Side Project

Just build it basic with nuxt/next using edge functions on vercel/netlify? Use a free supabase and you’re good.

You can even use Postgres functions as CRON handlers and call your edge functions…

Try digital ocean for server (VPS), planetscale for database (digital ocean is also good). netlify for frontend hosting.

if you register a llc or a pvt ltd in india (<10000), you should be eligible for credits by most cloud providers. so if servers are the only blocker for (1), this might solve it.

You can rent server for $10 a month.

What are you trying to build which will take $100 per month? If you go for AWS lightsail, DigitalOcean, Linode etc. it will be about $5 for a small VPS where you can install your own database. Once you feel soneone is going to pay for your app you can upgrade to a bigger server. If you have a serious idea you can apply for azure startup founders hub which will give you $1000 free credit for a year. AWS has similar programs for startup.

How good are you with building things? I might have a proposition for you if you are good.

why would it cost a $100 a month to host?

You can deploy an app on Heroku with a DB for about $20 per month.

I would try to launch something as quickly as possible, because that's the quickest way to learn. Come up with an idea, work out how quickly you can get something out (ideally less than one month), charge for it, then scale up your servers when you have people paying you.

bro, launching has never been cheaper and easier. - railway, vercel, digitalocean etc.

Run your own on premise server/VM using enterprise 2nd hand small form factor desktops, e.g. https://www.servethehome.com/introducing-project-tinyminimicro-home-lab-revolution/

Planetscale has free plan with enough limits. You dont have to spend that much on a DB

You can put everything on a cheap server, it's really enough for a start.

I wrote a book on deployment if you need to learn some details https://deploymentfromscratch.com

And I put together a blog post how to run all on single VPS with Kamal https://nts.strzibny.name/deploying-rails-single-server-kamal/

Good luck!

You can keep the cost low by using the following techniques (I am using both):

1. Use Next.js + MongoDB + Vercel (All free tier): If your apps can be 100% serverless, this will ideally give you a bill of $0/month.

Checkout Letters. I have been running it for two years now and paid $0 till date.

2. Use a cheap $5/month droplet(VM) from Digital Ocean + MongoDB: If your apps need a long running server, this way you can keep the cost fixed.

Deploy all of your apps in the same VM and use Caddy for reverse proxy.

DM me if you need help.

I’m always looking for full stack devs to work with on side projects. We have a Web3 agency and could always use a hand with some of the non web 3 stuff that comes our way. We should talk!

I liked how detailed you wrote about your problems. Most of the users just write within 4/5 lines with no context.

However, you can start with making plugins and selling them on platform like codecanyon. No design skills are needed.

If you have a spare PC or laptop you can run the service on it and use ngrok for proxying to the public internet. This is the cheapest option.

Use basic stuff and it will cost nothing. Use uploadthing for images - 2GB free (that's a lot)

Vercel - Free

Mongo - Free 512 MB or Cockroach DB (10GB free!)

scale when you need to

You can build most of the side projects for free. There's free tier for almost everything. Build it and if it gets traction and you get users then you can scale it using the revenue.

helpful thread

for my side projects (plural), I run a two-node k3s cluster on Hetzner for less than 50$. The database is also running on this cluster.

Cons: You need to operate the k3s cluster and understand it

Pros: If your side project fails, you can switch to DevOps/Platform Operation field which is often better paid then software development

Hi OP, I'm looking for a co founder, I'm also a SWE and plan to go full time on my project. If you're interested LMK (can't send you a DM).

Can we have a chat?