A report on 8,817 indie startups says 54% made exactly $0 in 2026. Building a product is one milestone; building a business means getting someone to pay.
what does it mean if a startup makes exactly $0?
A report on 8,817 indie startups says 54% made exactly $0 in 2026. That figure puts a plain distinction in view: a product can exist without anyone paying for it.
Building the product is one milestone. Building a business is getting someone to pay for it.
when should the first revenue step go on the roadmap?
Before adding another feature, I’d put the first revenue step on the roadmap. The point is to make earning revenue part of the work of building the business, alongside building the product.
what’s the smallest thing you could charge for this week?
That’s the question I’d use to find a concrete first revenue step: what’s the smallest thing you could charge for this week? It keeps the focus on finding someone willing to pay, rather than assuming another feature will do that.
How many indie startups made $0 in 2026?
A report on 8,817 indie startups says 54% made exactly $0 in 2026.
When should a startup plan for its first revenue?
Put the first revenue step on the roadmap before adding another feature.
What is the difference between building a product and building a business?
Building the product is one milestone. Building a business means getting someone to pay for it.