incentives without overcomplicating the stack. Curious how you’re handling moderation as things scale.
IndieCrush
@chen951381 thx for the support !! while update you along the way ! but we double our user base since launch ! it's getting crazy
Bugster
Congratulations! I want to be like you when I grow up! 😂😂😂😂
IndieCrush
@alexsssaint
This is a super inspiring and authentic story, honestly, it hits home for so many indie hackers who’ve felt that painful silence after a big launch. The way you turned that experience into a community-powered solution is brilliant.
IndieCrush
@ambika_vaish thank you !!!
Truly inspiring—this feels so real and heartfelt. It will motivate me!
IndieCrush
@onsefy let's go ! that's the purpose !!! drop it on indiecru.sh once you're done
Alex, thanks for sharing, it's very helpful!
Will share it with my coworkers.
IXORD
Thanks for sharing your story. It's hard to build something alone because you always miss something. You can't do something perfectly alone, and you can't do anything perfectly in general. Only better. I rely on my experience when I was making the product itself, then a team appeared with whom I share tasks and work together. It got better :D
@alexsssaint Dude, this is awesome. That launch → crickets feeling is exactly what pushed me to start Idea TBD - a weekly drop where we share raw, early-stage ideas and build stuff in public with the community.
What you’re doing with IndieCru.sh is super aligned- early feedback, momentum over perfection, and making solo builders feel less alone.
This is such a refreshing breakdown, Alex.
IndieCru.sh solves a very real gap most solo builders quietly struggle with the silence after launch. I love how you didn’t wait for perfection and instead built traction through transparency and community.
Also, the $INDIE token is a clever nudge for meaningful feedback it’s rare to see that kind of incentive loop done thoughtfully. Bookmarking this for inspiration as we think about early feedback loops at our end. Congrats on hitting 500+ well deserved!
IndieCrush
@priyanka_gosai1 thx really appreciate ! if you have any questions don't hesitate ! have a good day
Great Work dude. Just signed up!
IndieCrush
"make pre-launch the new normal" -- agree completely!!
Good one.
IndieCrush
This is seriously impressive, Alex. Love how you’ve turned the “quiet flop” problem into a feedback loop that actually motivates indie devs to keep going. Huge congrats on the traction so far, 500+ users and 12 paying customers from a solo MVP launch is no joke.
IndieCrush