Should I build a simple file conversion API?

I'm frustrated with existing file conversion APIs and thinking about building a simpler alternative. But first, I want to know if others have the same problem.

🔍 Current Status: Validating Interest
No code written yet • Collecting feedback • Will build if there's real demand

The problems I keep hitting

Every time I need file conversion in a project, I face the same issues:

What I'm thinking of building

A conversion API that's actually simple to use and fairly priced:

One endpoint

POST /convert for everything. No hunting through docs.

Common formats

PDF, Word, Excel, Images. The stuff we actually use.

Fair pricing

Pay for what you use. No minimums. No contracts.

Instant response

Sync for small files. Why wait for a webhook?

Reliable

Proper error handling, retries, and monitoring.

Developer first

Clear errors, simple docs, predictable behavior.

The API I wish existed

This is how simple it should be:

# Convert anything to anything
curl -X POST https://api.fileconvert.dev/v1/convert \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -F "file=@presentation.pptx" \
  -F "format=pdf"

# Get your file immediately
{
  "url": "https://api.fileconvert.dev/files/abc123.pdf",
  "expires_in": 3600
}

If there's interest, here's my plan

→

Right now: Validation

Collecting feedback. Is this actually needed?

2

July-August: Build MVP

If 50+ people are interested, I'll start building.

3

September: Private beta

Early access for waitlist members. Free during beta.

4

Q4 2025: Public launch

If beta goes well, launch with simple, transparent pricing.

Would you use this?

If you're tired of complex file conversion APIs or fighting with open-source libraries, let me know. I'll only build this if there's real interest.

Full transparency: This is just an idea. No product exists yet. I'm a solo developer validating if this problem is worth solving. If enough people are interested, I'll build it and you'll get early access + lifetime discount.