30 Software Developer Success Stories [2024]
A software developer is a person who creates computer programs. They design, test, and oversee the creation of software for a variety of purposes including businesses, personal use, or social networking.
If you have strong technical skills and experience in programming, you can start a software development business. You should also have a good understanding of how the software works.
The average salary for software developers is $110,140. The best-paid 25 percent earn an annual income of up to 140K dollars while the lowest-paid workers make just under 84K dollars.
The recent trends in software development are moving towards mobile apps and cloud-based solutions. Businesses are providing a variety of programming languages and tools to create software that meets the client's needs.
Starting a software development company is the perfect way to explore in this exciting industry. This type of business is growing in popularity as businesses are looking for ways to offer their customers a convenient way to access their data and applications.
In this list, you'll find real-world software developer success stories and very profitable examples of starting a software developer that makes money.
1. LeafLink ($19.2M/year)
Ryan G. Smith and Zach Silverman came up with the idea for LeafLink after recognizing the fragmented and inefficient state of the cannabis supply chain. In 2015, they saw that as legalization progressed, cannabis businesses lacked the basic tools and systems other industries took for granted. Both Smith and Silverman had extensive backgrounds in technology and startups, which helped them identify the gap and envision a solution.
Before diving in, they conducted thorough research by visiting states like Colorado and Washington, analyzing how cannabis retailers and brands operated. They observed that many businesses were manually managing inventory and sales, often using rudimentary methods like whiteboards and text messages. These inefficiencies highlighted the need for a streamlined, digital B2B marketplace.
They initially refined their idea through continuous dialogue with potential users, incorporating feedback to better address real-world challenges. This iterative process helped them design a platform tailored to the specific needs of cannabis businesses. While they faced initial skepticism and the complexities of adhering to different state regulations, their persistence and ability to listen to customer needs enabled them to create a product that significantly improved operational efficiency across the industry.
How much money it makes: $19.2M/year
How many people on the team: 294
2. SkyVerge, Inc. ($4.2M/year)
Max Rice, the co-founder of SkyVerge, came up with the idea for the business while working as an IT Director. He reached out to Justin Stern, who was knowledgeable about WooCommerce, for help with an eCommerce project. The successful collaboration led them to start SkyVerge, which now generates $350,000 in monthly revenue and provides software tools for over 100,000 eCommerce brands.
How much money it makes: $4.2M/year
How many people on the team: 32
SkyVerge, a software company, has grown rapidly with revenue of $350,000 per month, over 100,000 eCommerce customers, and a globally distributed team of 30 people, all through starting with consulting projects and building focused and solutions-based products, acquiring small products from other developers, and focusing largely on content marketing and providing excellent customer support.
3. UserGuiding ($2.4M/year)
Osman and his co-founder Muhammet started UserGuiding after a failed search for a business model in San Francisco. They had the skills, time, and money, but no idea until they analyzed a difficult-to-use product they were offered a job for and realized they could build a better user onboarding tool. They received positive feedback from experienced SaaS founders and quickly developed a prototype, making their first sale to Mobile Action founder Aykut. Within their first month, they made $2,000 and launched on Product Hunt, gaining more customers and attending SaaStr Annual 2018 with Aykut's gift of tickets.
How much money it makes: $2.4M/year
How much did it cost to start: $200K
How many people on the team: 30
UserGuiding is a SaaS product that has attracted 73 subscribers, 5,000 sign-ups from 92 countries, and 4 million end users, with a monthly recurring revenue that has increased from $413 to $9,400 in the past 14 months.
4. Epixel Solutions ($1.8M/year)
Sajin Rajan, co-founder of Epixel Solutions, came up with the idea for the company after attending a trade show and realizing the difficulties faced by product-selling companies in the direct selling industry. He saw an opportunity to provide a stable and advanced MLM software solution to help these companies manage their business more effectively. Since launching in 2015, Epixel has experienced impressive growth, with a monthly revenue of $70,000 and a client base that includes direct selling, MLM, blockchain, cryptocurrency exchanges, and more.
How much money it makes: $1.8M/year
How many people on the team: 150
Epixel Solutions, LLC provides MLM software as a complete solution to manage and organize direct selling and MLM businesses, and has seen significant growth since launching, currently making a monthly revenue of around $70,000 and completing over 200+ projects in different sectors around the world.
5. ScrapingBee ($1.5M/year)
Pierre de Wulf leveraged his experience as a data engineer and reused code from a failed startup to launch ScrapingBee in 2019, which now generates $1.5 million annually.
How much money it makes: $1.5M/year
How many people on the team: 2
This case study showcases how ScrapingBee, a web scraping API, was built on a shoestring budget using a mix of tools and outsourced services, achieving impressive growth through SEO content and targeted marketing strategies, with revenues averaging $125K/month, generating $1.5M/year since 2019.
6. Barn2 Plugins ($1.44M/year)
Katie and her husband Andy founded Barn2 Plugins in 2009 as a web design shop. They saw the opportunity to transition into a product business and identified gaps in the market by leveraging their insider knowledge of the industry and researching pain points online. They started with their first product, WooCommerce Password Protected Categories, and focused on low-cost, low-risk solutions that could be quickly developed and launched. Through content marketing and targeted advertising, they have been able to attract and retain customers, generating over $100,000 in monthly revenue with their 16 products.
How much money it makes: $1.44M/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
How many people on the team: 14
Barn2 Plugins, founded in 2009 by a husband-and-wife duo, sells innovative software products generating over $100,000 in monthly revenue aimed at website owners on the WordPress and WooCommerce platforms, with their first product, WooCommerce Password Protected Categories, launched to market after identifying a gap in the industry.
7. Creme Digital ($1.2M/year)
Jacob Klug, a 20-year-old entrepreneur, launched Creme Digital at 17 after realizing the power of no-code tools like Bubble during the COVID-19 pandemic. His high-school hustle turned into a $100k/month business, building apps for startups and Fortune 500 companies alike.
How much money it makes: $1.2M/year
How much did it cost to start: $250
How many people on the team: 10
Scaling from a high-school side hustle to a $100k/month powerhouse, this case study shows how leveraging no-code tools and a bi-weekly subscription model can turn a fledgling startup into a successful digital agency with 30% net profit margins.
8. TutorCruncher ($1.2M/year)
Samuel Colvin, the Co-founder of TutorCruncher, came up with the idea while working at a tutoring agency and realizing the need for a software solution to streamline administrative tasks. Through hard work and collaboration with tutoring agencies, the TutorCruncher system was developed and launched in 2013. Today, it is the leading tutor management software in the UK, trusted by over one million users worldwide.
How much money it makes: $1.2M/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
How many people on the team: 0
TutorCruncher Co-founder Samuel Colvin details the success story of his tutor management software company, which has grown to become the leading software in the UK with over one million users worldwide and is set to expand its market through the launch of a new Tutor App.
9. Cobuild Lab ($1.08M/year)
Angel Lacret, the founder of Cobuild Lab, started the company 5 years ago after moving to Miami from Venezuela. As a software engineer with previous experience in creating products for startups and government organizations, Lacret saw the need to help entrepreneurs succeed by providing them with custom software solutions. Over the years, Cobuild Lab evolved its product development process, focusing on sustainable software development and establishing a strong customer service approach. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the company adapted its strategy and saw significant growth, doubling its revenue and staff in 2021. Cobuild Lab's future goal is to continue expanding its sales and lead generation efforts, aiming for a 2x growth in 2022.
How much money it makes: $1.08M/year
How much did it cost to start: $20K
How many people on the team: 45
Cobuild Lab's CEO and Founder Angel Lacret shares his journey of starting a custom software solutions company, starting from $20k and growing to a team of over 50, and offers insights on attracting and retaining customers through a strong digital marketing campaign and building personal relationships, as well as emphasizing the importance of product market fit and sales.
10. GitScrum ($600K/year)
Renato Marinho came up with the idea for GitScrum out of frustration with ineffective project management tools and inefficiencies he observed as an IT manager. He noticed how poor communication and inadequate time management were obstacles, preventing teams from reaching their full potential. Inspired to create a solution that would enhance productivity and make work more enjoyable, Renato sought to develop a user-friendly project management tool grounded in Agile and Scrum principles.
Initially, GitScrum began as an open-source side project on GitHub, where it quickly garnered global support from developers and IT enthusiasts. This broad interest affirmed the demand for such a tool, prompting Renato to refine his initial concept. Through active feedback collection from early users, Renato iterated on the software, adding features that aligned with his vision of promoting meritocracy and performance tracking within teams.
One of the key challenges Renato faced during the ideation phase was finding a way to make the tool accessible to both technical and non-technical users. By leveraging user insights and maintaining a focus on simplicity, GitScrum was able to strike a balance between robustness and ease of use, which has been a cornerstone of its success. This journey taught Renato the value of community engagement and the importance of continuously adapting to feedback to refine the product.
How much money it makes: $600K/year
11. Dusseau and Company ($420K/year)
Mark, the founder of Dusseau and Company, drew inspiration from his personal experiences as a former foster child and his professional background in software development. He saw a need to help small businesses and diverse founders build disruptive software companies, and thus, Dusseau and Company was born. With a scientific approach to product development and a commitment to empathy and helping others, Mark has successfully worked with clients like Chevron and JP Morgan Chase, helping diverse founders raise $700k in funding and achieve over $15 million in company valuations.
How much money it makes: $420K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1.5K
How many people on the team: 0
Dusseau and Company is a boutique product development firm focused on helping diverse founders ideate, design, develop, and scale disruptive technology companies, with a leading service of executing different levels of the product development lifecycle, and boasts an impressive metric of helping diverse founders build products that have gone on to raise $700k in funding and over $15 million in company valuations.
12. Dreamonkey ($360K/year)
Federico Schianchi and his four partners started Dreamonkey after their first project, Check Your Life, failed to take off. With their expertise in web app development and industrial IoT, they shifted their focus to selling their services to enterprise-level customers, leading to a constant growth of 50% per year and revenue of $300K.
How much money it makes: $360K/year
How much did it cost to start: $40K
How many people on the team: 2
Italian software company Dreamonkey grew from $90k to $300k in revenue with a constant growth rate of 50% per year, thanks to their focus on high-quality web development, industrial IoT, and open-source software development for web developers.
13. TRIARE ($300K/year)
Boris, the founder of TRIARE, came up with the idea for his software development company after working as a project manager for a German startup. When the company closed down, Boris decided to keep the team and build a business together. With just a $500 investment, they started providing software development services and eventually evolved into a full-cycle service provider. Through word of mouth and various marketing tools, TRIARE has attracted and retained customers, with their website receiving 22,000 unique visitors and generating dozens of leads.
How much money it makes: $300K/year
How many people on the team: 60
Ukrainian software development company TRIARE, with a current annual turnover of $500,000, shares how personal and collective responsibility, paired with patience and consistency, can help build a profitable business.
14. The Digital Vibe Podcast and Network ($240K/year)
Annette Thomas, the creator and founder of The Digital Vibe Podcast and Network, came up with the idea to start her business after feeling the need to challenge herself and express herself in a way that traditional avenues couldn't offer. Through self-education and using her voice to share her story, Annette has built a network that generates around $20,000 per month through various revenue streams including brand clothing, podcast sales, affiliate sales, and book reselling.
How much money it makes: $240K/year
How much did it cost to start: $10K
How many people on the team: 3
A founder shares how she built a podcast network with brand clothing, podcast sales, affiliate sales, and publishing book partnerships, generating around $20k per month, while staying true to her voice and values.
15. OneHash, Inc. ($144K/year)
Rohit Gadia, co-founder of OneHash Inc, came up with the idea for their business, OneHash CRM and OneChat, based on the concept of FaaS (FOSS as a Service), which provides the benefits of SaaS at the affordability of FOSS. The company started with a two-person team and a modest investment of $2 million from their savings, and despite initial obstacles, OneHash now has over 410,000 signups and aims to have 10 million users within the next 10 years.
How much money it makes: $144K/year
How much did it cost to start: $10K
How many people on the team: 7
OneHash Inc. is a startup that offers affordable FOSS+ SaaS CRM and customer assistance services, with powerful reporting features as well as scalability and extendibility, and currently has over 410,000 signups from all seven continents.
16. Artificial Workflow ($120K/year)
Andrew and his co-founder James started Artificial Workflow after noticing consultants, like James at EY, were drowning in manual data processing. Initially offering bespoke AI consulting, they pivoted to a SaaS model, now generating $10,000 in monthly recurring revenue, largely from $299/month enterprise clients.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $50K
How many people on the team: 2
Case study of a co-founder who transitioned from bespoke AI consulting to a subscription-based platform, generating $10,000 in monthly recurring revenue with 80% from $299/month enterprise clients, through strategies like LinkedIn outreach, SEO, and email marketing, learning costly lessons about starting with quality development.
17. Estii ($120K/year)
After struggling with the complexities of project estimation at Deltatre, David Peek and Dom De Lorenzo saw a gap in the market for service-based pricing tools, leading them to co-found Estii. They've since helped clients secure over $8 million in new business and grown their revenue to $20K USD/month within a year.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $20K
How many people on the team: 0
Estii, an estimation and pricing platform for service providers, has helped customers win over $8 million in new business and currently sits at over 50 active workspaces and $20K USD/month in revenue.
18. Mobapp Creator ($120K/year)
Leonardo, Germán, and Sebastian, the three co-founders of a No-code app builder solution called MobAppCreator, came up with the idea after years of working on various projects in the tech industry. They saw the potential of mobile apps after the launch of the original iPhone and noticed the similarities in their customers' requirements. They built a framework to develop no-code mobile apps and received a grant of 100K after participating in a product competition for entrepreneurs, which allowed them to dedicate all their time to the project and launch their business.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $50K
How many people on the team: 2
This case study features a team of three co-founders who provide a No-code app builder solution for small businesses and resellers, generating $120k per year while their running costs are only 10% of their overall COGS.
19. LowCode Agency ($120K/year)
Jesus Vargas, founder of LowCode Agency, came up with the idea for his business after discovering a tool called Glide apps that allowed him to easily create apps from Google Sheets. He realized he could use this no/low code tool to build custom apps for businesses at a fraction of the cost and time of traditional app development. After finding success with his first client, an Airbnb owner, Vargas rebranded his company and has since been growing double digits every month, on track to do $150,000 in sales in their first year.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
How many people on the team: 3
LowCode Agency uses no/low code tools to build custom-made apps at 80% lower cost and 70% faster than traditional app development agencies, growing double digits every month and targeting $150,000 in sales in their first year.
20. Sync2Sheets ($108K/year)
Leandro, a former freelance software developer from Buenos Aires, pivoted from freelancing to building Sync2Sheets, a tool syncing Notion databases with Google Sheets. Launched rapidly in just two weeks, the product now boasts $9k MRR and over 400 paying customers, including Canva and Wix.
How much money it makes: $108K/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
How many people on the team: 0
A Software Engineer turned SaaS founder shares the journey of building Sync2Sheets, a Google Workspace Add-On that syncs Notion databases with Google Sheets, generating $9k MRR with over 400 paying customers, strategic marketing tactics, and plans for expansion into other services.
21. Session ($100K/year)
Philip, a designer and developer based in Jakarta, came up with the idea for Session after experiencing frustration with slow handoffs between design and development at a startup he worked for. As a solution to his own problem of staying focused, he created an app that helps users block distracting websites and track their work time. Session has since gained popularity, making $5.8K per month in revenue as of May 2021.
How much money it makes: $100K/year
How much did it cost to start: $120
How many people on the team: 0
Learn how a designer and developer from Indonesia created Session, an app that helps people stay focused by blocking distractions, which currently makes $5.8K per month in revenue through its freemium business model.
22. Rank Trends ($72K/year)
Md. Yousuf Ali, the founder of Rank Trends and Khan, came up with the idea for his business after discovering the potential of digital marketing through oDesk. With his background in web design and development, he launched Rank Trends to provide SEO, web design, and graphics design services. The business quickly gained traction and was recognized as the "Best SEO Service Provider in Bangladesh 2019." Today, Ali is expanding his retail business into the online space and plans to resume activities for Rank Trends soon.
How much money it makes: $72K/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
How many people on the team: 2
This case study features Md. Yousuf Ali, the founder of Rank Trends, who shares how he started a successful digital marketing agency, which generated a revenue of over $6k per month through SEO and video production services.
23. Talknotes ($60K/year)
After dropshipping and freelancing fizzled out, Nico locked himself in a hotel room for two months, learned to code from scratch, and launched 17 apps in a year—selling one for $65,000. His frustration with poor transcription tools led him to create Talknotes, now generating $5,000/month.
How much money it makes: $60K/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
How many people on the team: 0
Case study of how an aspiring founder learned to code in 2 months, shipped 17 apps in a year, sold one for $65,000, and built Talknotes generating ~$5,000 per month with 5,000 users, focusing on turning voice notes into structured content for content creators and entrepreneurs.
24. Freeflow ($60K/year)
Mikhiel Tareen and Nick Scavone, former employees of Okta, noticed the challenges that remote employees faced in terms of feeling disconnected from their teams. They conducted extensive research and discovered that the root cause was the lack of casual and spontaneous communication tools for remote teams. This led them to create Freeflow, a B2B software company that provides a 'virtual office' for remote teams to collaborate in a more organic and efficient manner.
How much money it makes: $60K/year
How many people on the team: 8
Freeflow, a B2B software company providing a 'virtual office' for remote teams, raised $1.7M in pre-seed funding, reduced meeting times by as much as 50%, boasts 35+ daily team conversations, and helps globally scaling firms integrate new hires and onboard into the culture.
25. Treblle ($60K/year)
Vedran, a developer with years of experience, came up with the idea for Treblle while running a development agency. Frustrated with the time-consuming tasks of providing integration support and writing API documentation, Vedran saw a need for a tool that would streamline these processes. After months of development and testing, Treblle was born and quickly gained traction among clients and developers worldwide. With a seed investment of $1.4 million and over 200 customers, Treblle is poised for future growth and success.
How much money it makes: $60K/year
How many people on the team: 2
Treblle is an API management tool that provides real-time API monitoring; with 200 clients to date and a Seed investment round that raised $1.4 million, Treblle is providing developers everywhere with a solution to API discrepancies.
26. Finale To Do ($48K/year)
Grant Oganyan, founder of Finale To Do, came up with the idea after struggling to find a task management app that suited his needs. Inspired by his success with his first app, Finale: Daily Habit Tracker, Grant wanted to create a customizable and aesthetically pleasing task management app without the need for monthly subscriptions. After experiencing displacement due to the war in Russia, Grant fully invested himself in running his own business and has seen promising growth, with a 500% increase in users in the first month and monthly revenue of $4,000.
How much money it makes: $48K/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
How many people on the team: 2
Finale To Do is a mobile task management app that offers a highly customizable and aesthetically pleasing experience, boasting a $4,000/month net and gaining a 500% increase in users in its first month.
27. Data Excavator ($48K/year)
Vitaly, a programmer and entrepreneur, came up with the idea for Data Excavator while working on a project to create a catalog of automobile oils. Frustrated with the difficulty of obtaining data from manufacturers, he developed a prototype that could scrape information from websites using CSS selectors. The prototype proved successful, allowing him to collect the desired database in just a few hours.
How much money it makes: $48K/year
How much did it cost to start: $30K
How many people on the team: 2
Vitaly, a programmer and entrepreneur, accidentally created a data scraping app while working on a different startup that has since compiled energy-efficient databases of about 500,000 goods used by five large companies and many small ones, with monthly sales of over $100 million.
28. Purpur ($36K/year)
Elena Zaharova and Anfisa Savchenko leveraged their marketing expertise from a skincare company to launch Purpur, a therapy-game app that deepens relationships through conversation, after their printed card games generated over $300K in sales. With an app launch in spring, they aim for $3K monthly revenue by mid-October.
How much money it makes: $36K/year
How much did it cost to start: $7K
How many people on the team: 5
Purpur App, a therapy-game app to develop relationships through talking, generated over $300K in sales from printed card games and have launched a new app that has the potential to reach $3K monthly revenue by mid-October.
29. DigitalCollars ($20.4K/year)
David Arroyo, the founder of DigitalCollars, came up with the idea for his digital consultancy after working in manufacturing for nine years and realizing the gap between software and factories. He saw the need for optimizing and automating processes in small and medium-sized factories that were still relying on spreadsheets for production. After implementing digital solutions in his own factory and seeing the positive impact, he decided to monetize his productivity tools and offer his services to other manufacturing companies.
How much money it makes: $20.4K/year
How much did it cost to start: $300
How many people on the team: 0
DigitalCollars is a digital consultancy created by founder David Arroyo to provide software solutions for manufacturing companies, generating an average of $1,700 per month while working full-time, targeting the small and medium-size factories market with potential for growth.
30. Inventora ($6K/year)
Dianna Allen and Jeremy Blalock co-founded Inventora after Dianna, who runs a home fragrance shop, struggled to find an affordable inventory system that could track both products and supplies. They soft-launched Inventora as a free system and gained over 2,500 users in just four months. They introduced premium features and have already reached $500 in monthly recurring revenue, with a goal of hitting $3k MRR by September.
How much money it makes: $6K/year
How much did it cost to start: $30
How many people on the team: 1
Inventora is a niche inventory management system designed for artisan businesses that tracks both products and supplies, and the relationship between the two, has gained 2,500 free users in just four months and has hit $500 in MRR after introducing premium features a month ago, with the founders expecting to hit $3k MRR target shortly.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
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