Not every software founder wants to raise money, hire a team and aim for an acquisition. Plenty aim for something smaller: a micro-SaaS, a focused product run by one person or a tiny team that pays its founders a good living.
There's no official definition, but the ones that work tend to share a few traits.
A Narrow Problem and a Clear Buyer
Consumer apps are hard to charge for. Tools that save a freelancer or small business real time each week are easier, because the buyer can see the value and often expense the cost. The narrower the problem, the easier it is to explain, find customers for and price. The pricing calculator shows how many customers a given price needs to reach your goal.
A Lean Stack
Small teams pick tools that remove operations work so they can ship quickly. Common choices include:
- Framework: Next.js (App Router) or Vite with React.
- Backend and database: hosted platforms such as Convex or Supabase, so there are no servers to manage.
- Auth and payments: OAuth or passkeys, and Stripe Checkout.
- Hosting: Vercel or Cloudflare.
Hauntboard itself runs on Next.js and Convex. The specific tools matter less than picking ones you already know.
Distribution That Compounds
- Specific search queries: useful comparison and "alternative to" pages, written from experience rather than mass-produced. Our guide to getting traffic to a new website explains why.
- Launch boards and directories: boards such as Hauntboard and Uneed, and directories such as SaaSHub, for first visitors, feedback and links. See our list of places to launch.
- Direct conversations: talking to the people who have the problem, which is also how you learn what to build next.
Know Your Numbers
Track monthly recurring revenue, churn and how many customers you add each month. The MRR calculator helps you see how small changes in price or churn add up over a year.