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People who launched a profitable SaaS: what came first, the waitlist or the product?
r/SaaS
7/10/2025
Content Summary
The post discusses whether SaaS founders should build a waitlist or an MVP first when launching a product. The author seeks advice from those who have built profitable SaaS products. Comments reveal divided opinions: some argue waitlists are ineffective for validation and prefer building MVPs rapidly using modern tools, while others suggest waitlists can be useful for novel ideas in unproven markets. Many emphasize validating through customer interviews, pre-payments, or cold outreach before full development.
Opinion Analysis
Mainstream Opinion: Most commenters advocate building an MVP first over creating waitlists. They argue that modern tools allow rapid MVP development, and real validation comes from paying customers rather than waitlist signups. Pre-payment options and customer interviews are preferred validation methods.
Conflicting Views:
- Some believe waitlists are useful for validating entirely new ideas in unproven markets (u/Bromple), while others dismiss them as attracting non-serious users (u/Agent_Lang).
- Complexity matters: u/Ghareeb_Musaffir21 suggests waitlists may make sense for complex products requiring significant resources.
Debates:
- Effectiveness of waitlists: u/Existing-Gold-4865 claims never signing up for waitlists, while u/kylegawley shows success with prepaid waitlists.
- Validation methods: u/IssueConnect7471 advocates blunt interviews and token payments, contrasting with u/jaejaeok's cold DM approach without upfront payments.
- Speed vs. thoroughness: u/indecisive_idk_wtd promotes ultra-fast MVP building using AI, while u/clonable notes their product took 3.5 years to breakeven despite iterative validation.
SAAS TOOLS
| SaaS | URL | Category | Features/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| v0.dev | Not provided | UI Builder | Generate basic UI components from prompts |
| lovable.dev | Not provided | UI Builder | Generate basic UI components from prompts |
| Cursor | Not provided | AI Coding Assistant | Helps with code generation and task planning |
| Claude | Not provided | AI Coding Assistant | Assists in code generation |
| Pulse for Reddit | Not provided | Feedback Tool | Pulls unfiltered feedback from niche subreddits |
| Mailchimp | Not provided | Email Marketing | Sign-up pages |
| Typeform | Not provided | Survey Tool | Surveys |
USER NEEDS
Pain Points:
- Difficulty validating SaaS ideas before building
- Risk of building products nobody wants
- Procrastination in deciding between waitlist and MVP
- Skepticism about waitlist effectiveness (people sign up but don't convert)
- Challenges in acquiring first users without a product
Problems to Solve:
- How to prioritize between building a waitlist vs. an MVP
- Validating product-market fit efficiently
- Finding early adopters willing to pay
- Reducing time/resources wasted on unvalidated ideas
Potential Solutions:
- Build MVP first using modern rapid development tools
- Conduct blunt interviews to identify pain points and willingness to pay
- Use manual prototypes (e.g., Google Sheets + Loom demos) for validation
- Offer pre-payment options instead of free waitlists
- Leverage existing networks for focus groups
- Post on X/Reddit for idea validation without waitlists
GROWTH FACTORS
Effective Strategies:
- Prioritize MVP development over waitlists for faster validation
- Validate ideas through customer interviews focusing on pain points and willingness to pay
Marketing & Acquisition:
- Cold DMs to gauge interest and gather feedback
- Leveraging X, LinkedIn, and email lists for promotion
- Offering prepaid discounts (e.g., 30% off for life) to secure early adopters
- Using niche subreddits for unfiltered feedback (Pulse for Reddit)
Monetization & Product:
- Charge token amounts ($10-$50) for early access to validate willingness to pay
- Start with monolith architecture for simplicity
- Implement security and logging from the beginning
- Focus on solving clear pain points with dollar/time loss
User Engagement:
- White-glove onboarding for early users
- Continuous improvement based on user feedback
- Building products alongside prospects through agile development