What makes you trust a new SaaS product?
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I have been thinking about this recently. When I discover a new SaaS product, I don’t only judge it by the design or features. I usually look at whether the homepage explains the problem clearly, if the pricing is simple, if there are real screenshots, and if the team/founder feels reachable.
Sometimes, a simple product with clear messaging feels more trustworthy than a very polished product with vague promises.
What do you personally check before trusting or trying a new SaaS product?
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A responsive founder builds more trust for me than a perfect landing page.
@rakee_kumari Yes, exactly. A clean landing page helps, but a responsive founder builds real confidence. It shows the product is active, users are being heard, and there is someone behind it who actually cares.
For me, trust usually starts with clarity. I want to understand who it is for, what problem it solves, and what happens after I sign up. Real screenshots, simple pricing, founder visibility, and a changelog or active updates also help a lot. A polished site is nice, but vague promises make me hesitate.
@farrukh_butt1 Totally agree. Clarity makes a big difference. I also think the “what happens after signup” part is often ignored, but it really affects trust. Even a simple changelog or active updates page can make a product feel more alive and reliable.
Great question, and I think you nailed it with the clarity point. For me the biggest signal is whether they explain the problem before pushing the features, plus real screenshots over slick mockups. I also check if there's a human behind it, an active changelog or a founder who actually replies goes a long way.
@doganakbulut Exactly. Explaining the problem first makes the whole product easier to trust because it shows they understand the user, not just the feature list. Real screenshots and an active founder also make a big difference. It feels more transparent and less like just another polished landing page.
For me, I start trusting a new SaaS when it feels like someone actually cared while building it.
Not just the landing page, but the small stuff too like buttons, loading states, empty screens, transitions, tiny interactions. Those things quietly tell you whether the team pays attention to details.
A polished page can get you interested, but a thoughtful product experience makes you stay.
Trust isn’t only built through big claims, testimonials or security badges for me, it starts with one interaction that feels considered instead of generic.
@jyotipathak__ That’s a great point. Small details often say more than big claims. When empty states, loading screens, and simple interactions feel thoughtful, it shows the team actually cares about the full user experience, not just the first impression.
@wasil_abdal Exactly. That’s actually one of the reasons we’ve been obsessing over the small details while building Vault.
For us, trust is not just about saying 'your knowledge is safe' or 'your workflow will be easier.' It has to show up in the way the product feels. For instance how quickly you can find something, how clean the interface is when there’s no data yet, and whether every interaction feels intentional instead of thrown together.
Would love to get your honest thoughts on Vault too.
@wasil_abdal You can find the product linked on my profile
Completely agree about clarity. I tend to read the legal parts too - Terms and Conditions, privacy and refund policies - since they often say more about a product's trustworthiness than the marketing does. The red flags for me are the opposite: manufactured urgency ("last chance", ticking counters) and promises that sound too good to be true.
@alieksia That's a really good point. The legal pages often reveal how serious a product about users, especially around privacy, refunds, and data handling. And yes, fake urgency is a big red flag for me too. It can make even a good product feel less trustworthy.
I think it's mostly about whether the product feels genuinely human, these days. Like having real screenshots, a clear copy / message. If the landing page reads like AI slop, with generic and vague promises, and no personality, I immediately lose trust and assume the product is the same. Authenticity is THE signal for me...
@pedromlsreis I agree with this a lot. Generic copy can make even a useful product feel weak. Real screenshots, clear wording, and a bit of personality show that there is an actual team thinking about the user. Authenticity is becoming a bigger trust signal now, especially with so many products sounding the same.
For me, it’s less about how polished it looks and more about whether the founder clearly understands the problem.
A landing page that says exactly what the product does, shows real examples instead of mockups, has transparent pricing, and isn’t afraid to admit it’s still validating earns my trust.
That’s the approach I’m trying to follow with the onboarding/App Store screenshot tool I’m building too. Have a look at it if you don't believe it! aurali dot design just add vercel dot app at the end
@chunkwang_wangjen I agree with this. When a founder clearly understands the problem, the product immediately feels more trustworthy. Real examples, transparent pricing, and honest messaging matter more than looking overly polished.