How to Make Money With AI Apps: The MonAi Story Shows the Real Opportunity
Most people think making money with AI means selling prompts, starting an AI agency, or creating content faster.
But one of the biggest opportunities is simpler:
Build a small AI-powered tool that solves one annoying problem — then sell it directly to people who already feel that pain.
That is exactly what happened with MonAi, a minimalist AI-powered expense tracking app created by an indie developer who went from working as an iOS developer to generating $40,000–$60,000 in monthly revenue across his app portfolio.
This is not the typical “get rich quick with AI” story.
It is a better lesson.
It shows how AI can turn a simple app into a real business when you combine:
- a painful everyday problem
- simple product design
- subscriptions
- creator-led distribution
- strong storytelling
- consistent experimentation
At Aqyreon, this is the kind of AI money-making strategy we pay attention to — not hype, but repeatable business lessons.
The Big Idea: AI Makes Small Apps More Valuable
MonAi is not trying to become the next giant finance platform.
It is a simple expense tracking app that uses AI to make expense input easier. The founder intentionally avoided building a bloated app with too many features and focused instead on reducing friction for users.
That is the first major lesson.
Many beginner founders think they need to build a huge AI platform.
But customers often pay for something much smaller:
“Make this annoying thing easier for me.”
That is where AI becomes powerful.
AI does not have to replace a whole industry to make money. Sometimes it only needs to remove one frustrating step from an existing workflow.
Examples:
- typing expenses manually
- organizing tasks
- summarizing notes
- writing product descriptions
- planning workouts
- creating invoices
- responding to customers
- turning messy ideas into structured plans
The money is not only in the AI model.
The money is in the user experience around the AI.
What MonAi Teaches About Making Money With AI
1. Start With a Real Problem, Not Just “AI”
One reason MonAi worked is because it solved a boring but real problem: tracking expenses.
Most people do not enjoy entering every purchase manually. Traditional finance apps can feel complicated, bloated, or intimidating.
MonAi took the opposite approach: make the process easier and more minimal.
That matters because people do not pay for AI just because it is AI.
They pay when AI saves time, reduces stress, or makes a task feel easier.
Aqyreon Takeaway
Do not ask:
“What AI app can I build?”
Ask:
“What annoying task do people already hate doing — and how can AI make it easier?”
That mindset can lead to better app ideas.
2. Build Small, Launch Fast, and Validate Early
Before MonAi, the founder built an event planning app called CORDI for about two years. He kept adding features and waited for it to feel perfect before launching. After launch, the app failed to attract real users beyond friends.
That failure changed his approach.
He started building smaller apps, launching faster, and sharing them publicly to validate earlier.
This is one of the most important lessons for anyone trying to make money with AI.
Your first AI product does not need to be perfect.
It needs to be tested.
A small product with real users is more valuable than a beautiful product nobody wants.
Better AI Product Strategy
Instead of spending one year building a massive AI platform, build a focused version in 30–60 days.
For example:
- AI meal planner for busy parents
- AI invoice generator for freelancers
- AI job application tracker
- AI content repurposing tool for real estate agents
- AI expense tracker for students
- AI checklist builder for small businesses
- AI caption generator for local service businesses
The goal is not to build everything.
The goal is to prove that people care.
3. Think About the Business Model Before You Build
A major mistake beginners make is building first and monetizing later.
The MonAi founder learned to think about business models upfront instead of giving everything away and hoping revenue would appear later.
That is a serious point.
If you want to make money with AI, you need to know how the money enters the business.
Common AI app monetization models include:
Subscription Model
Users pay monthly or yearly to access the app.
Best for:
- productivity tools
- finance apps
- writing tools
- AI assistants
- business workflow apps
- One-Time Purch
One-Time Purchase
Users pay once to unlock the tool.
Best for:
- templates
- simple utilities
- niche calculators
- downloadable software
Freemium Model
Users get limited access for free and pay for advanced features.
Best for:
- apps with strong viral potential
- tools that benefit from a large user base
Free Trial + Paid Plan
Users test the product first, then convert to a paid subscription.
This worked well for MonAi. The app moved from a restrictive freemium model to a free trial with a hard paywall, which improved revenue and reduced complaints about limited free access.
Aqyreon Takeaway
Before building your AI app, answer this:
“Why would someone pay for this every month?”
If the answer is weak, improve the product idea before writing more code.
The Real Growth Hack: Partner With a Content Creator
One of the most powerful parts of the MonAi story is not the technology.
It is distribution.
The app grew significantly after the founder partnered with Charlie Alvarez, a content creator from Colombia. Within the first two months of the collaboration, MonAi reportedly grew from $300 MRR to $12,000 MRR.
That is huge.
The creator did not just post random ads.
He created story-driven videos that explained the app in a way people cared about.
The founder said most users came from those videos, especially on Instagram and TikTok. The content reportedly drove a 14% trial-start rate and 40–50% trial-to-paid conversion from Instagram or TikTok users.
That is the lesson many AI builders miss:
The best product does not always win. The best-distributed product often wins.
Why Creator Partnerships Work So Well for AI Apps
AI apps can be hard to explain.
A landing page may not be enough.
But a creator can show the problem, the frustration, and the solution in a human way.
For example, instead of saying:
“This app uses AI to track expenses.”
A creator can say:
“I used to forget where my money went every month. Then I found an app that lets me track expenses faster with AI.”
That is more relatable.
The product becomes a story.
And story sells better than features.
How Beginners Can Use This Strategy
You do not need to be famous to use creator partnerships.
You can start smaller.
Step 1: Build a Useful AI Tool
Pick a niche problem.
Examples:
- AI resume optimizer for nurses
- AI invoice assistant for handymen
- AI meal planner for gym beginners
- AI caption writer for barbers
- AI listing generator for Etsy sellers
- AI client proposal writer for freelancers
Step 2: Find a Creator Who Already Owns the Audience
Do not look for the biggest influencer.
Look for the most relevant one.
A small creator with the right audience can outperform a large creator with random followers.
Examples:
- finance creator for budgeting apps
- mom creator for family planning tools
- fitness creator for workout apps
- small business creator for invoicing tools
- Etsy creator for product description tools
- student creator for study apps
Step 3: Offer Revenue Share or Partnership
Instead of paying thousands upfront, you can offer:
- affiliate commission
- revenue share
- equity partnership
- monthly retainer plus bonus
- creator co-founder role
This is powerful because the creator is motivated to make the product succeed.
Step 4: Let the Creator Tell the Story
Do not force the creator to read a boring script.
Give them the product, the value proposition, and the audience pain point.
Then let them create content in their own voice.
That authenticity is what converts.
The Business Formula Behind MonAi
Here is the simple formula behind this AI app success story:
AI Utility + Simple UX + Subscription + Creator Distribution = Scalable Revenue
Let’s break that down.
AI Utility
The app uses AI to make a task easier.
Simple UX
The product avoids unnecessary complexity.
Subscription
Recurring revenue creates predictable income.
Creator Distribution
Story-driven videos bring in qualified users.
This is a model many indie builders can learn from.
You do not need a giant team.
You need a painful problem, a useful product, and a repeatable way to get attention.
The Tech Stack Lesson: Keep It Simple
The founder’s tech stack was not overly complicated.
He built natively for iOS using Xcode and used tools like Claude Code, OpenAI or Anthropic APIs, RevenueCat, Appwrite, Helm, and Figma.
This matters because many beginners overcomplicate the build.
You do not need the most advanced stack to make money with AI.
You need a stack that helps you ship.
For non-technical founders, this could mean using:
AI coding assistants like Cursor, Claude Code, Replit, or Lovable
No-code tools like Bubble, Softr, Glide, or FlutterFlow
Payment tools like Stripe or RevenueCat
Design tools like Figma or Canva
AI APIs like OpenAI, Anthropic, or Google Gemini
Affiliate opportunities can naturally fit here if your blog post recommends beginner-friendly tools for building AI apps.
What This Means for People Who Want to Make Money With AI
The real opportunity is not just “AI.”
The real opportunity is AI-powered micro-products.
Small tools. Specific users. Clear pain points. Simple pricing. Strong distribution.
You can build around markets like:
1. Personal Finance
AI budget trackers, expense organizers, savings planners, debt payoff assistants.
2. Creator Economy
AI caption generators, video script tools, newsletter builders, content repurposing apps.
3. Small Business
AI invoice generators, proposal writers, customer response tools, appointment follow-up systems.
4. Career Growth
AI resume builders, interview prep tools, job tracking apps, LinkedIn profile optimizers.
5. Productivity
AI task prioritizers, reminder apps, meeting summarizers, planning tools.
6. Local Services
AI quote generators for cleaners, plumbers, landscapers, mobile mechanics, and home service businesses.
Why UX Still Matters in the Age of AI
One of the strongest lessons from the story is that design and user experience still matter.
The founder specifically noted that designers and people with UX experience are well-positioned now that programming barriers are lower. He also warned that strong UX can separate real products from lazily built “vibe-coded” apps.
That is important.
AI can help you build faster.
But AI does not automatically make your product good.
A successful AI app still needs:
- clean onboarding
- simple navigation
- clear pricing
- fast results
- useful output
- trust
- strong retention
People will not keep paying for an AI app just because it exists.
They will keep paying if it becomes part of their routine.
Aqyreon Money Section: How You Can Start Your Own AI App Side Hustle
Step 1: Pick One Painful Problem
Choose a task people already do often.
Good examples:
- writing captions
- tracking expenses
- creating invoices
- organizing leads
- planning meals
- managing tasks
- writing emails
- summarizing meetings
Avoid ideas that are too broad.
“AI productivity app” is too vague.
“AI quote generator for pressure washing businesses” is much stronger.
Step 2: Choose a Simple Monetization Model
For beginners, start with one of these:
- $5–$15/month subscription
- $19–$49 one-time purchase
- free trial then paid plan
- affiliate-supported free tool
- paid templates plus AI workflow
The best model depends on how often users need the tool.
If they need it weekly or daily, subscription makes sense.
If they only need it once, sell it as a one-time product.
Step 3: Build the Smallest Useful Version
Your MVP should do one thing well.
Not ten things.
For example:
Instead of building a full AI business suite, build:
“An AI tool that creates 5 professional invoice follow-up emails for freelancers.”
That is specific.
That is easy to explain.
That is easier to sell.
Step 4: Test With Real Users
Post the tool on:
- TikTok
- Instagram Reels
- Reddit communities
- Product Hunt
- X/Twitter
- Facebook groups
- niche newsletters
Watch what people ask.
Their questions can become your next features.
Step 5: Partner With Distribution Early
This is the MonAi lesson.
Do not wait until the product is perfect before finding a creator, blogger, newsletter owner, or niche community operator.
A good partner can help you understand:
- what users care about
- what story sells
- what features confuse people
- what content converts
- what niche has stronger demand
Distribution should not be an afterthought.
It should be part of the business model.
Example AI App Ideas You Can Build
AI Expense Tracker for Gig Workers
Helps DoorDash, Instacart, Uber, and Favor drivers track expenses, mileage, and deductions.
Monetization: monthly subscription or affiliate links to tax tools.
AI Product Description Generator for Etsy Sellers
Creates SEO-friendly titles, descriptions, and tags.
Monetization: subscription, template pack, or Etsy seller tool affiliate offers.
AI Proposal Generator for Freelancers
Creates polished client proposals from a short project description.
Monetization: monthly plan or one-time lifetime deal.
AI Follow-Up Email Assistant for Small Businesses
Writes polite follow-up emails for unpaid invoices, missed calls, and abandoned quotes.
Monetization: $9/month subscription.
AI Content Repurposing Tool for Coaches
Turns one idea into LinkedIn posts, Instagram captions, email newsletters, and short video scripts.
Monetization: subscription plus affiliate links to video tools.
What Beginners Should Not Do
Avoid these mistakes:
Do Not Build for Two Years Without Validation
The founder already learned this the hard way with his first app. Long development does not guarantee demand.
Do Not Add Too Many Features
Too many features can make your AI tool confusing.
Simple can convert better.
Do Not Ignore Pricing
A good free product with no monetization plan is not a business.
Do Not Depend Only on Paid Ads
MonAi experimented with ads, but low app pricing made ROI challenging.
Do Not Try to Do Everything Alone
The founder said he would partner up earlier if he could do it again.
That is a big lesson for AI builders.
You may be good at product.
Someone else may be better at distribution.
Together, the business can grow faster.
Final Thoughts: The Best AI Business May Be Small, Focused, and Profitable
The MonAi story proves something important:
You do not need to build the next OpenAI to make money with AI.
You can build a small, useful app that solves a specific problem and still create meaningful revenue.
The future of AI income will not only belong to big tech companies.
It will also belong to indie builders, creators, niche experts, and small teams who understand one simple truth:
AI is most profitable when it removes friction from a problem people already care about.
Build something useful.
Keep it simple.
Launch fast.
Charge early.
Partner with people who can tell the story.
That is how AI becomes more than a trend.
That is how AI becomes a business.
