Video Hub App

"A cross-platform desktop app that lets users browse, search, tag, and organize videos on local and network drives, sold as a one-time $5 purchase."
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videohubapp.com
Maker: yboris
Occasionally $500/month, but more reliably $300/month (creator's own words)

Marketing Channels

Secondary

Hacker News

Shared in annual 'Who is hiring themselves' thread; creator is a recurring participant

Ongoing

Product website

videohubapp.com with download page, though commenters noted UX issues with the site

Ongoing

GitHub open source

MIT licensed on GitHub (whyboris/Video-Hub-App), which drives awareness and contributions

Growth Levers

  • Raise the price significantly — $5 is perceived as undervaluing the product and limiting revenue potential
  • Redesign the website: remove 3D slant animations, add larger high-res screenshots, clarify platform support (Windows/Mac/Linux) prominently, and show OS-specific screenshots based on visitor platform
  • Focus marketing on Windows users — Windows desktop share is 10x Mac and represents a larger untapped audience
  • Add version and release date next to download buttons to signal active development
  • Simplify the download page — current Demo vs Intel Mac labeling is confusing, with version mismatches noted between buttons
  • Consider taking on collaborators or a partner to handle marketing/business side while creator focuses on other interests

First Customer Strategy

Built an open-source Electron app solving a personal need (local video organization), offered a $5 paid download for convenience while keeping the MIT source available on GitHub, and sustained the project for nearly 8 years.

Pricing Insight

Priced at $5 per copy (buy once, keep forever, no license key). Multiple commenters and one detailed commenter (huhtenberg) strongly recommended charging several times more, noting the low price cements an 'amateurish/hobby project' impression and is leaving significant revenue on the table.

New Market Opportunities

  • Windows-focused marketing Windows desktop share is 10x Mac; actively catering to Windows users with appropriate screenshots and messaging could multiply revenue
  • Business partnership / minority partner Offered to work as a 'janitor-like minority partner' to handle business tasks while creator focuses on other projects

Key Takeaways

  • • Underpricing a product can cap revenue and signal low quality — multiple commenters independently recommended raising the price
  • • Website design and download UX directly impact conversion; confusing button labels and version mismatches lose potential buyers
  • • Open-source + paid download is a viable hybrid model but requires the paid version to justify its convenience premium
  • • A long-running side project ($300-500/mo for ~8 years) can be a durable income stream even without aggressive growth tactics
  • • Platform-specific marketing (showing Windows screenshots to Windows visitors) is a low-effort, high-impact conversion optimization
  • • Founders with divided attention benefit from partnerships or delegation to unlock growth they cannot pursue alone

Sentiment Analysis

3 Pos / 1 Neu

Notable Quotes

"Charge several times more... the site gives an amateurish/hobby project vibe, and the $5 price cements the impression. If you are to spruce things up a bit, you can potentially live off this app. — huhtenberg"
"I end up spending more time towards other exciting projects like writing a sci-fi novel and DIY remodeling my house. — yboris"
"the wording of their downloads page is slightly confusing... I think the visual hierarchy of the two respective buttons is too subtle. — jotaen"

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