How Gabriel grew his app NodeLand to 800 paying and 1200 free users

Meet Gabriel Xará.

Gabriel is a Brazilian software engineer based in Rio de Janeiro.

Gabriel works for a large fintech company. As a side project he runs NodeLand which brings together his passion for education and his engineering experience.

NodeLand is a tool to turn your notes into interactive mind maps

The story told by Gabriel Xará

What is NodeLand?

The story behind NodeLand began back in high school when I noticed some classmates seemed to succeed on exams with less effort than others.

I spent countless nights awake studying, yet my results were only average. This difference in outcomes made me wonder if learning came easier to some people or if there was some variable that I was not aware of.

When I later discovered cognitive psychology, I realized our brains are powerful, and using the right learning techniques can help anyone retain and understand information more effectively.

My background as an engineer and my curiosity about learning led me to create NodeLand - a platform for people who, like me, think best through visual connections and associations.

NodeLand blends the flexibility of mind maps with the practicality of notes, allowing users to create interactive documents that capture their ideas in a non-linear way.

With NodeLand, people can connect and organize their ideas more naturally, moving beyond the limits of traditional note-taking.

The launch

I started building NodeLand in August 2023 and launched in January 2024.

By September 2024, it achieved a big milestone when it was featured on Product Hunt as the number 2 Product of the Day, bringing a spike in new users.

Marketing

Through partnerships with platforms like AppSumo, we reached our first 100 users in about three months.

I was amazed by how engaged the community is and received a wealth of valuable feedback. This input has been instrumental in shaping NodeLand, helping me fine-tune the platform to better support learning efficiency.

As shown in the image below (taken from the AppSumo dashboard), it’s nice to see that most users truly appreciate NodeLand’s unique approach to note-taking.

As a bootstrapped business with limited resources, 2024 was dedicated to improving NodeLand by adding essential features and enhancing the overall user experience. I focused mainly on product development, with minimal marketing efforts except for a dozen of blog posts aimed at building long-term SEO and the Product Hunt launch.

I occasionally post about NodeLand on my X profile (example below), embracing a “build in public” mindset. Some posts where I share insights into what’s working and what’s not have generated high engagement.

One ongoing challenge has been my dependency on third-party platforms to attract new users. Building a reliable, independent approach to user acquisition is essential for growth.

In 2025, I plan to expand my reach through affiliate programs and put more focus on building a strong online presence.

The business model

NodeLand currently generates revenue primarily through a subscription-based model, offering the following pricing options:

• Monthly Subscription:
  Users can subscribe to NodeLand for $5 per month, which provides full access to all features, including unlimited mind maps, an AI assistant, advanced customization, and cloud storage.
  

• One-Time Purchase:
  Users can purchase a NodeLand license for $50, which also provides full access to all features, including unlimited mind maps, an AI assistant, advanced customization, and cloud storage.

Additionally, NodeLand is promoting a lifetime deal on AppSumo for $19. This one-time offer has been an effective way to onboard early adopters and generate early-stage revenue.

NodeLand in numbers

In 2024, NodeLand generated $8,000 in revenue, with 85% coming from lifetime deals and around 15% from monthly subscriptions.

Around 800 paying users and 1200 free users.

Screenshots from NodeLand user interface

If you’d like to know more or get connected with Gabriel Xará, you can visit his website at gxara.dev or follow him on X.