A tool for one audience you know inside out: scientists making figures.
Vibe-code a niche AI SaaS as a researcher: $1K MRR in 25 days
A free, useful SEO site feeding a paid AI tool (the "Pixabay to Canva" model, as he calls it) brings in users without ads.
Figures as shared by the creator · source
From @mert_jh on Reddit · Feb 2026
The workflow
Made with
CursorUse · AI code editor: describe what you want and it writes and edits the codeTry Cursor AIMore casesWhere & with what
What they did
- 1The moveA bioinformatics PhD who says he cannot build web apps used Claude and Cursor to make Plottie, an AI tool that turns a description into an editable, publication-ready scientific figure.
- 2Step 2Pick an audience you belong to
- 3Step 3Build a free SEO site first
- 4ResultHe reported 2,000+ users, 100+ paying customers and about $1K MRR 25 days after launch, with $0 spent on ads; 97 people joined the half-price beta (Reddit, r/SaaS, Feb 2026).
Quick answers
What tools do you need?
Claude (anthropic's ai assistant for writing, products and building small tools); Cursor (ai code editor: describe what you want and it writes and edits the code).
How much does it cost?
You can start for $0: Claude, Cursor have a free plan. Check each tool's site for current prices.
Is it allowed?
Follow the platform rules and disclose ads.
Watch out: Self-reported. He admits he does not understand half of his own codebase, so plan for maintenance and security reviews.
Try it yourself
(Our template, not the creator's prompt.) Plan a free SEO content site that feeds a paid AI tool for [audience]: what the free site lists, 10 search terms it should rank for, and where on each page to invite users to the paid tool.
Starter tools
Your first step
Open Claude, paste the prompt above and swap the [brackets] for your own niche.
Full write-up & sources
More detail: First he built a free search site of 100,000+ figures from open-access papers to win Google traffic, with a nudge on every page to try the AI tool, then ran a paid beta at half price instead of a free one.
Source: @mert_jh on Reddit · Feb 2026. Summarised in our own words; figures as shared by the creator or shown on the platform. Updated .
