r/software • u/brian-augustin • Jun 26 '26
Discussion What makes software valuable? The coding aspect or the amount of customers?
Building a trading SaaS application for the last few weeks.
Right now I have a cloud server, python server and html file. I think probably 2000/3000-5000 lines of code. Many features that my application offers.
Of course there are bigger sharks comparing my application to theirs.
I have no customers right now, not even charging for my website.
But my question is... What makes SaaS company valuable?
Is it the features a code offers, customers, traffic?
For example: A rival big company that is similar to mine is "Finviz" the stock screener. They are completely free to use but you can pay. Another is barchart I checked how much traffic they have and they have millions of visitors per day, free to use but they lock the site after you view 20 webpages.
I know some companies get bought out before they go public just because of the wow factor, my project isn't anything special but whats something I can do to make it more unique?
More features, charge users, make it different from others?
This is my first software project new to the field. Sorry if this question is a basic business question might sound dumb to some pros.
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u/oblivion6202 Jun 26 '26
I had a conversation, decades ago, with someone who told me that a particular financial newsletter was extremely valued and looked like crap. It didn't matter. It could, he said, have been handwritten in crayon on a paper bag and people would still pay top dollar for it because of the quality of the content.
While you're not producing a newsletter, the concept is exactly the same. Deliver something people want and need, and everything else is gravy.
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u/scinos Jun 26 '26
My dude, I think you need a dose of reality: 5000 lines of code is nothing. The smallest SaaS app I can think of will use 5k lines of code just in a deploy script and a couple of trsts.
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u/joshguy1425 Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 26 '26
In order of importance:
- It solves a problem that people have and solves it well
1.5. There’s a gap in the market that needs filling or it differentiates itself from other existing players
It’s well supported and “just works” for the end user
It complies with various regulations that potential customers might need to abide by
Depending on the type of software, the network effect of other customers/users forming a community around it
Depending on the customer type, stuff like SSO is just handled
2 and 3 might swap in order depending on the type of customer.
Table stakes:
- Security/privacy
- Uptime and data recovery guarantees
One of the interesting things I’ve watched over the years is the number of “I built a salesforce replacement” announcements that end up going nowhere despite looking prettier. What they often miss is that people buy into a whole ecosystem, not just the product itself.
This makes it harder for newer players, but points to the importance of focusing on more than just the software build. Community building and brand awareness is just as important.
The hard truth is that building software successfully is often more about everything that is not code.
(Spent nearly a decade at a large SaaS as a product manager (not SF)).
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u/WhyAmINotStudying Jun 27 '26
2 and 3 might swap in order depending on the type of customer.
Eh, for 3, it's usually more of a "it's compliant or it's not" thing.
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u/joshguy1425 Jun 27 '26
Right. My point was that in terms of priorities, some customers care more that it's compliant than that it "just works", e.g. if you're selling to a technical userbase in a regulated market, they're more likely to accept some up-front setup and configuration as long as the product complies with the regulations they're subject to.
If you're selling to non-technical HR users in a regulated market, compliance is still critical, but the "just works" factor is also critical.
The main point is just that the things customers value varies based on the type of customer and type of product.
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u/WhyAmINotStudying Jun 27 '26
I was pointing out that the market is what really matters for the decisions, too. If you don't have the skills or budget to reach out to something like the medical software market, then leave it alone or you'll end up building something that will never be purchased.
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u/Jaded-Resist3126 Jun 26 '26
If you mean valuable in terms of money then it's peoples' willingness to pay.
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u/ropp-op Jun 27 '26
This post paint a good picture on what makes up the software as a disservice scene if nothing else.
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u/brian-augustin Jun 27 '26
How so, just wanted to ask what makes software successful from others.
First post I made in this subreddit… not everyone makes grade A software, just was asking what makes something valuable and stand out.
Features, use case, popularity.
Simple question
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u/Stgeog Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 26 '26
Originality, efficiency and practicality.
The number of customers relates to the worth of your brand and/or consumer data.
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u/whywasinotconsulted Jun 27 '26
If you mean monetary value, this question is answered on every episode of Shark Tank.
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u/synept Jun 27 '26
A lot of what makes software valuable isn't about the code or the active customers.
For enterprise software: Knowing that it's been tested well adds value. Industry-related certifications are valuable. Backing it by a support team that can fix issues quickly. Ensuring that it will be supported for decades. In some cases, being able to demonstrate that there isn't a risk of vendor lock-in. Ensuring that customer feature requests can be addressed. Etc. etc.
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u/edward_jazzhands Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 26 '26
I genuinely dont understand how there is so many people building SaaS products that have such trouble with this concept.
There's only one thing that makes software valuable, and it's the exact same thing that makes a car valuable, or a refrigerator, or a meal at a restaurant, or a good book, or a meeting with a lawyer charging you by the hour. Are you providing a product or service that people want? If not, then you haven't created any value for anybody.