Profitable SaaS idea: Host open-source software?

Brilliant idea. Even better if you're already the maintainer of an open source project and looking to monetize it.

In the beginning I wouldn't even automate it. Just put up a landing page with a payment link. Set everything up manually for the first few customers. Start working on the hosting automation after it gained traction.

I was thinking of an open-source version of Loom, and still waiting for it to come out.

I adopted the same strategy with polygonjs, a node-based WebGL design tool, which has an open source core and a commercial license for the visual editor.

This approach also has the following advantages for customers:

• it helps build trust, as clients know that if the company folds for any reason, they can keep using the tool.
• since it's open source, they can easily extend it for custom requirements.

A win-win for everybody.

I'm doing this hostedgitea.com - not a huge number of customers but the model works.

Hello

Just few questions in terms of intellectual property.

Can we do so on every open source project?

Maybe another idea, or to find the niche. Create a directory of existing open source hosting options per open source software , possibly with user ratings and comparison of features/prices (with affiliate links)...

Totally agree with this.

In fact just this weekend I was scribbling some ideas for a self-host saas product, so very much the same principle as here.

The idea is to allow users to pick a particular, let's call application, it gets installed in its VPS, SSL configured and admin users created. All the user needs to do is to start using.

They still have control over the hosting, but all maintenance is managed.

I am thinking of a monthly subscription with a possible limit on the number of applications or a flat-monthly free with extra services for an extra fee.

As someone who's start up is this... yep. Having a community to support your product is really excellent too!

Cool idea! If you're looking for a way to scale this idea when things begin to lift off, check dyrectorio on GitHub :) We do multi-instance deployments for non-specialists who want to manage their microservices and configurations at ease. If you like our project pls give it a star

this more or less validates my idea -- but let's see how does market respond

This is amazing -- I am already working on a project where anyone -- with or without tech understanding can use open source projects at and very low price -- the pricing model will be (software hosting cost + 10% software development cost)

We will be working and helping the community -- bridging the gap between open source devs and users -- A lot is coming soon

The last mile is always time consuming and not scalable. So it's always an opportunity.

Have you also considered managing some specific OS software (eg. WordPress) but on customers’ premise? Eg. a user signs up for a VPS on Digitalocean and provides you root access. You add that resource to your management platform that will then install the software and start maintaing and monitoring it (obviously in a completely automated way). If you go out of business or the customer does not need your service anymore, they cut out your access and still keep the fully functional software with no data loss or need to migrate it.

This is so relatable! I launched hosting open-source based project literally yesterday. 🚀

It is https://www.hostedpmm.com

We provide hosted open-source pmm servers for database monitoring. Didn't get any clients yet. It is free to start. I would appreciate your feedback. 🙃

I think you can also do this on any self-hosted closed-source software as well.

Interesting. I also found many projects for which there were 0 Fiverr gigs; maybe that's a sign there's no interest or nobody has tried offering it as a service in the first place.