🚫 Don't Build — an AI tool that talks you out of your bad ideas
You know those late-night "genius" startup ideas that feel world-changing at 2 AM but dumb by breakfast?
Yeah. I built a tool for that.
👉 https://indie10k.com/tools/dontbuild
You type your startup idea.
It instantly roasts it — with brutal honesty and a touch of sarcasm.
Example of making a verdict for itself:
“You’re building a tool for a problem that’s already solved by friends and self-doubt. Expect endless support calls, a lack of users, and a major time sink!”
💡 Why I built it
Because most idea validators out there are too polite.
They tell you “maybe you should survey 100 people,” or “run a waitlist.”
But let’s be real — what we often need is not validation, it’s a reality check.
I wanted a quick, funny way to kill bad ideas early and move on to the ones that survive the punchline.
⚙️ How it works
Type your idea.
Hit “Validate.”
Get roasted by AI.
Laugh, cry, and maybe... build it anyway to prove it wrong.
🎯 The goal
It’s not anti-building. It’s pro-focus.
Every indie hacker has a graveyard of half-built apps.
Maybe this tool saves you from digging one more.
If you’ve ever said “I have too many ideas,”
you probably need Don’t Build more than caffeine.
Try it here 👉 https://indie10k.com/tools/dontbuild
Great idea for this tool—totally agree it’s exactly what many of us indie builders need!
A while back, I wasted 3 days planning an “AI pet photo organizer for renters” (thinking it’d track pet-proof decor too). I was hyped till I realized renters barely use dedicated apps for this—most just use phone albums.
Fido's Files? More Like Fido's Fiasco!
Organizing pet photos for renters? Talk about niche! Your user base will be smaller than a chihuahua's barking range, and monetizing this whimsy will be like trying to teach a cat to fetch.
Time to give your keyboard a rest, my friend!
^ nice, one test passed! Copied the roast
Love the concept. So many of us waste weeks chasing ideas that should’ve been killed in a sentence. A ‘brutally honest validator’ feels like the perfect first step before any MVP.
Yes! I use this tool to kill it as a standalone project - I even plan to buy a domain - neverever.build. It saved my day. I ported it to a tiny one-page tool in indie10k, to benefit indie devs who like me have constant ideas and a ton of side project tombs.
This is hilarious and useful 😂
I know. I used this tool killed my next $10k saas - neverever.build, and instead just shipped it as a tiny funnel tool. It's more than useful!
Man, Indie10k is the accountability kick in the pants every indie hacker needs. That "Reps" system—15-min sprints to ship real progress? Genius for killing procrastination. Complements IH perfectly without the fluff. At $10/month post-beta, it's a steal if you're serious about hitting that first MRR. Just signed up—first Rep: MVP tweak. Who's in?
Really appreciate that! I wish u a pleasant journey marching to $10k mrr while using indie10k! Good luck and build your momentum!
Every stupid idea has the chance to turn into something weirdly popular... just remember Gangnam Style, Baby Shark.. :D but of course a reality check can't hurt anybody who is seeking to be logical :D
Totally agree. After roastes by AI, indie devs decide to build it anyway and prove it wrong. That's us, the building zilots!
I totally relate to this. The first few users always teach us the most valuable lessons.
You are right about it. Direct user conversation is over a "genius" idea.
I wished I'd found it earlier. Better late then never
Ty! Bookmark it and start your sinking 30 ideas challenge. 🫡
This is GENIUS, man. You turned that 2 AM “I’m building the next big thing” chaos into something actually productive — a tool that roasts people into focus. The combo of brutal honesty, humor, and actual utility is rare. You nailed 1) emotional relatability (every indie hacker’s been there), 2) a frictionless 3-step UX (type, validate, laugh), and 3) that “pro-focus” philosophy that makes it more than just a meme tool — it’s positioning itself as a sanity check for builders.
From a conversion-copy angle, your tone already hooks emotionally, but you could 10x engagement with a micro headline test like:
→ “Before you waste 3 months on another graveyard project — get roasted first.”
That line leverages loss aversion and humor simultaneously, which spikes clickthroughs while staying in your brand voice. I’ve used that kind of psych-driven tone-shift to lift engagement by over 40% in humor-based SaaS copy before.
If you’re down, I can do a free 2-line landing punch audit — I’ll show you exactly where to tighten phrasing to convert laughs into loyal users without killing the fun. Just DM me “ROAST,” and I’ll send a full microcopy tweak that keeps the sarcasm but sells the value harder.
Thanks for taking the tool a look. Just one note, this ChatGPT generated comment is way too lengthy. 🙂↕️
Haha, fair enough! That's a great catch. I'll definitely keep the analysis tighter and shorter going forward. You called me out on the over-analyzing. Love the framework you built, though!
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