SaaS Launch Checklist
Free SaaS launch checklist covering idea validation, MVP, pricing, waitlist, go-to-market, and post-launch growth. Step-by-step playbook updated for 2026.
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- Idea validation6 tasks
- MVP & build5 tasks
- Pricing & packaging5 tasks
- Launch day8 tasks
- Week 1 after launch5 tasks
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At a glance
Updated
- Phases
- A SaaS launch runs in five phases: idea validation, the first build, pricing, launch day and the week after.
- Show HN
- A Show HN post must be something people can try. Sign-up pages and landing pages are off topic.
- Product Hunt
- Product Hunt's team does not feature a waitlisted product unless people get access straight away.
- Where to start
- Start before you write much code, with a waitlist page that names the problem and asks for an email.
- Cost of the big launch sites
- Posting on Product Hunt and posting a Show HN on Hacker News are both free.
Sources:Hacker News: Show HN guidelinesProduct Hunt: Featuring guidelinesProduct Hunt: Launch guide
Idea validation
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Validate your SaaS idea before writing a single line of code.
Define the specific problem you're solving
High priorityWrite a one-sentence problem statement. Test it with potential customers. If they can't immediately relate, rewrite. A vague problem leads to a vague product.
From the phase Idea validation.Identify your specific ICP (ideal customer profile)
High priorityNarrow from 'SMB' to something like 'small creative agencies using Figma'. The narrower your ICP, the faster you'll validate and the sharper your messaging.
From the phase Idea validation.Run 15 customer discovery interviews
High priorityDon't ask 'would you use this?'. Ask 'tell me the last time you tried to solve X'. Listen for emotional intensity and current workarounds, not polite interest.
Read moreFrom the phase Idea validation.Find 3 existing alternatives (even if they're spreadsheets)
High priorityIf nobody is currently solving this problem imperfectly, your market may not exist yet. Alternatives are proof of demand.
From the phase Idea validation.Start a pre-launch waitlist
High priorityIn LaunchListBefore building anything, create a landing page and waitlist. If a clear description of the product cannot get people to sign up, the idea isn't strong enough yet. Use LaunchList for a free waitlist with referral mechanics built in.
In LaunchListOn every planFrom the phase Idea validation.A waitlist page we host, or a form on your own site, with your own questions at signup, and every answer saved on the person who gave it.
Do this in LaunchListValidate willingness to pay
MediumAsk prospects 'if this existed and cost this much, would you pay?' Get verbal commitments at your target price before building. Better: pre-sell access to the beta.
From the phase Idea validation.
MVP & build
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Ship the smallest possible product that delivers the core value.
Write a 1-pager product spec
High priorityCore user flows, must-have features, explicit exclusions (what you're NOT building in the first version). Keep it to one page: if it's longer, your scope is too big.
From the phase MVP & build.Choose your tech stack for speed, not scale
High priorityLaravel, Rails, Django, or Next.js. Tailwind. A managed DB. A managed queue. Optimize for shipping in weeks, not for millions of users you don't have yet.
From the phase MVP & build.Ship a usable MVP in 6–10 weeks
High priorityIf your MVP keeps slipping by months, your scope is wrong. Cut features ruthlessly until you can ship.
From the phase MVP & build.Onboard your first 10 customers manually
High priorityIn LaunchListWhite-glove every early customer: personally set up their account, join a call, watch them use the product. The friction reveals everything broken.
In LaunchListFrom the phase MVP & build.Early access invites give each person you let in a code of their own and an email, and show you who has used theirs.
Do this in LaunchListInstrument product analytics from day 1
MediumPostHog, Mixpanel, Amplitude, or Umami. Track signup, activation, and weekly active use: the metrics that matter before product-market fit.
From the phase MVP & build.
Pricing & packaging
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Price based on value delivered, not features.
Study 5 competitor pricing pages
High priorityNote their tier structure, price points, and what's gated behind each tier. Your pricing should anchor against these, not undercut them.
From the phase Pricing & packaging.Price by value, not feature count
High priorityUse a few tiers, such as Starter (individuals), Team (small groups) and Business (established teams), with each priced well above the one before. Gate by outcome, not checkbox.
From the phase Pricing & packaging.Don't price too low
High priorityVery cheap tools attract low-intent customers who churn, and low prices often signal low value. Price on what the product is worth to the buyer, and expect business buyers to pay more than consumers.
From the phase Pricing & packaging.Add an annual discount (15–20%)
MediumPushes users to annual billing, materially reduces churn, and improves cash flow upfront.
From the phase Pricing & packaging.Test 2 pricing variants on your waitlist
MediumIn LaunchListBefore launch, email groups on your list with different price points. Measure purchase intent (click-through to checkout). Real data beats guessing.
In LaunchListFrom the Collect planFrom the phase Pricing & packaging.An email campaign goes out to everyone on your waitlist who can be emailed, written in Emails in your project.
Do this in LaunchList
Launch day
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Coordinate your pre-launch audience, press, and distribution.
Launch on Product Hunt
High priorityA well-prepared Product Hunt launch can bring a wave of visitors. Launch when people can use the product: Product Hunt's team does not feature a waitlisted product without access. Use LaunchList's detailed Product Hunt launch checklist to prepare.
From the phase Launch day.Launch on Hacker News (Show HN)
High priorityShow HN is for something people can try, ideally without signing up first; sign-up pages and landing pages are off topic. Title it 'Show HN: [Product], [one-line benefit]'. Show, don't sell, and answer every comment. Never ask friends to upvote or comment.
From the phase Launch day.Email your waitlist at go-live
High priorityIn LaunchListPersonalized, from-a-human email with a direct product link. Include a launch-specific discount code. This is typically your highest-converting channel.
In LaunchListFrom the Launch planFrom the phase Launch day.A Launch day automation emails everyone you can email when you press Go live, and can send a last call a day later.
Do this in LaunchListPublish a launch blog post
MediumTell the story of why you built it. Link to product. This becomes the canonical 'about' post for years and powers long-tail SEO.
From the phase Launch day.Reach out to niche newsletters (Beehiiv)
MediumBuy a few sponsorships in newsletters serving your exact ICP, timed with launch day. A sponsorship in a newsletter your buyers actually read beats a bigger spend on untargeted ads.
From the phase Launch day.Go live on Twitter/X with a launch thread
High priorityOpen with the emotional hook (why you built it), show the product, end with a CTA. Pin the thread. Tag the people who've been supportive.
From the phase Launch day.Post in relevant Slack/Discord communities
MediumOnly where you've been a contributing member. Don't spam. One thoughtful post in the right community beats many in the wrong ones.
From the phase Launch day.Add your product to launch.li
LowIn LaunchListA directory of products that are new or about to launch gives curious visitors one more way to find you, and a page you can link from every launch post.
In LaunchListFrom the phase Launch day.launch.li, LaunchList's directory of products before launch, lists yours by stage, and you move it from Building to Beta to Launched as you go. Sign in with an emailed link to add it; a new listing goes up, newest first, once it has been reviewed.
Add your product on launch.li
Week 1 after launch
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Convert the launch rush into durable growth.
Track the real launch metrics
High prioritySignups, activation rate (people who used the core feature in their first week), conversion to paid. Not just visitors. Visitor counts are vanity.
From the phase Week 1 after launch.Email every signup who didn't activate
High priorityPersonalized email asking what blocked them. You'll learn more from a handful of these replies than from any survey.
From the phase Week 1 after launch.Publish a launch recap (transparency)
MediumIn LaunchListStats + learnings. Generates a second press wave, engagement, and honesty-driven trust. Great founders do this publicly.
In LaunchListOn every planFrom the phase Week 1 after launch.Updates is a public changelog with an RSS feed, so the people who joined can follow what you ship next.
Do this in LaunchListCapture 3 customer testimonials
High priorityEmail your happiest users directly. Ask for a couple of sentences and a photo, and add them to your homepage soon after. Social proof compounds.
From the phase Week 1 after launch.Fix the top 3 launch-day bugs
High priorityDon't add features yet. Just fix what broke. Stability earns trust; features don't.
From the phase Week 1 after launch.
How to launch a SaaS product: the playbook
What sits behind the order of the list, and the two launch sites with rules worth reading first.
Why validation comes before code
Most first SaaS products struggle because too few people want them enough to pay, rarely because they were built badly. Each validation task is a cheap way to find that out early: an interview costs an hour, a waitlist page costs an afternoon, and a price in front of a real buyer costs one awkward question.
A waitlist doubles as your launch audience. Everyone who joined while you built is a person you can email on the day you open, which is the difference between a launch with a first hour and one without.
Where to launch a SaaS product
The big launch sites each have rules, and two of them rule out a product people cannot try yet. Check the rules before you pick the day.
| Where | What it needs | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Your own waitlist | An email list you built before launch | Nothing, it is yours. Email it first. |
| Product Hunt | A product people can use on the day | A waitlist without access is not featured. Asking for upvotes is against the rules. |
| Hacker News (Show HN) | Something people can try, ideally without signing up | Sign-up pages and landing pages are off topic. Never ask friends to vote. |
| Niche newsletters | A story the editor wants for readers | Issues are planned ahead, so write early. |
| Communities you belong to | A history of taking part | Post only where launches are welcome. |
Sources:Product Hunt: Featuring guidelinesHacker News: Show HN guidelines
A free tier, a trial or paid from the start
A free plan suits a product that spreads through use, where a free user brings in the next one. A trial suits a product that shows its value in days. Paid from the first day suits a product sold to businesses that already budget for the problem.
Whichever you choose, put the price on the page at launch. People who sign up knowing the price are the ones still there next month.
What a launch week looks like
The launch is a week, not a day. A rough shape that works for most SaaS products:
| When | What you do |
|---|---|
| The day before | Check the signup path, the emails and the posts one last time. |
| Launch day | Email the waitlist, post on Product Hunt or Show HN, reply to everyone. |
| The next day | Thank people, answer what came in overnight, fix the worst bug. |
| Midweek | Email everyone who signed up but did not start, and book calls with the keenest. |
| End of the week | Write the recap, ask for testimonials, decide what to build next. |
What questions should I anticipate on launch day?
You should prepare an answer to these questions to get ready for product launch:
- What problem does your SaaS solve?
- Who is your specific ICP (not just 'small businesses')?
- How much should we charge?
- Should we offer a free trial?
- How do we price annual vs monthly?
- When should we launch on Product Hunt?
- How do we build a pre-launch waitlist?
- What tech stack should we use?
SaaS launch tasks LaunchList does for you.
From the first waitlist page to the email on launch day, these are the jobs above that run in LaunchList, each on the plan named beside it.
A waitlist that asks who is joining
Your own questions at signup, such as role or team size, saved on each person so you can sort the list by them.
On every planBeta invites in batches
Let people off the waitlist a few at a time, each with an invite code, and see who has used theirs.
The launch email, on time
A Launch day automation counts back from your launch date and emails your whole list, with a last call after.
From the Launch planSignups through launch week
Daily signups, and the share of visits to your hosted page that ended in one, on the Analytics screen.
On every plan
More launch checklists
Frequently asked questions about SaaS Launch Checklist
Common questions about saas launch checklist — compiled from the community.
How long should a SaaS launch take?
Should I launch on Product Hunt?
What's the biggest SaaS launch mistake?
How much does a SaaS launch cost?
How many signups do I need before launching?
Should I launch free or paid?
What do I do if my launch flops?
Should I use a pre-launch waitlist?
Open your SaaS to people who asked for it.
Put up a waitlist page today, and launch to a list instead of to an empty room.
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