TrustMRR: A Simple Way to Share Real Startup Numbers

If you spend time on Twitter or indie hacker communities, you've probably seen the screenshots. A founder posts their revenue dashboard showing $50,000 made in their first month. Another claims they hit six figures in just two weeks. Some of these stories are real, but many aren't.

This is the problem that TrustMRR tries to solve. It's a straightforward platform where startup founders can prove their revenue numbers using their actual Stripe data.

What is TrustMRR?

TrustMRR is a database of verified startup revenues. Instead of trusting a screenshot that could be edited in Photoshop, you get numbers pulled directly from Stripe.

The platform was created by Marc Lou, a well-known figure in the indie hacker community for building projects like DataFast, ShipFast, and various other popular tools.

The idea is simple: if you want to share your startup's revenue publicly, TrustMRR gives you a way to do it that people can actually trust.

How Does It Work?

The verification process is straightforward, though it does require you to be comfortable sharing your revenue data publicly.

You connect your Stripe account using a read-only API key. This means the platform can see your numbers but can't make any changes or access sensitive info.

Once connected, TrustMRR generates a verified revenue page showing your MRR (monthly recurring revenue) and total revenue pulled directly from Stripe's servers.

The system is completely transparent, so you can't edit or cherry-pick data. What Stripe reports is what gets displayed. Your startup then appears on a public leaderboard ranked by last 30 days' revenue.

Why Would Anyone Do This?

• It builds credibility. Verified numbers mean something. You're proving success, not just claiming it.
• You get a backlink. Every verified startup gets a dofollow backlink from TrustMRR helping in increasing your domain authority.
• It's free. You don't pay to be listed or verified.
• It helps the community. Real numbers help aspiring founders see what early-stage startups actually make.

The Early Success

TrustMRR itself had a pretty impressivelaunch , within 48 hours it attracted 35,000 visitors and Marc sold ad slots worth $10,085 in MRR.

The leaderboard shows startups across all stages, from five figures monthly to those just starting out. That transparency is refreshing.

Who's Using It?

The leaderboard features a mix of indie projects and small SaaS tools including CodeFast, ShipFast (Marc's own products), and others. Startups at every stage share their numbers, showing realistic progress instead of only success stories.

Getting Listed on TrustMRR

If you're interested in listing your startup, the process is fairly simple:

1. 1. Visit TrustMRR.com
2. 2. Create an account
3. 3. Connect your Stripe account with your read-only API key.

Is This the Future?

It's hard to say if revenue transparency will become standard. Many founders value privacy and that's fine. But for the indie hacker community, it fits naturally with the "build in public" movement. Verified revenue data adds another layer of authenticity.

Things to Consider

Before you rush to list your startup, think about a few things:

Your revenue is public. Anyone can see it, including competitors, potential customers, and future employers if things don't work out.
The numbers update automatically. You can't hide a bad month or wait until you hit a milestone to update. Whatever Stripe shows is what appears.
You're trusting a third-party platform with your API access. While it's read-only, you should still be comfortable with this arrangement.

Final Thoughts

TrustMRR isn't promising magical growth. It's a simple, useful tool that helps founders showcase their real revenue numbers.

For some, that's valuable. For others, privacy matters more. Both are valid choices.

If you're curious what other indie hackers are making, or want to share your own verified numbers, visit trustmrr.com to explore the leaderboard or submit your startup.