How a MacBook Touch Bar Audio Visualizer Hit $1K/Month

Introduction

When Jake Fisherman first thought about adding an audio visualizer to the MacBook Pro Touch Bar, he had no clue it would become a $1,000/month software business. He simply wanted a cool feature for himself. A quick Reddit poll, a minimal budget, and a focused MVP later, he launched a product that users paid for from day one.

Identifying the Opportunity

During quarantine, Jake searched online and found no Touch Bar visualizers. He posted in MacBook communities and ran a poll: out of 400 votes, 40% showed some willingness to pay, with 8% ready to pay $5 or more. That single comment—"I would pay 5 bucks for this"—carried weight and convinced him there was appetite.

Validating Demand

Realizing words alone weren’t enough, Jake created a short animated mockup video of the feature. The post on Reddit blew up, with upvotes and comments confirming people would buy a simple utility. He followed a principle fromAll In Startup: secure evidence of payment intent before investing money.

Building the MVP

Jake reached out to developers to estimate costs—$6,000 to $10,000. To cut risk, he opted for an MVP. Over 3–4 weeks, he learned Swift audio APIs, hired a collaborator for visuals, and assembled a working prototype. The MVP could capture system or microphone audio and render touch-bar animations.

Funding and Launch

Instead of draining savings, Jake launched a Patreon: $3/month for beta access, $5/month with a name in credits. Beta pledges matched his developer costs (~$1,200). In January 2021 he officially launched, pricing the app at $5 for two years or $10 for a lifetime license, using Paddle to handle global payments and taxes.

Growth Trajectory

Launch-day buzz drove a spike in revenue and a Product Hunt feature. April revenue dipped as launch hype faded, but from May onward organic search and backlinks from tech blogs propelled it back to and above $1,000/month. Jake now focuses on SEO, writing articles, and building backlinks to sustain growth.

Key Results

• Built and shipped an MVP in just 4 weeks on a $1,200 budget.
• Reached a consistent $1,000/month revenue within three months of launch.
• Validated market demand with a 400-person Reddit poll and prototype video.
• Leveraged Patreon to fund development, reducing upfront financial risk.
• Used Paddle for global sales and tax compliance with a 10–15% fee.