If you’re thinking of starting a startup, one of the first things you’ll need to do is come up with ideas. But, what industry should your ideas be in? Well, SaaS (software-as-a-service) businesses are one of the most popular and profitable types of businesses around, and there are plenty of options to choose from. In this article, we’ll be covering 37 profitable SaaS business ideas to get you started.
What Is A SaaS Business?
A SaaS business, or software as a service, is a type of business model that allows the software to be delivered as a service over the internet.
Customers can access and use the software, typically through a web browser, while the provider manages the infrastructure and security.
Sound complicated? It’s not. You already know a lot of SaaS businesses, whether or not you’re aware of it. Dropbox, Google Drive, Salesforce, Shopify, and Mailchimp are all examples of SaaS businesses.
This cloud-based set-up is in contrast to traditional software, which must be installed on each individual computer (like Microsoft Excel).
SaaS businesses are often subscription-based, meaning customers pay a recurring fee to use the software. This model has become increasingly popular in recent years as it allows companies to scale their operations efficiently.
37 Profitable SaaS Business Ideas For Your Startup
1. A No-Code Website Builder
A no-code website builder is a platform that allows users to create and manage their websites without any programming knowledge. No-code website builders are valuable because they allow users to create professional-looking websites without having to learn coding or design. These platforms are so easy to use that web designers often prefer working with them to starting from scratch.
No-code website builders make money by charging users a monthly subscription fee. In addition to the subscription fee, no-code website builders also typically charge for additional features, such as adding a custom domain name, hosting, or third-party applications.
Example: Softr
2. An SEO Tool
SEO research platforms provide a way for businesses to track their SEO progress and find opportunities for improvement. There are many different types of SEO research platforms available, but many of them share a set of basic features. Most SEO research platforms allow businesses to research and track keywords, backlinks, and SERP listings.
This data can be used to identify areas where the business’s SEO efforts are succeeding and areas where there is room for improvement. Ranking on Google is no easy task, but these tools can help businesses fine-tune their SEO strategies and stay ahead of the competition.
3. A Property Management Service
A property management platform is software that helps landlords and property managers to oversee their rental properties. These platforms usually include features like rent payment tracking, logging issues with tenants, and keeping track of ROI (return on investment). Some platforms also offer features for online marketing and tenant screening.
The demand for property management platforms has grown in recent years, as more landlords and property managers seek to streamline their operations. This makes it one of the better SaaS ideas for beginners since there is always a strong demand.
4. A CRM
A CRM (customer relationship management) is software that is used to store customer data and manage customer interactions. These platforms are crucial for helping businesses track their communications with customers, manage customer accounts, and progress toward sales outcomes.
CRM platforms usually make money by charging a monthly subscription fee for users. The fee can be based on the number of users or the features of the platform. CRM platforms also make money by selling add-ons and integrations to their platform.
If you’re looking for SaaS business ideas with a lot of potential, building a CRM might be the right call. You can always niche down and create a CRM for freelancers, for gyms, or for another smaller market.
Example: Pipedrive
5. A Personal Finance Platform
A personal finance platform is a cloud-based software application that helps regular people manage their finances. These platforms typically provide features that help with tasks like budgeting, goal setting, and expense tracking.
In recent years, personal finance platforms have gained in popularity as learning to manage your money has become more normalized. While there are a number of different personal finance platforms available on the market, there’s always room for a new entrant with its own unique set of features and pricing model.
6. A Podcast Editing Platform
Podcast editing platforms are software that allows podcasters to easily edit and polish their episodes. This can include adding music and sound effects, improving sound quality, as well as making other adjustments to make their podcast episodes sound more professional. Using a podcast editing platform can save podcasters time, as it makes the editing process simpler and quicker.
Podcast editing platforms make money by charging podcasters a subscription fee to use the platform, or by selling advertising space. It’s one of the best SaaS ideas because there are a lot of ways to add extra value like building a feature to automatically publish the podcast to Spotify, adding a marketplace to find advertisers, or developing analytics to track episode performance.
7. A Project Management Platform
Building a project management tool can be a great way to enter the SaaS business world. Project management software helps businesses manage the progression of their initiatives, and it’s one of the SaaS business ideas that has been around forever.
There are a number of different ways to approach this, but one of the most important things to keep in mind is that your project management tool needs to offer something unique and valuable. It should also be easy to use and intuitive so that users will actually want to use it.
As for how you can make it unique, you could change the revenue model (e.g. make it free with ads, or a one-time fee) or make it specific to a certain industry.
Example: Asana
8. An Inventory Management Tool
Inventory management is critical for businesses in a variety of industries. Inventory management ensures that products are available when customers want them, while also minimizing unnecessary costs associated with excess inventory.
Traditionally, inventory was managed using paper-based systems or spreadsheets. However, these methods are often inaccurate and time-consuming. Today, companies prefer to use SaaS solutions that can give them real-time data, analytics, and insights.
9. A Content Licensing Marketplace
Looking for SaaS business ideas with a lot of growth potential? If so, then consider creating a content licensing marketplace.
A content licensing marketplace is a platform that allows businesses to offer and license digital content to one another. Content creators, like Youtubers, often use third-party images and videos to supplement their creations. This content is not free, and it must be licensed by its creator. That’s where a content licensing marketplace comes in.
These marketplaces allow creators to list their content, others to download it, and facilitate payments from one party to the next. For businesses, it provides a cost-effective way to obtain high-quality content. And for content creators, it offers a way to monetize their work and reach a larger audience.
Youtube, TikTok, and other video platforms are growing rapidly, which is why this is one of the SaaS business ideas that has a lot of potential. It’s not easy to set up, but the more content you get listed, the stronger your competitive moat becomes.
10. A Video Editing Tool
A video editing platform is a SaaS business that provides users with tools to edit videos. The platform may be offered as a web-based application or as a downloadable software program. These platforms will usually include some video effects, transitions, subtitles, and more.
Some platforms also offer collaboration features, such as the ability to share projects with other users or to work on projects together in real time. Video editing platforms are used by individuals and businesses for a variety of purposes, but the most prevalent use cases right now are for Youtube and social media content.
11. An Online Appointment Manager
An online appointment management platform is a software tool that helps businesses and individuals schedule and manages their appointments. The platform may be offered as a standalone application or as part of a larger software suite. Online appointment management platforms typically offer a variety of features such as the ability to integrate with your calendar, automatically send guests reminders, track payments, and more.
When using this type of software, someone can visit your website, schedule an appointment with you (only during free time on your calendar), and be reminded of when the appointment is. It’s an excellent system for service providers to connect with their leads.
Example: Calendly
12. An Automated Webinar Platform
An automated webinar platform is a software as a service (SaaS) that helps businesses automate the distribution of pre-recorded webinars. As a refresher, a webinar is a video presentation where someone is covering a certain subject at length and usually connects the subject matter to a product or service that they offer. Webinar automation allows you to record a webinar once, and replay it in the future as if it were taking place live.
Webinar automation platforms can save business owners a ton of time and money on webinar production and management since you only need to record the presentation once. This allows you to scale up, reach a wider audience, and save your manpower for other projects. It’s one of the SaaS business ideas on this list that hasn’t been saturated, and there are still ways to differentiate from the competition.
Example: WebinarKit
13. An Automated Chatbot Service
A chatbot service is a software that can simulate a human conversation by using artificial intelligence. A well-programmed chatbot can understand what a person is saying and respond accordingly. Chatbots are commonly used in customer service and support to answer questions and resolve issues. However, they can also be used for marketing, sales, and even as virtual assistants.
Chatbots are those little bubbles that pop up on websites, in the bottom right corner, asking if you need any help. There are many different chatbot services available, each with its own set of features and capabilities. The opportunity in creating a new chatbot is to identify a different market or niche that isn’t being properly served by existing products, and develop your own.
14. A Payment Processing Platform
A payment processing platform is a tool that enables merchants to accept payments online, in-store, or via mobile devices. Payment processor platforms typically offer a suite of features, including the ability to process credit and debit card payments, ACH transfers, and integrations with various third-party platforms. Many payment processor platforms also offer advanced features, such as invoicing, recurring billing, and fraud detection.
These platforms are crucial to businesses because nearly every business needs to accept payments. The main opportunities here are to produce a platform that is faster, has different integrations, or serves a smaller section of the market. While it’s not easy to pull off, this is one of the SaaS business ideas on this list with the potential to become a billion-dollar company.
15. An AI-Powered Data Insights Tool
An AI-powered data insights tool is a software application that leverages artificial intelligence technology to glean insights from data sets. This type of tool can be used by businesses to gain a competitive edge by uncovering hidden patterns and trends. For example, a retail business could use an AI-powered data insights tool to analyze customer purchase history in order to make better stocking decisions.
In addition, this type of tool can also be used to predict future trends, such as consumer behavior or the stock market. As artificial intelligence technology continues to evolve, the potential applications for an AI-powered data insights tool are endless.
16. An Image Editing Platform
An image editing platform is a software application that allows users to edit pictures and images. The platform typically includes a set of tools that enable the user to alter the brightness, contrast, size, and color of an image. Many image editing platforms also allow users to add text, logos, and other elements to an image.
In recent years, a number of SaaS business ideas around image editing have come to see success. These platforms typically offer a subscription-based service that provides access to a set of tools for editing images.
Example: Canva
17. A Financial Analysis Platform
A financial analysis platform is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) business that provides users with the ability to conduct financial analysis. The platform typically includes tools for creating financial models, analyzing data, and presenting results. Financial analysis platforms are used by businesses of all sizes to make informed decisions about their finances.
Many platforms offer a free trial or a freemium model, which allows users to use the basic features of the platform for free. However, users typically need to pay a subscription fee to access the more advanced features of the platform. financial analysis platforms are often used by investors, financial analysts, and accounting professionals.
18. An AI Writing Assistant
An AI writing assistant platform is a software application that helps businesses create and manage their content more efficiently. The platform uses artificial intelligence (AI) to identify the key topic of a piece of content, as well as the most relevant information to include. This allows businesses to save time in research and editing, and to produce higher-quality content overall.
In addition, the AI writing assistant can help businesses to optimize their content for search engines, ensure that it is properly formatted, and check for grammar and spelling errors. As a result, businesses that use an AI writing assistant platform can enjoy a number of benefits, including increased efficiency, improved content quality, and better search engine visibility.
19. A Password Management Tool
Passwords are a necessary evil in life, but they don’t have to be difficult to manage. Password management software makes it easy for users to store and access all of their passwords in one place. This software can also help users create strong passwords that are difficult to hack.
The makers of password management software make their money by charging a subscription fee. This allows them to keep their software up-to-date and provides users with the latest features. Password managers are also a necessity for businesses, which is why many companies offer this software as part of their employee benefits package.
20. A Dropshipping Product Marketplace
A dropshipping product marketplace is an online platform that connects dropshippers with suppliers. This type of marketplace provides a convenient way for entrepreneurs to find products to sell without having to make products or fulfill orders themselves.
These marketplaces are a natural fit for eCommerce store app markets where they can get tons of exposure, like the Shopify App. You can monetize with a subscription fee, per-order fee, or whatever you’d like. While there are a few options already on the market, there’s always room for someone who does it better.
Example: DropCommerce
21. A Dropshipping Product Research Tool
A dropshipping product research tool is software that helps you find dropshipping products that are likely to succeed. The tool scans different marketplaces and websites to find products that are in high demand and are likely to sell well. It then gives you information about the product, such as the price, shipping cost, and estimated profit margin.
Dropshipping product research tools can be very helpful for finding profitable products to sell, especially if you’re just starting out with your online store. Some tools even go the extra mile and pull together creatives you can use in your marketing.
22. An eCommerce Marketplace Tool
One of the best SaaS business ideas on this list is an eCommerce marketplace app. These tools are built on top of one or multiple eCommerce marketplaces like Shopify, WooCommerce, or Wix. These apps can provide a number of different services, from payments and shipping to customer service and marketing.
These tools are great because they have a market of customers that are already searching for them. Platforms like Shopify have hundreds of thousands of customers, and the grand majority of them will need at least one third-party app. Start with one, and you can steadily develop an ecosystem that transcends multiple platforms.
23. A Time Tracking Tool For Freelancers
Freelancers often charge clients based on the amount of time they worked, but tracking that time isn’t as easy as jotting a few notes. It’s easy to forget to start/stop your timer or lose track of what task you were working on. Time-tracking software is essential for professional freelancers. Not only for external reporting but for tracking your internal productivity as well.
If you’re looking for micro SaaS business ideas, this is one worth considering. Your creation doesn’t need to be (and can’t be) 100% original. You just need a new spin, a new feature, or a new revenue model to differentiate yourself.
24. An Online Course Platform
Looking for SaaS business ideas that leverage the creator economy? Why not develop an online course platform?
Online course platforms allow users to create, host, and sell online courses. You could either set it up as a platform for course-building, or you could include a marketplace like Udemy. To make your platform unique, you could focus on a particular niche or offer courses that are not available on other platforms. For example, you could focus on courses for entrepreneurs or courses that teach new skills. There are a ton of ways to pull it off, and it doesn’t need to be 100% original.
25. A Video Content Repurposing Tool
There are a ton of video content creators right now. People are making podcasts, TikToks, Youtube videos, and more. But, creating content is a lot of work, and creators don’t always get as much out of the content as they could.
A video content repurposing tool helps with that by allowing you to chop up your content into new formats. One common application is to take Youtube videos and use AI (or other features) to repurpose the content into Youtube Shorts or TikTok videos.
Some of the best SaaS business ideas have value because they save the users time, and this is one of them.
26. A Digital Product Distribution Platform
A digital product distribution platform is a website that helps businesses and entrepreneurs sell their digital products without creating their own websites. Users can list their products and set their prices, and the platform will process the payments and send the buyers their purchases.
Example: Gumroad
27. An Online Community Engagement Tool
An online community management platform is a tool that helps businesses create and manage their online communities. These platforms typically provide a range of features like forums, chat rooms, blogs, and member profiles. Plus, the platforms allow you to set up subscriptions and payments — so that you can charge your users correctly.
Elaborate online community management platforms can even incorporate elements of gamification (like badges), membership tiers (with commensurate rewards), and more.
28. An Automatic Image Editing Tool
Image editing can be a long and tedious process, but automatic image editing software can make the process a lot easier. These applications can handle a variety of tasks like cropping, adding filters, removing backgrounds, and more. The point is to make complex editing features available to users at the touch of a button.
Automatic image editing platforms are typically used by businesses or individuals who need to quickly and easily edit large numbers of images, such as photographers or eCommerce store owners.
Example: Lensa AI
29. An Email Marketing Platform
Email marketing is one of the most valuable forms of advertising that a business can engage in, and email marketing platforms are the software that makes it possible. These platforms allow you to build emails, segment your subscribers (e.g. into past purchasers and new leads), and send beautiful emails.
Email marketing platforms typically have a wide range of features like templates, drag-and-drop builders, autoresponders, analytics, and more. Even though there are a lot of platforms on the market already, there’s always room to drill down into new features, cater your app to a different type of user, or do things better.
30. A Landing Page Builder
Landing pages are web pages designed to receive your traffic from marketing efforts and to push the traffic toward your desired outcome. For an eCommerce store, you want your visitors to make a purchase. For SaaS businesses, you want your visitors to sign up. Either way, a landing page is a page designed to convert.
Landing page builders are software that makes it easy to build these pages. These are usually drag-and-drop page builders that make it easy to build aesthetic pages with your products, reviews, and more. This type of software can be built on top of a website builder like Shopify or can be standalone.
Example: Shogun
31. An Invoicing Tool
Invoicing tools are software applications that businesses can use to streamline their invoicing process. Invoices are bills that a business will send to its clients, so they’re very crucial in allowing the business to get paid. However, creating and managing invoices can be a time-consuming process, which is why many businesses prefer to use a tool.
Features will often include templates, automatic follow-ups, built-in payment processing, and more.
32. An Online Business Brokerage
An online business brokerage is a platform that helps business owners buy and sell online businesses. Buying an online business involves a lot of trust, which the brokerage helps with. A brokerage ensures that both parties get the information they need, reach a good price, and transact securely. They also offer tools and resources to help businesses value, negotiate, and close deals.
Business brokerages can be monetized in a variety of ways, such as taking a percentage of the sale price, charging a flat fee, charging listing prices, or charging for access to the listings.
Example: Flippa
33. A Lead Capture Website Plug-In
A lead capture plug-in is software that helps businesses collect leads through their website. When a website gets a visitor, it’s usually in the website owner’s best interest to collect that visitor’s email address. A lead capture plug-in helps with that by allowing the site owner to offer a digital product or bonus in exchange for the contact information.
This information is then stored in a database so that the business can follow up with the leads, or send them marketing emails. Lead capture plug-ins can be built with custom code or on top of an existing website builder like WordPress.
34. A Product Reviews Website Plug-In
A product reviews collection eCommerce app is a tool that allows businesses to collect and display customer reviews and testimonials. This can be an invaluable tool for saas and eCommerce businesses, as it helps to build trust and credibility with potential customers. Additionally, product review collection apps can help improve customer satisfaction by giving purchasers a way to provide feedback on their purchases.
While these apps can be built as standalone software, you’ll increase your odds of success by getting your app listed on app stores (like Shopify and WordPress).
35. A URL Shortener
A URL shortener is a tool that takes a long URL and turns it into a shorter, more manageable one. URLs are often way too long, especially when they have tracking information embedded. Using a shortened URL masks the destination from your customer, so that they won’t be able to see the UTM parameters or if it is a referral link. Shortened URLs can be as short as ~10 characters.
URL shorteners are typically built on a very short URL and offer customers a self-serve portal where they can generate shortened links that redirect to the customer’s link. You can upsell to paid plans that make it easy to manage these links or include added features, either with a subscription fee or a one-time payment.
If you’re running a saas business, offering a URL-shortening service can be a great way to generate additional revenue. And since the technology is relatively simple to develop, it’s one of the best saas business ideas for small startups.
36. A Habit Tracker
A habit tracker is a tool that helps people plan, track and maintain their desired (or undesired) habits. There are many different ways to track habits, but most platforms use some combination of calendar, goal-setting, and gamification features. The point is to track the habit you’re looking to instill (or disrupt) and gather insights or metrics on your results. The typical use cases are for weight loss, exercise, quitting smoking, etc.
We’ve included this in our list of SaaS business ideas because there’s always room for a platform that does things better. You can focus on a smaller niche (e.g. focus on helping people quit smoking), or you can find a different way to monetize.
37. Social Media Management Platform
Business owners recognize that social media is valuable in attracting and engaging new customers, but keeping a social media presence can consume a lot of time and energy. Social media management platforms help business owners save time and money by streamlining their content. Users can draft content using built-in templates, schedule it to be posted automatically, and review analytics on how their content is performing.
Why Build One Of These SaaS Business Ideas?
Saas, or software as a service, businesses are becoming increasingly popular among entrepreneurs for several reasons. Saas ideas are relatively easy to start, they have low overhead costs, and they can be quickly scaled up or down depending on demand. Additionally, saas businesses can be marketed to a global audience, making them a viable option for entrepreneurs who want to start a business with a global reach.
This scalability also means that SaaS businesses often fetch a high acquisition multiple. SaaS businesses are regularly sold for six to nine times their annual revenue. As far as business valuations go, this is a relatively high multiple compared to other industries.
Pros & Cons Of The SaaS Business Model
Pros
- Increased scalability — can serve thousands of customers around the world
- Reduced overhead — no office needed
- Can get started quickly — can build an MVP to validate the idea
- High sales multiples — can sell the business for 6-9x revenue
Cons
- Higher upfront costs — need to build something that delivers value
- Potentially higher long-term costs — servers, web tools, apps, etc
- Vulnerability to outages or service interruptions — since everything comes from your servers
- Fewer customization options for clients — services are more standardized
- More complex maintenance and support requirements — depends on your tech stack
Looking For More Than SaaS Business Ideas?
There are a ton of ways to make money online, and you don’t need to build a SaaS product from scratch to do it.
While any of these SaaS ideas can make a great business, SaaS isn’t always the best way to get your feet wet. There are other business models that are more beginner-friendly.
Want to see what we mean? Well, we’ve been indexing all of the ways to make money online that we can find, and we’ve compiled a giant directory of them.
We’ve got filters that make it easy to find an idea that fits what you’re looking for — depending on your skills, interests, level of difficulty, and more.
Want to check out our other ideas? Visit our Hustles directory! We’ve got hundreds of ideas ready for you to get started with.
Happy hustling!
