Marketplace to connect non-technical founders with vetted MVP developers.
Niche Market: Non-technical founders, especially those looking to build SaaS MVPs, often struggle with the coding aspect and are cautious about the risks of hiring developers from general freelance platforms. They worry about quality control, understanding technical jargon, and the possibility of being overcharged or getting a subpar product. This group faces a lot of anxiety and friction in turning their ideas into functional software.
SaaS Opportunity: The main issue is the trust gap and knowledge asymmetry between non-technical founders and technical service providers. There's a clear need for a platform that reduces the risks involved in the MVP development process for these founders.
Product Form: A curated SaaS marketplace or platform specifically designed to connect non-technical founders with vetted developers or small agencies that specialize in building MVPs efficiently and cost-effectively.
Key features could include:
- Rigorous Vetting Process: For developers/agencies, focusing on their experience with MVPs, communication skills with non-technical clients, and proven track records (e.g., verified portfolio items, client testimonials).
- Standardized Project Briefing Tools: Guided templates to help non-technical founders clearly articulate their app requirements, minimizing miscommunication.
- Milestone-Based Escrow Payments: A secure payment system where funds are released upon completion of pre-defined milestones, verified by the platform or the founder.
- "Outcome-Based" or "Contest-Based" Options: Inspired by the "coderduel" comment, the platform could facilitate models where multiple developers build a prototype based on the brief, and the founder pays for the chosen outcome. This reduces the risk of paying for a developer's time without a satisfactory result.
- Transparent Pricing & Timelines: Encouraging developers to provide clearer, more structured quotes.
- Educational Resources: Content to help non-technical founders understand the basics of software development, project management, and what to expect.
- Integration with Prototyping/Design Tools: Allowing founders to easily share mockups or wireframes created in tools like Figma or v0.
- Post-MVP Support Connection: Facilitating connections for ongoing maintenance or future development phases.
Monetization Strategy (Expected Revenue is highly speculative without market sizing, so focusing on the model):
- Commission-based: Take a percentage (e.g., 10-20%) of each successfully completed project transacted through the platform. This aligns the platform's success with the success of the connections made.
- Premium Listings/Services for Developers: Developers/agencies could pay a subscription for higher visibility or more leads (though this needs careful balancing not to compromise the curation quality).
- Add-on Services for Founders: Fees for premium support, project management assistance from the platform, or access to expert consultations.
This addresses a significant and recurring pain point in the startup and indie hacker ecosystem by providing a trusted intermediary and process for non-technical individuals to bring their software ideas to life.
Origin Reddit Post
r/saas
Non technical saas founder advice needed
Posted by u/ogcdark•06/07/2025
Hi team,
I want to start a Saas app /company for a problem I actually have myself and I know others have too (parents). I can't code or build apps at all myself. The app will be a monthly/yea
Top Comments
u/Bunnylove3047
Be careful. Learn enough about this to recognize quality work so you can make a good hiring decision. You will probably be paying by milestone- make sure you understand what they produced be
u/DirectorOfThisTopic
I think you could think a bit "backwards" :
1. What's the main feature app should do?
2. Can a simple version of it be in other way rather than app/website?
3. Can I manually do it?
u/CommentFizz
Are you willing to pay for someone to build it?
u/mr-BlackGuy
tbh, how much you learn technical term and things, you will never outsmart a technical guy who know coding, there will be high chance you will end with a wrong peeps, who will create a very B
u/Available_Fan_3564
Learn to code.
u/ogcdark
Thx for the advice!
u/Maximum-Poem9065
Hey! I’ve been in a very similar spot — non-technical background, real pain point I wanted to solve (in my case in the HR space), and wasn’t ready to jump into cofounder hunting or forming a
u/LawfulnessNo0716
https://www.reddit.com/r/SaaS/comments/1l5eh14/ill_build_your_mvp_for_350_landing_page_auth_core/
made this post, have a look. If interested, have a few projects you may like. My dad also ha
u/sachingkk
I come from a technical background. Let's talk and see if we can partner up.
Here is my quick intro 👇
*I am the expert who can automate your business to increase your profits*
I'm Sachin,
u/yazidaqel
If you’re looking for an MVP that meets your requirements, you might consider hiring someone to help you maintain it.
Fiverr, Upwork… are all good options to start so
Start simple and avoid
u/Maximum-Poem9065
Hey! I’ve been in a very similar spot — non-technical background, real pain point I wanted to solve (in my case in the HR space), and wasn’t ready to jump into cofounder hunting or forming a
u/LawfulnessNo0716
https://www.reddit.com/r/SaaS/comments/1l5eh14/ill_build_your_mvp_for_350_landing_page_auth_core/
made this post, have a look. If interested, have a few projects you may like. My dad also ha
u/Alternative_Leg9896
Totally get wanting to prove PMF first. Freelancers can work, but vet their past projects carefully and get small test tasks before the MVP. Meanwhile, automating things like signups, surveys
u/Keisar0
THE MOST IMPORTANT thing is that they show you definitive proof of their real work. Actual proof not just “I built this website and this website”
u/hikhakk
many might hate me for sharing this but.
UI [https://stitch.withgoogle.com/](https://stitch.withgoogle.com/)
Quick functional web app [https://lovable.dev/](https://lovable.dev/)
from UI
u/ogcdark
The teams said similar price and duration 14k, 3months,.
Why would a team put that in to not get the contract?
u/ogcdark
Thx! 2 showed me a list of apps in playstore and apple app store, with actual downloads.
u/bobbyiliev
Fiverr can work for a quick MVP, but quality varies a lot. Just be super clear with requirements.
u/erimaxx
Hey I actually made a SaaS for just this problem - [coderduel](http://coderduel.com) coming soon! Devs compete to build the best version of your mvp. Pay for an outcome, not a developer
u/ogcdark
Thx for the advice!
u/Riseabove1313
Fiverr is a bad idea.
I would suggest to getting a developer from your network as a referral.
Someone who can understand your vision, create a product for you and undertand which tech sta
u/hikhakk
many might hate me for sharing this but.
UI [https://stitch.withgoogle.com/](https://stitch.withgoogle.com/)
Quick functional web app [https://lovable.dev/](https://lovable.dev/)
from UI
u/erimaxx
Hey I actually made a SaaS for just this problem - [coderduel](http://coderduel.com) coming soon! Devs compete to build the best version of your mvp. Pay for an outcome, not a developer
u/davidmeirlevy
I can help you.
I wrote a no-code solution to create SaaS products.
The main difference is that my product is fully open source so you can get everything and use a self hosted.
Go ahead and
u/Fun_Ostrich_5521
If you’re non-tech, bring in a **part-time CTO or tech advisor early**.
They won’t build your MVP, but they’ll:
* Review freelancer work for quality/security
* Help write a clear tech brie
u/e-dimensionz
There may be good dev's on Fiverr, but if you're not technical and don’t have someone to help you vet them, it can be pretty risky.
You could try no-code tools like [Bubble.io](http://Bubb
u/Wiz_frank
I have a technical background (being a developer for many years before moving into indie building).
I can not only give you advice but show you how you can build an MVP without wasting mone
u/mr-BlackGuy
tbh, how much you learn technical term and things, you will never outsmart a technical guy who know coding, there will be high chance you will end with a wrong peeps, who will create a very B
u/Express_Being8352
Hello, you actually don’t need anyone to do it for you nowadays! I know people with 0 tech background that just turned on cursor and built a fully functional MVP! You’ll just need an initiati
u/RomeInvictusmax
Take a look into vibecoding!
u/AnxiousAdz
Build a Figma Prototype using a UX Designer. Then build the MVP with AI.
Send that to users to get feedback. If feedback is good, raise money.
Should cost for 5-6k if the app isn't super co
u/ogcdark
The teams said similar price and duration 14k, 3months,.
Why would a team put that in to not get the contract?
u/ogcdark
Thx! 2 showed me a list of apps in playstore and apple app store, with actual downloads.
u/ogcdark
Not a good investment of my time 😂.
u/Wiz_frank
I have a technical background (being a developer for many years before moving into indie building).
I can not only give you advice but show you how you can build an MVP without wasting mone
u/statsfc
Good luck on your project!
I have used Upwork with success before.
Whichever way you go, I would definitely recommend using v0 to build out your prototype of how you want it to look/feel/
u/Bunnylove3047
Be careful. Learn enough about this to recognize quality work so you can make a good hiring decision. You will probably be paying by milestone- make sure you understand what they produced be
u/DirectorOfThisTopic
I think you could think a bit "backwards" :
1. What's the main feature app should do?
2. Can a simple version of it be in other way rather than app/website?
3. Can I manually do it?
u/e-dimensionz
There may be good dev's on Fiverr, but if you're not technical and don’t have someone to help you vet them, it can be pretty risky.
You could try no-code tools like [Bubble.io](http://Bubb
u/Keisar0
THE MOST IMPORTANT thing is that they show you definitive proof of their real work. Actual proof not just “I built this website and this website”
u/bioTribe_
Hope u find a solution
u/statsfc
Good luck on your project!
I have used Upwork with success before.
Whichever way you go, I would definitely recommend using v0 to build out your prototype of how you want it to look/feel/