My name is Saurabh, and this is a story I never expected to write. A year ago, I was a mechanical engineer with an app idea that I couldn't get out of my head. Today, I'm the founder of two live mobile apps, both available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. I built them myself, from scratch, without writing a single line of traditional code.
This isn't a story about overnight success. It’s a story about frustration, a risky financial gamble, a moment of crushing disappointment where I was convinced I’d been scammed, and an unexpected turn of events that changed everything.
If you have an app idea but no technical background, or if you're looking at the high price of programs like Ambitious Labs and wondering if they're legitimate, then this review is for you. I'm going to tell you my full, unfiltered story—the good, the bad, and the moment I almost gave up.
The Dream, The Wall, and The No-Code Detour
Like many aspiring entrepreneurs, I started with a simple problem I wanted to solve. I had a vision for an app that I was passionate about, but I immediately ran into the classic founder's dilemma: I had the idea, but not the skills to build it. As a mechanical engineer, my world was gears and machinery, not databases and APIs.
My first instinct was to look into hiring developers. That door closed almost as soon as it opened. The quotes I saw were staggering. I heart horror stories from founders and their painful experiences of spending over “$10000+” on developers only to be left with unusable code. My financial situation was nowhere near that level; I couldn't afford even a fraction of the cost of a basic app build. The dream felt dead on arrival.
Determined not to give up, I started searching for alternatives. That's when I stumbled into the world of “no-code.” The concept was revolutionary to me: platforms that allow you to build software visually, without writing code. After some research, I landed on FlutterFlow. It seemed like the perfect solution. It promised the ability to build beautiful, high-quality native apps for both iOS and Android from a single project, using a drag-and-drop interface.
For the next one to two months, I enrolled myself in “YouTube University.” I consumed every free tutorial I could find, from the official FlutterFlow channel to videos by independent creators like James NoCode. And to my surprise, it worked. I managed to build a basic version of my app. I designed the screens, created the navigation, and had something that looked and felt like a real application. The initial speed of development was exhilarating and proved that the platform's core promise was real.
But then I hit a wall. A hard wall.
My app needed more than just pretty screens. It needed to connect to a database, pull in data from external sources via APIs, handle user logins, and manage complex information. This was the “advanced stuff,” and the free, unstructured videos on YouTube weren't enough to get me there. I learned that while FlutterFlow is incredibly powerful, building a production-ready app requires a deeper understanding of software engineering principles—things like database design, API integration, and state management. I had reached a plateau of complexity, a glass ceiling that my self-taught knowledge couldn't break. My app was stuck as a simple prototype, and my dream was once again on hold.
The $499 Gamble: Why I Chose Ambitious Labs
It was during my desperate search for advanced FlutterFlow tutorials that I came across a YouTube channel called “Ambitious Alim”. The creator, Alim Charaniya, wasn't just another online instructor. I quickly learned he was the founder of Ambitious Labs, and his background was seriously impressive. He was a “3x startup builder” who had co-founded a company called SeasonShare and scaled it to “$10M in revenue” before going on to lead mobile engineering at PrizePicks, the “#1 daily fantasy sports app in the USA”.
This wasn't just a guy who knew how to use a no-code tool; this was someone who had built and scaled real, successful tech companies. His personal story also resonated with me. He spoke openly about the pain of hiring developers and the stress of coding, positioning no-code as the solution for founders like me. That credibility was a huge factor. I felt like I could trust his framework because he had lived the problem I was facing.
I visited the Ambitious Labs website and found their main program, the “Dreams Into Apps Accelerator.” It promised to take founders from “idea to recurring revenue in 12 weeks or less”. It looked like the perfect solution, but then I saw the price. While the website now lists it at $1997, at the time the price I encountered was even higher—some users on Reddit have mentioned a price of $5800. I was completely shocked. It was far, far beyond my budget. I didn't have even half of that money in my pocket.
So I just left and resign myself to the limitations of free content. But then just after few days, Alim announced a new, more accessible program: the “Dreams into Apps Academy.” This was a self-paced version that included the full course curriculum but without the 1:1 coaching and live support of the main Accelerator. It was priced at around $499.
For me, living in India, $499 was still a huge amount of money. It was a significant financial risk and a massive gamble. But the promise was too compelling to ignore. The program wasn't just about learning FlutterFlow; it was about learning how to launch an app. It promised to teach me the entire process, from building the advanced features to getting the app live on the stores. I was tired of being stuck. I wanted to cross the finish line. After a lot of hesitation, I took a deep breath, pulled out my credit card, and enrolled.
My Heart Sank: The Moment I Thought I'd Been Scammed
The feeling after enrolling was pure excitement. I had made a huge financial commitment, but I was ready. I had done the basic work, and I was hungry to dive straight into the advanced modules on APIs, backend databases, and monetization. I logged into the course portal, ready to finally break through the wall I had hit.
And then my heart sank🥺
I clicked through the curriculum, and to my horror, only the first two or three modules were unlocked. Everything else—all the advanced content that I had paid for—was grayed out with a note that said something like, “we are preparing this material.”
The unlocked modules covered the absolute basics of Flutterflow. It was the same introductory stuff I had already taught myself over two months on YouTube. It was completely useless to me.
In that moment, a wave of panic and anger washed over me. “This is a scam,” I thought. “This is just another one of those courses that takes your money with big promises and gives you nothing in return.” I felt foolish and cheated. I had stretched my finances to the breaking point for a specific promise, and it looked like the promise was a lie. The very reason I bought the course—to learn the advanced material—was locked away behind a vague message that made it seem like it didn't even exist yet.
Out of pure frustration, I did the only thing I could think of. I went back to YouTube, found the official launch video for the Dreams into Apps program, and I let them have it. I wrote a long, negative comment detailing my experience. I explained that I had paid for the course and was deeply disappointed to find that all the advanced content was missing. I wanted to warn others who might be considering making the same expensive mistake.
I hit “post” and closed my laptop, feeling defeated. I was sure my $499 was gone for good.
A Message from Alim: The Unexpected Turning Point
A short time later, my phone buzzed. It was a WhatsApp message from an unknown number. I opened it, and I couldn't believe what I was reading. It was from Alim Charaniya himself. The founder of the company had seen my YouTube comment and was reaching out to me personally.
This was the last thing I expected. In my experience, large companies, or even small online businesses, rarely have the founder personally addressing customer complaints. The fact that he reached out directly immediately told me that something different was happening here.
He asked me about my negative review. I didn't hold back. I explained my situation: I was not a beginner. I had already learned the basics on my own and had specifically paid for the advanced modules to build a real, functional app. I told him that for me, waiting for the content to be released slowly over time was pointless.
His response was what changed everything. He explained that all the course content was, in fact, completely ready. They were simply “drip-feeding” it—releasing it module by module over a period of weeks. He said this was a standard practice to prevent people from getting overwhelmed and to keep the student community on a similar pace.
While that business logic makes sense, it completely failed for a user like me. And when I explained this to him, he didn't argue or defend the policy. He listened. He understood that my specific case was different. He took my feedback, and right there in our WhatsApp chat, he promised to fix it. A few moments later, he messaged me again to say he had personally unlocked the entire course curriculum for my account.
This single act of listening and taking immediate, decisive action completely transformed my perception of Ambitious Labs. The problem wasn't a lack of content or a dishonest promise; it was a one-size-fits-all process that didn't work for me. And the founder himself was willing to break that process to ensure my success. This is where my journey pivoted. It was no longer a story about a potential scam; it became a story about exceptional integrity and a genuine commitment to students. This is a level of personal involvement you rarely see, and it's something that other members have noted in public forums like Reddit, where Alim often engages directly with the community.
An Honest Look Inside the Full “Dreams into Apps” Course
With full access granted, I dove back into the course, and this time, the experience was night and day. I finally had the roadmap I had been searching for. The platform itself is well-structured, described as an “AI powered learning platform” that guides you through the process step-by-step. But it was the content of the advanced modules that proved to be worth every penny of my investment.
This is what the course taught me that months on YouTube never could:
- Deep Backend Integration: The course went far beyond just “connecting to Firebase.” It provided a deep dive into structuring a NoSQL database (Firestore) correctly, which is critical for an app that needs to scale. I learned how to write efficient and complex database queries, how to secure my data with proper security rules, and how to manage user data effectively—skills that are foundational for almost any real-world app.
- Mastering APIs: My app idea required integrating with external services. The course had dedicated modules on how to work with REST APIs. I learned how to make API calls from within FlutterFlow, how to handle the data that comes back (JSON), and how to display it in the app. This skill alone opened up a universe of possibilities for the features I could build.
- Breaking Through No-Code Limitations: Every no-code platform has its limits. The most valuable part of the course for me was learning how to overcome them. I learned how to write custom functions using Dart (the programming language Flutter is built on) directly inside FlutterFlow. This meant if there was a piece of logic the visual builder couldn't handle, I wasn't stuck. I could write a small piece of code to achieve exactly what I needed, giving me the best of both worlds: the speed of no-code and the power of code.
- The Launch Process Demystified: This was the other huge piece of the puzzle. The course didn't just stop at the build. It had a comprehensive, step-by-step guide for the entire launch process. This included everything from integrating payment systems like Stripe for monetization to navigating the notoriously complex submission and review processes for both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.
It became clear that my $499 “Dream Into Apps Academy” course was the core curriculum of the much more expensive “Accelerator” program. While I didn't have the live classes or 1:1 mentorship, the curriculum itself was designed to be a complete, end-to-end system for launching a startup. My brief interaction with Alim gave me a small window into the kind of high-touch support those in the full program must receive.
To put the transformation into perspective, here is a clear breakdown of what I knew before and after the course.
My FlutterFlow Skill Progression:
| Skill Category | Knowledge from YouTube (Before the Course) | Knowledge from Dreams into Apps (After the Course) |
| UI/UX Design | Could copy basic layouts and use pre-built widgets. | Understood responsive design principles for different devices, how to import from Figma, and create a cohesive design system. |
| Backend & Database | Knew how to create a simple Firebase project but was confused by data structures. | Mastered Firebase Firestore, including structuring collections, writing efficient queries, and setting up security rules. |
| Advanced Functionality | Limited to on-page navigation and simple button clicks. | Learned to integrate third-party REST APIs, write custom Dart functions, and manage complex app state for a smooth user experience. |
| Monetization | Had no idea where to even start. | Learned how to integrate payment gateways like Revenuecat and manage in-app purchases and subscriptions. |
| App Launch & Deployment | The process was a complete mystery and seemed intimidating. | Gained a step-by-step roadmap for building, testing, and successfully deploying to both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. |
The Proof: From Course Completion to Two Live Apps
After immersing myself in the full curriculum, the transformation was profound. I was no longer just a mechanical engineer tinkering with a prototype. I had acquired a new and powerful skill set. I could confidently call myself a no-code app developer.
The real proof, however, isn't in a certificate or a course completion badge. The real proof is in the results.
Today, one year after taking that $499 gamble, I can proudly say that I have built and launched two complete mobile applications. I did it all by myself. Both of my apps are live and available for download on both the Google Play Store for Android and the Apple App Store for iOS.
Checkout my app Flines AI on:
IOS App Store: Flines AI on the App Store
Google Play Store: Flines AI – Apps on Google Play
This achievement is a direct result of the knowledge I gained from the Dreams into Apps program. Without the advanced lessons on backend architecture, API integration, and the detailed roadmap for deployment, my apps would still be nothing more than an idea on my computer. The course gave me the skills, but more importantly, it gave me the confidence and the process to see my projects through to completion.
The most powerful outcome is the sense of empowerment and independence. I am in complete control of my products. If I want to add a new feature, fix a bug, or push an update, I don't have to hire an expensive developer or an agency. I can just do it myself. This is the exact outcome Ambitious Labs promises in its marketing—”You're In Control“—and for a bootstrapped founder, that control is priceless.
The Final Verdict: So, Is Ambitious Labs a Scam?
So, let's return to the question in the title: Is Ambitious Labs a scam?
Based on my complete journey, from the initial frustration to the final success, my answer is a definitive no. But I now completely understand why I, and potentially others, might feel that way at first.
My initial experience was genuinely terrible. The locked content, combined with the high price and my own financial strain, created a perfect storm of doubt and anger that made me feel I had been deceived. However, that feeling was based on a flawed process, not a flawed product or a lack of integrity. The founder's personal intervention and the outstanding quality of the full curriculum proved that Ambitious Labs is not only legitimate but also immensely valuable.
The key is to understand what you are buying. Ambitious Labs is not just a collection of video tutorials. As Alim himself states on Reddit, they see themselves as a “startup accelerator for non technical founders”. You are investing in a structured, end-to-end system designed to take a serious founder from a raw idea to a launched app.
With that in mind, here is my final recommendation.
This course IS for you if:
You are a highly motivated, non-technical founder with a specific app idea you are passionate about.
You have already tried learning on your own (with YouTube or other free resources) and have hit the “complexity plateau.”
You understand that building a real business requires a serious investment of both time and money, and you're looking for a proven, expert-led path to get you to the finish line.
This course is NOT for you if:
You are just casually curious about no-code and don't have a specific project in mind.
You are looking for a magic button or an overnight success story that requires no effort.
You are not prepared to do the hard work. The program provides an excellent map and a great vehicle, but you still have to be the one to drive.
My journey with Ambitious Labs started on the rockiest of terms, but it led to a destination that has fundamentally changed my career path. That risky $499 investment, which once felt like a terrible mistake, has paid for itself many times over by empowering me to turn my dreams into real, tangible apps that people can download and use today. The start was rough, but the destination was more than worth the ride.