As developers, we constantly need quick tools for our daily workflows. However, in the image conversion space, we struggled to find a tool that was truly free and unlimited without the friction of "creating an account" or "leaving an email."
My friend Billel originally developed Convertino as an open-source tool for his personal use. Built with Next.js, he designed it so the conversion happens entirely in the browser (client-side). When I saw it, my entrepreneurial mindset kicked in. I asked him: "This tool is powerful and private—why don't we open it up to everyone using SEO and organic sharing?"
He loved the idea of giving back to the developer community.
But the big question was: How do we keep a free, no-registration site alive without traditional monetization?
My vision is to rely on affiliates and donations. This gives users the choice to support us or benefit from discounts, without ever forcing them to pay for the core service.
I’ve been working on the SEO foundation—adding pages, optimizing metadata, and refining content using Gemini (Hybrid Vibe Coding). To grow organically, I’m focused on sharing valuable free content on social media rather than running ads.
I truly believe that helping people for free creates a cycle of mutual support. To be fully transparent: I am currently navigating a lot of personal debt, and I believe that by helping others solve their problems, I will eventually find the help I need to solve mine.
Would love to hear your thoughts on this "value-first" approach!
Regards,
Amine
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