cd /journeys/ && sort --by=years
How long does it take indie makers to reach $10K MRR?
We turned the public milestones of 217 indie makers into dated journey points — first product, going full time, revenue levels, exits — and measured how many years each maker took from the year they started. 58 of them have reported $10K+ in monthly revenue; for 15 the year they got there is pinned down.
Years to $10K MRR, maker by maker
Years from each maker's start year to the first recorded month at $10K+ in revenue. Click a bar to open the profile.
- 1
Nathan Barry< 1 yr · 2012→2012 - 2
Corey Haines< 1 yr · 2020→2020 - 3
Thibault Louis-Lucas (Tibo)< 1 yr · 2021→2021 - 4
Yasser Elsaid< 1 yr · 2023→2023 - 5
Josh Pigford1 yr · 2013→2014 - 6
Marko Saric1 yr · 2020→2021 - 7
Tony Dinh1 yr · 2020→2021 - 8
Olly Meakings1 yr · 2022→2023 - 9
Ruben Gamez2 yrs · 2009→2011 - 10MLMichael Lynch2 yrs · 2018→2020
- 11
Wilson Wilson2 yrs · 2021→2023 - 12
Dmytro Krasun2 yrs · 2022→2024 - 13
Pat Walls3 yrs · 2017→2020 - 14
Jon Yongfook3 yrs · 2018→2021 - 15
Uku Täht3 yrs · 2018→2021
Not charted: 43 more makers who have reported $10K+ MRR but whose first record is a later snapshot, so we only know they got there by a given year. They are in the table below.
How long each milestone takes
Number of makers by years from start to each level. The highlighted column holds the median.
median < 1 yr · middle half 0–1 yrs
| Years after starting | Makers |
|---|---|
| same year | 10 |
| 1 | 6 |
| 2 | 2 |
| 3 | 1 |
| 4 | 0 |
| 5 | 0 |
| 6 | 0 |
| 7 | 0 |
| 8 | 0 |
| 9 | 0 |
| 10+ | 0 |
median 1 yr · middle half 0.5–2 yrs
| Years after starting | Makers |
|---|---|
| same year | 4 |
| 1 | 4 |
| 2 | 4 |
| 3 | 3 |
| 4 | 0 |
| 5 | 0 |
| 6 | 0 |
| 7 | 0 |
| 8 | 0 |
| 9 | 0 |
| 10+ | 0 |
median 3.5 yrs · middle half 1.8–4.3 yrs
| Years after starting | Makers |
|---|---|
| same year | 1 |
| 1 | 2 |
| 2 | 1 |
| 3 | 2 |
| 4 | 3 |
| 5 | 2 |
| 6 | 1 |
| 7 | 0 |
| 8 | 0 |
| 9 | 0 |
| 10+ | 0 |
median 3.5 yrs · middle half 2–4 yrs
| Years after starting | Makers |
|---|---|
| same year | 0 |
| 1 | 1 |
| 2 | 2 |
| 3 | 1 |
| 4 | 3 |
| 5 | 1 |
| 6 | 0 |
| 7 | 0 |
| 8 | 0 |
| 9 | 0 |
| 10+ | 0 |
Fastest climbers
Shortest pinned-down time from start to $10K MRR.
- 1Nathan Barry< 1 yr to $10K MRR
Started 2012 · 2012: App Design Handbook: $12K on launch day nathanbarry.com
- 2Corey Haines< 1 yr to $10K MRR
Started 2020 · 2020: Course launch month: just over $10K corey.co
- 3Thibault Louis-Lucas (Tibo)< 1 yr to $10K MRR
Started 2021 · 2021: Tweet Hunter at $25K MRR after 6 months x.com
- 4Yasser Elsaid< 1 yr to $10K MRR
Started 2023 · 2023: Chatbase hit $1M ARR in 117 days
- 5Josh Pigford1 yr to $10K MRR
Started 2013 · 2014: Crossed $10K MRR (April) baremetrics.com
- 6Marko Saric1 yr to $10K MRR
Started 2020 · 2021: Plausible at $11,303 MRR (January) plausible.io
Longest grinds
Longest pinned-down road to $1K MRR, $10K MRR or $1M ARR.
- 1Corey Haines6 yrs to $1M ARR
Started 2020 · 2026: Conversion Factory reached $1M ARR corey.co
- 2
Pieter Levels5 yrs to $1M ARRStarted 2014 · 2019: Took 4 years to reach $1M/year levels.io
- 3
Nevo David5 yrs to $1M ARRStarted 2021 · 2026: Postiz passed $1M ARR
- 4Olly Meakings4 yrs to $1M ARR
Started 2022 · 2026: Senja at $1M ARR x.com
- 5Uku Täht4 yrs to $1M ARR
Started 2018 · 2022: Plausible crossed $1M ARR plausible.io
- 6MLMichael Lynch4 yrs to $1M ARR
Started 2018 · 2022: First month above $83K: $91,669 (October) mtlynch.io
Every maker's milestones
103 makers with a dated revenue level or exit. Sorted by years to $10K MRR. “by 2024” = first recorded at that level in 2024; the actual crossing may be earlier.
| Maker | Started | $1K MRR | $10K MRR ↑ | $1M ARR | $100K MRR | First exit | Peak reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corey Haines | 2020 | < 1 yr 2020 | < 1 yr 2020 | 6 yrs 2026 | — | — | $83K/mo 2026 |
| Nathan Barry | 2012 | < 1 yr 2012 | < 1 yr 2012 | 3 yrs 2015 | 4 yrs 2016 | — | $1M/mo 2019 |
| Thibault Louis-Lucas (Tibo) | 2021 | < 1 yr 2021 | < 1 yr 2021 | 1 yr 2022 | 1 yr 2022 | 1 yr 2022 | $1M/mo 2026 |
| Yasser Elsaid | 2023 | < 1 yr 2023 | < 1 yr 2023 | < 1 yr 2023 | by 2024 | — | $833K/mo 2026 |
| Josh Pigford | 2013 | by 2014 | 1 yr 2014 | by 2018 | by 2018 | 7 yrs 2020 | $100K/mo 2018 |
| Marko Saric | 2020 | < 1 yr 2020 | 1 yr 2021 | 2 yrs 2022 | 2 yrs 2022 | — | $100K/mo 2022 |
| Olly Meakings | 2022 | < 1 yr 2022 | 1 yr 2023 | 4 yrs 2026 | — | — | $83K/mo 2026 |
| Tony Dinh | 2020 | by 2021 | 1 yr 2021 | by 2024 | by 2025 | 3 yrs 2023 | $137K/mo 2026 |
| Dmytro Krasun | 2022 | by 2023 | 2 yrs 2024 | — | — | — | $36K/mo 2026 |
| MLMichael Lynch | 2018 | by 2020 | 2 yrs 2020 | 4 yrs 2022 | 4 yrs 2022 | 6 yrs 2024 | $112K/mo 2022 |
| Ruben Gamez | 2009 | 1 yr 2010 | 2 yrs 2011 | by 2024 | by 2024 | — | $200K/mo 2024 |
| Wilson Wilson | 2021 | 1 yr 2022 | 2 yrs 2023 | — | — | 4 yrs 2025 | $67K/mo 2025 |
| Jon Yongfook | 2018 | 2 yrs 2020 | 3 yrs 2021 | — | — | — | $81K/mo 2026 |
| Pat Walls | 2017 | 1 yr 2018 | 3 yrs 2020 | by 2023 | — | 9 yrs 2026 | $83K/mo 2023 |
| Uku Täht | 2018 | 2 yrs 2020 | 3 yrs 2021 | 4 yrs 2022 | 4 yrs 2022 | — | $100K/mo 2022 |
 Arvid Kahl | 2017 | by 2018 | by 2018 | — | — | 2 yrs 2019 | $55K/mo 2019 |
 Daniel Vassallo | 2019 | by 2020 | by 2020 | — | — | 6 yrs 2025 | $33K/mo 2023 |
| DNDong Nguyen | 2013 | by 2014 | by 2014 | by 2014 | by 2014 | — | $1.5M/mo 2014 |
 Easlo | 2021 | < 1 yr 2021 | by 2022 | — | — | — | $20K/mo 2022 |
 Guillaume Moubeche | 2018 | by 2019 | by 2019 | 1 yr 2019 | 2 yrs 2020 | — | $3.3M/mo 2025 |
| Pieter Levels | 2014 | < 1 yr 2014 | by 2015 | 5 yrs 2019 | by 2021 | — | $420K/mo 2024 |
 Simon Høiberg | 2021 | by 2022 | by 2022 | — | — | — | $33K/mo 2022 |
 Brian Shin | 2024 | by 2026 | by 2026 | — | — | — | $35K/mo 2026 |
 Damon Chen | 2020 | 1 yr 2021 | by 2022 | 3 yrs 2023 | 3 yrs 2023 | — | $108K/mo 2024 |
 Karl Hughes | 2020 | by 2022 | by 2022 | by 2022 | by 2022 | — | $208K/mo 2022 |
 Lynne Tye | 2017 | by 2019 | by 2019 | — | — | — | $25K/mo 2019 |
 Baptiste Arnaud | 2020 | by 2023 | by 2023 | — | — | — | $30K/mo 2023 |
 Brett Williams | 2017 | by 2020 | by 2020 | by 2022 | by 2022 | — | $125K/mo 2022 |
 Daniel Nguyen | 2022 | by 2025 | by 2025 | — | — | — | $34K/mo 2025 |
 Justin Jackson | 2013 | by 2016 | by 2016 | by 2021 | — | — | $83K/mo 2021 |
 Paweł Huryn | 2021 | by 2024 | by 2024 | — | — | — | $11K/mo 2024 |
| ZWZach Wilson | 2023 | by 2026 | by 2026 | — | — | — | $56K/mo 2026 |
 Adam Wathan | 2016 | by 2020 | by 2020 | by 2020 | by 2020 | 10 yrs 2026 | $400K/mo 2020 |
 Jakob Greenfeld | 2020 | by 2024 | by 2024 | by 2024 | — | 1 yr 2021 | $90K/mo 2024 |
 Kevin Yun | 2017 | by 2021 | by 2021 | — | — | — | $24K/mo 2021 |
| Nevo David | 2021 | 3 yrs 2024 | by 2025 | 5 yrs 2026 | 5 yrs 2026 | — | $100K/mo 2026 |
 Tyler Tringas | 2012 | by 2013 | by 2016 | — | — | 5 yrs 2017 | $40K/mo 2017 |
 Ali Abdaal | 2017 | by 2022 | by 2022 | by 2022 | by 2022 | — | $340K/mo 2022 |
 Dean McPherson | 2016 | by 2021 | by 2021 | by 2021 | by 2021 | — | $292K/mo 2023 |
 Lenny Rachitsky | 2019 | by 2020 | by 2024 | by 2024 | — | — | $83K/mo 2024 |
 Adam Lyttle | 2020 | by 2026 | by 2026 | — | — | — | $70K/mo 2026 |
 Dan Koe | 2020 | by 2026 | by 2026 | by 2026 | — | — | $83K/mo 2026 |
 Ivan Kutskir | 2013 | by 2019 | by 2019 | by 2021 | by 2021 | — | $250K/mo 2024 |
 Justin Duke | 2016 | by 2020 | by 2022 | by 2026 | — | — | $83K/mo 2026 |
 Justin Welsh | 2019 | by 2025 | by 2025 | by 2025 | by 2025 | — | $145K/mo 2025 |
 Kevin Sahin | 2019 | by 2025 | by 2025 | by 2025 | by 2025 | 6 yrs 2025 | $415K/mo 2025 |
 Léo Baecker | 2017 | by 2023 | by 2023 | — | — | — | $11K/mo 2023 |
 Patrick McKenzie | 2006 | 1 yr 2007 | by 2012 | — | — | 9 yrs 2015 | $23K/mo 2012 |
 Pierre de Wulf | 2019 | by 2025 | by 2025 | by 2025 | by 2025 | 6 yrs 2025 | $415K/mo 2025 |
 Thomas Sanlis | 2018 | by 2024 | by 2025 | — | — | — | $11K/mo 2025 |
 Fabrizio Rinaldi | 2018 | by 2026 | by 2026 | by 2026 | by 2026 | 4 yrs 2022 | $167K/mo 2026 |
 Derrick Reimer | 2012 | by 2021 | by 2021 | — | — | 4 yrs 2016 | $20K/mo 2021 |
| MTMaddy Thorson | 2004 | by 2014 | by 2014 | by 2014 | by 2014 | — | $500K/mo 2014 |
 Takuya Matsuyama | 2012 | by 2022 | by 2022 | — | — | — | $10K/mo 2022 |
 Mike Taber | 2011 | by 2023 | by 2023 | — | — | — | $10K/mo 2023 |
 Thomas Frank | 2010 | by 2022 | by 2022 | by 2022 | — | — | $83K/mo 2022 |
 John O'Nolan | 2012 | by 2026 | by 2026 | by 2026 | by 2026 | — | $925K/mo 2026 |
 Sahil Lavingia | 2011 | by 2025 | by 2025 | by 2025 | by 2025 | — | $1.5M/mo 2025 |
 Alexander Isora | 2018 | — | — | — | — | 4 yrs 2022 | — |
 Andrey Azimov | 2018 | 1 yr 2019 | — | — | — | 3 yrs 2021 | $1K/mo 2019 |
 Ben Tossell | — | — | — | — | — | 2021 | $33K/mo 2021 |
 Bhanu Teja P | — | — | — | — | — | 2024 | $10K/mo 2023 |
 Bram Kanstein | 2015 | — | — | — | — | 2 yrs 2017 | — |
 Brennan Dunn | 2011 | — | — | — | — | 5 yrs 2016 | — |
| BSBrent Simmons | 2002 | — | — | — | — | 3 yrs 2005 | — |
 Brian Casel | 2008 | — | — | — | — | 7 yrs 2015 | — |
 Caleb Porzio | 2019 | by 2020 | — | — | — | — | $8.3K/mo 2020 |
 Chris Coyier | 2007 | — | — | — | — | 15 yrs 2022 | — |
 Courtland Allen | 2016 | — | — | — | — | 1 yr 2017 | — |
 Danny Postma | — | — | — | — | — | 2021 | — |
 Derek Sivers | 1997 | — | — | — | — | 11 yrs 2008 | — |
 Florin Pop | 2019 | — | — | — | — | 6 yrs 2025 | — |
 Giancarlo Buomprisco | 2022 | < 1 yr 2022 | — | — | — | — | $8.6K/mo 2023 |
 Gita A. Ramdhani | 2023 | by 2026 | — | — | — | — | $1.4K/mo 2026 |
 Greg Isenberg | 2012 | — | — | — | — | 1 yr 2013 | — |
 Gus Mueller | 2003 | — | — | — | — | 10 yrs 2013 | — |
 Hitesh Choudhary | — | — | — | — | — | 2022 | — |
 Ian Landsman | 2005 | — | — | — | — | 10 yrs 2015 | — |
 Ian Nuttall | 2005 | by 2024 | — | — | — | — | $8.3K/mo 2024 |
 Jay Clouse | 2017 | — | — | — | — | 3 yrs 2020 | — |
 Jim Raptis | 2019 | by 2024 | — | — | — | 1 yr 2020 | $6.5K/mo 2024 |
 John Rush | — | — | — | — | — | 2024 | $250K/mo 2025 |
 Julia Evans | 2018 | < 1 yr 2018 | — | — | — | — | $8.5K/mo 2018 |
 Kyle Krzeski | 2020 | — | — | — | — | 2 yrs 2022 | — |
 Laura Roeder | 2007 | — | — | — | — | 14 yrs 2021 | — |
 Lee Hills | — | — | — | — | — | 2025 | — |
 Marc Köhlbrugge | 2010 | — | — | — | — | 10 yrs 2020 | — |
 Marco Arment | 2008 | — | — | — | — | 5 yrs 2013 | — |
 Markus Persson | 2009 | — | — | — | — | 5 yrs 2014 | — |
 Nico Jeannen | — | — | — | — | — | 2024 | $7.5K/mo 2024 |
 Pablo Stanley | — | — | — | — | — | 2025 | — |
 Pat Flynn | 2008 | — | — | — | — | 18 yrs 2026 | — |
| PJPaul Jarvis | — | — | — | — | — | 2024 | — |
 Peter Askew | 2004 | — | — | — | — | 21 yrs 2025 | — |
 Ramy Khuffash | — | — | — | — | — | 2023 | — |
 Rob Walling | — | — | — | — | — | 2016 | — |
 Ryan Kulp | 2016 | — | — | — | — | 6 yrs 2022 | — |
 Scott Tolinski | 2012 | — | — | — | — | 11 yrs 2023 | — |
 Shri Vatz | 2023 | by 2026 | — | — | — | — | $5K/mo 2026 |
 Steve Schoger | — | — | — | — | — | 2026 | $50K/mo 2020 |
 Wes Bos | 2014 | — | — | — | — | 9 yrs 2023 | — |
 Woody Hayday | — | — | — | — | — | 2019 | — |
 Yogesh | — | — | — | — | — | 2026 | — |
How we measured it
- Self-reported, not verified. Each point comes from a maker's milestones, product launch years and revenue figure on their profile, which cite the maker's own posts, dashboards and interviews. We added 102 dated revenue figures from self-reported sources, each linked on the maker's timeline.
- Years, not months. “Years to $10K MRR” = the calendar year of the first recorded month at $10K+ minus the year the maker started (their profile's start year — for many makers that is when their current run of products began, not their very first attempt). “Under a year” means the same calendar year.
- Pinned down vs. “by”. A year counts toward medians and charts only if a source says the level was reached or crossed that year, a lower monthly figure was recorded earlier the same year, or it happened in the maker's start year. Otherwise we only know the maker got there by that year, and it stays out of the medians.
- Revenue normalised to a month. ARR and yearly revenue are divided by 12; $1M ARR ≈ $83.3K a month. A one-off month (a launch, a Black Friday spike) counts as a month at that level. Yearly averages show a level was reached that year but can't pin a crossing. Lifetime and cumulative totals are shown on timelines but never counted as a monthly level.
- Survivorship bias. Everyone here is a maker successful enough to be profiled. Most people who start never reach $1K MRR, and they don't write the milestone posts. Read the medians as “how long it took the ones who made it”, not as odds.
- Small numbers. Medians are based on 19 ($1K MRR), 15 ($10K MRR), 12 ($1M ARR) and 8 ($100K MRR) makers, so a few new data points can move them.
Explore more: the indie maker revenue leaderboard, indie maker exits and acquisitions, or browse all indie makers. Every maker profile shows their own journey timeline.
Indie maker journey FAQ
How long does it take an indie maker to reach $10K MRR?
Among the 15 makers on IndieMakerList whose year of reaching $10K in monthly revenue is pinned down, the median took 1 yr from the year they started; the middle half took between 0.5 and 2 years. These are successful, public makers, so treat it as an optimistic benchmark.
How long does it take to get to $1K MRR?
The median was under a year for the 19 makers with a pinned-down year. Many of them got there with their first or second product, often while still employed.
How long does it take to reach $1M ARR as a bootstrapped founder?
For the 12 makers with a pinned-down year, the median was 3.5 yrs from their start year. The fastest was Yasser Elsaid, in the same year they started. 36 makers in the directory have reported $1M ARR or more.
Who reached $10K MRR the fastest?
Nathan Barry (< 1 yr, 2012), Corey Haines (< 1 yr, 2020), Thibault Louis-Lucas (Tibo) (< 1 yr, 2021) were the fastest to $10K MRR among makers with a pinned-down year. The longest road in the set was Uku Täht at 3 yrs.
How long until indie makers sell a product?
41 makers with a known start year have sold a product or company. The median first exit came 6 yrs after they started.
How is this data collected?
Every point comes from a maker's own public statements — posts, open dashboards, interviews — already cited on their IndieMakerList profile, plus 102 dated, self-reported figures we added from cited sources. Nothing is estimated or verified independently.