7 Coding Business Success Stories [2024]
Interested in a tech-savvy business that’s both challenging and rewarding? Consider a coding business.
A coding business involves creating software solutions, websites, and applications for a variety of clients, from startups to established enterprises. This venture allows you to leverage your programming skills to solve real-world problems while opening doors to continuous learning and innovation.
The appeal of a coding business lies in the growing demand for digital products and services, ensuring a steady stream of potential clients. Building a portfolio can be as simple as starting small projects or volunteering for non-profits to showcase your skills. Over time, you can scale by hiring additional programmers and taking on more complex projects.
Starting a coding business isn’t about quick wins but about building a sustainable and scalable enterprise. If you’re comfortable with problem-solving and have a passion for technology, this could be the perfect direction for you.
In this list, you'll find real-world coding business success stories and very profitable examples of starting a coding business that makes money.
1. 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.
2. Frontend Mentor ($360K/year)
Matt Studdert, founder of Frontend Mentor, came up with the idea for his business while teaching a front-end web development course. He noticed that his students often struggled to find professional designs and projects to practice their skills and build their portfolios. This led him to create a platform that provides developers with challenges, designs, and optimized assets, ultimately launching Frontend Mentor.
How much money it makes: $360K/year
How much did it cost to start: $8K
How many people on the team: 0
Online learning community Frontend Mentor has over 200,000 members, with over 1,500 paid subscribers generating over $15,000 MRR, offering professionally designed challenges to improve front-end coding skills with a freemium business model and a focus on real-life experience.
3. 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.
4. Codemap ($84K/year)
Sasa Janicijevic, the founder of Codemap.io, came up with the idea for his business after experiencing the frustrations of traditional coding and software development while working on his previous startup. After discovering the world of no-code development, Sasa saw an opportunity to create a marketplace that connects founders and organizations with pre-vetted no-code experts, allowing them to build their products faster and at a lower cost. Since launching in October 2020, Codemap has attracted dozens of expert applications and client projects, proving the strong demand for their services in the rapidly rising no-code industry.
How much money it makes: $84K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
How many people on the team: 3
Codemap.io is a freelance & agency marketplace for no-code, low-code, and automation, enabling anyone to hire no-code experts to build their products, MVPs, and apps up to 10x cheaper and faster than with traditional development, with 900+ clients, close to $2,000,000 in created projects, and 110+ hires made, all achieved in less than 6 months.
5. iCodeThis ($30K/year)
Florin Pop noticed new developers lacked a platform to hone their coding skills.
He observed that while beginners watched numerous videos and enrolled in courses, it was not enough to help them become professionals.
Recognizing this gap, he created a GitHub repository where he shared project ideas, which garnered hundreds of thousands of views.
As people began sharing the repository on Twitter, it gained popularity.
Seeing the success of the GitHub repository, Florin Pop was inspired to build a website for app ideas, which today is ICodeThis
How much money it makes: $30K/year
How many people on the team: 0
Learn how founder Florin Pop grew iCodeThis from a GitHub repository with hundreds of thousands of views to a thriving business generating $30K/year, leveraging a 35,000-strong email list, social media, and influencer marketing campaigns to reach the right audience and drive growth.
6. UltraShock Gaming ($15K/year)
Hassan, the founder and CEO of UltraShock Gaming, came up with the idea for his indie game marketing firm when he noticed the struggles indie game developers faced in getting their games on large PC platforms like Steam. Inspired by their frustrations, he decided to create a platform to help these developers with marketing, copywriting, and beta testing in exchange for a percentage of profits. With a community of over 500,000 gamers, UltraShock Gaming has generated $15k in revenue per year, with $12k in profit.
How much money it makes: $15K/year
How much did it cost to start: $4K
How many people on the team: 1
Aspiring founders looking to start a profitable business can learn from the story of how Hassan founded UltraShock Gaming, an indie game marketing firm, built up an audience of over 500,000 gamers, and generated $15k in annual revenue (with $12k profit) in just 2 years by offering marketing and advertising services for indie game developers.
7. Mokool Apps ($1.8K/year)
Mukul Verma, the founder of Mokool Apps, came up with the idea for his Shopify app business after running a successful app development company. After realizing the potential in the Shopify App Store, Mukul saw an opportunity to help store owners create successful businesses by providing them with easy-to-use, problem-solving apps. Since launching his first app, Translate Pro, Mukul has focused on listening to customer feedback, making adjustments, and building a strong foundation for his business.
How much money it makes: $1.8K/year
How much did it cost to start: $3K
How many people on the team: 1
Mokool Apps founder Mukul Verma shares his journey of expanding into the Shopify App Store, including how customer support is critical, and the importance of planning for the unexpected when launching a business.
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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.
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.
