SubBuddy

SubBuddy 1.4.0 is live.

This is the biggest update I have shipped since the first version.

SubBuddy started as a simple tool to track subscriptions and avoid surprise renewals. With 1.4.0, it is moving toward a more complete command center for recurring payments.

What changed:

- A refreshed SubBuddy brand and cleaner product experience

- Redesigned Chrome extension

- Better Gmail import workflows

- Per-subscription currency tracking

- Multi-currency analytics and converted totals

- Per-subscription renewal controls

- Reminder snoozing

- Pause, resume, and mark canceled workflows

- Cancellation links and notes

- CSV import review before saving records

- Tags, custom categories, budgets, and family sharing

The goal is simple: make it easier to capture recurring payments, understand what they cost, and act before the next charge lands.

I wrote a full breakdown of what changed and why:

https://subbuddy.io/blog/posts/meet-the-new-subbuddy

I’m building SubBuddy, a privacy-first subscription tracker that does not connect to your bank.

I assumed the biggest objection would be manual entry.

But after reaching around 50 users and getting my first lifetime customer, I’m seeing the opposite: for some people, no bank sync is the reason they trust it.

Recent progress:

• first lifetime customer

• around 50 users

• shipped pause/resume

• shipped pinned subscriptions

• added monthly budget tracking

• added multi-currency support

• finished full Spanish dashboard localization

What I’m validating now:
Is the stronger path:

• privacy-first positioning

• better onboarding

• or more import/automation?

If you’ve built in fintech, SaaS utilities, or consumer productivity, I’d love your take.

Hey Indie Hackers,

Quick build-in-public update from my solo SaaS, SubBuddy.

I just shipped v1.3.0, hit 50 users, and got my first paying customer (Lifetime plan).
This release was about one thing: reducing friction without compromising the privacy-first model.

SubBuddy still avoids bank connections by design. That tradeoff helps with trust, but it means UX has to be really sharp to make manual tracking feel worth it.

What shipped in v1.3.0

1) Better control over subscriptions

• Pin subscriptions (starred items stay at the top)

• Pause/Resume subscriptions without deleting

• Unified status selector (Active / Paused / Canceled / Trial) to avoid conflicting states

• Overview row click opens detail drawer (same behavior as subscriptions page)

2) Budget + spending improvements

• Budget controls moved into the Monthly Spending card

• Clear progress/remaining/over-budget feedback

• Better dashboard prioritization of what matters (pinned + active first)

3) Multi-currency support (the big one)

• Per-subscription currency in create/edit/onboarding/import flows

• Cross-currency display in dashboard rows/cards/details

• Analytics totals converted into the user display currency

• Renewal emails now include converted + source values when relevant

4) UX quality upgrades

• Full dashboard localization (English + Spanish)

• Sidebar dark mode toggle

• Sidebar collapsed state persistence

• Duplicate subscription warning during add flow

• Improved chart readability and responsive behavior

What was harder than expected

1) Cross-currency totals that are actually correct

It sounds simple until you handle edge cases:

• missing exchange rates

• mixed source currencies

• not lying with blended totals when conversion fails

I ended up enforcing strict validation + safer fallbacks instead of forcing every number into one total.

Lesson: financial UX needs correctness before convenience.

2) Status logic across the whole product

“Paused” touched more than I expected: filters, calendar visibility, spend timelines, preview sorting, edit forms, and reminders.

Lesson: one new state can ripple through every query and UI assumption.

3) Keeping extension + web app taxonomy in sync

Categories/currencies drift between systems unless there’s a single source of truth.

Lesson: shared constants save you from silent data mismatches.

What changed in my thinking

I used to treat “manual entry” as the weakness.
Now I treat it as the wedge:

• users who value privacy trust it more

• users burned by flaky bank sync prefer explicit control

• the product has to earn that tradeoff with faster input + better defaults

My first paying user choosing Lifetime reinforced that this positioning resonates with at least a subset of users.

Current numbers

• 50 users

• 1 paying customer (Lifetime)

Still tiny, but enough signal to keep pushing.

Next up

• Better onboarding activation (time-to-first-value)

• Faster import workflows (extension + parser improvements)

• Pricing validation experiments (Free vs Monthly vs Lifetime)

The ask

If you were at this stage, what would you prioritize first:

1. onboarding/activation

2. pricing experiments

3. acquisition/distribution

I’d love to hear what worked for you around the 50-100 user stage.

If you want to try SubBuddy:

• Demo: subbuddy.io/demo

• Pricing: subbuddy.io/#pricing

Hey Indie Hackers,

It's been 4 months since I shared my initial roadmap for SubBuddy. I've shipped family sharing, CSV import, calendar sync, i18n, a full UI overhaul, and more. 109 commits later, I want to share what I learned—especially the stuff I wish I knew at the start.

⏰ What Took Way Longer Than Expected

1. Row-Level Security for Family Sharing

I thought family sharing would take 2 weeks. It took 6.

Supabase RLS is powerful, but I ran into an infinite recursion bug that took days to debug. The issue? My RLS policy was querying a table that had its own RLS policy, which queried another table... you get it.

Lesson: Sketch out your RLS policies on paper before writing SQL. Understand the call chain.

2. Internationalization (i18n)

Adding Spanish support meant touching every page, component, and metadata file. I underestimated how much text lives outside components—error messages, email templates, SEO meta tags, even the 404 page.

I ended up with 3 separate translation files (general, legal, pages) just to keep things organized.

Lesson: If you think you'll ever want i18n, set it up on day one. Retrofitting is painful.

3. The Dashboard Overhaul

I thought "refresh the UI" would be a weekend project. It became a 6-part commit saga spanning the dashboard, analytics, calendar, subscriptions list, and settings.

Every component had assumptions about styling that broke when I changed the design system.

Lesson: Design tokens and consistent component APIs save you later. I didn't have them. I paid the price.

✂️ Features I Almost Built But Cut

1. Real-Time Collaborative Editing for Families

I almost built live presence indicators (like Notion) for family members editing subscriptions. Cool? Yes. Necessary? No.

Families don't edit subscriptions simultaneously. I was overengineering for a scenario that doesn't exist.

2. Push Notifications via Web Push API

I spent a day on this before realizing the UX for requesting notification permissions is terrible, and email reminders solve 90% of the problem.

Cut it. Moved on. No regrets.

3. Dark Mode Toggle Per-Component

I wanted granular dark mode control. Users just want one toggle. Shipped the simple version.

4. iOS App (for now)

I originally planned iOS and Android together. Reality: I'm one person. Android first, iOS after validation.

🛠️ Tools & Decisions That Saved Me

1. Supabase

Auth, Postgres, Edge Functions, RLS, Storage—all in one. I would've spent months wiring this together with separate services. The RLS learning curve was worth it.

2. shadcn/ui

Copy-paste components I actually own and can modify. No fighting a component library's opinions. The glass-card styling in my dashboard? Just Tailwind on top of shadcn primitives.

3. Zustand over Redux

Minimal boilerplate. I have one store file with slices. State management should be boring.

4. Stripe Checkout (not custom forms)

I almost built custom payment forms. Then I remembered PCI compliance exists. Stripe Checkout handles everything. Worth the small UX tradeoff.

5. Edge Functions for AI

Running Gemini calls in Supabase Edge Functions keeps my Next.js app lean. Cold starts are fine for non-realtime features like AI recommendations.

6. One Repo, One Deploy

No microservices. No separate admin dashboard. Everything lives in one Next.js app. Vercel deploys in 40 seconds.

💡 Advice for Solo Founders

1. Ship the manual version first.

SubBuddy started as manual-only subscription tracking. No CSV import, no bank linking. Users told me what they actually needed. Now I have CSV import because they asked—not because I assumed.

2. Your "MVP" is still too big.

I thought my MVP was lean. Looking back, I could've launched without analytics, without the calendar, without AI insights. The core is: add subscription, see list, get reminder. Everything else is a bonus.

3. Timebox ruthlessly.

I give myself 2-day limits on features now. If it's not done, I either ship what I have or cut it. The CSV import parser isn't perfect—but it works for 90% of cases, and that's enough.

4. Write for your future self.

Every SQL migration has a revert script. Every commit message explains why. Future me has thanked past me multiple times.

5. Talk to users before building.

The family sharing feature exists because users asked. The comparison pages exist because I saw search intent. The onboarding wizard exists because users churned before adding their first subscription.

What's Next?

• Android app (in dev)

• Email parsing for auto-import

• Bank integration (researching Plaid)

The Ask

If you're building solo, what's taken you longer than expected? I'd love to hear your war stories.

And if you want to try SubBuddy:

• Demo (no signup): subbuddy.io/demo

• Free trial: subbuddy.io/#pricing

• Discord: discord.gg/MMPMwztTau

Thanks for reading!

-- Álex

Hey Indie Hackers!

It's been a few months since my last update, and I've been heads-down building. SubBuddy has received its biggest update yet, and I'm excited to share what's new.

🎉 What's New Since September

1. Family & Shared Plan Management (The #2 most requested feature!)

You can now create family groups, invite members via email, and share subscription visibility. Perfect for managing shared Netflix, Spotify Family, or any household expenses. Each member sees only what they should—thanks to secure row-level policies.

2. Calendar Integration

Your renewal dates now sync directly with Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, or Outlook. Just copy the secure iCal URL from your settings, and never miss a payment again. You can regenerate the URL anytime for extra security.

3. CSV Import for Subscriptions

Don't want to add subscriptions manually? Export your bank transactions as a CSV, upload it to SubBuddy, and our smart parser will automatically detect recurring charges. It recognizes 100+ services like Netflix, Spotify, Adobe, AWS, and more—complete with category suggestions.

4. Quick-Start Onboarding Wizard

New users now get a guided 6-step setup that helps them set their currency, add their first subscription, configure notifications, and take a feature tour—all in under 2 minutes.

5. Full Internationalization

SubBuddy is now available in English and Spanish, with localized URLs for better SEO and user experience. More languages coming based on demand!

6. Interactive Demo Dashboard

Not ready to sign up? No problem. You can now explore a fully interactive demo with sample data—no account required. Check it out at subbuddy.io/demo.

7. Android App Waitlist (with Rewards!)

The Android app is in development! Join the waitlist at subbuddy.io/#waitlist:

• First 25 signups → FREE Lifetime Access

• Next 200 → 50% OFF Lifetime

8. Complete Dashboard Overhaul

The entire dashboard UI has been refreshed with a modern glass-card design, better mobile navigation, and improved analytics visualizations.

9. Competitor Comparison Pages

Wondering how SubBuddy stacks up against Rocket Money, YNAB, or Monarch Money? I've added dedicated comparison pages to help you decide: subbuddy.io/compare

10. AI Upgrade

The AI recommendation engine now runs on Gemini 2.5 Flash Lite for faster, more accurate budget optimization suggestions.

📊 By the Numbers

• 109 commits since September

• 15+ blog posts published

• 2 languages supported

• 3 competitor comparisons added

🛣️ What's Next?

• Android App (in active development)

• Automatic email parsing for subscription discovery

• Bank integration via Plaid (researching)

• iOS App (after Android launch)

The Ask

I'd love your feedback:

• Try the demo: subbuddy.io/demo

• Start your free trial: subbuddy.io/#pricing

• Join the Discord: discord.gg/MMPMwztTau

What features would you find most valuable? Let me know in the comments!

-- Álex

Hey Indie Hackers!

I'm Alex, the solo founder of SubBuddy (https://subbuddy.io).

A while back, I had a "subscription awakening" after combing through my credit card statements. I was wasting over $200/month on services I'd completely forgotten about. After talking to friends, I realized I wasn't alone. The existing tools felt cluttered and didn't give me the clarity I needed.

So, I built SubBuddy to solve this. It's a clean, focused app to track, manage, and analyze your subscriptions without the noise.

The response so far has been amazing, and I want to share what's been built and, more importantly, what's coming next.

Where We Are Today: The Core Experience

The goal was to build a solid foundation first. Right now, SubBuddy is a fully functional manual tracker with a focus on clarity and user control.

• Complete Subscription Management: Full CRUD for all your recurring and one-time payments.

• Actionable Dashboard: See your monthly spend, active subscription count, and upcoming renewal alerts at a glance.

• Smart Calendar: A visual calendar that marks all your renewal and trial-end dates.

• Insightful Analytics: See where your money is going with charts for category spending and monthly trends.

• Secure & Modern Tech: Built with Next.js, Supabase, and Stripe for payments.

To support the launch, I'm offering a 1-month free trial on the premium plan and a Lifetime Deal for early adopters who believe in the vision.

What's Next: The Public Roadmap

The current version is just the beginning. My focus now is on building the most requested features to make subscription management truly effortless. Here's a look at the public Roadmap (https://subbuddy.io/roadmap):

Top Priority: Automation

• Bank & Card Integration: The #1 requested feature. I'm working on integrating with services like Plaid to let you automatically discover and import recurring charges from your bank accounts and credit cards.

• Email Parsing: Connect your inbox (securely, of course) to have SubBuddy automatically find subscription receipts and renewal notices from services like Netflix, Spotify, etc.

Smarter Notifications & Integrations

• Advanced Renewal Alerts: Go beyond email with push and SMS notifications, fully customizable (e.g., 7 days before, 3 days before, day of).

• Calendar & Task App Integration: Sync your renewal dates directly to Google Calendar, Todoist, or Apple Reminders.

Enhanced User Experience

• Mobile Apps: Native iOS and Android applications are on the roadmap for managing your subscriptions on the go.

• Family & Shared Plan Management: Easily track subscriptions shared with family or friends and manage split costs.

• Quick-Start Wizard: An onboarding flow to connect your accounts and get set up in minutes.

The Ask

Building in public is a core part of this journey. I'd love to get your feedback:

1. Check out the app: The 1-month free trial (https://subbuddy.io/#pricing) is the best way to see if it works for you.

2. Feedback on the Roadmap: What features are you most excited about? What's missing?

3. Join the Community: I've set up a Discord server (https://discord.gg/MMPMwztTau) for feedback, bug reports, and general chat about financial wellness.

Thanks for reading. I'm excited to keep building and sharing the journey with you all!

-- Álex

We are currently working on an Android app!

As stated on the roadmap, one thing we will implement is an Android / iOS app, due to technical limitations, we are sticking with Android for now, and will release an iOS version in the future.

Also, we heard your feedback, and we are investigating automatic email/banking subscription imports! Follow us on social media to stay tuned! :)

Hey everyone,

A few months ago, I realized I was spending over $200 a month on subscriptions I barely used—old free trials, forgotten apps, multiple streaming services… it added up to almost $2,400 a year. I tried some subscription trackers, but they either felt cluttered or just listed my subscriptions without helping me actually take action.

So, I decided to build my own solution: SubBuddy.

It’s a web app designed to give a clear, centralized view of all your recurring expenses—from Netflix and Spotify to insurance and utility bills.

Here’s what it does right now:

• Centralized Dashboard: See all your active subscriptions, upcoming renewals, and monthly spending at a glance.

• Calendar & Alerts: A simple calendar shows payment dates and sends email reminders before bills are due.

• Spending Analytics: Charts break down spending by category and trends over time.

• AI Insights: Suggestions for possible cancellations or budget optimizations.

• Flexible Tracking: Handles monthly, yearly, weekly, and custom billing cycles.

Tech stack: Next.js + TypeScript + Tailwind CSS, Supabase (Postgres/Auth/Edge Functions), Stripe for payments, Zustand for state management, Shadcn/UI for UI components.

Currently, it’s all manual-entry to keep it simple and private, but I’m working on bank/email integrations for automatic subscription discovery.

To celebrate launch, every new user can try the full Premium plan for free—no credit card required. It includes unlimited subscription tracking, AI insights, and all features.

I built this to solve a personal problem, and it’s already saved me money and financial anxiety. I’d love to hear from other makers:

• Do you track your subscriptions?

• Would you find a tool like this helpful?

• Any feedback on the dashboard or features?

Thanks!