Tony Dinh
@tdinh_me
Built TypingMind to $1M+ ARR. Sold BlackMagic.so. Ships indie software from Vietnam.
Last updated · Content reviewed
Tony Dinh is a Vietnamese indie hacker who built TypingMind, a chat frontend UI for AI models like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. He launched it five days after OpenAI opened the ChatGPT API in March 2023, crossed $500,000 in cumulative revenue within a year, and now reports over $1M per year. He previously founded and sold BlackMagic.so, a Twitter analytics tool. He wrote a 275-page book on indie hacking and co-organized a hacker residency in Da Nang, Vietnam.
Our take
Tony Dinh is the fastest mover in this cohort. Five days from API launch to shipped product. That speed, not the product itself, is what mattered - TypingMind was first to the 'bring your own API key' niche. He then outworked copycats with 213 updates in three years.
By the numbers
TypingMind ARR
$1M+
Updates shipped
213+
Paying users
20K+
From BlackMagic to TypingMind
Dinh's first notable product was BlackMagic.so, a Twitter analytics and CRM tool he built in 2022. When it hit $5,000 per month he felt financially free and started cutting his working hours. He later sold BlackMagic and turned his attention to AI.
TypingMind - the five-day launch
In early March 2023, five days after OpenAI opened its ChatGPT API, Dinh shipped TypingMind: a clean web UI that lets users bring their own API keys instead of paying a $20/month subscription. The first version had no backend. It launched on Product Hunt and went viral immediately. Within a year he reported $500,000 in cumulative revenue.
213 updates and counting
The 2026 version of TypingMind supports 18 AI providers, features projects, parallel chats, plugins, MCP support, and a dedicated Teams version for businesses. Over 20,000 users pay for it, with a 4.9/5 rating. Dinh has pushed over 213 updates since launch.
Frequently asked questions
- What is TypingMind?
- A chat frontend UI for AI models like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. Users bring their own API keys, avoiding monthly subscriptions. It supports 18 AI providers, plugins, MCP, and team collaboration.
- How much revenue does TypingMind make?
- Tony Dinh reported over $1M per year in revenue. It crossed $500,000 in cumulative revenue within its first year. Figures are self-reported.
- What happened to BlackMagic.so?
- BlackMagic.so was a Twitter analytics and CRM tool Dinh built in 2022. He sold it when he shifted focus to AI products.