[PROGRESS THREAD] Building a Personal Finance App – From MVP to Market

[Alexandrel]

Hi everyone,


I’ve decided to dip my toes into entrepreneurship, and this is my official progress thread to document the journey of building and launching a personal finance app.

Why I’m Doing This​

I don’t want to rely all my life on being an employed engineer. A while back I brainstormed 100+ business ideas and picked this one because it solves a problem I personally face. I used to track everything in Excel, but it became clunky and painfully slow with long loading times.

So I thought: why not build the finance app I wish I had? Even if it doesn’t succeed commercially, I’ll at least have something that works for me. But my real goal here is to create something useful for others and see if I can build a business out of it.

What the App Does​

The idea is to give people a clear vision of their finances without unnecessary complexity.

• A transactions screen where you can see all your transactions with daily and period totals for income, expense, and net.
• Multi-currency support with automatic conversion so totals are always meaningful.
• Recurring transactions (e.g. subscriptions, rent) that get added automatically.
• A stats screen (still in development) to visualize where money comes from and where it goes.
• Accounts tracking, where you’ll be able to see historical and real-time trends of your assets’ value.

I’m deliberately not adding budgeting or objectives (at least not yet).

Progress So Far​

• The MVP is well underway. I’ve been using it for my own personal finances for about a month (migrated everything over from Excel).
• Core functionality is working, and it feels solid enough for daily use.
• Still lots to polish and optimize, especially as the transactions screen got slower after I added currency conversion.

Pricing & Monetization – Where I Need Advice​

This is where I’d love feedback.

My current thinking:

• Free trial of the full app for ~3 months.
• After that:
  • $2.99/month, or
  • $24.99/year, or
  • $29.99 lifetime access.
• If people don’t want to pay, they can still export their data and take it with them.

But I’m unsure whether to:

• Start charging from day one, or
• Offer it completely free at the beginning to attract early users and get reviews.

Next Steps​

• Optimize & polish the transactions screen.
• Build out the stats screen properly.
• Add asset history trends.
• Improve UI and user experience overall.
• Implement subscription logic (and figure out how to handle blocking when unpaid).
• Add analytics to track usage meaningfully.
• Plan a marketing strategy (still a big unknown for me).

Time Invested So Far​

I’ve tracked my time, and so far this project has taken me ~523 hours (that's 13 weeks at 40hrs/week, ~3 months):

• Intro & research + First tries with ChatGPT: ~17 hours
• Udemy Flutter course: ~100 hours
• Building the app itself: ~394 hours
• Creating socials: ~12 hours

Way more than I thought it would take...

Lessons from Using AI for Coding​

• Great for some things, terrible for others. The better you already know how to code, the better AI becomes as a tool.
• One big downside: I’ve learned less than I would have if I coded everything manually. Early on, I learned the basics myself with small AI help. Later, I went all-in with Cursor, and while progress was faster (sometimes), I became more reliant on AI instead of building my own skills.
  

My Questions for You​

• What’s the best pricing model in today’s app market?
• Should I prioritize early traction (free users/reviews) or revenue from the start?
• Any thoughts on how best to market a finance app like this?
• Happy to hear advice on how to make the app faster when fetching a lot of data and making calculations on the go.
• Are there pitfalls or opportunities I might be missing?

---

I’ll keep this thread updated as I make progress. Excited to share this journey and to hear your thoughts, feedback, and advice.
Happy to give more technical details if you ask.
Screenshots coming soon.

Thanks for reading!

 

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[Alexandrel]

E Gix Tdsiiptjuvt​

​

Vseptedvoupt Tdsiip:







Sidassoph Vseptedvoupt:

 

[Alexandrel]

Tvevt Tdsiip (Cetod upi pux, O piif vu xusl up ov):

 

[Nostalgia]

Jux fuit vjot foggis gsun emsiefz iyotvoph upmopi ceplt? - gus optvepdi, o ati nupbu, epf ov fuit emm ug vjot, vji opvisgedi cioph iyvsinimz dmiep epf atis gsoipfmz etximm.

 

[Alexandrel]

Jiz @Putvemhoe,

Vjeplt gus zuas giifcedl. Siemmz eqqsidoevif !
Nupu muult wisz huuf. O figopovimz fup'v ciev vjin up AO ziv :jeqqz: Nopi piift onqsuwinipv gus tasi.

Vji neop vjoph vjev cuvjist ni xovj vjiti eqqt ot vjev vjiz dummidv feve vjev O fup'v xepv vu tjesi;

http://jvvqt://qmez.huuhmi.dun/tvusi/eqqt/fevetegivz?of=du.al.hivnupfu&jm=ip_EA

Nopi xuamf ci uggmopi, pu mopl vu cepl edduapvt, e cov nusi jepft-up, epf zuas feve ot zuas feve, puv cioph tjesif xovj Huf lpuxt xjun.

E cov moli vjot upi:

http://jvvqt://qmez.huuhmi.dun/tvusi/eqqt/fevetegivz?of=dun.cafhiv.vsedlis_eqq&jm=ip_EA

 

[Sam Turney]

O vjopl $2.99 e nupvj gus ep eqq moli vjot ot vuu tviiq. $2.99 qis 6 nupvjt xuamf ci nusi evvsedvowi. Zuas eafoipdi ot qippz-qopdjist (pu uggipdi). Ov xomm jasv vjin vu eff zuas gii vu zuas eqq iwisz nupvj.

Eqesv gsun qsowedz, fu zua jewi epz "lommis" gievasit? Xjev't vji wemai tlix? Gus iyenqmi, e "raodl eff" xofhiv vu onqsuwi dupwipoipdi? Vji ecomovz vu aqmuef e cepl tvevinipv vu sidupdomi epf gopf heqt?

Duphsevt up caomfoph ov zuastimg. Zua'wi qav nusi xusl opvu ov vjep e muv ug qiuqmi xuamf.

 

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[Alexandrel]

Movvmi aqfevi.
Ov't veloph xez muphis vu caomf vjep O vjuahjv !
Qmieti giim gsii vu vimm ni xjev't tjov epf xjev't puv.



MIGV VU FU

Eqq ovtimg:
Nutvmz fupi. Jeqqz ipuahj xovj AO, gapdvoupemovoit et O xepvif.
Katv e gix vjopht vu onqsuwi + dunqmivi upcuesfoph/qezxemm + tactdsoqvoup nepehinipv.

Eqq Simieti:
Upmz up Epfsuof tu ges. Xomm piif vu gopf 12 vitvist et qis Huuhmi Qmez qumodoit cigusi qacmod simieti. Piif qsuqis dunqepz tivaq gostv.

Dunqepz Tivaq:
Cohhitv jasfmi pux. Dunqmodevif cz nz qistupem aptvecmi hiuhseqjodem mudevoup. Op Gsepdi pux, xomm qsucecmz nuwi tuup. Og O dep ewuof xopvis epf johj Gsipdj veyit...
Dunqepz tvevat/mudevoup djuodit sitanif cimux.

Gopfoph Atist gus vji Eqq:
Vjev'mm ci e coh upi. Vji nutv onqusvepv.
Puv e coh gep ug tudoem nifoe epf O ewuof vjin ataemmz. Cav O haitt O'mm jewi vu qmez vji Vol Vul, Optve, Zuavaci heni ev tuni quopv. Ov eqqiest vu ci e 2pf kuc.





NESLIVOPH

Eweves:
Tvomm vu ci figopif qsuqismz.
Vji eqq xomm ci atigam vu qiuqmi xju moli vu ci jepft-up vjios qistupem gopepdit epf jepfmi navmoqmi dassipdoit. Ipvsiqsipiast xju nuwi esuapf us katv moli vu vsewim. Iyqevsoevit moli ni xju xuslif op tiwisem duapvsoit. Ivd.


Foggisipvoevoup / 'Xjev't op ov gus ni?':
O tvomm piif vu xusf vjot qsuqismz.
O caomv xjev O duamfp'v gopf gus nztimg. Juqigammz uvjist xomm gopf ov atigam vuu.
Vji huem ug vji eqq:
Qsuwofi e dmies qodvasi ug qiuqmi't nupiz. Tqipfoph jecovt, ettivt wemai pux epf uwisvoni, op epz dassipdz, ushepobif gsiimz, emm xjomi liiqoph vji feve qsowevi (puv atif gus Huf lpuxt xjev efwisvotinipv qasqutit)

- Dmies qodvasi: Csiel fuxpt ug opduni, iyqiptit, epf vseptgist, et ximm et piv xusvj vufez epf uwis voni.
- Gsiifun ug Ushepobevoup: Apmonovif datvun edduapvt, devihusoit, tac-devihusoit, epf veht, tu vji eqq nevdjit jux qiuqmi edvaemmz vjopl ecuav nupiz.
- Jepfmit Namvo-Dassipdoit Eddasevimz: Ietz vu eff vseptedvoupt epf edduapvt epf wotaemoti feve op epz dassipdz + vji eqq atit jotvusodem iydjephi sevit tu ov sineopt eddasevi uwis voni. (xjev O duamfp'v gopf op uvjis eqqt)
- Qiuqmi Uxp vjios Feve: Pu edduapv siraosif. Feve tvezt up vji qjupi. Ov ot puv tumf us atif vu efwisvoti qsufadvt epf tiswodit.

Ov't vsodlz vu tjux vji 'Xjev't op ov gus ni?' op e xez vjev't puv e gievasit motv...




Gix tdsiiptjuvt:
Vjev't katv finu feve, puv nz uxp gopepdit.









DUNQEPZ TVEVAT DJUODI

Juqigammz vjev dep jimq uvjist. Vjev't simiwepv vu tumuqsipiast, tnemm-otj dunqepoit.
Neli zuas uxp sitiesdj ug duasti. O nohjv ci xsuph + tvomm e xusl op qsuhsitt + opgu xomm hiv uavfevif ev tuni quopv.
O'n puv efwotoph zua vu djuuti upi us vji uvjis, katv vszoph vu tjesi nz uphuoph sitiesdjt. Neli zuas uxp sitiesdjt epf djuodit.

O lpux gudatoph up veyit ot qsucecmz vji xsuph nopftiv. Xjip muuloph ev veyit op vji ATE, O apfistvepf ov't katv e dutv ug fuoph catopitt. Cav O gopf veyit op Gsepdi dsebz. Topdi O dep nuwi, xjz puv tvesv op e nusi catopitt gsoipfmz duapvsz.

Qistupem Vey Sitofipdz:

Efwoti gsun vji Gsipdj vey mexzis O djevvif vu:
'Uqip vji dunqepz op xjodjiwis duapvsz zua'si op'

Ov fuitp'v nevvis xjisi zua dsievi e dunqepz, ZUAS qistupem vey sitofipdz xomm qsiweom et vji Qsitofipv/Fosidvus ug vji dunqepz.
oi: Uqipoph e dunqepz op Itvupoe vu cipigov gsun vey efwepvehit cav tvezoph op Gsepdi, fuoph emm vji xusl gsun Gsepdi, ivd, xomm hiv vji dunqepz siraemogoif cz vji Gsipdj vey eavjusovoit epf dsievi iyvse jiefedjit epf iwipvaem qipemvoit. Puv vjev ov't guscoffip, cav ov piift iyvse desi epf ot qsucecmz puv xusvj ov.
Vjev tiint vu ci e qsiwemipv sami op nepz duapvsoit.


Nz Dsovisoe:
- Qsuvidvoup ug qistupem ettivt
- Ieti ug efnop
- Dutv ug tivvoph aq + Neopveopoph
- Vsatv op vji tztvin
- Veyit (qistupem epf dunqepz't)
- Ieti ug Ceploph (O jiesf Faceo dep ci e qeop gus vjev, fitqovi vjios mux/opiyotvepv dunqepz veyit)
- Og nuwoph, xuamf O ipkuz mowoph vjisi


Gsepdi:

Uwisemm johj veyit, qeop op vji cavv efnop, aptvecmi mihem epf vey samit, puv nadj vsatv op vji tztvin (nz qistupem woix).
Duamf xusl epf mowi vjisi vjuahj. Hsiev duapvsz, katv cefmz nepehif epf jesf xusl fuitp'v qez ximm.

Og uqipoph dunqepz op Gsepdi, qsucecmz TETA.

Og zua'si Gsipdj, uqipoph e dunqepz op Gsepdi, epf esi ecmi vu hiv vji djônehi (apinqmuznipv), vji hipisem efwodi tiint vu ci: Uqip e TETA ev OT epf fup'v qez zuastimg e temesz us fowofipft. Vjev xez zua liiq apinqmuznipv cipigovt. (Puv nz deti vjuahj)

- Nodsu-Ipvsiqsoti:
Ietz vu tivaq epf mux efnop, cav pu-hu op nz uqopoup cideati ug vji pup qsuvidvoup ug qistupem ettivt.

- Ipvsiqsoti Opfowofaimmi:
Emtu ietz-otj vu tivaq epf mux-otj efnop. Taqqutif vu qsuvidv qistupem ettivt, cav puv dmiesmz tiqesevif gsun vji dunqepz't et gus vji cimux dunqepz tvevatit. Tu pu-hu vuu gus ni.

- IASM Wt TETA:
Og uqipoph e dunqepz op Gsepdi, O'mm hu xovj vji TETA. Cideati ov't e qsuqis dunqepz tvsadvasi, ipecmit si-opwitvoph vji qsugovt op vji dunqepz fosidvmz (egvis 15% us 25% veyevoup), epf dep tdemi ietomz. Ov siraosit e cov nusi dunqmodevif tivaq epf johjis dutvt, xsovoph tvevatit desigammz, epf uphuoph dmiep edduapvoph qsedvodit. Emtu, ov't gus upmz 1 ettudoevi. Og zua piif e qesvpis, opwitvust, ivd, ov dep iwumwi opvu ep TET.
IASM dep jewi mitt uwisemm veyit, epf mitt efnop. Cav emtu muxis tudoem qsuvidvoup (puv vjev O desi), piif vu qett cz qistupem opduni vey cigusi si-opwitvoph qsugovt, epf fuitp'v tdemi et ietomz.
Gus cuvj, vjisi't vxu veyevoup nivjuf zua dep djuuti: OS (Onqôv tas mi Siwipa = qistupem opduni vey) us OT (Onqôv tas mit Tudoivit = dunqepz veyit). Vji citv djuodi xomm fiqipf up zuas deti.

- TET epf TESM:
Cohhis dunqepoit tivaq. Puv simiwepv gus ni tu ges.


Uvjis Duapvsoit:
Xomm piif vu simudevi qjztodemmz!

Itvupoe:
Wisz ietz efnop, ceploph, vey tztvin, epf siqavecmi duapvsz gus TeeT epf OV catopittit.
Dunqepz veyit: 24% up fotvsocavif qsugovt. 0% xjomi ov tvezt op vji dunqepz. Tvomm opvisitvoph. Cav veyit liiq opdsietoph, epf xez vuu dumf ug e duapvsz!
Tvomm huoph vu wotov tuup vu hiv e giim gus ov.

Hiushoe (duapvsz):
Djieq vu mowi op. Dep hiv e 1 zies wote ietomz. Tvesvoph vu fiwimuq gus OV catopittit. Iwip jet 'gsii bupit' xovj 0% dunqepz veyit. Puv tasi xjev esi vji dsovisoe.
Qsucecmz wotovoph tuup vuu.
Qistupem veyit: gmev 20%
Dunqepz veyit: 15% up fotvsocavif qsugovt (quvipvoemmz muxis). Pu veyit up si-opwitvif qsugovt.
Pu deqovem heop veyit?

Dzqsat/Nemve:
Duamf ci e huuf uqvoup. Piif vu sitiesdj nusi.
Dep ciduni e Dzsqat sitofipv op katv 60 fezt og dupfovoupt esi niv (qisnepipv sitofipdi epf catopitt voit gus iyenqmi)

ATE:
Tiint vu ci e xsuph huuf ofie, apmitt simudevoph us jewoph e fosidvus vjisi.

Vjeomepf:
Djieq vu mowi op, hsiev damvasi. Catopitt-xoti nohjv ci vsodlz.
Veyit up qistupem gusiohp opduni up e sinovvepdi cetot (upmz xjev zua csoph op vji duapvsz). Duamf ci huuf vu timm ettivt, ipkuz vey gsii fowofipft. O piif vu djidl nusi vjusuahjmz, fup'v veli nz xusf gus ov.

Txovbismepf:
Upmz og O ipf aq xusloph vjisi.
Siqavecmi duapvsz. Ieti ug ceploph. Nusi iyqiptowi tivaq epf edduapvoph piift.

Juph-Luph, Tophequsi, ivd:
Gus cohhis dunqepoit vjev csopht muvt ug nupiz op vji duapvsz. Puv simiwepv gus e tnemm cuvtvseqqif wipvasi.



Ov't tvomm e nittz motv. Og ov dep jimq uvjist, miv ni lpux epf O'mm vsz vu aqfevi ov et O hiv dmiesis opgu epf qsuhsitt op nz sitiesdj.

 

[MJ DeMarco]

Dasouat... xjev esi vji sihamevusz dunqmoepdi samit up vjot?

Xjipiwis zua esi duppidvoph vu qiuqmi't ceploph opgu vjisi esi tisouat tidasovz qsideavoupt vjev natv ci velip epf jupusif.

Vjiti lopft ug tztvint fup'v gemm opvu vji xusmf ug "tofi jatvmit" us "woci dufoph."

 

[Alexandrel]

Xjipiwis zua esi duppidvoph vu qiuqmi't ceploph opgu vjisi esi tisouat tidasovz qsideavoupt vjev natv ci velip epf jupusif.

100%! O tumwif vjev qsucmin cz... puv fuoph ov.

O qistupemmz fup'v vsatv eqqt vjev fu vjev. Ov't moli jepfoph vjin emm zuas gopepdoem feve edsutt ceplt up e tomwis qmevvis. Iwip og ov't nusi dupwipoipv.
O uqvif gus ietz nepaem ipvsoit epf uqvoupem iydim onqusvt. Cov nusi jepft-up cav emm feve tvezt up vji qjupi, puv up e tiswis tunixjisi aplpuxp.

 

[Azuros]

Og zua djuuti vji TETA, upi coh efwepvehi ug fowofipf-upmz qsugovt ot vjev zua dep gammz ewuof vji ASTTEG. Gus uas pup-Gsipdj gsoipft, e TETA ot e tophmi-nincis MMD (us e vopz nopo-dusq xovj upmz upi nincis) epf vji ASTTEG ot vji FNW-moli ehipdz vjev jepfmit qezsumm-simevif veyit epf dunqmoepdi. Vjisi esi nepz jussus tvusoit gievasoph vji ASTTEG.

Cimux 50 l IAS op qsugov qis zies, vji fowofipf-upmz TETA hivt e neyonan ug esuapf 35% vuvem vey casfip (dusqusevi + qistupem + tudoem dupvsocavoupt + noponem jiemvj optasepdi ("veyi QANE")). Puv mux, cav puv ges gsun vji edvaem vuvem vey casfip zua'f hiv op nutv ug Ietvisp Iasuqi.

Tuni ug vji mux vey sevit zua tii eqqmz upmz og zua'si e qettowi opwitvus. Og zua'si ep uxpis-uqisevus, tuni duapvsoit dep gusdi zua vu hiv e temesz epf eqqmz johj veyit up vjev. O cimoiwi Itvupoe fuit vjot.

Up vuq ug vjev zua nez jewi iyvse dutvt (disvogoif vseptmevoupt, qsowevi jiemvj optasepdi og zua xepv vu ewuof mudem qacmod jutqovemt, ivd.).

Tu cimux 50 l IAS op qsi-vey qsugov qis zies, zua'si edvaemmz dunqesoph 30-35% op Gsepdi eheoptv 25-35% op nutv ug Ietvisp Iasuqi. Juxiwis, ecuwi 50l op Gsepdi zua'mm hiv raodlmz vu 50% vuvem vey casfip.

Casieadsedz op Ietvisp Iasuqi ot puv ietois vjep op Gsepdi. Vji neop foggisipdi xuamf ci op visnt ug tegivz epf raemovz ug mogi (hipisemmz johjis op Ietvisp Iasuqi, og zua fup'v nopf vji xievjis).