How to Validate a SaaS Idea Before You Write Code
Check three things: do people search for it, complain about it, and already pay for it? Free, no sign-up, and you make the call.
- Free
- No sign-up
- No score, you decide
Step 1: Check if people search for it
If nobody searches for the problem, Google won't send you customers. Three free places to look:
Step 2: Check if people complain about it
Complaints prove the problem hurts. Look for posts from the last year.
Step 3: Check if people already pay for it
Competitors are good news: they prove people pay. Their bad reviews are your opening.
Step 4: Set a pass line before you build
Don't build yet. Make a one-page site with a "Join the waitlist" or "Pre-order" button and count the clicks. Example: "Meeting notes to Jira tasks, $9/mo. Join the waitlist."
This is the rule we use for our own ideas, not an industry standard.
Step 5: Talk to 5 people
Ask about what already happened, not whether they'd buy. Everyone says yes to a hypothetical.
I'll run the same checks for you and send a report within 48 hours. $19.
Why this tool doesn't give you a score
Most idea validators give you a number like 78%. You can't check how they got it.
| AI scoring tools | This tool | |
|---|---|---|
| What you get | A score and a paragraph | 9 real pages you can open |
| Can you check it? | No | Yes, you see them yourself |
| Sign-up needed? | Usually sign-up or email | No |
| What to do next | Rarely says | A pass line and interview scripts |
Works best for B2B or small-team software where buyers search in English. Less useful for brand-new categories nobody searches for yet.
FAQ
How long does it take to validate a SaaS idea?
About 30 minutes for the three checks. Give the button page 28 days.
What counts as a validated idea?
Use the Step 4 rule: if more than 5% of visitors click the button, keep going; 2–5%, talk to the people who left an email; under 2%, drop it. Don't judge with fewer than 100 visitors. This is our own rule, not an industry standard.
Can AI validate my startup idea?
AI can help you think of questions, but you can't check how it scores. Whether people search, complain and pay is something you see on real pages.
Is this free? Do you store my idea?
Yes, free and no sign-up. What you type is saved only in your own browser and never sent to us.