How to start a company with an open source alternative of a popular SaaS

Question

Hey HN. Let's say I have built an open-source alternative of a popular SaaS product. The product itself is quite well-known and widely used. For this example, let's say it's Notion. How can I actually start a company around it? The software I built has the following qualities:- The output (as in what you actually build with the product, in this case, Notion pages) is of VERY similar quality to Notion. For instance, if you showed it some people, they would be immediately sure that it was built using Notion.- The method of creating the output is completely different. In the case of my open-source software, the approach is local and file-driven, vs using a clunky web app.- I want to fully open-source the software on GitHub once it is complete, or at least close to complete.- In some cases, the output can be more flexible and better in performance.Please note, it's not a Notion alternative, but it makes explaining easier. What would you do here? How do I actually start building a business around this?

redoubt · Accepted Answer

Go the same route as Docker and Nextcloud perhaps? Offer professional services (hosting, personal support, advanced org-centered functions) at a fee to fund the open source part. You could split the software up into a "community" and a "professional" part with different licenses.

noashavit · Answer

Find the key differentiator and lean into that. So it&rsquo;s notion just more performant? Or more secure?Notion&rsquo;s clean screens are quite well known so maybe change the output so it&rsquo;s clear it isn&rsquo;t a notion page

fauigerzigerk · Answer

Perhaps there are some collaboration/merging/syncing features that heavier users might benefit from? You could provide a server API to support those use cases.

brudgers · Answer

Building a business is hard. Running a successful open source project is hard.
Combining them makes each of them a distraction from the other.
If you want to start a business, closing the source and charging money is the simplest thing that might work. Good luck.

How to start a company with an open source alternative of a popular SaaS

Go the same route as Docker and Nextcloud perhaps? Offer professional services (hosting, personal support, advanced org-centered functions) at a fee to fund the open source part. You could split the software up into a "community" and a "professional" part with different licenses.

Find the key differentiator and lean into that. So it’s notion just more performant? Or more secure?Notion’s clean screens are quite well known so maybe change the output so it’s clear it isn’t a notion page

Perhaps there are some collaboration/merging/syncing features that heavier users might benefit from? You could provide a server API to support those use cases.

Building a business is hard. Running a successful open source project is hard.Combining them makes each of them a distraction from the other.If you want to start a business, closing the source and charging money is the simplest thing that might work. Good luck.

Find the key differentiator and lean into that. So it’s notion just more performant? Or more secure?
Notion’s clean screens are quite well known so maybe change the output so it’s clear it isn’t a notion page

Building a business is hard. Running a successful open source project is hard.
Combining them makes each of them a distraction from the other.
If you want to start a business, closing the source and charging money is the simplest thing that might work. Good luck.