Tell HN: I'm making 1K USD per hour with AI
Former front-end web developer/vibe coder here. I've started using AI tools to streamline my workflow. I'm now able to create marketing websites in under 2 hours and charge $1k-$2k per site. My hourly earnings have increased to around $1k USD. Thought I'd share my experience with the community. AMA.
19 comments
You know how you can extend your career? By keeping these things close to the chest
TBH, I'm not afraid of competition. I think it's the best time to make money.
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That's impressive! What specific AI tools are you using to build these websites and how are you handling customization and client feedback?
I'm using combinations of Kiro.dev, Gemini, ChatGPT for image generation etc. I get client's feedback and use same tools for making any updates. Close to zero custom coding.
What's your hosting stack? Do you stick to one type? How are things maintained long-term?
Cloudflare workers, D1 for database.
But… how many hours are billable? I guess you must have a good marketing site?
I'm not charging by hour, but per project. I have a marketing site, but I'm not getting new clients through my website. All of the new projects are through cold calling.
So you do two websites over the course of a week. You must do cold calling and outreach to maintain that momentum. You are not making $1k/hr. You have a ~$50/hr side hustle before you've paid your ±35-45% taxes.
that's not terrible in many places. high chance the OP is not in the US
Are you just doing design by generating mockups in Gemini/ChatGPT?
No, I am not generating mockups. I am building live websites directly, following established brand guidelines.
How many sites are you doing per week?
I have a full time job, it's a side hustle, I do 1-2 websites per week.
How you find customers?
I found a niche that is not occupied, I call them directly.