OpenAI 2026 hackathon

Zakah Calculator

Simplify your annual charity with our Zakah Calculator. Instantly calculate your dues based on real-time Nisab values, savings, gold, and other assets.

Solo project by tungsahoor958-dotcom Shad · 0 likes · 0 comments

Archive position — measured, not model output

0 likes on Devpost

2,264 of the 7,856 archived projects have more likes, and 5,592 share exactly 0 — so this project's #7,800 place in the like-ranked listing is a tie-break inside that group, not a ranking.

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Likes on Devpost. ▲ marks this project's group.

Show the figures
LikesProjectsShare of archive
05,59271.2%
11,75822.4%
22853.6%
3–41321.7%
5–9751.0%
10+140.2%
Devpost like counts for all 7,856 archived projects, captured when this archive was built.

Executive Summary

What the company appears to be

The project described is a mobile application named Zakah Calculator (also referred to as Zakah & Tazkiyah), built for calculating Zakah — a religious obligation in Islam involving annual charitable giving based on wealth. The app is self-reported as a premium mobile tool that fetches real-time gold and silver prices, guides users through a three-step calculation process, and supports localization into English and Bengali.

What changed

The author reports building this application from scratch using Flutter, Dart, and AI tools like Codex and GPT-5.6. It includes features such as scraping live gold/silver rates, dynamic calculation wizardry, and localized UI support. The project was submitted to the OpenAI 2026 hackathon.

The single most important open question

Is there any evidence of user adoption or monetization beyond its development phase? The description states no revenue, customers, or traction data are available.

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What The Product Actually Is

  • The description states that Zakah & Tazkiyah is a premium mobile application.
  • It is built with Flutter and Dart, supporting cross-platform builds.
  • The app fetches real-time gold and silver prices from regional sources like BAJUS (Bangladesh Gold Association) and IBJA (India Gold Association).
  • It uses a dedicated, caching backend to retrieve price data.
  • The user interface includes a three-step stepper for entering assets: Cash/Bank, Precious Metals, and Liabilities/Debts.
  • It supports localization into English and Bengali, using Flutter’s localization framework.
  • Features include:
    • Reactive calculation wizard
    • Custom-drawn grid calendar for date filtering
    • Local persistence via a clean database service layer
    • Dynamic number formatting for Bengali digits

Inference: The app is designed to simplify the complex task of calculating Zakah by automating asset tracking and real-time rate updates. However, no evidence exists that it has been released or used beyond its development stage.

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Positioning & Claim Evolution

  • The author claims the app was built to address manual calculation errors in Zakah, which can be “surprisingly error-prone” due to fluctuating gold/silver rates and complex asset tracking.
  • It positions itself as a more accurate alternative to generic calculators that do not verify rates or liabilities.
  • The app is described as a “premium” mobile application, suggesting it may have monetization intent, though no pricing details are provided.
  • The project’s name (Zakah Calculator) and tagline (Simplify your annual charity with our Zakah Calculator) reflect an emphasis on ease-of-use and religious compliance.

Inference: The app is positioned as a niche tool for Muslims seeking accurate Zakah calculations. Its evolution appears to be from a hackathon prototype toward a full-featured mobile product, but no evidence supports prior versions or user feedback loops.

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Target Customer & ICP

  • The description states that the app targets users who are required to pay Zakah, particularly those in regions where gold and silver prices vary frequently.
  • It is designed for individuals managing personal wealth, including:
    • Cash/bank deposits
    • Precious metals (gold/silver)
    • Debts and liabilities

Inference: The primary ICP seems to be Muslims living in South Asian countries, especially Bangladesh or India, where local gold associations provide pricing data. No evidence suggests a broader global audience or demographic segmentation.

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Business Model & Pricing Evidence

  • The description refers to the app as a “premium” mobile application, implying potential monetization.
  • There is no mention of:
    • Pricing tiers
    • Subscription models
    • Freemium features
    • In-app purchases
    • Revenue streams

Inference: While the app may be intended for sale or subscription, there is no evidence of a defined business model or pricing strategy.

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Technical & Delivery Signals

  • Built with Flutter and Dart, enabling cross-platform support.
  • Uses Codex and GPT-5.6 for development assistance, including schema definition, UI translation, and scraper implementation.
  • Implements:
    • A Cloudflare Worker scraper
    • Reactive state management using the Provider package
    • Custom text formatter for Bengali digit handling
    • Local persistence layer
    • No third-party calendar or date picker packages, relying on custom drawing

Inference: The technical stack shows a developer-focused approach with some AI integration. However, no evidence of production deployment, scalability testing, or performance metrics.

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Traction & Maturity Signals

  • The project was submitted to the OpenAI 2026 hackathon, indicating it is in early development.
  • No evidence of:
    • User downloads
    • Active users
    • Customer feedback
    • Beta testing
    • App store presence
    • Revenue or monetization

Inference: The app exists only as a conceptual prototype or MVP. There is no indication of real-world usage or product-market fit.

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Competitive Context

  • The description mentions that most generic calculators are basic web forms that do not verify rates or liabilities.
  • It implies a gap in the market for:
    • Accurate, real-time asset tracking
    • Automated Zakah calculation tools
    • Localization into regional languages (e.g., Bengali)

Inference: The competitive landscape likely includes basic online calculators and possibly niche Islamic finance apps. However, no evidence exists of existing competitors or market positioning.

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Key Risks & Red Flags

  • No traction or monetization evidence — the app is described only as a hackathon submission.
  • Unverified data sources — reliance on gold/silver rates from BAJUS and IBJA without confirmation of accuracy or stability.
  • AI dependency — heavy use of Codex and GPT-5.6 raises questions about scalability, maintainability, and whether the app can function without AI tools.
  • Limited scope — no mention of integration with other financial platforms or broader Islamic finance tools.
  • Single-person team — only one developer is mentioned, raising concerns about long-term maintenance and feature development.

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Diligence Questions To Ask The Founders

  1. Has the app been released to any app stores (Google Play, Apple App Store)?
  2. What is the current status of real-time gold/silver rate scraping? Are there known issues with data accuracy or availability?
  3. How does the app handle currency conversions for users outside South Asia?
  4. Is there a plan for monetization beyond premium features or subscriptions?
  5. What are the technical limitations or scalability concerns of the current architecture?
  6. Has the team considered integrating with existing financial or Islamic finance platforms?

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Investment/Partnership Verdict

  • The project is currently a hackathon prototype with no evidence of traction, revenue, or user adoption.
  • It shows potential in a specific niche (Zakah calculation for Muslims in South Asia) but lacks commercial viability indicators.
  • The use of AI tools like Codex and GPT-5.6 suggests rapid prototyping, but also raises questions about long-term sustainability and scalability.

Verdict: Not ready for investment or partnership at this stage. A follow-up evaluation would require evidence of product-market fit, user engagement, and a clear monetization path.

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Source

Submitted to the OpenAI 2026 hackathon on Devpost. Project home on DevPost.

The analysis above was generated by a language model from the project's own one-line description. It is not independent research and contains no verified traction, revenue or customer data.