How I’d set up a SaaS startup in 2026, step by step

The order I’d do it in, the tools I’d pick for a website or a mobile app, what it costs to start, and the mistakes that waste the first month.

Short answer: prove people want it before you build much, then set up the boring parts in a day or two: a domain, company email, app email, a database, payments and analytics. Put a way to hear from users in the product before launch, launch where your people already talk, and make sure Google, Bing and AI search can find you. Check the recurring costs, usage allowances and provider fees before launch.

The order matters more than the tools

The common mistake is building for weeks, then looking for users. Flip it. A few days of research and a waitlist tell you whether the idea is worth the build, which words to use on your site and where your first users hang out. The tools below are easy to swap later. The order is not.

The plan, day by day

1. 1

   Day 1: Check that people want it

   Read what people already say about the problem: reviews of the tools they use today, Reddit threads, comments under videos. You’re looking for the same complaint repeated, workarounds, and people saying they’d pay. How to validate an idea from reviews.

   Then put up a one-page waitlist that says what you’ll fix, in the words people used. Set up a waitlist.

2. 2

   Day 1: Domain and company email

   Buy the domain, then set up email on it so you can write to people from you@yourdomain.com. Domain and business email options.

3. 3

   Days 2 to 4: Build the smallest useful version

   With AI builders, a focused first version can be ready within days. Start with one useful workflow and test it with the people it is for. Build the one thing people complained about most. Building with AI tools.

   Pick a database and sign-in that won’t need replacing soon. Supabase vs Convex.

   Set up app email for sign-in links and receipts. App email options.

4. 4

   Day 4: Payments and analytics

   Charge from the start, even a small amount. It’s the clearest signal that the problem is real. Taking payments.

   Add analytics so you can see where people drop off. Analytics options.

5. 5

   Day 5: A way to hear from your users

   Analytics shows where people stop. Only the people can tell you why. Add a feedback button inside the product before you launch, so the first users can tell you what’s confusing, what’s broken and what they need next. Feedback from day one.

6. 6

   Week 2: Launch and get found

   Launch to your waitlist first, then Product Hunt, the communities you researched, and directories. How to launch. Then set up Search Console and Bing so search engines and AI answers can find you. Get found on Google and AI search.

What it costs to start

That’s roughly $20 to $60 a month before your first customer, plus a share of each sale. Details and alternatives are in each step’s guide.

Mistakes that waste the first month

• Building before checking demand. A week of reading reviews is cheaper than a month of code nobody wants.
• Running ads before you know your message. Ads amplify what already works. Without clarity on who it’s for and what they call the problem, they mostly buy you data you could have read for free.
• Launching without a way to hear from users. Early users rarely email you. They leave quietly. A feedback button inside the product is how you find out why.
• Giving it away forever. A small price tells you more than a hundred free sign-ups.
• Skipping search setup. New sites aren’t found automatically. Submit your sitemap on day one of launch.

Questions

Sources

• Vercel pricing (Hobby is for personal, non-commercial use)
• Resend pricing
• PostHog pricing
• Porkbun domain pricing
• Zoho Mail pricing
• Bopmigo pricing