Maybe

In a world where financial uncertainty often leaves individuals struggling to visualize their futures, Maybe exists to illuminate the path toward comprehensive financial empowerment. We envision a future where every person has full control and clarity over their economic destiny, enabled by technology that integrates income, savings, investments, and time into one seamless experience.

Our mission is to transform how people think about money planning by creating holistic, user-driven financial tools that answer the real "maybes" of life—those what-ifs around stability, growth, and freedom. By committing to open-source principles, we foster a community-led evolution of personal finance technology that adapts to diverse needs, breaking free from the constraints of traditional financial apps.

Through innovative mini-tools, transparent dashboards, and educational content, we empower our users to not just plan but to understand and shape their financial stories with confidence and foresight. Maybe is building the foundation for more resilient, informed financial lives shaped by inclusion and forward-thinking innovation.

Maybe caught our attention for all the right reasons—and then surprised us with one of the most honest pivots we've seen in fintech. What started as a subscription-based personal finance platform for millennials has become something much more interesting: a completely open-source financial planning tool that anyone can use for free.

The Honest Pivot

Here's what we respect about Maybe's founders: they didn't sugarcoat their struggles. After 18 months of development and raising $1.45 million from over 1,300 investors, they built up a waiting list of 10,000 people. But when launch time came, only about 50 users converted to their $15/month subscription.

Instead of burning through cash trying to force growth, Josh Pigford and Travis Woods made a bold call. They shut down the proprietary service and open-sourced the entire codebase under an AGPLv3 license. That's not just admitting defeat—that's turning a business challenge into a community gift.

What Actually Works

The core product remains genuinely useful. Maybe's net worth dashboard connects all your financial accounts for a complete overview, while their mini-tools tackle specific scenarios like the "FOMO Calculator" and "Freedom Calculator." These aren't gimmicky features—they're built by a team that includes a CFP and CFA who understand real financial planning needs.

We particularly appreciate their holistic approach. Rather than just tracking expenses or investments in isolation, Maybe factors in income, savings, returns, inflation, and time to help visualize your financial future. It's the kind of comprehensive view that most people cobble together using spreadsheets and multiple apps.

The Community Angle

What's fascinating is how Maybe has evolved into something bigger than a traditional SaaS business. The open-source model means anyone can self-host the platform, and the community can contribute improvements. Their Discord, TikTok, and Twitter channels remain active, and they continue producing weekly financial education content.

This shift toward sustainability over venture-scale growth feels refreshingly honest in a space full of companies promising to "disrupt" personal finance. Sometimes the best disruption is just building something useful and letting people actually use it.