So, you have this fantastic product idea and it’s just sitting in your drafts or journal. You have all the pieces together except one – coding. You can't code and have no co-founder that can. It gets even worse – you can't afford to pay a developer.
What do you do?
Try building it with no-code tools.
With the right guide, you’ll build a solid SaaS product without writing a line of code. If you don't yet have a product idea but you’re nursing the dream of creating your own SaaS product, you’re also in the right place.
With no code SaaS, you won't have to worry about:
- Learning coding
- Paying a developer huge sums
- Looking for a partner that can code
- Waiting for months for the product to be ready
- Letting your idea go to waste
- Missing the opportunity of being an entrepreneur
If you're already curious and want to discover how to create a SaaS product without coding, keep reading.
What is SaaS?
Software-as-a-service, also known as on-demand software and hosted software, is a cloud-based software delivery model. In this model, the software provider develops the application and makes it available to clients through the internet on a pay-as-you-go or subscription basis.
The software provider is responsible for managing the traditional software, all the hardware, middleware and security. They are also responsible for maintaining and updating the application automatically and regularly. This video gives a detailed explanation of what SaaS is all about.
Custom Code vs Low-Code vs No-Code; For Building SaaS
Before starting your no-code journey, let’s find out what the other options are and the pros and cons of each option.
Building SaaS with Custom Code
Custom code means programming that is written specifically for a particular use-case or an application. This can be done in-house or with the help of a SaaS development services provider. Every aspect of your application is built from scratch
Pros
- Knowledge of your code
- Total control over fetched data
- Better control of presentation
- High customization
- Data safety
Cons
- Expensive
- Time-consuming
- Needs monitoring and maintenance
- Any change requires a professional developer
Building SaaS with Low-Code
Low-code is the middle ground between custom code and no-code. It’s a visual approach that makes it easy to build applications with minimal hand-coding. Low-code is an option available for coders to code faster without repeating basic codes.
Pros
- Better customization
- Speed
- Lower risk
- Increased security
- Easy deployment
Cons
- Limited customization
- Fewer functionalities
- Lack of checks and balances
Building SaaS with No-Code
No-code platforms let you create applications without coding; just graphic interfaces and drag-and-drop features. No-code makes it possible for people who have no coding skills or experience to build applications. This method of product development is gaining more popularity and it is projected that by 2025, 70% of business apps will use no-code technologies.
Pros
- More inclusion
- Easy to use
- Cost-effective
- Time-saving
- Easy to update
- No fear of shadow IT
Cons
- Less security
- Lack of total control
- Less privacy
- Little room for creativity
- Difficult for migration and integration
The following table makes the custom code vs low-code vs no-code comparison simpler:
Some of the Most Successful SaaS Applications Built with No-Code
Still not sure if no-code is for you? Check out these cool SaaS apps built with no-code.
No-Code SaaS Example 1: Quickstaff
A web-based app, Quickstaff helps event planners manage staff, vendors and contractors. Built with a no-code platform, Quickstaff helps event planners manage and automate events and staff scheduling, leading to improved productivity.
This app works for both managers and staff. Managers plan the schedules while employees can check their schedules, instructions and reminders.
No-Code SaaS Example 2: Incomee
Incomee is another no code SaaS application. It is a financial management tool specially built for freelance businesses to help them navigate accounting. This tool makes it easy for freelancers to manage their financial processes from proposal to payment, saving them time and effort.
No-Code SaaS Example 3: Dividend Finance
This app provides energy-efficient and renewable energy financing solutions for property owners. Built with a no-code platform, Divided Finance gives its clients access to clean energy financing. It has a variety of finance options for them to choose from.
Step-by-Step Action Plan for Building a No-Code SaaS
Building your SaaS product without coding sure sounds exciting and simple, but without a solid action plan, it will flop. To make your no-code SaaS journey a success story, you need to follow the right path. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do it right.
Step 1: Find a Profitable SaaS Idea
If you don't yet have an idea of what to create, this is the place to start. Building a successful product starts with having the right SaaS idea. If you miss it at this stage, chances are the product will fail.
How do you now find the perfect idea? For a start, look for an industry. Which industry interests you? Food? Finance? Sports? Cryptocurrency? Choosing an industry that interests you will make you passionate about building a product that solves a problem for it.
Next, search online for web app ideas that can bring you considerable income. Go through as many options as possible and choose the one that resonates most with you.
Step 2: Validate the Problem, Your Idea and the Market
Ideas are not enough. You must validate the problem, your idea and the market. This way, you’re sure that what you’re bringing to the market will be accepted.
You don't just come up with an idea; you respond to a need in the market. You solve a problem. This is where problem validation comes in. To validate the problem, you need to be sure it even exists in the first place and whether solving it will be worth it.
Idea validation is the process of testing your business idea to know if it’s viable. It is how you determine if people will be willing to pay for the solution you’re about to provide. Ideas are everywhere but it’s not every business idea that’s needed or will be paid for.
Market validation involves taking steps that will let you know if your products are in demand. It lets you know if your product truly meets market needs. Validating the problem, your idea and the market reduces your risks and saves you time, money and effort.
Step 3: Define Your SaaS Product Strategy
A SaaS product strategy is a detailed plan for developing, marketing and growing your product. It’s a roadmap for starting and sustaining your product. To be a step ahead, learn more about product roadmap software. These tools help you manage the process and timeline of a new product. With them, you’ll be able to create a product roadmap which will contain every information about your product’s vision and strategy.
A good product strategy must contain details about the SaaS app design, the product features and product architecture. For this strategy to be effective, it must be data-centric, comprehensive, flexible and be done through cross-collaboration.
Step 4: Choose Your No-Code Toolstack
If you’ve come this far in building a profitable no-code SaaS product, it won't be nice to ruin it all by choosing the wrong toolstack. That’s why you must research extensively on the best no-code stack for you. Your no-code stack is simply your tech stack containing no-code tools. You’ll find all you need to know about choosing the right toolstack in
There are many no code platforms you can choose from. Some popular ones are Bubble, Webflow, FlutterFlow, Softr and Stacker. These platforms have intuitive interfaces and drag-and-drop features that allow you to build your application without coding.
Top No-Code Tools to Build a SaaS MVP Without Coding
Webflow
Webflow is an amazing no-code development tool that builds websites using a visual editing tool. You can easily use drag-and-drop tools; the no-code tool automatically generates HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Even your website can be published within minutes using its global infrastructure.
Glide app
Glide app is a no-code tool that helps you create mobile applications directly from spreadsheets. It creates a default app by itself in the initial stages, and you can customize it as you go. You can opt for a free plan or pay $32 to access 25,000 data rows, unlimited sheet updates, and 10GB of data storage.
Bubble
Bubble is another one of the no-code platforms that helps create MVP using a visual editor. You can create interactive, multi-user apps for both mobile and desktop web browsers. It also has the option to integrate platforms like Stripe, TypeForm, and Intercom.
WeWeb
Weweb is the perfect tool to make scalable frontends. If you already have a back-end, you can build upon it using this no-code tool. The design is fully customizable and gives you the freedom to trigger actions based on your users’ behavior.
Flutterflow
Flutterflow is a no-code tool that will build no-code cross-platform applications (iOS & Android, both) using Flutter as the technology. It hosts over 120+ professionally designed screen templates, so you don’t have to begin building your application from scratch.
Softr
Softr should be your go-to tool for building an application that won’t require heavy customizations. Using your own data, you can create your website and other apps like client portals, marketplaces, internal tools, and communities.
Noloco
Noloco is a great no-code app builder that typically uses existing business data to create partner apps, client portals, and internal tools. It takes the data and automatically converts it into an app. Then, you can utilize its built-in drag-and-drop editor to customize it according to your requirements.
Draftbit
If you’re looking for a no-code tool that offers tons of pre-built components and templates, Draftbit is the one for you. It lets you choose your style using a visual interface. The tool also gives you real-time feedback and iteration to create the best possible app.
Directual
Directual is a pro-level no-code development and full-stack tool with the ability to build scalable products faster and with more freedom. It supports building APIs, a backend that can handle business-grade apps and user interfaces for your private and project apps.
Uibakery
UIbakery is a low-code tool that helps you build a beautiful UI using the 50+ components that the platform hosts. You can also easily connect third-party services using their native integrations and integrate REST or GraphQL API through the Postman-like interface.
Step 5: Build an MVP
A Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is a simple, launchable version of your product. It has minimal but basic features. The purpose of an MVP is to enable fast marketing, achieve early product market fit and attract early adopters.
To get inspiration on how to develop an MVP, check out these minimum viable product examples.
Step 6: Validate Your Value Proposition and Product
Here is the stage to validate your value proposition and product. To do this, you need to give your product to your proposed customers and users to test. This test will prove whether your product is providing real value to your target customers or not.
This stage is also when you validate willingness to pay. It is a no-brainer though; if your product truly brings value to the users, they will be willing to pay. It’s also part of product validation. When you validate your product, its chances of success in the market increase.
Step 7: Develop, Test, Iterate
The no-code app development process is cyclical. You develop, test and develop again. It's a continuous process of improvement. When you produce a prototype, you test it, tweak it and keep repeating the process until you get the best fit.
Step 8: Define the Go-To-Market Strategy for Your No-Code SaaS
Simply put, your Go-to-Market or GTM strategy is a roadmap for how you’ll hit the market with your product. A winning Go-to-Market strategy includes your target audience, a sales strategy, your pricing model, the best marketing channels and a customer validation strategy.
Step 9: Launch Your No-Code SaaS
Congratulations, you’ve come this far. You’ve put in a great deal of work and you just want to rest. Sorry, you can't rest just yet. Launching your no-code SaaS requires certain techniques that must be followed if all your hard work is not to go to waste.
There are three stages here:
- Pre-launch
- Launch
- Post-launch
All through each of the stages, there are actions you must take to ensure a successful launch. The steps are listed below:
- Understand and document your unique selling proposition (competitive edge)
- Set goals
- Study the target market
- Craft a compelling brand story
- Identify your marketing mix
- Produce a product demo
- Onboard customers
- Get feedback
Step 10: Hustle, Iterate & Scale Up
After the product launch, the hustle continues; you need to hit the ground running. Statistics show that 20% of small businesses fail within the first year. You don't want to be part of that 20%, so you must keep improving the product, marketing techniques and sales strategy.
Getting the first 100 customers should be your first sales goal. After this, you start scaling up and doubling down on tactics that have worked. Doing these activities consistently will ensure phenomenal growth.
A Few Things to Consider When Building a No-Code SaaS
1. Security, Scalability, and Reliability
In the excitement to build a no-code product, don't forget to plan for security, scalability and reliability. Be familiar with cybersecurity best practices, pros and cons of vpn, user authentication, data encryption, etc. They will be necessary for your business in the near future.
2. Production & Maintenance Costs
Research what it would cost to produce your no-code app and make provisions for how the app will be maintained. Knowing what the venture is going to cost will help you prepare adequately.
3. Ownership
Ownership is a big deal in product development. It becomes even more important in no-code app development. This is because you don't have total control over the app if it’s built off another platform. What happens to your app if the platform collapses or encounters a security breach? These are questions you should ponder when venturing into no-code development.
Use this Guide to Build a Profitable No-Code SaaS Product
Building a successful no-code product doesn't just happen; it’s a result of deliberate efforts. If you’re going to build a mind-blowing SaaS product, you must go the extra mile to learn what it takes and put in the work.
Developing a roadmap for the whole haul is the trick, as you don't want to get stuck at any point. Thankfully, you don't have to do this by yourself. This article is one of the most definitive and well-laid-out guides you’ll ever find on the subject. All you need to create a no-code SaaS product from start to finish is right here. For best results, read this article a couple of times, take notes and start implementing.
All the best!
