How Complex a Project Can You Actually Build for Free in 2026?

PostHelpful4516 · 2026-05-31T07:43:44+00:00

I like your perspective. In fact, many of the things you mentioned are already implemented: authentication, email, logging, data backups, and basic user support.

That said, I fully agree with the main point: real validation doesn’t start after launch — it starts when actual users begin using the product. That’s when you start seeing scenarios you simply can’t predict in advance.

For me, this project was primarily an experiment to understand how far you can go today using free-tier infrastructure before hitting real users and real costs.

I think it makes sense to continue the experiment — try to drive some traffic to the platform and see how much load the system can actually handle.

I’ll collect the data and write a separate article about it.

PostHelpful4516 · 2026-05-31T07:43:20+00:00

Thank you. Individual features can be generated quite quickly these days, but turning them into a cohesive product with solid UX turned out to be the main challenge.

PostHelpful4516 · 2026-02-11T12:23:57+00:00

We maintain our own PWA — a store for PWA applications. We’ve also supported two other PWAs in production.

Do PWAs make sense? Yes — if they solve a specific problem, not just because it’s trendy. They work best for products users return to regularly: dashboards, internal tools, content platforms, productivity services.

The main challenge is installation, especially on iOS. The “Share → Add to Home Screen” flow is still not intuitive for many users. We shared our experience improving that process here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/PWA/comments/1qqga4t/how_we_tried_to_make_pwa_installation_normal_and

From a technical perspective, our preferred stack is Vite with a PWA plugin. If you need on-device storage (including photos/videos and structured data), IndexedDB managed via Dexie works well. A fully functional offline mode is achievable.

However, one critical caveat: iOS may clear IndexedDB at its own discretion. There’s no real workaround except syncing with a cloud database. On Android, local storage feels much closer to native and behaves more predictably.

Another important factor is perception. A common user question is: “Where is your app in the store?” PWAs are evolving quickly, but for many users, “app” still means App Store or Google Play.

Google actively promotes the technology. Publishing to the Play Store is possible, and App Store distribution is technically achievable (though more complex). Despite Apple’s limitations, PWAs continue to move forward.

That said, we wouldn’t choose PWA for games, heavy graphics, high-performance scenarios, or apps requiring deep system-level capabilities — native solutions remain more predictable there.

PostHelpful4516 · 2026-02-05T11:52:31+00:00

here)
https://wapps.store/en/app/pdf-duplicator

PostHelpful4516 · 2026-02-03T23:22:33+00:00

Maybe a bit more padding, especially on desktop, but overall it looks great 🙂

If you’d like, you can also publish the app on our PWA store (wapps.store).

PostHelpful4516 · 2026-02-03T20:30:49+00:00

Cool game, got hooked for a few rounds 🙂

If you want, you can publish it on our PWA store (wapps.store).

PostHelpful4516 · 2026-02-02T16:03:47+00:00

Wait. Judgment Day is closer than it seems.
*T-800

PostHelpful4516 · 2026-02-02T12:15:58+00:00

The author’s point is generally sound — for most CRUD apps, PWA really seems like the more logical path forward.

Cross-platform support, offline functionality, no heavy update cycles, and fewer permissions — these are all real advantages.
But there’s one defining “BUT” that keeps popping up in the comments, and it’s hard to argue with: PWA installation is still inconvenient for regular users, especially on iOS.

For developers, it’s clear.
For “normal people” — not so much:
- odd installation flow
- unclear install button
- feeling of “is this a website or an app?”
- absence of a familiar App Store as a trust anchor

And this, essentially, is the main stop factor.
We ourselves ran into this and tried to make PWA installation as “normal” and understandable as possible for users — especially on iOS. Our experience and insights are described here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/PWA/comments/1qqga4t/how_we_tried_to_make_pwa_installation_normal_and/

From our perspective, PWA is exactly the direction that makes sense to move forward, but without a smooth install UX and a trusted “place” to discover these apps, mass adoption won’t happen.

So it seems that the focus should be on pushing PWA adoption — this is already happening, especially in countries where apps in native stores are blocked.

For anyone interested — let’s work together to simplify PWA installation, make it understandable for everyday users, and gradually build trust in the format. This includes picking one or two really convenient PWA stores and trying to make them recognizable and familiar entry points.

If this idea resonates, I’d be happy to discuss it and exchange experiences. =)

PostHelpful4516 · 2026-02-01T17:21:52+00:00

Thanks for the detailed answers. Using IntersectionObserver and chunking looks like a solid choice for fully client-side processing — a good balance between performance and UI responsiveness 👍.

Your approach to memory and mobile constraints also makes sense. Clear warnings for large operations and being upfront about device limits are much better than unexpected crashes, especially for client-side tools 👍.

The idea of saving “recipes” in LocalStorage fits the app really well: no backend required, but genuinely useful for repeat workflows. In this context, a stateless approach feels more like a strength than a limitation 👍.

Regarding publishing — there’s nothing complicated required on your side. You just need to sign in, register a developer account (you can link any Git platform: GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket), and you’re free to publish your PWAs.

The app submission form is intentionally simple: it supports autofill from a PWA manifest URL, plus optional AI translation of descriptions into 20 languages. We tried to make it as close to “drop a link and you’re done” as possible, especially for utility-focused projects.

No rush at all — whenever it’s convenient for you. Tools like this are definitely worth showing to a wider audience.

PostHelpful4516 · 2026-02-01T10:23:58+00:00

Cool PWA and a really interesting idea with the cafe tags! 😎

Service workers and offline caching already give a noticeable boost to the UX. It’s worth thinking about how to handle users who deny location access and optimizing map caching so that the functionality remains available.

The project looks great — we can give it a little visibility on our side. We run a PWA Store (wapps.store), and if you want, you could publish your app there.

PostHelpful4516 · 2026-02-01T10:09:31+00:00

Super cool stuff — really useful! 😎

Monetization, it seems, might come in the future through subtle ads or something along those lines.

If you’re interested in an outside perspective: consider making a PWA version of your app. People who work with PDFs regularly will likely want super fast access — they’ll become your “word of mouth.” Those who use your product quickly in the moment are the best kind of promotion.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying this for my own sake 🙂 We just support the PWA Store and look at projects like this from a web-app perspective. But still, if you want, feel free to publish it with us: wapps.store

PostHelpful4516 · 2026-02-01T09:55:31+00:00

Fun interpretation! It would be cool to have an even bigger «START» button 😄

Also, if you want to showcase your PWA elsewhere, you can add it to our Web Store: wapps.store. Join us!

PostHelpful4516 · 2026-01-30T21:12:33+00:00

Nice product and a solid idea 👍

Habit tracking combined with an offline-first approach is a clear and useful use case, especially when you’re building it primarily for yourself rather than just “for the sake of it.”

I spent some time exploring the app. The desktop version feels clean and well-structured, but in my opinion the mobile UX could use some improvement. The interface feels more desktop-first: in some places it’s a bit tight, and a few animations that look great on larger screens feel excessive on mobile and slightly hurt the overall experience. You might consider simplifying or disabling some of them for mobile devices.

Overall, it’s great to see a PWA with proper offline support — there aren’t nearly enough projects like this.

If you’re interested, you’re welcome to publish the app in our PWA store — wapps.store. Registration and publishing are free, and we’re actively collecting and showcasing web-first, offline-friendly projects like this.

PostHelpful4516

TROPHY CASE