SaaS is Dead. Really?

Part of Garry's Tweet is true. Building software is easier than ever. Can you vibe-code a custom solution in a weekend? Nope. Can you build an MVP in a weekend? Yes.

That's actually valuable. Vibe coding made people take action instead of keeping ideas in their heads. Vibe coding an app is better communication than any requirement doc. Best requirement doc ever. You're not describing what you want. You're showing it.

But Garry got it horribly wrong on one thing: an MVP isn't a replacement for SaaS. It's just the beginning.

The Vibe Coding Trap

The promise sounds great: vibe-code a custom solution in a weekend. But "vibe coding" means throwing away all the best practices we've built over decades.

Testing? Code review? Architecture? Security? Performance? Scalability? Maintenance? Gone. Replaced by "it works on my machine" and "we'll fix it later."

That weekend solution? Technical debt waiting to explode. A security vulnerability waiting to be exploited. A performance bottleneck waiting to hit scale. A maintenance nightmare waiting for the person who built it to leave.

Why Replacing SaaS Doesn't Work

Building personal productivity tools? Sure, makes sense. Build exactly what you need.

But replacing SaaS with weekend vibe-code? Here's what you're giving up:

That $30/seat/month starts looking cheap when you're burning 20% of someone's time maintaining a custom solution. The hidden developer cost? Way higher.

Here's the reality: AI didn't turn your Tech that does 10x the work with skill for the same cost. They can't handle all their existing responsibilities plus vibe code your custom solutions. You need someone who can context-switch between running the business and maintaining high bar on software existing. Those people exist. They're just 0.01% of the talent pool.

Remember: the last "S" in SaaS stands for "Service." A weekend solution becomes a forever problem.

What SaaS Founders Should Actually Do

Look, customers who can vibe code aren't the threat. They're the best product managers you could ask for.

Vibe coding platforms are usecase test beds for real SaaS. Customers are doing your R&D for free. They're validating problems, testing solutions, figuring out workflows. Then they hit the maintenance wall and realize they need real SaaS.

Here's the kicker: SaaS founders who actively seek out these customers get to PMF way faster. No more guessing what features to build. You're looking at working code that solves real problems. They've done the hard part.

Your job? Take that MVP and turn it into production software with all the boring stuff they don't want to deal with. Security, scalability, reliability, compliance, support.

Build cycles get faster. PMF gets faster. You're not shooting in the dark anymore.

So, Is SaaS Dead?

No.

Bad SaaS that only exists because people were lazy or scared that software is magic? Yeah, that's dead. SaaS that listens to customers who can now show (not tell) what they need? Just getting started.