Why I Built It

November 3rd 2025 - I wanted a simple way to collect testimonials for my projects and SaaS websites.
But every tool I found out there either:

— only worked with specific website builders like WordPress or Webflow

— felt too corporate and bloated with features I didn’t need

— or was just way too expensive for what it offered

So, I decided to build my own.
Something clean, customizable, and focused on what actually matters:
getting authentic testimonials fast, without overcomplicating things.

That’s how TestiWall was born, a minimal tool that helps creators, indie hackers, and small businesses easily collect and display testimonials in minutes.

The Idea

I didn’t want another bloated SaaS. I wanted something that I would actually use, a tool that was fast, customizable, and didn’t require learning yet another dashboard.

The idea behind TestiWall was simple:

— make it easy to collect testimonials with a single link

— keep it flexible enough so users can fully customize how they look

— and make it lightweight, so you can integrate it anywhere regardless of your tech stack

The Stack

Here’s the full stack I used to bring TestiWall to life:

— Next.js – For SEO optimization, server-side rendering, and link building.

— React – To build fast, reusable, and modular UI components.

— JavaScript – Core language powering the entire application.

— Tailwind CSS – For clean, utility-first styling.

— DaisyUI – To handle themes and ready to use UI components.

— Next-intl – For internationalization, allowing the app to support both English and Spanish.

— PostgreSQL – As the main relational database.

— Prisma – For type-safe and efficient database communication during development.

— Stripe – As the payment processor for subscriptions and purchases.

— Auth.js – To manage user authentication via magic links.

— MailGun – For sending transactional emails during user authentication.

— AWS S3 – To store video testimonials securely.

— CloudFront – To deliver videos efficiently from S3, reducing costs.

— Vercel – To host both the frontend and backend of the app.

— Railway – To host the PostgreSQL database in production.

I worked solo around 300+ hours in total, spread over 25 days. As a self-taught indie hacker, I like building fast and learning as I go.

I started with the authentication flow (always the foundation), then built the ability to create “Spaces” basically projects which was a simple CRUD system.

If there’s one big takeaway from this build, it’s that structure matters. Next time, I’ll start with a clear flow of how the app should behave to avoid getting tangled in logic halfway through development.
That alone would have saved me several days.

The Launch

When I launched TestiWall, I had 0 users and no audience. No email list. Just me, my product, and the internet.

I posted it on:

— Product Hunt

— Hacker News

— Threads

— X (Twitter)

— Instagram

— Reddit

My goal wasn’t to get hundreds of signups. It was to put something real out there, get honest feedback, and start building momentum one user at a time.

Launching without an audience is scary, but also freeing. You don’t have expectations, just pure curiosity and the drive to improve.

What’s Next

Right now, my focus is on:

— Getting early adopters who can give me real feedback,

— Improving TestiWall based on how people use it,

— Optimizing performance and the onboarding flow,

— And working on new features that actually make sense not just adding noise.

By the way, I’m still stuck with this startup. I really suck at marketing, man! I have to improve my skills in this area if I want to succeed with any of my startups.

“We don’t do this because it’s easy, but because we thought it would be easy”
-Someone

I built TestiWall in 25 days (300+ hours of work) — here’s what I learned

Before you go…