✉️ This “fake live” app hit $60,000/month.

This AI app founder made $1M in sales by himself...

Jun 08, 2025

👋 Hi and welcome to today’s edition of Venture Radar — where we uncover real internet businesses making real money, and break down how they do it.

Today’s story? An app that made over $1 million by letting people go live… without actually going live.

While most creators were chasing real followers, fighting algorithms, or battling stage fright, Parallel Live did something strange.

It gave users fake fans, fake comments, fake hearts and let them feel famous anyway and printed money.

🧠 Quick Summary

Name: Parallel Live: Fake Live
What it does: Lets users simulate a live stream with AI-generated viewers, comments, and virtual gifts creating the illusion of being live without actually going live.
Revenue: Over $1M in total sales; currently making ~$60,000/month
Model: Freemium with in-app purchases and subscription plans
Founded by: Ethan Keiser (A former Tiktok engineer & Solo founder, Big Brains LLC)
Team size: 1 (solo-built)
Website: App Store link

👾 What Is Parallel Live?

At first glance, Parallel Live feels like a prank, an app that lets you “go live” without anyone actually watching. But open it up, and you’ll see the genius.

You hit the start. A fake audience appears. Hearts fly. Comments roll in. Virtual gifts pop up.

And suddenly… you’re streaming to no one, yet it feels real.

The UI mimics TikTok Live almost perfectly. You can customize your stream background, choose how many fake followers show up, and even record your session to post later.

But beneath the surface, this isn’t just a joke. It’s a clever tool that taps into something real:
The desire to feel seen, even if it’s simulated.

Whether you’re an aspiring creator building confidence, a TikToker chasing virality, or just someone playing with digital fame, Parallel Live offers a space where the spotlight is always yours, no algorithm required.

🕵️‍♂️ So, who’s the guy behind it?

His name is Ethan Keiser, and Parallel Live is exactly the kind of strange, clever idea you'd expect from him.

He’s a former TikTok engineer, a solo indie hacker, and a viral TikTok creator. Through his one-man company, Big Brains LLC, he’s built a portfolio of quirky, viral apps but Parallel Live became his breakout hit.

While most app founders are chasing utility or productivity, Ethan tapped into something more emotional: the desire to feel seen.

In his TikTok videos, he invites users to “experience what it’s like to be famous” even if just for a moment.

That idea became the heart of Parallel Live, a mobile app that simulates a live audience with AI-generated hearts, comments, and gifts. It’s not real, and it’s not trying to be. But it feels like something close.

Some use it to practice going live. Others post their fake livestreams and go viral for real. And many just enjoy the surreal digital theater of being adored by no one.

Ethan built all of it solo and earning $60,000 per month.

📬 Distribution strategy: How they found users?

Parallel Live has nailed TikTok as a distribution channel. Here’s how they did it.

Long video (40 sec to 1 minute)
Founder using the app in a party
Shows how successful he is with it (easily impresses girls)
Creates a strong urge for viewers to download it

This video got over 10 million views:

It’s the perfect format: not only does it go viral easily, but it also drives thousands of downloads.

The key → these videos clearly show how the app delivers on its core promise: Social validation.

It also performs well on IG, so another big win.

This video got 1M views:

Parallel live has two paid plans:

$9.99/week (3-day free trial)
$39.99/year

It also monetizes through ads and in-app coin purchases.

The app can be used for free, but it only shows around 300 viewers, no verification badge, no live gifts…

👨‍🔧 Why it works

It simulates fame in a low-stakes way

Going live on real platforms like TikTok or Instagram is scary especially when no one joins. Parallel Live removes the fear of failure by giving users a guaranteed audience (even if it's fake). That confidence boost makes people feel like creators… before they actually are.

It’s a content creation tool in disguise

Users record their “fake lives” and post them on real social media. The twist? Viewers can’t always tell it’s fake and that mystery drives real engagement. The result? Viral loops. The app doesn’t just simulate virality it creates the conditions for it.

It scratches a psychological itch

Humans crave attention and affirmation. Even when it’s artificial, a stream of hearts, comments, and fake gifts can feel good. It’s the same logic behind virtual friends, Tamagotchis, or even video game dopamine loops.

It monitizes vanity gently

Users can pay to boost their fake fame: more AI viewers, faster follower count spikes, premium overlays. It’s playful, not manipulative. But the upsell is clear: pay a few bucks to look like a star.

It’s hilarious and shareable

At its core, the app is absurd and that’s part of the magic. The novelty of “pretending to be live” is funny, weird, and deeply internet. That makes it spread easily across TikTok and reels.

💡 Build something like this

Here are 3 product ideas inspired by Parallel Live’s “fake it ‘til it feels real” approach:

Idea #1: Fake Zoom Room

A solo founder’s dream: a fake, full Zoom call UI where it looks like you’re in back-to-back meetings all day. Perfect for creators making content, faking productivity, or just needing an excuse.

Idea #2: Simulated Comments Generator for Creators

A tool that overlays realistic comments, likes, and viewer counts onto any video — so small creators can visualize what success looks like (and post it to manifest the real thing).

Idea #3: Virtual Audience for Public Speakers

For coaches, founders, or streamers — an app that generates a responsive crowd (claps, nods, reactions) to practice public speaking or record content with the illusion of a live audience.

🧐 What you can learn

Emotion > Utility : Parallel Live doesn’t solve a “real” problem in the traditional sense. But it taps into something deeply human: the desire to feel seen, admired, and confident. That emotional payoff is what people are really paying for.
Simulated success is a feature, not a flaw : Instead of building a tool to get more views or followers, Ethan built a product that gives you the feeling of already having them. That flips the script and opens up new ways to build for aspiration, not just outcome.
You don’t need a big team (or real users) to build real revenue : Ethan built the entire app solo. No VC. No staff. And no actual livestream audience. Yet it’s made over $1M. Proof that in today’s internet, constraints can become creative advantages.
TikTok is a product testing lab : The app wasn’t just promoted on TikTok it was validated there. Watching people react to the idea, remix it, and laugh with it was the signal Ethan needed to scale. Your next idea might be sitting in the comments section.
People pay for fantasy if it’s fun enough : Fame. Confidence. Approval. These aren’t new desires — they’re just rarely productized this directly. Parallel Live shows that if you can make fantasy feel real (even for a minute), you can build a business around it.

📈 Similar businesses on the radar

❓ Would you build this?

🌐 Bonus resources

This AI App Founder Made $1M in Sales by Himself. (Watch)
This AI companion app hit $500,000/month, just 11 months after launch. (Read)

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