A few years ago, building a software company usually meant raising funding, hiring a team, and chasing rapid growth.
Today, that’s changing.
With AI, no-code tools, affordable cloud infrastructure, and global payment platforms, solo founders are launching profitable micro-SaaS businesses with little or no outside investment.
Many aren’t aiming to build unicorns. They’re building sustainable businesses that generate recurring revenue while keeping ownership and control.
What Is a Micro-SaaS?
A micro-SaaS is a small software business that solves one specific problem for a niche audience.
Typical characteristics include:
* A focused feature set * Monthly recurring revenue (MRR) * Small customer base * Built and maintained by one person or a tiny team * Low operating costs
The goal isn’t to serve everyone, it’s to solve one problem exceptionally well.
Why Micro-SaaS Is Growing
Several trends have made it easier than ever to build software:
* AI accelerates development. * Cloud infrastructure is inexpensive. * Payment providers simplify subscriptions. * Social media makes distribution accessible. * Communities help founders find early users.
This allows founders to spend more time validating ideas and less time on setup.
How Indie Hackers Find Ideas
Successful founders rarely start with a random idea.
Instead, they:
* Solve problems they experience themselves. * Build tools for communities they’re already part of. * Improve outdated software. * Turn repetitive manual work into automation. * Listen closely to customer feedback.
The best ideas often come from real pain points.
The Business Model
Most micro-SaaS products rely on recurring subscriptions.
