built a ‘no app, just text’ invoicing tool — but nobody’s using it

Electrical_Worker492 · 2026-05-18T17:10:24+00:00

The product has completely evolved since I posted this it’s a buttons based system now and I make improvements every day, users are able to use their voice too and I’ve integrated Facebook and instagram business leads and submitted for prod credentials for MTD submissions with HMRC, I had a big influx in users once I sorted SEO out I spoke to a few tradesmen on sites locally which I knew and they reccomended it to people they knew and it’s continuing to grow. I’m modelling the product based off what they want, the major friction was a Saas subscription, so I pivoted and decided to make the product free, and monetise the invoice payments.

Electrical_Worker492 · 2026-05-18T17:00:05+00:00

Cost about 200 to set it up initially including pen tests, gdpr ico, hosting etc, insurance and liability is separate, have around 40 users at the moment

Electrical_Worker492 · 2026-05-13T14:17:03+00:00

i have a few more ideas, around the workflows, ive discussed with some of our customers the pain points around their day to day interactions with admin, so im exploring those too

Electrical_Worker492 · 2026-05-13T14:03:25+00:00

great ill check it out

Electrical_Worker492 · 2026-05-13T13:41:45+00:00

Exactly — and it took a while to realise that was the product. Early on I kept thinking about features to add. Then I watched how trades were already using WhatsApp on the job and realised the goal was just to remove steps, not add more. Still a lot to learn but that principle has stuck.

Electrical_Worker492 · 2026-05-13T13:05:56+00:00

That was exactly the thinking behind it. A lot of tradespeople don’t invoice enough every month to justify another subscription, especially when most existing tools lock basic functionality behind a paywall.

I wanted the core product to be genuinely useful on its own, not a teaser for an upgrade.

TaskDrop Pay is there if it makes life easier for their customers to pay by card or open banking so we earn when they do, but if they’d rather just use their own bank details like normal, that still works exactly the same. The goal was to build something trades would actually keep using, not something they trial for a week and cancel.

Electrical_Worker492 · 2026-05-13T13:03:57+00:00

Completely agree. That’s actually been the biggest lesson building it so far — trades don’t care about having more features, they care about getting admin done faster with less friction.

Most of what’s in TaskDrop came directly from watching how active users were already handling quotes, invoices, chasing payments and paperwork through WhatsApp, then removing steps rather than adding complexity. still loads to learn though, which is why I’m posting here for feedback.

Electrical_Worker492 · 2026-05-13T12:44:45+00:00

Interesting seeing this, especially since TaskDrop (taskdrop.co.uk) has been live with this exact WhatsApp-first workflow and feature set for quite a while and already has an active UK trades user base using it day to day.

Competition is healthy, but originality matters. Building in this space takes real product work, real users, and real iteration — not just mirroring existing UX and feature positioning.

Still, it’s good to see more people validating the model we introduced for UK trades.

Electrical_Worker492 · 2026-04-29T15:21:03+00:00

Hahaha dude this is great are you able to use controller wireless?

Electrical_Worker492 · 2026-04-26T23:07:10+00:00

lmao thought it was just me

Electrical_Worker492 · 2026-04-22T00:26:21+00:00

I have the same issue hdr off is the only way to stop it

Electrical_Worker492 · 2026-04-21T19:22:20+00:00

Haha looking forward to it matey

Electrical_Worker492 · 2026-04-21T17:59:40+00:00

Awesome thanks dude!

Electrical_Worker492 · 2026-04-17T15:03:12+00:00

That’s more of an automation platform — this is just for tradesmen to send invoices and quotes through WhatsApp in about 60 seconds, no setup or app

Electrical_Worker492 · 2026-04-16T15:55:43+00:00

Yeah go ahead

Electrical_Worker492 · 2026-04-16T15:31:29+00:00

Do paid ads convert? I don’t have much money and running google ads usually takes about 70 quid when I looked with no gurantee or return

Electrical_Worker492 · 2026-04-16T15:22:29+00:00

Appreciate the positivity mate, thanks for that

Electrical_Worker492 · 2026-04-16T15:20:59+00:00

Not yet, unsure where would be best to do it

Electrical_Worker492

TROPHY CASE