Indie dev says SEO and display ads out-earn his apps, thanks to AI-built free tools
imrat · x · 2026-08-18
An indie developer shared that he now makes more money from SEO and display ads than from his apps: using AI to research and build free tools, ranking them in Google and AI search, then earning from ads and affiliate links, rinse and repeat. A reply offered a neat framing: the work you enjoy and that gives purpose is the "art," while SEO and ads are the "residence" part — they pay the bills and give you the freedom to keep building more art.
Related event: Indie Devs Monetize AI-Built Free Tools via SEO and Ads(4 posts)→
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