Micro-SaaS Idea Validator

AI-powered validation system for micro-SaaS business ideas
Created by
Dhilip Narayan Srinivasan
Dhilip Narayan Srinivasan
Relay.app Creator
Relay.app screenshot of: Micro-SaaS Idea Validator

Steps in this workflow

1
Relay.app logo
Trigger
2
Google Sheets logo
Add to your leads
3
OpenAI logo
Research Market Demand
4
OpenAI logo
Evaluate Competitors
5
OpenAI logo
Simulate Customer Feedback
6
OpenAI logo
Plan MVP and Marketing Strategy
7
OpenAI logo
Provide Validation Guidance
8
OpenAI logo
Consolidate and Formulate Final Report
9
OpenAI logo
Generate Final Report (Writeup)
10
Google Docs logo
Create document (Write to)
11
Gmail logo
Send email
12
Relay.app logo
End if...

Automatically validate your micro-SaaS business idea using AI-powered market research and competitive analysis. Here's how it works:

  • Submit your idea through a questionnaire form that triggers the validation process
  • AI analyzes market demand, competitive landscape, and simulates customer reactions
  • Get a comprehensive validation report with MVP recommendations and go-to-market strategies
  • Receive your personalized report via email with actionable next steps and a startup score
1
Relay.app logo
Trigger

Receives questionnaire responses about a micro-SaaS idea via webhook. The webhook accepts form data including personal information, idea details, and responses to key validation questions.

Relay.app screenshot of: Trigger
2
Google Sheets logo
Add to your leads

Adds the submitted lead information to a Google Sheets spreadsheet for tracking. Records contact details, submission date, and identifies the source as the Micro SaaS Idea Validator.

Relay.app screenshot of: Add to your leads
3
Research Market Demand

Analyzes market demand using AI to evaluate search trends, social media discussions, and user sentiment. Generates a demand score (1-10) with key insights about market potential based on the submitted idea.

Prompt used
Analyze the market demand for a Micro SaaS idea based on the following questionnaire responses and extracted keywords. Use the provided data to assess search trends, social media discussions, and user sentiment. Return a JSON object with a demand score (1-10), key insights, and a summary of market potential. Input Data: Questionnaire Responses: [data], [data], [data], [data], [data] What specific problem does your Micro SaaS idea aim to solve? [data] Who is your target audience? [data] What are the core features of your Micro SaaS product? [data] How do you plan to monetize your Micro SaaS? [data] Are you aware of any competitors or existing solutions addressing this problem? [data] Extracted Keywords: {{keywords}} Target Audience: [data] Problem Statement: [data] Instructions: Keyword Analysis: Evaluate the provided keywords for market demand using search trend data (e.g., Google Trends). Estimate search volume and growth trends over the past 12 months. Social Listening: Analyze social media discussions (e.g., Reddit, Twitter) related to the problem statement and keywords. Identify pain points, user complaints, or enthusiasm for similar solutions. Sentiment Analysis: Determine the sentiment (positive, negative, neutral) of social media discussions. Assign a sentiment score (1-10, where 1 is highly negative and 10 is highly positive). Demand Score: Calculate a demand score (1-10) based on search volume, social media activity, and sentiment. Consider the target audience’s size and specificity. Insights: Provide 2-3 key insights about market potential, including opportunities or risks (e.g., growing demand, underserved niche, or saturated market). Output Format: Return a JSON object with: demand_score (integer, 1-10) search_trends (summary of volume and growth) social_insights (summary of discussions and sentiment) key_insights (array of 2-3 insights) summary (brief conclusion on market potential) Example Output: { "demand_score": 8, "search_trends": "High search volume for 'email subject lines' with 20% growth in past 12 months.", "social_insights": "Reddit discussions in r/SaaS show frustration with generic email templates; 70% positive sentiment for AI solutions.", "key_insights": [ "Growing demand for email marketing tools among small businesses.", "Opportunity to target freelancers with affordable AI solutions.", "Risk of competition from established players like Mailchimp." ], "summary": "Strong market potential for AI-driven email subject line tools, especially for freelancers and small businesses." }
Relay.app screenshot of: Research Market Demand
4
Evaluate Competitors

Evaluates the competitive landscape by identifying and analyzing existing solutions in the market. Compares features, pricing, and positioning to identify differentiation opportunities and assigns a competition score.

Prompt used
Analyze the competitive landscape for a Micro SaaS idea based on the provided questionnaire responses, competitor information, and external data. Compare the user’s idea against competitors in terms of features, pricing, and market positioning. Identify differentiation opportunities and assign a competitor score (1-10) based on the level of competition. Return a JSON object with a competitor analysis report. Input Data: Questionnaire Responses: [data], [data] , [data], [data], [data] What specific problem does your Micro SaaS idea aim to solve? [data] Who is your target audience? [data] What are the core features of your Micro SaaS product? [data] How do you plan to monetize your Micro SaaS? [data] Are you aware of any competitors or existing solutions addressing this problem? [data] Questionnaire Responses: {{questionnaire.responses}} Competitor Information: [data] Extracted Keywords: {{keywords}} External Data: {{external_data}} (e.g., competitor websites, features, pricing from SerpAPI) User’s Idea Features: [data] User’s Pricing Model:[data] Instructions: Competitor Identification: Extract competitor names and details from the competitor information ([data]). If none are provided, use external data and keywords to identify 2-3 relevant competitors in the market. Feature Comparison: Compare the user’s idea features with those of each competitor. Highlight similarities and differences. Pricing Comparison: Compare the user’s pricing model with competitors’ pricing. Note affordability, value proposition, or gaps (e.g., free vs. premium tiers). Market Positioning: Analyze competitors’ target audiences and market positioning (e.g., enterprise vs. small business) relative to the user’s target audience ([data]). Gap Analysis: Identify 2-3 differentiation opportunities where the user’s idea can stand out (e.g., unique features, underserved audience, better pricing). Competitor Score: Assign a competitor score (1-10, where 1 is low competition and 10 is high competition) based on the number, strength, and market dominance of competitors. Output Format: Return a JSON object with: competitors (array of objects with name, website, features, pricing, strengths, weaknesses) competitor_score (integer, 1-10) differentiation_opportunities (array of 2-3 opportunities) recommendation (brief advice on how to differentiate) Example Output: { "competitors": [ { "name": "Mailchimp", "website": "https://mailchimp.com", "features": ["Email templates", "Campaign analytics", "Automation"], "pricing": "Free tier, $13/month premium", "strengths": "Established brand, wide integrations", "weaknesses": "No AI personalization for subject lines" }, { "name": "SubjectLine.com", "website": "https://subjectline.com", "features": ["Free subject line scoring", "Basic analytics"], "pricing": "Free", "strengths": "Simple, free tool", "weaknesses": "Limited features, no integrations" } ], "competitor_score": 7, "differentiation_opportunities": [ "Offer AI-driven subject line personalization", "Integrate with niche platforms like HubSpot", "Provide affordable pricing for small businesses" ], "recommendation": "Focus on AI personalization and integrations to stand out against Mailchimp and SubjectLine.com." }
Relay.app screenshot of: Evaluate Competitors
5
Simulate Customer Feedback

Simulates realistic customer feedback from different personas within the target audience. Generates reactions to the idea's features and pricing, providing a sentiment score and actionable insights.

Prompt used
Simulate user feedback for a Micro SaaS idea based on the provided questionnaire responses, competitor analysis, and market research data. Generate realistic reactions from 2-3 distinct customer personas within the target audience, considering the idea’s features, pricing, and competitive landscape. Assign a sentiment score (1-10) and summarize the feedback with actionable insights. Input Data: Questionnaire Responses: [data], [data], [data], [data], [data] What specific problem does your Micro SaaS idea aim to solve? [data] Who is your target audience? [data] What are the core features of your Micro SaaS product? [data] How do you plan to monetize your Micro SaaS? [data] Are you aware of any competitors or existing solutions addressing this problem? [data] Questionnaire Responses: {{questionnaire.responses}} Target Audience: [data] Idea Features: [data] Pricing Model: [data] Competitor Analysis: [data] Market Research Data: [data] Extracted Keywords: {{keywords}} Instructions: Persona Creation: Identify 2-3 distinct customer personas from the target audience (e.g., freelancer, small business owner, marketing professional). Define their characteristics based on the audience description ([data]). Feedback Simulation: For each persona, simulate a reaction (positive, neutral, or negative) to the idea’s features and pricing. Consider the problem solved ([data]), competitor offerings, and market demand insights. Reaction Details: For each persona, provide: Persona description (e.g., "Freelancer, 30, US-based, focused on email marketing"). Reaction type (positive, neutral, negative). Comment (a concise statement reflecting their perspective, e.g., "Love the AI subject lines, but $29/month is steep"). Weight (relative importance of the persona, e.g., 0.4 for primary audience, 0.3 for secondary). Sentiment Score: Calculate an overall sentiment score (1-10, where 1 is highly negative and 10 is highly positive) based on the weighted reactions. Consider competitor weaknesses and market demand. Summary and Insights: Provide a brief summary of the feedback and 1-2 actionable insights (e.g., address pricing concerns, highlight a popular feature). Output Format: Return a JSON object with: feedback (array of persona objects with description, reaction, comment, weight) sentiment_score (float, 1-10) summary (brief conclusion) insights (array of 1-2 actionable recommendations) Example Output: { "feedback": [ { "persona": "Freelancer, 30, US-based, focused on email marketing", "reaction": "Positive", "comment": "Love the AI-generated subject lines! $9/month is affordable for me.", "weight": 0.4 }, { "persona": "Small Business Owner, 40, UK-based, 5 employees", "reaction": "Neutral", "comment": "Integrations with HubSpot are great, but I need proof it improves open rates.", "weight": 0.3 }, { "persona": "Marketing Team Lead, 35, US-based, 10 employees", "reaction": "Negative", "comment": "$29/month for pro feels steep without advanced A/B testing.", "weight": 0.2 } ], "sentiment_score": 7.5, "summary": "Strong interest from freelancers, but small businesses need evidence of ROI. Marketing teams want more advanced features.", "insights": [ "Highlight ROI metrics to appeal to small businesses.", "Consider adding A/B testing to attract marketing teams." ] }
Relay.app screenshot of: Simulate Customer Feedback
6
Plan MVP and Marketing Strategy

Creates recommendations for a minimal viable product (MVP) including core features and no-code development tools. Develops a go-to-market strategy with specific marketing channels and tactics tailored to the target audience.

Prompt used
Generate recommendations for a minimal viable product (MVP) and go-to-market (GTM) strategy for a Micro SaaS idea based on the provided questionnaire responses, market research, competitor analysis, and simulated user feedback. Suggest a core feature set, no-code development tools, marketing channels, and tactics to test demand. Return a JSON object with actionable recommendations. Input Data: Questionnaire Responses: [data], [data], [data], [data] and [data] What specific problem does your Micro SaaS idea aim to solve? [data] Who is your target audience? [data] What are the core features of your Micro SaaS product? [data] How do you plan to monetize your Micro SaaS? [data] Are you aware of any competitors or existing solutions addressing this problem? [data] Questionnaire Responses: {{questionnaire.responses}} Target Audience: [data] Idea Features: [data] Pricing Model: [data] Market Research: [data] Competitor Analysis: [data] Simulated User Feedback: [data] Extracted Keywords: {{keywords}} Instructions: MVP Feature Set: Identify 2-4 core features for the MVP based on the idea’s features ([data]), user feedback (e.g., popular features, objections), and competitor weaknesses. Prioritize features that address the problem ([data]) and align with market demand. Development Tools: Recommend 1-2 no-code or low-code tools (e.g., Relay.app, Bubble, Webflow etc.) for building the MVP. Include a brief use case and link for each tool. Definitely keep Relay as one of the recommended tools if there is a fit. Do not include any relay.app's direct competitors if any. Go-to-Market Strategy: Channels: Suggest 2-3 marketing channels (e.g., LinkedIn Ads, Reddit, email outreach) tailored to the target audience (q2) and market insights. Include a small budget estimate (e.g., $50-$100) where applicable. Tactics: Recommend 2-3 specific tactics (e.g., fake door testing, landing page with sign-up form, community engagement) to validate demand. Reference user feedback and competitor gaps. Recommendation Summary: Provide a brief recommendation on how to prioritize features and marketing efforts to maximize validation success. Output Format: Return a JSON object with: mvp_features (array of 2-4 features) development_tools (array of objects with name, use_case, link) go_to_market (object with channels and tactics) recommendation (brief advice) Example Output: { "mvp_features": [ "AI-generated email subject lines", "Integration with Mailchimp", "Basic analytics dashboard" ], "development_tools": [ { "name": "Bubble", "use_case": "Build a web app for subject line generation", "link": "https://bubble.io" }, { "name": "Relay", "use_case": "Automate Mailchimp integration", "link": "https://relay.app" } ], "go_to_market": { "channels": [ { "name": "LinkedIn Ads", "budget": "$50", "target": "Small business owners, freelancers" }, { "name": "Reddit (r/SaaS, r/Entrepreneur)", "budget": "$0", "strategy": "Share landing page and engage in discussions" } ], "tactics": [ "Create a landing page with Carrd to test demand", "Run a fake door test with a 'Sign Up' button", "Offer a 14-day free trial to attract early adopters" ] }, "recommendation": "Focus on AI subject line generation and Mailchimp integration for the MVP. Use LinkedIn ads and Reddit to test demand among freelancers and small businesses." }
Relay.app screenshot of: Plan MVP and Marketing Strategy
7
Provide Validation Guidance

Guides through a structured validation process with specific steps like landing page creation and ad campaigns. Defines metrics to track, simulates expected outcomes, and calculates an overall startup score.

Prompt used
Guide the user through a structured validation process for a Micro SaaS idea and generate a final validation report based on the provided questionnaire responses, market research, competitor analysis, simulated user feedback, and MVP/go-to-market recommendations. Recommend specific validation steps (e.g., landing page, ads, community engagement), define metrics to track, simulate expected outcomes, and assign a startup score (1-10). Return a JSON object with the validation workflow and report. Input Data: Questionnaire Responses: {{questionnaire.responses}} Target Audience: [data] Idea Features: [data] Pricing Model: [data] Market Research: [data] Competitor Analysis: [data] Simulated User Feedback: [data] MVP and Go-to-Market Recommendations: [data] Extracted Keywords: {{keywords}} Instructions: Instructions: Validation Steps: Recommend 3-5 specific steps to validate the idea, tailored to the target audience ([data]), market demand, user feedback, and MVP/GTM recommendations. Include (For Example): Landing page creation (e.g., using Carrd or Quick Creator with a fake door test). Ad campaign (e.g., $50-$100 on LinkedIn or Facebook, targeting the audience). Community engagement (e.g., posting in relevant Reddit or IndieHackers communities). Other tactics (e.g., email outreach, waitlist sign-ups). Metrics to Track: Define 2-3 key metrics to monitor during validation (e.g., landing page sign-ups, ad click-through rate, community post engagement). Provide expected benchmarks based on market research and industry standards (e.g., "1-2% click-through rate for LinkedIn ads"). Simulated Outcomes: Estimate expected results for each metric based on market demand, user feedback, and competitor analysis (e.g., "Expect 30-50 sign-ups based on high market demand"). Justify the estimates. Startup Score: Calculate a startup score (1-10) based on: Market demand score (from market_report). [data] Competitor score (from competitor_report). [data] Sentiment score (from feedback_report). [data] Simulated validation outcomes (e.g., high expected sign-ups increase the score). Weight each factor equally unless market or feedback data suggests otherwise. Next Steps: Provide 2-3 actionable next steps based on the simulated outcomes (e.g., refine features, adjust pricing, scale ad spend). Output Format: Return a JSON object with: validation_steps (array of steps with description, tool/channel, and budget) tracked_metrics (array of metrics with expected benchmarks and simulated outcomes) startup_score (float, 1-10) next_steps (array of 2-3 actionable recommendations) summary (brief conclusion on validation potential) Example Output: { "validation_steps": [ { "description": "Create a landing page with Carrd to describe the idea and collect sign-ups via a fake door test.", "tool": "Carrd", "link": "https://carrd.co", "budget": "$10/month" }, { "description": "Run a $50 LinkedIn ad campaign targeting freelancers and small businesses.", "channel": "LinkedIn Ads", "budget": "$50" }, { "description": "Post in r/SaaS and IndieHackers to gather feedback and drive traffic to the landing page.", "channel": "Reddit, IndieHackers", "budget": "$0" } ], "tracked_metrics": [ { "metric": "Landing page sign-ups", "benchmark": "Expect 30-50 sign-ups based on high market demand.", "simulated_outcome": "40 sign-ups, indicating strong interest." }, { "metric": "Ad click-through rate", "benchmark": "Industry standard: 1-2% for LinkedIn ads.", "simulated_outcome": "1.8%, suggesting good audience fit." }, { "metric": "Community comments", "benchmark": "Expect 10-20 comments in niche communities.", "simulated_outcome": "15 comments, showing moderate engagement." } ], "startup_score": 8.2, "next_steps": [ "Refine MVP features based on community feedback.", "Increase ad budget to $200 to scale validated demand.", "Add ROI metrics to landing page to address small business concerns." ], "summary": "Simulated validation suggests strong potential for the idea, with high expected sign-ups and moderate competition. Proceed with MVP development and targeted marketing." }
Relay.app screenshot of: Provide Validation Guidance
8
Consolidate and Formulate Final Report

Consolidates all analysis results into a comprehensive final report. Calculates an overall startup score (1-10) and provides key insights with actionable next steps based on all previous analyses.

Prompt used
Generate a final validation report for a Micro SaaS idea by aggregating and synthesizing the results from the questionnaire, market research, competitor analysis, simulated user feedback, MVP/go-to-market recommendations, and validation workflow. Calculate an overall startup score (1-10) and provide actionable next steps. Return a JSON object with a structured report. Input Data: Questionnaire Responses: [data], [data], [data], [data] and [data] What specific problem does your Micro SaaS idea aim to solve? [data] Who is your target audience? [data] What are the core features of your Micro SaaS product? [data] How do you plan to monetize your Micro SaaS? [data] Are you aware of any competitors or existing solutions addressing this problem? [data] Questionnaire Responses: {{questionnaire.responses}} Market Research Report: [data] Competitor Analysis Report: [data] Simulated User Feedback Report: [data] MVP and Go-to-Market Report: [data] Validation Workflow Report: [data] Extracted Keywords: {{keywords}} Instructions: Summary of Findings: Summarize key findings from each step: Idea Input: Highlight the problem ([data]), target audience ([data]), features ([data]), pricing ([data]), and competitors ([data]). Market Research: Summarize demand score, search trends, and social insights. Competitor Analysis: Summarize competitor score, key competitors, and differentiation opportunities. User Feedback: Summarize sentiment score, persona reactions, and insights. MVP and GTM: Summarize recommended MVP features, tools, and marketing tactics. Validation Workflow: Summarize validation steps, expected metrics, and simulated outcomes. Startup Score: Calculate an overall startup score (1-10) based on: Market demand score (from market_report, 25% weight). [data] Competitor score (from competitor_report, 25% weight). [data] Sentiment score (from feedback_report, 25% weight). [data] Validation potential (from validation_report’s simulated outcomes, 25% weight). [data] Adjust weights if any step indicates critical risks or opportunities (e.g., very low demand score). Key Insights: Provide 3-5 key insights combining data from all steps (e.g., strong demand but high competition, pricing concerns from feedback). Next Steps: Recommend 3-5 actionable next steps based on the aggregated findings (e.g., build MVP, adjust pricing, scale marketing, pivot idea). Output Format: Return a JSON object with: summary (object with sections for idea, market, competitors, feedback, mvp_gtm, validation) startup_score (float, 1-10) key_insights (array of 3-5 insights) next_steps (array of 3-5 actionable recommendations) conclusion (brief statement on the idea’s overall potential) Example Output: { "summary": { "idea": { "problem": "Small businesses struggle with email subject lines for cold outreach.", "audience": "Freelancers, small businesses, marketing teams.", "features": "AI subject lines, Mailchimp/HubSpot integration, analytics.", "pricing": "$9/month basic, $29/month pro, 14-day trial.", "competitors": "Mailchimp, SubjectLine.com." }, "market": { "demand_score": 8, "trends": "High search volume for email subject lines, 20% growth.", "social_insights": "Positive sentiment in r/SaaS for AI tools." }, "competitors": { "competitor_score": 7, "key_competitors": "Mailchimp (no AI personalization), SubjectLine.com (limited features).", "differentiation": "AI personalization, niche integrations." }, "feedback": { "sentiment_score": 7.5, "reactions": "Freelancers love $9/month, businesses want ROI proof.", "insights": "Add A/B testing for marketing teams." }, "mvp_gtm": { "mvp_features": "AI subject lines, Mailchimp integration, basic analytics.", "tools": "Bubble, Zapier.", "gtm": "LinkedIn ads ($50), Reddit posts." }, "validation": { "steps": "Carrd landing page, LinkedIn ads, r/SaaS posts.", "metrics": "Expect 40 sign-ups, 1.8% CTR, 15 comments.", "outcomes": "Strong simulated interest." } }, "startup_score": 8.0, "key_insights": [ "High market demand for AI email tools.", "Moderate competition with clear differentiation opportunities.", "Freelancers are highly receptive, but businesses need ROI evidence.", "Validation steps show strong potential for sign-ups." ], "next_steps": [ "Build MVP with Bubble, focusing on AI subject lines and Mailchimp integration.", "Launch Carrd landing page with fake door test to collect sign-ups.", "Run $50 LinkedIn ad campaign targeting freelancers.", "Engage in r/SaaS to gather qualitative feedback.", "Add ROI metrics to address small business concerns." ], "conclusion": "The idea shows strong potential with high demand and clear differentiation. Proceed with MVP development and validation." }
Relay.app screenshot of: Consolidate and Formulate Final Report
9
Generate Final Report (Writeup)

Generates a formatted written report document from the consolidated analysis data. Creates a professional document suitable for sharing that includes all findings and recommendations.

Prompt used
Create the final report using
Relay.app screenshot of: Generate Final Report (Writeup)
10
Google Docs logo
Create document (Write to)

Creates a Google Docs document containing the final validation report. The document is saved to a designated folder with a title that includes the submitted idea name.

Relay.app screenshot of: Create document (Write to)
11
Gmail logo
Send email

Sends the validation report to the user via Gmail with a personalized email message. Includes key highlights from the analysis and attaches the full report as a PDF for easy access.

Relay.app screenshot of: Send email
12
Relay.app logo
End if...

Ends the workflow run after all validation and reporting tasks are complete. Ensures the process terminates cleanly after the report has been delivered to the user.

Relay.app screenshot of: End if...
Author picture (Dhilip Narayan Srinivasan)

As an independent consultant and Relay.app partner, the Micro SaaS Idea Validator AI Agent—powered by Relay.app—is set to transform my consulting workflow. This intelligent automation handles end-to-end validation: from idea analysis and market research to competitor benchmarking, user feedback simulation, MVP planning, and final validation. What once took weeks can now be accomplished in days, significantly reducing research time and effort.

This would enable me—and others using the agent—to serve more clients efficiently, improve success rates, and cut down on validation costs. The AI-generated reports are not only data-driven and insightful but also easily customizable to client-specific formats, helping decision-makers act faster and with greater confidence.

By incorporating additional 'human-in-the-loop' steps, clients can benefit from the perfect synergy of AI speed and human judgment—ensuring both accuracy and contextual relevance throughout the process.

Dhilip Narayan Srinivasan
Relay.app Creator