Vibe Coding and Selling Projects on Indiemaker: What You Need to Know

Forget pixel-perfect code – vibe coding is about speed, AI assistance, and getting a working product out the door fast. Here’s what that means if you’re planning to sell on Indiemaker.

Vibe coding is the latest evolution in software development – where instead of sweating over every line of code, you let AI handle 95% of the work. It’s about embracing AI, moving fast, and prioritising product over perfect code. As Andrej Karpathy put it, it's about “fully giving in to the vibes.”

This shift means:

• You’re more of a product engineer than a traditional developer.
• You roll with the AI’s output instead of fixing every bug – rewriting is cheaper than debugging.
• Speed beats perfection – launching a rough but functional product is the goal.
• AI is your co-pilot, not your intern – judging output quality is now a skill.

Vibe coding is great for rapid iteration, prototyping, and MVPs. But can you actually sell something built this way?

Selling Vibe Coded Projects on Indiemaker

Good news – you can sell vibe-coded projects on Indiemaker. The same submission guidelines apply:

• The project must be functional and accessible (a live URL or demo).
• No vaporware – if it’s just a ChatGPT prompt and a half-baked idea, it won’t fly.
• AI-generated code quality varies, so buyers must do their due diligence.
• Pre-revenue and experimental projects are fine, but they should offer real value to potential buyers.

✅ When Vibe Coding Works for Selling

• Micro SaaS tools – Small, niche tools with limited scope and clear functionality.
• Simple automation projects – AI-powered scripts and bots that perform specific tasks.
• Prototypes with potential – MVPs that could evolve into a full product.
• Side-projects that solve a real problem – Something useful, even if it's not polished.

❌ When Vibe Coding Won’t Cut It

• Blatant copies of existing software – AI makes it easy to spin up clones of popular apps, but a shoddy AI-generated knockoff isn’t innovation – it’s theft.
• Messy AI-generated spaghetti code – If nobody (including you) can debug it, it’s not sellable.
• Projects with zero users or traction – Just because you built something in a weekend doesn’t mean it has value.

Copy-Pasting Your Way to a Lawsuit?

With vibe coding, it’s easier than ever to prompt up an AI-generated version of a successful app. But let’s be honest - cloning isn’t building. If your project is just an AI-regurgitated version of someone else’s hard work, it won’t hold value in the long run. Buyers aren’t looking for half-baked copies; they want original, functional tools with real potential.

So, before listing a project, ask yourself: Are you selling something unique, or just an AI-generated ripoff of an existing product? If it’s the latter, it won’t easily sell. And we reserve the right not to publish it.

The Reality of Buying an AI-Coded Project

AI-assisted coding is fast, but it comes with baggage. If you're thinking about buying a vibe-coded project, don’t just get caught up in the speed and hype – look under the hood first. Here’s why:

1. Technical Debt Will Catch Up

Vibe coding is great for launching an MVP, but scaling? That’s a different beast. AI-generated code often comes with serious trade-offs:

• Bloated & Inefficient – AI tends to over-engineer simple tasks, creating unnecessary complexity.
• Hard to Maintain – Debugging AI-written code is like trying to read someone’s half-baked thought process in another language.
• Costly at Scale – The more users you get, the more these inefficiencies pile up, driving up infrastructure costs.

If you’re buying a project to grow into something sustainable, expect to refactor or rewrite chunks of the code at some point.

2. Most Users Don’t Care About Vibes – They Care About Reliability

Reddit is already filled with frustrated developers trying to untangle AI-generated code. If you're buying a project, you’re not just getting software – you’re inheriting all its quirks, bugs, and weird AI decisions.

More importantly, a project is not a business. Even if the code works without users, traction, and a clear revenue model, it’s just a bundle of files. Turning software into a real business means:

• Attracting and retaining users – because without them, there’s no business.
• Fixing technical issues – You’ll still need to budget for real engineers.
• Handling operational headaches – Scaling, customer support, and marketing don’t run on vibes alone.

Vibe coding might make software faster to build, but success still comes down to execution. If you're buying an AI-generated project, be ready to run a business – not just a tech experiment.

3. Not a Dealbreaker – If You Know the Tools

That said, buying a vibe-coded project is great for solopreneurs without hardcore technical skill – if you’re familiar with AI development tools, you might be able to maintain it yourself for a while. AI coding assistants like Cursor, Claude, or ChatGPT can help with debugging, adding features, and even refactoring parts of the code.

This means:

• You can run the project with minimal engineering effort – at least in the short term.
• If you know how to prompt well, AI can help maintain the code – reducing your dependency on developers.
• It’s a great way to operate a simple SaaS or automation tool – especially for indiemakers who want to test product-market fit before hiring.

So, while AI-generated projects may not be built to last forever, if you’re comfortable with the tools that created them, you can keep them running, experiment, and even turn them into something bigger.

The Smart Way to Sell a Vibe-Coded Project

If you’re listing an AI-built project on Indiemaker, make it appealing to buyers:

• Be upfront about how it was built – Transparency matters.
• Include post-sale support – Buyers may need help maintaining or modifying the AI-generated code.
• Show user traction – A project with active users is far more valuable than a codebase with potential.
• Offer a clear transition plan – AI-generated software often lacks clear documentation – help the buyer navigate it.

Final Thoughts

Vibe coding is exciting, weird, and undeniably powerful, but it’s not a shortcut to building an empire. If you plan to sell a vibe-coded project, ensure it works, provides value, and doesn’t collapse under its own weight.

Indiemaker is open to these kinds of projects – keep in mind that buyers will want something they can actually use. So, if you’ve built something cool (and functional), why not list it? Someone out there might vibe with it enough to buy. 🚀

The less fun version:
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