Why SaaS Trends Matter
Though solo ventures and bootstrapped no-code startups are an emerging force in the SaaS industry, they don’t have to stay siloed or in the dark regarding industry trends. They can still learn from SaaS trends, statistics, and industry benchmarks to significantly impact their offerings. By analyzing these, startups can gain valuable insights into the market and their competition.
Diving into this data can help identify new growth and development opportunities and reveal common pitfalls to avoid. For example, if a no-code startup notices its churn rate is higher than the SaaS industry average, it can improve its customer retention strategies.
Similarly, by studying revenue trends and growth projections, startups can make informed pricing and marketing strategy decisions. This can help no-code SaaS startups to position themselves for success and long-term growth by staying up-to-date with industry benchmarks.
SaaS Statistics Shaping 2024
Though the SaaS industry was poised for explosive growth in the early 2020s, recent economic downturns have positioned SaaS enterprises and micro SaaS startups to focus more on being sustainable instead of growing.
But that may not be the case as the decade continues on.
Certain key benchmarks and statistics show how SaaS is changing today, its market growth, challenges, and potential solutions.
The Rise of Generative AI
Generative AI, powered by natural language processing, computer vision, and deep learning, will continue to advance in 2024. This technology, and generative AI tools for developers in general, have transformative applications across various industries, such as creative industries and healthcare.
Market Growth
When the market grows, the public will have a greater demand for SaaS products, creating new opportunities for startups to enter the market and gain market share. These SaaS market growth statistics show how the industry can emerge from the rocky economic recession.
- The global SaaS market is projected to grow 28% yearly to $333.03 billion in 2023.
- The median growth rate for public SaaS companies is 22% as of March 2023.
- The median growth rate for private SaaS companies is 35% as of March 2023.
- Private B2B SaaS companies with an annual recurring revenue (ARR) of less than $1 million reported the highest median growth rate at 51%.
- The largest B2B private SaaS companies with annual recurring revenue (ARR) of over $20 million had the lowest median annual growth rate at 27% as of March 2023.
Based on the final two statistics above, private no-code / micro SaaS startups have a higher growth rate than enterprises in the first quarter of 2023. Though startups may have felt the heat from the economic downturn, their growth significantly outperformed their largest competitors.
Revenue Trends
SaaS revenue trends provide valuable insights into the overall health of the SaaS market and the performance of individual companies. Examining these SaaS revenue statistics allows businesses to identify growth areas and potential challenges and make informed decisions about their strategies and investments.
Learn more about important SaaS revenue trends below.
- Private SaaS companies’ median net revenue retention rate is 102%.
- Large enterprises accounted for over 60% of global revenue in the SaaS market in 2022.
- 39% of SaaS organizations use a value-based pricing model to take advantage of SaaS capabilities, and 24% copy their competitors’ pricing strategies.
- There are 175 SaaS companies with valuations greater than $1 billion and a collective value of almost $622 billion.
- SaaS companies with less than $1 million APP have the lowest median ARR per employee.
No-code / micro SaaS startups may need to re-evaluate their pricing strategies, sales and marketing efforts, or product offerings to address a low ARR. Also, try to focus on improving customer retention and increasing the lifetime value of their customers.
Churn Rates
Churn rate is a key KPI (key performance indicator) for SaaS businesses because it represents the rate customers leave the company's product or service. High churn rates can be a major challenge, as they can lead to a decline in revenue and growth. In addition, high churn rates indicate that the company's product or service is not meeting the needs or expectations of its customers — or time to return to the drawing board.
No-code / micro SaaS startups can learn from the following industry statistics to reduce their churn and become a guidepost for their industry.
- The average annual churn rate for SaaS companies is between 5%-7%.
- Companies used an average of 130 SaaS apps in 2022, increasing 18% from 2021.
- 40% of IT professionals combined redundant applications, meaning that the growth rate of SaaS apps slowed in 2022.
- 29% of respondents in a 2022 survey said they would change at least one cloud provider in the following two years.
Reducing churn is a critical goal for SaaS startups looking to achieve long-term success and sustainable growth. By improving customer retention and reducing the rate customers leave the company's product or service, startups can increase revenue, improve profitability, and build a loyal customer base to establish themselves as competitors in the fast-paced industry.
When it comes to improving user experiences and creating responsive interfaces for reducing churn, no-code startups in the growth phase can consider mix-maxing with low code or even custom code; for example, leveraging react development services to enhance their digital products' UI/UX.
Strategic Planning
SaaS startups can use industry trends for strategic revenue planning by examining pricing trends, identifying new market opportunities, staying informed on factors like funding, and including financial figureheads in decision-making.
By staying current with the latest trends and data in the SaaS market, startups can optimize their pricing strategies and focus their investments on areas with the greatest growth potential. Use these statistics to inform your insight into your recurring revenue and how to plan for bull and bear markets.
- Venture capital funding saw a 53% decrease from the first quarter of 2022 to 2023.
- 39% of business leaders said their businesses don’t practice agile planning to prepare for the future.
- 55% of companies said their organizations aren’t using scenario modeling before forecasting adjustments.
- According to surveyed businesses, sales data has only one-half the influence of financial data in decision-making.
- 60% of surveyed respondents said that financial decision-makers don’t have a seat at the table for strategic planning, and only 28% have any say in those decisions.
Though venture capital firms are pulling their investments from the startup SaaS industry, it’s not the end of the world. No-code startups can use this data to inform their internal decision-making. Allowing financial employees to provide input into strategic decisions may be the saving grace needed to weather the economic storm.
Managing Data Security
No-code / micro SaaS startups must follow data security trends to stay up-to-date with the latest best practices and regulations in the SaaS industry. These trends and data will help to show startups some emerging threats and vulnerabilities in the industry to adjust their own security protocols.
- SaaS misconfigurations cause as many as 63% of organizational security problems.
- 43% of surveyed organizations can tie at least one security issue to a SaaS misconfiguration.
- 43% of IT professionals implemented a SaaS app that stores sensitive information, according to surveyed professionals.
- 42% of surveyed IT professionals have trouble securing SaaS user activities.
- Insider threats where former employees still have access to SaaS apps account for 22% of security problems.
- Overall, cybersecurity sector that has been at or near zero percent unemployment rate, cyber security will remain one of the most in-demand skill sets in tech according to IT Salary Guide.
Learn from the experiences of other companies in the industry, both in terms of what has and hasn’t worked. By prioritizing data security and staying up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices, startups can protect their customers' data and build trust in their brands. When it comes to data security and robust database management, several startups explore options like SQL server remote DBA services to better safeguard their customers' data and build trust.
Micro SaaS and Solopreneurs: A Growing Landscape
Micro SaaS is a type of SaaS startup that is characterized by its small size, typically consisting of a single founder or small team. Micro SaaS companies typically offer niche, highly specialized products or services.
Micro SaaS represents a growing trend in the SaaS industry among solopreneurs and small teams who are looking to launch a business with low investment risks. Despite their small size, SaaS companies can be highly profitable and scalable, offering a range of benefits for both customers and founders.
For customers, No-code SaaS companies offer specialized products or services tailored to their needs rather than generic solutions that may not meet their requirements. For solopreneurs, micro SaaS companies offer a low-risk way to launch a business and test a product or service in the market without needing a large investment or team.
Some solopreneurs may find that micro SaaS companies are too niche for their needs, meaning that these companies may struggle to find the funding they need to thrive. SaaS is also unique for being a saturated market — everybody wants to be the unicorn in a red ocean.
Growth Opportunities in a Challenging Market
The SaaS industry is resilient in tough economic times because it works on a recurring revenue model, meaning the revenue is easily predicted in market and demand fluctuations.
When determining a new strategy for their business, micro SaaS ideas can vary depending on their niche market demand and economic conditions. These may include consulting, HR-related tools, DEI initiatives, and web apps.
For micro SaaS web app ideas, no-code startups can sustain growth by focusing on customer needs, providing excellent customer support, and investing in marketing and customer acquisition. Some great web app ideas include:
- Real estate listing portals
- No-code learning platforms
- Portfolio creators for graphic design professionals
- Niche dating apps
- Recipe apps for people with dietary restrictions
Focusing on growth opportunities in a scary market is all about innovation and the desire to succeed.
Adapting SaaS Industry Insights for No-Code Success
No-code SaaS companies can succeed by examining the state of the industry and using market trends to inform their growth strategies. Startups can optimize their pricing, focus their investments on areas with the greatest growth potential, and adjust their security protocols to address emerging threats and vulnerabilities.
Additionally, micro SaaS companies offer a low-risk way to launch a business and test a product or service in the market with open source no-code platforms, which don’t require a large investment or team. No-code startups can build scalable businesses and succeed in the challenging SaaS market by prioritizing innovation and customer needs.
Sounds too good to be true, right? There are several SaaS platforms that you can build with no code. Here are some no-code build ideas to get you started:
- Basic websites through services like Squarespace or Wix
- Mobile apps and e-commerce stores
- Chatbots built with an API
Conclusion
Taking note of SaaS statistics and trends should be at the forefront of growth strategies for all no-code / micro SaaS startups.
By analyzing market trends — from industry growth and fear of stagnation to churn rates and strategic revenue planning — SaaS startups can gain valuable insight from the industry and their competition.
Looking at these SaaS industry benchmarks, no-code / micro SaaS startups can optimize their pricing, investments, security, and marketing strategies to find long-term success in the ever-growing and overwhelmingly competitive SaaS industry. Being a software as a service provider means that you must prioritize the industry and consumer needs — or be left in the dust.
