I hired someone to create a macro tracker app meant to help users understand their food intake with features like food image snapping for easy logging. Unfortunately, I've run into a ton of issues, like trouble uploading images and the app incorrectly analyzing them. It seems like there are coding problems, including missing databases and messy code structure. Even simple things like logging out or accessing premium features aren't working properly. Despite this, we have a solid number of users (over 1000 free users and 10 premium members) and a good tech stack including NextJs and Supabase. I spent $350 on this setup, and I've interviewed many freelancers, but they either refuse to take on the fix or charge exorbitantly. I'm considering alternatives like using AI tools but need practical advice on how to salvage this situation without starting from scratch.
3 Answers
It seems like you got what you paid for—the quality isn’t there at that price point. You’d likely need to invest around $20K for someone capable of turning this around. Have you looked into local developers who might give better support?
After hearing about your experience on Fiverr, I have to say, that’s not usually where you find top-notch developers for serious projects. Expecting a good outcome on such a small budget was optimistic at best. If you’re looking to make this app profitable, you should strongly consider investing more upfront.
Totally agree. The tech stack you mentioned requires a skilled team to manage it properly. Rethink your budget!
Honestly, given what you've described, it sounds like $350 just wasn’t enough to cover a quality build. You might want to reset your expectations. Hiring someone decent to fix this could easily cost you low five figures right off the bat, especially for an app that’s supposed to be market-ready.
Exactly! $350 is basically just a couple of hours of work for a decent developer. If you want a professional app, you might need to be ready to invest a bit more.
For sure! Professionals charge around $70 an hour at the minimum, so spending a bit more now could save you a whole lot of hassle later.