Should I Build It Should I Build It
22 Apr 2025
Startup Lessons

Tell us your startup idea| We check if you should build it

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

Based on your idea of creating a tool that checks whether people should build a product and the comparable products in the market, you're entering a challenging space. Our analysis indicates that you're in the "Run Away" category, which suggests multiple similar attempts have met with negative feedback. With 25 similar products already out there, competition is stiff. Most similar products receive medium engagement, indicated by an average of 5 comments, while the net use and net buy signals are neutral, suggesting that on average people are neither excited nor averse to using or paying for these types of products. This category is described as one where you should not build the product.

Recommendations

  1. Begin by thoroughly examining the negative feedback from existing products. Understand why users rejected these tools. Look for recurring themes or specific pain points that you can address or avoid in future endeavors. For example, several similar products were criticized for simply wrapping GPT without adding unique value, or for employing 'unclassy' email collection tactics.
  2. Assess if your skills could be applied to a related but distinct problem. Are there adjacent areas where your expertise in idea validation might be more effectively utilized? Perhaps focusing on a specific niche or industry could yield better results.
  3. If you've already developed something, explore whether the underlying technology can be repurposed for a different application. Sometimes, a change in focus can unlock new potential for existing assets. Consider how you could leverage any existing algorithms or data sets you've created for a new purpose.
  4. Conduct in-depth interviews with at least three people who have used similar products. Learn about their actual needs and what they found lacking in existing solutions. This qualitative research can provide valuable insights that metrics alone can't capture. Understand what their workflow looks like and how you could improve their productivity through a different approach.
  5. Apply the knowledge you've gained from this analysis to a completely new idea. Use the insights you've gathered from the negative feedback and user interviews to identify a problem that's genuinely worth solving. Focus on identifying a clear value proposition that differentiates your product from existing solutions.
  6. Given that many similar products were criticized for their AI-driven validation, explore alternative validation methods. Could you integrate human expertise or community feedback to provide more nuanced and reliable assessments? The discussion summaries of competing products suggest skepticism toward purely AI-driven approaches.
  7. Refrain from implementing intrusive data collection practices, such as requiring emails upfront, as this has been criticized as 'unclassy' and off-putting. Prioritize transparency and user privacy to build trust. Instead, consider offering a free, no-obligation trial to demonstrate the value of your service.

Questions

  1. Given the criticisms of existing idea validation tools, how can you ensure that your new approach provides truly accurate and insightful feedback, avoiding the pitfalls of invalidating potentially successful businesses?
  2. Considering the skepticism toward AI-driven validation, what alternative or complementary methods could you integrate to provide a more holistic and reliable assessment of startup ideas?
  3. How can you create a value proposition that clearly differentiates your product from the numerous existing idea validation tools, addressing the specific pain points and unmet needs identified in user feedback?

Your are here

Based on your idea of creating a tool that checks whether people should build a product and the comparable products in the market, you're entering a challenging space. Our analysis indicates that you're in the "Run Away" category, which suggests multiple similar attempts have met with negative feedback. With 25 similar products already out there, competition is stiff. Most similar products receive medium engagement, indicated by an average of 5 comments, while the net use and net buy signals are neutral, suggesting that on average people are neither excited nor averse to using or paying for these types of products. This category is described as one where you should not build the product.

Recommendations

  1. Begin by thoroughly examining the negative feedback from existing products. Understand why users rejected these tools. Look for recurring themes or specific pain points that you can address or avoid in future endeavors. For example, several similar products were criticized for simply wrapping GPT without adding unique value, or for employing 'unclassy' email collection tactics.
  2. Assess if your skills could be applied to a related but distinct problem. Are there adjacent areas where your expertise in idea validation might be more effectively utilized? Perhaps focusing on a specific niche or industry could yield better results.
  3. If you've already developed something, explore whether the underlying technology can be repurposed for a different application. Sometimes, a change in focus can unlock new potential for existing assets. Consider how you could leverage any existing algorithms or data sets you've created for a new purpose.
  4. Conduct in-depth interviews with at least three people who have used similar products. Learn about their actual needs and what they found lacking in existing solutions. This qualitative research can provide valuable insights that metrics alone can't capture. Understand what their workflow looks like and how you could improve their productivity through a different approach.
  5. Apply the knowledge you've gained from this analysis to a completely new idea. Use the insights you've gathered from the negative feedback and user interviews to identify a problem that's genuinely worth solving. Focus on identifying a clear value proposition that differentiates your product from existing solutions.
  6. Given that many similar products were criticized for their AI-driven validation, explore alternative validation methods. Could you integrate human expertise or community feedback to provide more nuanced and reliable assessments? The discussion summaries of competing products suggest skepticism toward purely AI-driven approaches.
  7. Refrain from implementing intrusive data collection practices, such as requiring emails upfront, as this has been criticized as 'unclassy' and off-putting. Prioritize transparency and user privacy to build trust. Instead, consider offering a free, no-obligation trial to demonstrate the value of your service.

Questions

  1. Given the criticisms of existing idea validation tools, how can you ensure that your new approach provides truly accurate and insightful feedback, avoiding the pitfalls of invalidating potentially successful businesses?
  2. Considering the skepticism toward AI-driven validation, what alternative or complementary methods could you integrate to provide a more holistic and reliable assessment of startup ideas?
  3. How can you create a value proposition that clearly differentiates your product from the numerous existing idea validation tools, addressing the specific pain points and unmet needs identified in user feedback?

  • Confidence: High
    • Number of similar products: 25
  • Engagement: Medium
    • Average number of comments: 5
  • Net use signal: -1.6%
    • Positive use signal: 8.1%
    • Negative use signal: 9.8%
  • Net buy signal: -6.7%
    • Positive buy signal: 0.0%
    • Negative buy signal: 6.7%

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

Relevance

Innovatize – AI Startup Idea Generator

05 Apr 2024 Artificial Intelligence

Ever wanted to create a startup but couldn't think of an idea? I'm doing a test launch for part of my MVP and would really appreciate any feedback, or if you could join my discord server: https://discord.gg/s9GtVNx7hfI'm a 16 year old entrepreneur with the goal of making startups easier to make for others.

Users suggest improving the value proposition for lead generation. There is criticism regarding the email requirement at the end, with some finding it unclassy and others simply noting it as an email grab. One user had an indifferent reaction.

The main criticisms are that the GPT wrapper lacks unique value, the requirement to provide an email is seen as unclassy and an email grab, and overall, users are unimpressed with the product.

Avatar
8
4
-25.0%
-25.0%
4
8
Relevance

I built a 100% free startup idea generator

02 May 2024 Productivity

The comments reflect a mix of insights on startups, emphasizing the importance of people, the challenge of finding product-market fit, and the difficulty of execution over idea generation. There's skepticism about the effectiveness of startup idea generator tools, with some users questioning methods and others suggesting improvements like a problem generator tool. Positive feedback was given to concepts like HealthWealth Analytics and people-centric networking solutions. There's also mention of a humorous PlayStation 6 idea and a health app for rating poop photos, indicating a range of creative thinking.

Users criticized the Show HN product for copying ideas without success, overlooking the human aspect in business, and potentially exploiting people. There's skepticism about its effectiveness and market fit, with concerns about competition and solving non-issues. The payment system was noted as difficult, and the prioritization of people over protocols was unclear. Doubts were raised about its ability to generate profitable ideas, and it was seen as just a marketing tool. Healthcare startups were mentioned as needing more than what's offered.

Avatar
51
29
0.0%
-3.4%
29
51
6.9%
Relevance

LaunchLogs -Save time on startup journey - Business idea validation in seconds

10 Jul 2024 Artificial Intelligence Notes Business Intelligence

Explain your startup idea as if you are taking a note. Tap "enhance" button and that is it. - Analyse and meet your current competitors. - Analyse latest popularity and competition trends on your idea. - Deep dive and dissect actual pain points of the people.

Users are interested in Studiobit's audio quality, specifically regarding external audio support. There's a request for real-time analytics integration during live streams. Some users also want to know more about Studiobit's audience engagement features that extend beyond basic chat functionalities.

Avatar
15
3
3
15
Relevance

I made a site to save you 6 months before building your startup

11 Jun 2024 Productivity Marketing

Hello,I've launched about 13 startups now, and all of them failed because I was trying to solve problems that didn't exist.Thus, I've come up with an idea: every time I start a new venture, I'll check my idea with SEO keywords to see if people are searching for the problem or not.Would like to know your thought about the product.

Avatar
3
3
Relevance

Evaluate your startup ideas based on criteria from top entrepreneurs

19 Apr 2024 Productivity

We all know what the frustration of spending days juggling an idea in your head, wondering if you should pursue it or not. That’s why I built Percepto, I always dreamed of being able to ask a incredible founders like Paul Graham if I should pursue “insert random startup idea”. So I thought what is the closest I could get to that dream? Well the checklist he evaluates an idea on is public online, if my idea could objectively pass his checklist that would certainly give me enough confidence to pursue it further!The crucial word is "objectively." When I evaluated ideas in my own mind, subjective emotions inevitably crept in, whether through overly optimistic leanings or random waves of self-doubt about the idea's feasibility. I also frequently overlooked crucial factors that I would not uncover until days/weeks of deeper idea validation.That’s why I built Percepto! It’s built to be an objective second look for your ideas. As I was building the app I found it super helpful for getting an objective second look on ideas that would randomly pop into my head before I went to far down the rabbit hole. I recommend trying a few different checklists and maybe come up with a few of your own. I hope you find it as useful as I did!

Avatar
2
2
Relevance

StartupXplorer - Brilliant startup ideas: your vision, our 'X for Y' magic

30 Oct 2023 Artificial Intelligence Startup Books Productivity

Do you know the legendary "X for Y" startup idea framework, where X is an existing concept/product, and Y is a new market/application. You can give me (1) X and no Y, (2) Y and no X, or (3) nothing at all, and I'll come up with 10 business ideas just for you!

The Product Hunt launch received positive feedback, with users congratulating the team and expressing interest in the product. The platform is seen as innovative and empowering for startups, offering resources, networking, and AI-powered brainstorming for creative idea generation. Users find the concept inspiring and well-implemented, some suggesting integration with incubator webpages. Overall, the sentiment is enthusiastic and supportive.

A user questioned the system's capability to handle nuanced ideas that require in-depth knowledge. This implies a concern about the system's ability to process complex information accurately and provide relevant insights or responses when dealing with specialized subjects.

Avatar
123
15
15
123
Relevance

Idea Validator - Get honest feedback about your business idea.

13 May 2024 Artificial Intelligence SaaS Marketing

Get honest feedback about your business idea. Build something people want. Done in 10 seconds by AI. (100% FREE)

Idea Validator's Product Hunt launch received mixed feedback. Many users praised it as a useful, free tool for reality-checking ideas and saving building time. Some found the tool creatively helpful, and plan to use it regularly. However, others criticized its core hypothesis and value, with some reporting inaccurate invalidations of successful businesses, and results that don't reflect real-world outcomes. There were questions about the AI determination and concerns about potential 'idea farming'. Despite mixed reviews, users congratulated the launch and found the comments fair.

Users criticized the product's core value proposition and expressed concerns about bias in its sorting methods, questioning whether it relies on statistics or qualitative analysis. Several users felt the results were poor and invalidate successful businesses, indicating flaws in its validation process. Some perceived it as idea farming for personal gain. The meaning and effectiveness of the percentage match were also questioned, with one user citing a 'terrible' idea based on a low validator score.

Avatar
97
22
27.3%
-4.5%
22
97
31.8%
Relevance

I made a tool to help collect and validate startup ideas

14 Aug 2024 Artificial Intelligence Productivity

Hey HN, I’m Kyrylo. I recently created a small tool that lets you gather, refine, and validate SaaS/startup ideas using AI. I used to jot down my product ideas in a note apps, but it wasn’t very practical for collecting feedback or refining them. So, I built this tool to make the process easier.Here’s how it works:1. Enter a brief description of your idea. 2. The app uses AI to generate project details. 3. Share your idea via a link that includes a feedback form.It’s pretty straightforward, and I’d love to hear your thoughts or any suggestions!

Users commented on a variety of Show HN products/services, from FuneralDash for funeral planning to WeatherBet for weather betting. Some expressed skepticism about AI and preferred human validation or existing tools like Google Docs. There were concerns about age limitations, licensing, and the effectiveness of some ideas. Innovative concepts like Antimatter warp engines and video conferencing toilets were mentioned, as well as a crowdfunding platform for political lobbying. Users also discussed the potential of IdeaCapturePro and AdPaw Hat for monetization. The landing page and Pieter Levels were praised, while some comments were sarcastic or protective of their ideas.

Users expressed skepticism about AI's effectiveness for the service, likened it to Google Docs, and questioned its originality and clarity in solving problems. Concerns about idea theft, arbitrary restrictions, and the platform's tone were noted. The 'world domination' goal was criticized as unclear and inappropriate. Users found the Q&A format unsuitable for brainstorming and were puzzled by the public nature of the platform. Criticisms also included a lack of features, differentiation, and creativity, as well as issues with idea rejection and selection criteria. The sign-up process was faulted for not saving initial ideas.

Avatar
38
32
-25.0%
-18.8%
32
38
3.1%
Relevance

Startup Idea Tester - Test your idea in days not months

03 Mar 2024 SaaS Developer Tools Marketing

Startup Idea Tester is here to revolutionize the way you validate your business ideas. Designed for founders with a lot of ideas, this powerful boilerplate allows you to focus on the marketing aspects and starting getting quickly emails with a waitlist system.

The Product Hunt launch received positive feedback and congratulations from multiple users. Several users specifically wished good luck and success. One user highlighted the product's potential as a beneficial jumpstart kit, while another expressed general appreciation. A single comment voiced doubts about the trustworthiness of customer testimonials but still acknowledged the launch with congratulations. Overall, the sentiment is positive and supportive.

The primary criticism revolves around the perceived lack of trustworthiness in customer testimonials. Users express skepticism about the authenticity and reliability of the presented endorsements, potentially undermining confidence in the product or service.

Avatar
107
8
8
107
Relevance

StartupRoaster - Get the feedback your friends are too afraid to give

16 Jul 2024 Artificial Intelligence Startup Lessons Bots

Your head is full of startup ideas that you think are perfect. But they probably suck. Put them to the test by roasting them for free before writing a single line of code.

Users found the product fun and enjoyable to play with. One user described it as a cheat for "The Mom Test." The general sentiment was positive, with users congratulating the creators on the launch. A comment was deleted, so it was ommitted from the summary.

Avatar
14
3
33.3%
3
14
33.3%
Top