Should I Build It Should I Build It
05 Jun 2025
Social Media

* Create a profile with your interests, favorite media, etc. * If two ...

...users have the app installed and pass by each other, both users receive each other’s * profiles and can connect with people that have common interests * Reward system for getting more points, XP etc. as you pass more people. ad we can add more featires as we go

Confidence
Engagement
Net use signal
Net buy signal

Idea type: Run Away

Multiple attempts have failed with clear negative feedback. Continuing down this path would likely waste your time and resources when better opportunities exist elsewhere.

Should You Build It?

Don't build it.

Your are here

The idea of passively discovering and connecting with people nearby who share similar interests is a well-trodden path. We found 9 similar products already, which indicates high competition in this space. The engagement on these similar products is medium, with an average of 5 comments, meaning you'll need to work to get people talking. Unfortunately, we don't have clear signals of positive user sentiment (use or buy), implying that the market might be saturated with similar solutions that aren't quite hitting the mark. Given the landscape, you need to carefully consider whether your approach offers a significant differentiation to overcome existing challenges and stand out in a crowded field. This is a "Run Away" idea category, meaning many have tried, but the road is littered with failures.

Recommendations

  1. Start by thoroughly analyzing the criticisms leveled against existing similar products. For example, users of 'Meet people, have more conversations about what truly interests you' found the sign-in process unclear and wanted better explanations of the features. "I built a tool to expand your network (that introverts will love)" received criticism around unclear user base and purpose, as well as concerns about spam and data privacy. Address these concerns upfront in your product design and communication.
  2. Evaluate if your specific skills can address a different but related problem. Consider that people generally appreciate the design and idea of these products but don't know how to use them. For example, can you make your app focused on one specific user group, and can you make the onboarding/sign-up easier?
  3. If you have already built something, think if you can repurpose it to a different problem, that is not so crowded. Think about skills, infrastructure, or any other asset you can reuse and pivot it away from this saturated idea.
  4. Talk to at least three people who have tried similar products, or, even better, have attempted to build something similar. Understand their pain points, what they actually need, and why they stopped using or building these products. You can use online communities or forums to find people to interview.
  5. Synthesize the insights you've gathered from competitor analysis and user interviews to refine your value proposition. Instead of trying to be a general-purpose social discovery app, focus on a niche that is not so crowded, like connecting people on specific hobbies, professional networking in a certain industry or a certain age range (50+ users are usually ignored).
  6. If you insist on this direction, consider offering tangible benefits like exclusive access to events or personalized recommendations based on shared interests. Ensure that privacy is a top priority, and clearly communicate your data usage policies.
  7. Before sinking more time into development, test your core assumptions with a landing page or a simple prototype. Measure user engagement and gather feedback on whether your solution truly addresses the pain points in the social discovery space.

Questions

  1. Given that similar products have faced criticism regarding unclear purpose and spam issues, how will you ensure that your app provides immediate value and a clean, user-friendly experience to avoid being perceived as another generic social connection tool?
  2. Considering the lack of strong positive user signals for similar location-based social apps, what specific problem are you uniquely solving for users that current solutions aren't addressing, and how will you validate this before investing significant resources?
  3. Many users have reported frustration with sign-up processes and data privacy concerns. How will you design your app to prioritize user trust and transparency, and what specific steps will you take to communicate these measures effectively?

Your are here

The idea of passively discovering and connecting with people nearby who share similar interests is a well-trodden path. We found 9 similar products already, which indicates high competition in this space. The engagement on these similar products is medium, with an average of 5 comments, meaning you'll need to work to get people talking. Unfortunately, we don't have clear signals of positive user sentiment (use or buy), implying that the market might be saturated with similar solutions that aren't quite hitting the mark. Given the landscape, you need to carefully consider whether your approach offers a significant differentiation to overcome existing challenges and stand out in a crowded field. This is a "Run Away" idea category, meaning many have tried, but the road is littered with failures.

Recommendations

  1. Start by thoroughly analyzing the criticisms leveled against existing similar products. For example, users of 'Meet people, have more conversations about what truly interests you' found the sign-in process unclear and wanted better explanations of the features. "I built a tool to expand your network (that introverts will love)" received criticism around unclear user base and purpose, as well as concerns about spam and data privacy. Address these concerns upfront in your product design and communication.
  2. Evaluate if your specific skills can address a different but related problem. Consider that people generally appreciate the design and idea of these products but don't know how to use them. For example, can you make your app focused on one specific user group, and can you make the onboarding/sign-up easier?
  3. If you have already built something, think if you can repurpose it to a different problem, that is not so crowded. Think about skills, infrastructure, or any other asset you can reuse and pivot it away from this saturated idea.
  4. Talk to at least three people who have tried similar products, or, even better, have attempted to build something similar. Understand their pain points, what they actually need, and why they stopped using or building these products. You can use online communities or forums to find people to interview.
  5. Synthesize the insights you've gathered from competitor analysis and user interviews to refine your value proposition. Instead of trying to be a general-purpose social discovery app, focus on a niche that is not so crowded, like connecting people on specific hobbies, professional networking in a certain industry or a certain age range (50+ users are usually ignored).
  6. If you insist on this direction, consider offering tangible benefits like exclusive access to events or personalized recommendations based on shared interests. Ensure that privacy is a top priority, and clearly communicate your data usage policies.
  7. Before sinking more time into development, test your core assumptions with a landing page or a simple prototype. Measure user engagement and gather feedback on whether your solution truly addresses the pain points in the social discovery space.

Questions

  1. Given that similar products have faced criticism regarding unclear purpose and spam issues, how will you ensure that your app provides immediate value and a clean, user-friendly experience to avoid being perceived as another generic social connection tool?
  2. Considering the lack of strong positive user signals for similar location-based social apps, what specific problem are you uniquely solving for users that current solutions aren't addressing, and how will you validate this before investing significant resources?
  3. Many users have reported frustration with sign-up processes and data privacy concerns. How will you design your app to prioritize user trust and transparency, and what specific steps will you take to communicate these measures effectively?

  • Confidence: High
    • Number of similar products: 9
  • Engagement: Medium
    • Average number of comments: 5
  • Net use signal: -18.4%
    • Positive use signal: 5.8%
    • Negative use signal: 24.2%
  • Net buy signal: -13.0%
    • Positive buy signal: 0.0%
    • Negative buy signal: 13.0%

This chart summarizes all the similar products we found for your idea in a single plot.

The x-axis represents the overall feedback each product received. This is calculated from the net use and buy signals that were expressed in the comments. The maximum is +1, which means all comments (across all similar products) were positive, expressed a willingness to use & buy said product. The minimum is -1 and it means the exact opposite.

The y-axis captures the strength of the signal, i.e. how many people commented and how does this rank against other products in this category. The maximum is +1, which means these products were the most liked, upvoted and talked about launches recently. The minimum is 0, meaning zero engagement or feedback was received.

The sizes of the product dots are determined by the relevance to your idea, where 10 is the maximum.

Your idea is the big blueish dot, which should lie somewhere in the polygon defined by these products. It can be off-center because we use custom weighting to summarize these metrics.

Similar products

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Exprescial - An interest based app to express and socialize

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Its an interest based networking app where you can make friends based on specific interests. Like to meet someone into origami or maybe someone who likes glass blowing. You can find and meet friends at Exprescial

The product launch received positive feedback. Users congratulated the team and praised the app's realistic nature and cool features. The comments suggest the product is well-developed and impressive.

The primary criticism is that the product's realism might not be ideal for all users, although the general sentiment appears positive.

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Tagle – Discover Social Profiles Locally Based on Shared Interests

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Hey HN,I’m excited to introduce Tagle, an app that helps people discover others around them based on real interests rather than superficial social profiles.What it does:• Find people locally who share your passions using flexible interest tags. • Users can unlock social profiles (like Instagram, X) to connect directly. • It’s not about superficial browsing, but about building meaningful connections through niche interests and hobbies.I’ve built Tagle to give users a way to connect authentically by focusing on what matters to them—whether it’s discovering fellow hobbyists nearby or engaging with people who have similar passions.Why I built it:Most social platforms focus on global interactions, but I wanted to create a tool that helps people connect locally through shared, genuine interests. It bridges the gap between the online world and real-world interactions by highlighting what people actually care about.Looking for feedback:I’d love to hear any feedback from the community— thoughts on the concept, ideas for improvement, or even potential challenges I might face. The app is currently available on the App Store, and I’m eager to learn what works and what could be better.Thanks for your time!

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Meet people, have more conversations about what truly interests you

30 May 2024 Android Social Network Social Networking

Hi all, Andrew here. I hate smalltalk[1] but love deep conversations and want more of them, for myself and for others. This is why I made pairup.social. It's a conversation-finding and friend-finding app based on the things you'd most like to talk about. Sure, you have your friends, colleagues and family you can talk to, but it can be hard to go deep on your unique interests. Finding and reaching out to people on the internet is possible, but in practice I find I don’t really do it that much. It’s a bit awkward. If I found them on a single-topic discussion group, I don’t know much else about them, including other interests or even if they’re open to meeting people at all. None of this is impossible to overcome, but there's enough friction to mostly stop me from doing it. The goal of this app is to make this easy enough that it actually happens.How it works:1. Install the iOS or Android app. Sign-in can be deferred until after you’ve tried it out.2. Add a bunch of links to capture what you are interested in at the moment. These can be links to accounts you follow, communities you've joined, books, movies or podcasts you love, causes you support – anything really. Your links/interests simultaneously describe you to others and enable the app to match you to people with overlapping and compatible interests. Your combination of links can be incredibly specific and nuanced but also very easy to build and maintain (try it!)3. Complete your minimal profile: one picture, a name, optional bio, and locations you spend time in (if you want to emphasize local matches). Your interests are already a great way to describe you, so this kept very simple.4. Fuzzy matching occurs. People with overlapping interests (either the same links or other links about the same or similar things) are suggested to you. You can see their interests and decide if you’d like the option to chat with them. Typical mutual-opt-in mechanics result in “pairups” and you can both take it from there and start chatting whenever you’re ready. No pressure, you already have things to talk about.I'd love it if you gave it a try and let me know what you think![1] I did enjoy coding in Smalltalk in a past, past life https://techcrunch.com/2006/03/11/dabbledb-online-app-buildi... https://www.mercurynews.com/2010/06/10/twitter-buys-software...

Users are intrigued but suggest improvements for the Show HN product. They recommend inviting users with shared interests and are eager to try it. However, they request clearer sign-in instructions, better explanation of features like pair-ups, and the addition of an FAQ for clarity. One user struggles to find local tech enthusiasts, indicating a potential market need. A lack of content was also noted as a concern.

Users have reported issues with unclear user actions, a broken sign-in feature, and an opaque pair-up process. Additionally, there is a lack of local technical support available.

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23
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Active Local - Local connections made simple!

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Ever wondered if someone nearby shares your interests? Our app lets you chat and meet without account registration. Just select your interests, see like-minded people on the map, and connect. Customize your emoji, and enjoy privacy-friendly interactions.

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I built a tool to expand your network (that introverts will love)

23 Jul 2024 Social Networking

As someone who struggles with social anxiety, expanding my network through traditional means has always been challenging. I found existing networking apps either too spammy (LinkedIn) or too much like professional dating (Bumble Bizz), and they just didn’t work for me.About a year ago, I developed a matching system for a local startup accelerator. This system connected founders, mentors, and investors based on industries, skills, and job functions, facilitating over 5,000 meetings that led to some amazing outcomes. Inspired by this success, I enhanced the system to focus on email introductions. Here’s how it works: - It analyzes backgrounds and interests. - It sends intro proposals to each person. - If both respond, it makes the intro.My goal is to help people meet interesting contacts without the stress, using email to keep the process simple and integrated into daily routines. I’d love for you to try it out and share your feedback. Your thoughts and suggestions for improvement are greatly appreciated!

Users appreciate the design but are confused about the target user base and the purpose of the product. There are concerns about the requirement of a LinkedIn account, which some find intrusive and spammy. Several users have had sign-up issues, particularly on Firefox, and there are requests for user success stories and clearer data usage policies. The concept of networking for HackerNews users is intriguing to some, but there is skepticism about social validation without proof of product usage. A few users are excited to try the product, while others suggest improvements like manual vetting to avoid spam.

Users criticized the product for unclear user base and purpose, spam issues, and data privacy concerns. The sign-up process is problematic, with LinkedIn dependency and account setup issues. There's skepticism about the effectiveness of recommendation systems and the validity of trends like Gen Z dating discomfort. The product's networking scope and benefits are unclear, and there are complaints about unethical practices, misleading use of logos, and intrusive popups.

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I am currently working on building an web app that allows users to create lists of things that they like such as movies, books, bookmarks, songs, podcasts, etc.The idea is to have a space where you can showcase all the things you like and share them with people around you. This helps you and people to better understand you.Any feedback is appreciated.

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