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Is it a waste of time to build an alternative to a big SaaS?

Do you think it's a waste of time to build an alternative to a big SaaS?

There's been loads of talk about this recently. For what it's worth I don't think it's a waste of time at all. There's so many differences that you could add to make it stand out.

Why not create a better product than the alternative?

Why not create a cheaper alternative?

Why not create a simpler version?

Why not create an alternative with less/more features?

I've compiled a list of SaaS that alternatives could be made for and reasons why. There's so many more like this too.

Eventbrite

Why build an alternative? High fees for event management; create a low-cost alternative with easier setup and better customer service.

Typeform

Why build an alternative? Premium-priced online form builder; create an affordable tool with engaging forms.

Monday dot com

Why build an alternative? Overwhelming work management tool; offer a straightforward, cost-effective alternative.

Calendly

Why build an alternative? Pricey scheduling tool; offer a cheaper or more feature-rich scheduling solution.

ClickFunnels

Why build an alternative? Pricey sales funnel builder; offer a more affordable, easier-to-use alternative for small businesses and entrepreneurs.

A lot of people think it's a waste of time to take on the bigger software companies out there but there's a lot of positives to doing it.

  1. The idea is already validated because you already know that there's users who use the SaaS
  2. It is generally easy to find peoples pain points by looking at reviews for SaaS

I've compiled a list of 87 SaaS Alternatives here if you're interested.

So what do you think?

Would you build one? Or is it a waste of time?

on September 11, 2024
  1. 2

    'it's already been done' will never stop me, I'll still do it better :P
    Great compilation!

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