Solo dev makes full PMBOK project-management tool free, bets on depth for revenue

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A solo developer has launched VanillaPM, a full-featured project-management platform built on the PMBOK 8th-edition framework, and made its entire core permanently free with no seat limits or paywalls. The developer says the decision was driven by a gap in the market: tools that genuinely teach project management are locked behind enterprise pricing, leaving students, freelancers, and small nonprofits without access. VanillaPM is positioned as the first module of a broader business suite, with finance, HR, and payroll tools in development on the same platform. Potential revenue streams under consideration include hosted AI, enterprise-grade features, support tiers, and a paid teaching layer, while the core PM lifecycle will remain free. The developer acknowledges the model carries real financial risk and is building in public, sharing both successes and failures as the business evolves.

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