The hottest SaaS Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Business Topics

Going fulltime on a Shopify SaaS Startup

No-Code Exits • 157 implied HN points • 13 Apr 23
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Startups No Code SaaS Marketing
  1. The success story of James Devonport and Userloop, a Shopify SaaS startup, showcases the power of starting small and niching down on a specific platform.
  2. Implementing AI, like ChatGPT-4, can greatly enhance customer onboarding and retention strategies in a product.
  3. For No-Code makers, the key takeaway is to launch early, gather customer feedback, and iterate quickly to adapt to customer needs and achieve product-market fit.

👊🏽 Special Edition: Ganas and I invested in Avify!

Lolita's Newsletter • 78 implied HN points • 28 Jan 24
💼 Business Venture Capital Startups Investing SaaS Latin America
  1. Ganas Ventures and Lolita Taub invested in Avify, and you can too!
  2. Avify is addressing a $1.8 trillion inventory distortion challenge with strong traction and community support.
  3. Avify's team has a strong background, the market opportunity is significant in Latin America, and they are focused on revolutionizing SMB inventory management.
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Roundup: Google Gemini, "Service-as-a-Software" and A New Era for SaaS Margins

Good Better Best • 2 implied HN points • 17 Jan 25
🕹 Technology AI SaaS Product Pricing Innovation
  1. Google has bundled its Gemini AI with Workspace plans, making it cheaper for users but risking lower profits. This strategy may help them gain more customers quickly.
  2. Human support will be essential for using AI effectively. Even with AI tools, we still need humans to refine the results and handle complex tasks.
  3. Different companies are adopting various pricing models for their AI services. Google's approach focuses on getting users to adopt their technology, while Microsoft is looking to charge more based on usage.

Dark software: a new model for SaaS and fintech; Income statement: Visa, Mastercard, and American Express; Why the interest in Payfacs?;

Fintech Wrap Up • 58 implied HN points • 07 Feb 24
💰 Finance SaaS Payments GenAI
  1. Dark software is a new model for SaaS and fintech with a focus on hyper-specialized ICP, full stack product offering, and outsourcing products to minimize costs.
  2. Interest in Payfacs is driven by the need for embedded payments, ease of setting up payment capabilities, risk management, compliance support, and access to reporting tools.
  3. Income statements from Visa, Mastercard, and American Express show patterns of growth in consumer spending, new payment flows, digital innovations, and value-added services.

Revisiting A/B tests in SaaS 💯

The SaaS Baton • 117 implied HN points • 26 Apr 23
🕹 Technology SaaS A/B Testing Data Quality Network Effects
  1. Running A/B tests on SaaS products has unique challenges beyond just having enough users for statistically significant results.
  2. Incorporating minimal clear constraints in projects can drive creativity and productivity, as seen in Buffer's Build Week.
  3. Establishing indirect growth channels, like Gusto did with accounting firms, can create network effects and be a win-win for both parties.

The changing reality of appsec

Frankly Speaking • 101 implied HN points • 06 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Development Practices SaaS Software Development
  1. Application security has evolved rapidly with the changing landscape of development practices like shorter cycles and SaaS distribution methods.
  2. Security organizations will face a pivotal moment in adopting new application security methods to stay effective.
  3. In the past, application security was less competitive due to slower development cycles which allowed for comprehensive security checks and reviews.

Vendor Lock-in Scores: A brief summary

The Orchestra Data Leadership Newsletter • 59 implied HN points • 02 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Data Software SaaS
  1. Vendor lock-in is an assessment of present gain versus future risk in the world of data, software, and cloud services.
  2. Key considerations include migration risk, migration cost, and pricing cost when assessing vendor lock-in.
  3. Factors like data portability, integration, service and support, and community strength play a significant role in evaluating vendor lock-in risks when choosing a SaaS provider.

The Tech Buffet #4: Turn Complex English Instructions Into Executable SQL With LLMs

The Tech Buffet • 79 implied HN points • 16 Sep 23
🕹 Technology AI Software Programming Data science SaaS
  1. Vanna.AI is a tool that helps turn plain English questions into complex SQL queries quickly. This makes it easier for people who might not be familiar with coding to extract data from databases.
  2. The tool uses a method called Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) to understand user queries better. It prepares the right context for the questions by using metadata before generating SQL.
  3. Vanna allows users to continuously improve its performance by incorporating user-feedback into the training process. This feature helps the tool learn and adapt over time, ensuring better results.

Startups.email - Issue #4

startupsemail • 78 implied HN points • 05 May 23
💼 Business Startups Entrepreneurship Technology SaaS Platforms
  1. Building a business with a huge platform risk can lead to high success chances, even though it comes with potential downsides.
  2. Businesses heavily dependent on popular platforms like Notion, Airtable, or Shopify can tap into a large user base and market.
  3. Examples like Notion Forms, Datafetcher, and Wildmetrics show that businesses with high platform risks can achieve substantial monthly recurring revenues.

Startups.email - $60k MRR in 3 months

startupsemail • 78 implied HN points • 13 May 23
💼 Business Startups SaaS Entrepreneurship Revenue Market Analysis
  1. Building a successful SaaS business takes time and effort, with exponential growth once momentum is gained.
  2. If a business isn't generating revenue within 6 months, consider pivoting to a new idea; otherwise, stick with it for exponential growth.
  3. Choosing the right market segment, avoiding saturated markets, and understanding product-market fit are crucial for the success of a solopreneur.

Make Everything Versionable

Sarah's Newsletter • 239 implied HN points • 24 May 22
🕹 Technology SaaS Tools Data Development
  1. Teams are facing challenges with SaaS tools and maintaining them as complexity grows.
  2. Making everything versionable can help in QA, testing, and peer reviewing changes, leading to fewer errors in production.
  3. There is a need for more accessible ways to version configurations across different teams and tools, especially for non-technical users.

The Ultimate Framework to build your Ideal Customer Profile for SaaS startups.

Startup Business Tips 🚀 • 108 implied HN points • 21 Oct 23
💼 Business Startup SaaS Marketing
  1. The Ultimate Framework for building an Ideal Customer Profile includes defining the ideal company and personas in detail.
  2. To build your ICP, analyze CRM data, product analytics, create a Dream 100 list, do market testing, research communities, and get qualitative feedback from sales calls.
  3. Creating an Anti Ideal Customer Profile can help in identifying personas and companies that do not align with your business due to various reasons.

How to calculate your marketing budget—and make sure it's efficient

MKT1 Newsletter • 3 implied HN points • 11 Dec 24
💼 Business Marketing Finance Startups Growth SaaS
  1. To set a successful marketing budget, you need to understand key metrics like CAC Ratio, Payback Period, and LTV:CAC. These help you see if your spending is driving real growth.
  2. It's important to create a budget that's tied to realistic revenue goals, using both top-down and bottom-up forecasting methods. This ensures your budget aligns with what you can realistically achieve.
  3. Tracking your budget throughout the year and being flexible with adjustments is crucial. If some areas are under or overspending, be ready to reallocate funds to stay on track.

Pricing Roundup: Breakdowns for Monday, Loom, and Klaviyo

Good Better Best • 4 implied HN points • 22 Nov 24
💼 Business SaaS Pricing Tech Products Market Trends Business Strategies
  1. Monday increased the default user count from 3 to 10, aiming to attract larger customers. This change makes it clearer who their ideal customers are and improves pricing appeal.
  2. Loom launched a new AI plan with a usage limit, offering a fresh way to monetize for business users. Unlike other models, Loom's plan helps free users transition into paying customers without a complicated structure.
  3. Klaviyo emphasized the benefits of using both SMS and email, showing customers a 19% sales boost. They also introduced a handy pricing calculator to help brands understand the combined value of using both services.

The Best of Good Better Best, 2024

Good Better Best • 2 implied HN points • 20 Dec 24
💼 Business SaaS Pricing Trends Marketing Strategy
  1. AI in pricing is becoming really important. Companies are trying different ways to charge for AI features, and it's exciting to see how they'll do it.
  2. Seat-based pricing isn’t going away. Companies are getting creative with how they charge per user, making it more flexible for different types of customers.
  3. Customer support is changing too. Businesses are exploring how AI can help with support, but some are still focusing on personalized service to keep things human.

Nintendo killed your SaaS villager⚰️

Mehdeeka • 3 implied HN points • 04 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Gaming SaaS Business Model Mobile Apps Product Management
  1. Nintendo has shifted _Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp_ from an online subscription model to an offline version with a one-time payment. This change is quite rare and shows how gaming services can shut down publicly.
  2. The closure process included a quick announcement with little lead time, which surprised many players. Reactions varied, with some feeling sad while others were relieved it wasn’t a total shutdown.
  3. Nintendo's approach to communication differs from other companies. They often rely on blog posts and videos rather than extensive press releases, which can make managing user expectations during service closures challenging.

☁ How to Build an ARR Book (Part 1)

Hard Mode by Breaking SaaS • 39 implied HN points • 13 Nov 23
💼 Business SaaS Metrics Analysis Investment Training
  1. An ARR book is essential in SaaS analysis to track customer contracts and calculate key metrics.
  2. The underlying data for an ARR book comes from customer contracts, detailing customer information and contract specifics.
  3. To convert contract data into an ARR book, organize logos and periods, calculate ARR changes, and categorize them into New Logo ARR, Expansion ARR, Logo Churn, and Downsell/Shrinkage.

Why we archived a 5k+ Stars GitHub Open Source project

The Open Source Expert • 3 HN points • 21 Jul 24
🕹 Technology Open Source Software Development Community Management Product Management SaaS
  1. Sometimes, despite a lot of hard work and support, a project just doesn't succeed as hoped. It's important to recognize when to let go.
  2. Managing a community project and running a business can be very different. The needs of the community may not always align with business goals.
  3. Feeling overwhelmed by notifications and contributions can lead to burnout. It's key to balance community engagement with personal well-being.

Pricing Roundup: Breakdowns for Ramp, Ahrefs, and Mixpanel

Good Better Best • 2 implied HN points • 13 Dec 24
💼 Business SaaS Pricing Revenue Marketing Product Management
  1. Some SaaS companies like Ramp and Docker have made recent changes to their pricing and product offerings. For example, Ramp reorganized its pricing page to highlight its features better.
  2. Ahrefs adjusted their pricing for additional users, lowering costs for the Lite plan while increasing them for more advanced plans. This can help attract new users while still encouraging upgrades.
  3. Mixpanel made a significant change by reducing the number of free events allowed but added new features. This suggests a focus on getting free users to convert to paid plans more quickly.

Creating the Talent Marketing Category: The Martec

Making Connections by Jax • 39 implied HN points • 16 Oct 23
💼 Business Marketing Technology Entrepreneurship Startups SaaS
  1. Employer Brand professionals focus on attracting potential employees through brand strategy and content creation.
  2. The Martec provides tools for content strategy, creation, and distribution to help Employer Brand professionals scale their marketing capabilities.
  3. The Martec leverages Founder-Market Fit, Technology Tailwinds, and Category Creation Opportunity to position itself as a leader in the emerging Talent Marketing space.

Briefing: AI Capabilities in SaaS

Good Better Best • 2 implied HN points • 06 Dec 24
💼 Business SaaS AI Marketing Finance Product
  1. AI is now being used in many areas of businesses, not just for creating content. Companies are finding various ways to utilize AI across different teams like product, customer support, and engineering.
  2. Most companies that offer AI features are making money from them, especially in content generation and editing. Many also earn from capabilities related to data analysis and customer interactions.
  3. The payment willingness for these AI capabilities is growing. Although some features seem common and cheap, if they can significantly save time or replace human tasks, their value might increase quickly.

Deconstructing Clay's Pricing Strategy

Good Better Best • 4 implied HN points • 25 Oct 24
💼 Business SaaS Pricing Growth Monetization Strategy
  1. Clay has a unique pricing model that doesn't charge per user. Instead, it uses a credit system, allowing teams to collaborate without adding costs for each user.
  2. Their pricing strategy has evolved over time with clear updates. Clay focuses on making sure customers understand how to use their credits effectively.
  3. They offer different plans that grow in features and flexibility, helping businesses of all sizes easily pick the plan that fits their needs.

#38 Three Subtleties from the Busy Alleys of SaaS Growth

Organic SaaS Growth • 1 implied HN point • 03 Jan 25
💼 Business Marketing SaaS Growth Content Community
  1. Different social media channels have unique behaviors and metrics. A post's success can be measured in various ways, and what works on one platform might not work on another.
  2. Gathering user feedback is important, but it's more effective to focus on deep conversations with a few specific users rather than trying to survey a large group.
  3. AI is helpful for refining and enhancing human-created content, but most successful posts still come from people. It's best to combine human creativity with AI support.

Inside Statsig's Pricing Philosophy 📈

Good Better Best • 3 implied HN points • 08 Nov 24
💼 Business Pricing Strategy SaaS Market Competition Customer Acquisition
  1. Statsig has a clear pricing philosophy. They only charge for features that cost them money and create real value for their customers.
  2. Their pricing model uses a mix of free and tiered plans to attract users. This helps users easily test the product and upgrade as they grow.
  3. Statsig keeps their pricing competitive by showing comparisons with other similar tools. This transparency helps potential customers understand their options.

The Evolution of The Subscription Business Model

Ben’s Newsletter • 119 implied HN points • 07 Jun 22
💼 Business Subscription Model Pricing Strategies Payment Systems Digital economy SaaS
  1. Subscriptions are becoming very common, with people using them for content, services, and even physical products. Companies now have to adapt their billing systems to cater to these modern pricing models.
  2. Mobile apps are a key part of daily life, and their reliance is increasing. Developers are using specialized tools to manage in-app purchases and subscriptions to streamline their processes.
  3. Decentralized finance (DeFi) is changing how subscriptions work by allowing real-time payments and creating new opportunities for businesses to manage cash flow effectively.