Been thinking about opening up our API but honestly looks like a massive time sink.
Documentation alone would take weeks, then there’s developer support, rate limiting, billing integration.
All that for maybe 10-20 API customers? The math doesn’t seem to add up.
Support can get overwhelming. Try testing with a smaller group first - it’ll help manage the workload.
Price high from the start. Most people underprice their APIs thinking volume will compensate. I’d start at $200+ monthly minimum. API customers typically have budgets and genuine business needs. If they complain about pricing, they weren’t serious buyers. Track which endpoints get used too. Half your API won’t get touched, so spend time on what keeps customers around.
Skip docs. Just give customers direct access and answer questions.
The upfront work’s heavy, but you can start way smaller than you think.
Test demand first - just use basic docs and onboard the first few customers manually. If they pay well and stick around, then build the real infrastructure.
Most APIs work better as premium add-ons anyway, not standalone products.
Tried it twice with different apps. First time was a mess—wasted 3 months on docs and dashboards no one wanted.
Second time, I put up a simple form that said “API access - $500/month” and waited. Got 4 signups in two weeks.
Sent them basic auth keys and Postman collections. No fancy portal, just email support. Made back my costs in a month.
Wait for 15-20 paying customers before building the fancy stuff. Many don’t even get past 5 API customers, so validate demand first.