MeerGuard VPN
VPN subscription service with 5000+ active users and zero ad spend
Screenshots
Problem
After a client project building a VPN app, I learned the tech stack: Xray, VLESS, server configuration. Started sharing VPN with friends, improving configs. The idea came to build a subscription service, but instead of an iOS app (long App Store approval, expensive development), go with a Telegram bot to validate demand fast.
Solution
Built a Telegram bot instead of an app. The bot handles the full subscription lifecycle: registration, plan selection, payment, key generation, and server management. Four payment providers integrated (YooKassa for Russian cards, CryptoBot for crypto, Telegram Stars, Tribute). Backend runs on Python/Aiogram 3 with PostgreSQL, Redis, and Celery for background tasks. 5 Docker containers in production. Admin panel inside the same bot: user management, broadcast messaging, promo codes (single and bulk), refund processing, payment analytics by provider. Referral system with two-sided bonuses. Integration with Remnawave panel via REST API for VPN server management across 8 countries.
Results
- +5000+ active users
- +4 payment providers, 42 000+ payments processed
- +Breakeven by month 3. Subscriptions: ~$2/month, ~$5/3 months
- +Zero ad spend: organic traffic from YouTube
- +7 months from idea to production (Feb - Oct 2025), not full-time
- +Full test coverage, clean architecture
Role & timeline
Co-founder. Started bot development and VPN setup. Now: YouTube promotion, management, advertising, tech decisions. Team: 1 backend developer (bot + backend), 1 DevOps engineer (VPN configuration), 1 full-stack developer (iOS, Android, Web, Mac)