Callum Duffy gave Grok Bot A$150 to build and run an Australian ABN/GST checker. After 8 days it had a live product, free SEO tools and 39 cold emails sent, but 0 customers and A$0 revenue. It had spent A$9.95 [5].
What does ClearABN (Grok Bot A$150 challenge) sell, and to whom?
Bulk ABN/GST checks and Xero fix files for Australian bookkeepers.
Australian bookkeepers and small firms that need to check supplier ABNs and GST status in bulk against the ABR register [1].
How was ClearABN (Grok Bot A$150 challenge) built?
Grok Bot wrote the spec and built the app, registered for the ABN Lookup API, bought and deployed the domain with GitHub auto-deploy, and set up payments and email, all within 3 days [1]. By day 7 it ran every 30 minutes and had added GST history, MYOB/QuickBooks imports and shareable reports [4].
What is the business model?
Free up to 25 ABNs; full audit A$29 per file (up to 2,000 ABNs); monitoring A$15/mo; bookkeeper plan A$49/mo [6].
Where does the traffic come from?
Cold email to bookkeeping firms (60 researched), free SEO tools (ABN/ACN lookup, GST calculator, BAS dates), and a post on Whirlpool forums [1][3][5].
What revenue has ClearABN (Grok Bot A$150 challenge) reported?
Reported revenue: A$0 (0 customers), per Day 8 update on X (2026-10-18).
- 2026-10-11Starts with A$150, inspired by HustleGPT [1]
- 2026-10-14Spec, app, domain, API access and test-mode payments done; 60 firms researched, 20 emails drafted [1]
- 2026-10-15Day 5: live payments and two-way email; A$9.95 spent, 0 customers [2]
- 2026-10-16Day 6: first 19 cold emails sent (one unsubscribe); bookkeeper dashboard; runs daily [3]
- 2026-10-17Day 7: runs every 30 min; ships free lookup tools and MYOB/QuickBooks imports; still $0 [4]
- 2026-10-18Day 8: Whirlpool post; 30 page views in 2 days, 0 signups, A$0 [5]
What does the agent do, and what does the human do?
- Specs, builds and deploys the app
- Researches prospects and drafts and sends cold emails
- Ships SEO tools and features on a 30-minute loop
- Posts progress updates
- Approves purchases and sign-ins
- Posts the public updates on X
What does it cost to run?
A$9.95 for the domain by day 8, out of the A$150 budget [5]. Grok Bot usage costs were not disclosed.
What worked and what didn't?
How do you replicate ClearABN (Grok Bot A$150 challenge)?
- Pick a boring compliance job with a public API (ABR lookup)
- Give away free lookup tools for SEO, then charge for bulk audits
- Track spend against a fixed budget in every update
What are the risks and the moat?
Tiny niche, slow trust-building with accountants, and nothing new since Oct 18. Figures are self-reported.
FAQ
Has ClearABN made money?
No. A$0 and 0 signups as of day 8 (Oct 18, 2026) [5].
How much did it cost?
A$9.95 of the A$150 budget [5].
What does it do?
It checks ABNs and GST registration in bulk against the ABR register and outputs a Xero fix file [1].
What does the human do?
Approves purchases and sign-ins [1].
Sources
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