SocialCrawl: a social media data API at $35,135 a month (Stripe-verified), built in about three weeks with Claude Code and Grok
A single API that gives developers and AI agents social media and web data from 60+ platforms (TikTok, Instagram, Reddit, X and more) in one consistent format, paid mostly through usage credits.
$35,135 in the last 30 daysper month, mostly usage credits; $95,630 all-time since an April 2026 launch; TrustMRR, Stripe-verified, Oct 20, 2026
Figure as published on (YouTube). Last checked by Shipped & Paid on . What these dates mean
- Verification
- Verified Revenue read from a payment provider via a public third-party profile (e.g. TrustMRR) that matches the claim. See verification.
- App type
- Developer tools
- Currency
- US dollars (USD)
- Built with
- Claude Code, Grok
- Got customers via
- Reddit, X, Threads, SEO, Google ads
- Prior audience
- About 5,000 followers on Threads before launch, per the interview; 2,650 followers on X is an Oct 2026 count, not a pre-launch figure
- Source
- Selene Lee (cofounder), AI Bites on YouTube, Oct 1, 2026
“Building has become so much easier. ... And we built SocialCrawl I think in 3 weeks.”
Editor's note: Selene Lee has a neuroscience PhD from Oxford and no engineering background. Her cofounder and partner, Oscar Lee, is the CTO and has a PhD in AI and physical computing; together they ran a small dev agency (Ridio) that built AI products for clients, and four of their own products failed before SocialCrawl. Asked about their tools, she names Claude and Claude Code as their main AI, with Claude for planning and Grok for "writing code itself". On X she later wrote that she had gone "from claude code → codex → grok → deepseek" to cut costs. She doesn't say how much of the code AI wrote, and the team has real engineering experience. The stack is TypeScript, Next.js, Vercel and Neon. TrustMRR lists SocialCrawl as founded Apr 8, 2026, based in the UK.
How they got customers
The first sale came within 48 hours of launch, from indie-hacker WhatsApp and Discord groups where she had been active and helpful for months. Reddit then became the main source of paying and enterprise customers (she models each post on the subreddit's top posts), alongside building in public on X and Threads. SEO/GEO followed, and once revenue came in they reinvested in Google search ads.
Steps to try
Pick a market people already pay for; she found competitors making up to about $50K MRR on TrustMRR and added a twist from her own data background.
From the sourceShip fast and learn from feedback; they built SocialCrawl in about three weeks.
From the sourceBe useful in founder communities (WhatsApp, Discord) before you launch there; the first sale came within 48 hours.
From the sourceOn Reddit, copy the format of each subreddit's top posts and lead with value, not a pitch.
From the sourceFor a usage-based API, look past MRR: SocialCrawl's $1,081 MRR hides about $35K a month in credit and enterprise sales.
Our suggestion
"From the source" steps summarize the linked post. "Our suggestion" steps are general practice from us, not claims by the founder.
Source
We summarize and link. Figures are reproduced as stated and are unaudited unless marked Verified. Founder? Request a correction or removal.
Quick answers
How much does SocialCrawl make?
SocialCrawl reports $35,135 in the last 30 days (per month, mostly usage credits; $95,630 all-time since an April 2026 launch; TrustMRR, Stripe-verified, Oct 20, 2026). Source: Selene Lee (cofounder), AI Bites, Oct 1, 2026. Proof level: Verified. Revenue read from a payment provider via a public third-party profile (e.g. TrustMRR) that matches the claim.
What was SocialCrawl built with?
The source says it was built with Claude Code and Grok.
How did SocialCrawl get customers?
Main growth channels: Reddit, X, Threads, SEO and Google ads. The first sale came within 48 hours of launch, from indie-hacker WhatsApp and Discord groups where she had been active and helpful for months. Reddit then became the main source of paying and enterprise customers (she models each post on the subreddit's top posts), alongside building in public on X and Threads. SEO/GEO followed, and once revenue came in they reinvested in Google search ads.