Gated vs Ungated products. Learnings from our journey.

Imagine that every SaaS product you try is immediately understandable. You open it, use it, get value from it, and pay. There are no barriers and no confusion

Is this a utopia every startup dreams of?

Tools like invoice generators, word counters, PDF compressors, and online photo editors have achieved this. For instance, just type "invoice generator" in Google, click the first link, and start deriving value from it immediately. That’s it.

You wouldn’t expect an invoice generator to require you to go through a complex flow — reading the website, watching an explainer video, downloading a whitepaper, requesting a demo, going through the onboarding flow, jumping on a call with the account manager to upgrade, etc.

So why does this complexity exist in the SaaS world?

In this post, I'll explore how more complex products offer an invoice-generator-like simplicity.

Also, I'll share Graphy's story of launching a product without a website or sign-ups, diving into the data, and our key learnings.

Plus, I'll help you understand if an ungated model suits your product.

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Examples of Successful Ungated Products

Let’s dive into a few examples. But first some short definitions.

Gated products - the traditional approach, tools that make you jump through hoops—sign up, fill forms, maybe even sit through a demo—before you can start using it.

Ungated products - think open doors. You walk right in, use the tool, no sign-ups, no hurdles. Instant access, instant value.

VEED.IO