Sarbeksyan (सर्वेक्षण)
Zero-budget survey platform built for Nepal and emerging markets
A fast, mobile-first, localized online survey platform designed for creators, brands, NGOs, and students in Nepal and emerging markets. Supports Nepali/Devanagari, local payments, and slow connections.
Problem
Existing survey tools like Google Forms and Typeform are built for Western markets — they're heavy, slow on 3G/4G, lack Nepali language support, don't integrate with local payment systems, and require budgets that students and small NGOs can't afford. A survey platform for Nepal needs to load fast on weak mobile networks, render Devanagari correctly, and work with Khalti/eSewa.
Solution
Sarbeksyan is a zero-budget survey platform leveraging free-tier developer tools. Built with Next.js and Tailwind CSS for lightweight, mobile-first rendering. Uses Supabase for PostgreSQL database and auth with Row Level Security. Integrates Khalti and eSewa developer sandboxes for local payment flows. Uses Resend for transactional emails and Upstash Redis for rate limiting — all within free tiers.
Architecture
Next.js frontend with Tailwind CSS for minimal page weight. Supabase backend with PostgreSQL + Row Level Security for serverless auth and data policies. Vercel edge deployment for fast delivery via CDN. Khalti and eSewa payment sandboxes. Resend for email, Upstash Redis for caching.
Challenges
- Optimizing page weight for 3G/4G mobile networks — kept bundle size minimal by avoiding heavy client-side libraries
- Ensuring correct Nepali/Devanagari font rendering across all devices and browsers
- Integrating local payment APIs (Khalti, eSewa) that have sparse documentation and regional quirks
Results
- Fully functional survey builder with real-time response dashboard
- Native Nepali/Devanagari support with optimized typography
- Zero infrastructure cost using free-tier tools
Lessons Learned
- Building for emerging markets means optimizing for network, not just browser — every kilobyte matters when users are on 3G
- Supabase RLS is surprisingly capable — entire backend authorization can be expressed as SQL policies without a traditional API layer
- Local payment integrations require patience — documentation is sparse, sandboxes are inconsistent, but the alternative (no payment support) is a non-starter
The Zero-Budget Stack
Every component is chosen for its generous free tier:
| Layer | Technology | Free Tier |
|---|---|---|
| Frontend | Next.js + Tailwind CSS | Static generation for speed |
| Database | Supabase | 500MB database, 50K monthly users |
| Auth | Supabase Auth | Email + social login |
| Hosting | Vercel | Edge CDN, 100GB bandwidth |
| Resend | 100 emails/day | |
| Caching | Upstash Redis | 10K commands/day |
| Payments | Khalti + eSewa | Developer sandboxes |
Key Features
- ⚡ Built for Mobile-First & Slow Connections: Highly optimized to load instantly even on weak 4G/3G mobile networks
- 🇳🇵 Native Nepali & Devanagari Support: Seamless local language rendering with optimized typography
- 💳 Local Payment Integrations: Pre-configured payment sandbox for Khalti and eSewa
- 🔒 Secure & Serverless: Supabase Row Level Security — no traditional backend API needed
- 📈 Dynamic Response Dashboard: Real-time data visualization of survey responses