How a Solo Dev Hit 10K MRR With a Free Tier That Actually Works

Most indie hackers are terrified of free tiers. They assume free users just burn server costs and never convert. But in this episode, Lucas and Luna break down a real case study: a solo developer who built a SaaS product that reached 10K MRR by giving away a genuinely useful free tier. They walk through the specific numbers — how the free tier drove 80% of signups, how a 3% conversion rate on those free users generated all the revenue, and why the key wasn't limiting features but limiting usage volume. The developer used a clever metering approach: free users got 200 API calls per month, which was enough to build a small side project but not enough for production. That created a natural upgrade path. They also discuss the psychology of free tiers — why charging $0 actually increased perceived value, and how the developer avoided the common mistake of making the free tier too painful. By the end, you'll have a concrete framework for whether a free tier makes sense for your own SaaS, and how to structure one that doesn't become a cost sink. #Freemium #FreeTier #SaaS #IndieHacker #Bootstrapping #10KMRR #ConversionRate #PricingStrategy #APISaaS #MeteredPricing #UserPsychology #SoloDeveloper #SideProject #GrowthHacking #ProductLedGrowth #Technology #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo