Solo-Dev Social Network Hits 750k Users
SpaceHey, a social network built by a solo developer in just three weeks, shared a one-year retrospective on its growth. The side project has now scaled to over 750,000 users, highlighting how sustained iteration and community engagement can drive significant growth for a bootstrapped product.
SpaceHey was created by German developer Anton Röhm, who was 18 at the time of its launch in November 2020. He built the platform as a personal project during the COVID-19 lockdown after hearing about the creative freedom users had on early social networks. The site gained immediate traction, hitting 10,000 users by December 2020 and 100,000 by February 2021. The platform is a direct homage to MySpace, reviving features like customizable profiles through HTML and CSS, blogs, bulletins, and a chronological feed. Unlike modern social media, SpaceHey intentionally avoids algorithms, extensive data tracking, and targeted advertising, which has appealed to users seeking a more authentic and privacy-focused online experience. Written in PHP, the site allows users to embed content from platforms like YouTube, Spotify, and SoundCloud. The core appeal for many is the high degree of personalization, allowing users to control the look and feel of their profiles, a feature largely absent from today's major social networks. Monetization has been a challenge, with Röhm initially paying for servers out of his own pocket. To cover growing costs, he has experimented with selling stickers that come with a "Supporter" badge on the user's profile and has occasionally placed small, non-tracking ads on the homepage. The founder continues to juggle development with his university studies.
