Stop Coding, Start Testing: 7 Ways to Validate Your SaaS Idea Fast

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Before you open VSCode, ask yourself:

“Do people actually want this?”

Every failed SaaS I’ve built (and I’ve built dozens) had one thing in common:
I started coding before testing demand.

In this post, we’ll flip that.
Here are 7 fast, no-code ways to validate your SaaS idea — all inspired by real IndieHackers founders who stopped coding and started testing.


1. Define the Problem, Not the Product

The easiest trap in SaaS is starting with features, not pain.
Validation starts when you can describe a real problem in one sharp sentence.

“I help [audience] do [job] without [pain].”

Example:

“I help indie founders validate SaaS ideas without writing code.”

If you can’t summarize it in one breath, your idea isn’t ready to test.

As David Wilson wrote:

“Most SaaS fails due to weak understanding of customer pain. Founders assume too much, test too little.”


2. Talk to Ten Real People (Before Building Anything)

Forget surveys. Start conversations.

Find your audience on Reddit, Slack, or IndieHackers. Ask:

  • “What’s your biggest pain with X?”
  • “How are you solving it today?”
  • “Would you pay for a simpler version?”

Keep notes, not code.

Wilson’s micro-SaaS gained early traction simply by talking to 30 users before touching a keyboard — and he hit 47 sign-ups in 2 days.


3. Build a One-Page Waitlist

Your landing page is your MVP.

All it needs:

  1. Headline — the problem.
  2. Sub-headline — your promise.
  3. One CTA — “Join the waitlist.”
  4. Optional fake pricing tiers.

You can make it in 10 minutes using JoinWaitlist.dev or Notion + Super.

From Ideas Are Cheap. Here’s How to Validate Them.:

“The quickest route is a landing page with a wait-list form — or even a ‘buy’ button — then send traffic to that.”

You’re not building software; you’re testing story-market fit.


4. Run a “Fake Door” Test

Add a button that says “Buy Now” or “Start Free Trial.”

When clicked, it leads to:

“We’re still in early access — want to be first?”

This simple test tells you who’s willing to act, not just read.

As Tom Jacquesson put it:

“I personally consider I need at least one stranger to pay actual USD$ before it’s even released.”

One stranger > 100 likes.
That’s validation.


5. Spend $10 on Targeted Traffic

You don’t need thousands of visitors — you need 50 real ones.

Try:

  • $10 Google Ads to niche keywords
  • A single Reddit or X post describing your pain point
  • IndieHackers “Feedback Friday” thread

@santiagobasulto spent a few dollars on ads and found his cost-per-signup was just $0.50.
That tiny test gave him a clear green light to proceed.

You’re not buying users — you’re buying signal.


6. Measure the Right Conversion Metrics

MetricWhat It ProvesGood Benchmark
Visits → Sign-upsCuriosity & clarity15–30%
Sign-ups → RepliesReal interest>10%
“Buy Now” clicksPurchase intent3–10%

From an IndieHackers discussion:

“Average wait-list-to-signup rate is 5–8%, but well-positioned ideas hit 20%+.”

Track these before touching your backend.


7. Talk to Sign-ups and Pre-Sell

Your waitlist is a list of real leads, not decoration.

Send a quick message:

“Hey [name], thanks for joining. What made you sign up?”

Use responses to shape pricing and features.
Even better — ask if they’d pre-pay for early access.

As one founder admitted in How to Handle Waitlist for a B2B SaaS:

“We had 100 sign-ups but zero follow-ups. The waitlist was useless until we started talking to them.”

Validation doesn’t end at the form — it starts there.


Quick Recap: The 7-Step Validation Sprint

  1. Define the problem clearly.
  2. Talk to 10 people.
  3. Build a one-page waitlist.
  4. Add a fake-door “Buy Now.”
  5. Spend $10 on traffic.
  6. Measure conversions.
  7. Engage & pre-sell to sign-ups.

Do this in 7 days → You’ll either have your first real signal or a reason to pivot fast.


Why This Matters

Coding feels safe.
Testing feels uncertain.
But only one of them tells you the truth.

As Jacquesson said:

“You can build for months and still not know if anyone cares. Or test for a day and learn everything you need.”

Validation isn’t about being clever — it’s about being honest early.


Try It Now

JoinWaitlist.dev helps you:

  • Launch a validation page in minutes
  • Run mock-sales with fake doors
  • Track conversions & sign-up sources
  • Export pre-launch audiences

👉 Stop coding. Start testing.
Your next SaaS idea deserves proof, not hope.


**If you found this useful, share it with one indie founder who’s over-building right now

Ready to validate your next idea?

Try JoinWaitlist.dev