1dea.io | Demand-validated startup ideas, backed by real complaints

Database of validated ideas distilled from real user complaints across Reddit, App Store, G2 and more.

Ideas people are already asking for

Cross-device edit handoff for Lightroom and Photoshop workflowsPhoto retouchers and digital artists at small creative agencies who move between desktop and iPad mid-project7 products · 63 complaints · Problem: Mobile photo editing crippled vs desktop

After Effects to Premiere handoff without the context switchVideo editors at small production companies or marketing teams who know Premiere well but are not trained motion graphics artists4 products · 59 complaints · Problem: Motion effects trapped in a separate app

Onboarding layer for AI writing tools, sold to agenciesContent agency operations managers running teams of 5–30 writers10 products · 117 complaints · Problem: Feature overload makes AI writing tools unusable

Parallel UI mode for SaaS version rolloutsSales ops administrators managing 50+ rep teams on web-based sales tools6 products · 32 complaints · Problem: Degraded UI after forced software upgrades

Guided vector practice for Illustrator beginnersMarketing coordinators and junior designers at small agencies who are expected to use Illustrator but had no formal design training3 products · 88 complaints · Problem: Vector software too hard to start using

Onboarding layer for Adobe Acrobat power usersIT administrators and department managers at mid-size companies (50–500 employees) who standardize on Adobe Acrobat and have recurring onboarding costs when new staff join or versions update6 products · 277 complaints · Problem: Document software tools buried and overwhelming

Role-based training paths for feature-heavy SaaS toolsTeam leads or operations managers at SMBs running 3+ person customer support or marketing teams on feature-heavy SaaS tools3 products · 15 complaints · Problem: Complex setup with no guided path

Mobile analytics tier advisor for growth teamsMobile growth product managers and marketing ops leads at apps with 100k–5M MAU who manage their own analytics stack budget4 products · 21 complaints · Problem: Paywalled features and rigid pricing tiers

Modular consulting scope tool for boutique digital agenciesBoutique digital marketing and PR agencies (under 20 staff) who want to convert more SMB leads without getting into drawn-out scoping calls6 products · 14 complaints · Problem: Digital marketing costs unjustifiable for small operators

Configurable time entry views for operations managersOperations managers at field service, construction, or home care companies with 20-200 employees5 products · 16 complaints · Problem: Time tracking UI too rigid to customize

Scheduled overnight conversion jobs for small business document workflowsSmall business office managers or solo operators who run recurring document or media conversion tasks as part of a weekly workflow11 products · 21 complaints · Problem: Slow or crashing conversion under load

Pre-update performance snapshot for iPhone ownersIndividual iPhone owners on devices 2+ years old who are non-technical but protective of their hardware investment3 products · 33 complaints · Problem: OS updates degrading older device performance

Products already making money

MiroA collaborative online whiteboard platform for teams (acquired by Bending Spoons).$50M/mo · credibility 85/100 · r/SaaS

Tom's of MaineA natural personal-care / household products brand (notably natural toothpaste and deodorant).$4.2M/mo · credibility 85/100 · r/EntrepreneurRideAlong

SupademoA B2B SaaS that provides interactive demos with an AI Demo Agent and a self-serve product experience using a 14-day reverse trial to drive upgrades.$333K/mo · credibility 85/100 · r/SaaS

ReachleeAn AI SaaS product (described as a B2B artificial intelligence) that has gained signups and generates monthly recurring revenue.$1.1K/mo · credibility 85/100 · r/SaaS

MVMT watchesA direct-to-consumer minimalist watch brand that launched via crowdfunding and scaled with Facebook ads and influencer marketing.$5.9M/mo · credibility 80/100 · r/EntrepreneurRideAlong

Actorle.comA Wordle-style daily game where you guess the actor from their filmography.$4K/mo · credibility 80/100 · r/SideProject

How it works

We read public reviews and forum posts where people describe what a product fails to do, extract each complaint, and group the complaints that describe the same problem. A problem that several products share, from several unrelated users, is a market gap rather than one vendor's bug.

Each idea on this site is written against one of those problems and carries its evidence: how many complaints, how many products, and the complaints themselves. The Traction feed adds the other half of validation: products founders already report revenue for, screened against their own comment threads.

From the blog

Vertical SaaS ideas: 12 niches where the pain is already documentedNiche and vertical SaaS opportunities — hospitality, clinics, insurance agencies, aviation maintenance, engineering simulation — each backed by counted complaints or live revenue.

Problems that need solving: 20 documented pain points still open in 2026Twenty real, quantified problems from 11,000+ software complaints — who has them, why they persist, and the startup ideas built on each one.

Online business ideas that are already making money (with receipts)Real online businesses with founder-reported revenue — from a hotel QR concierge at $5.3K/mo to first-dollar stories — each screened for credibility, and the patterns they share.

How to come up with startup ideas when you don't have oneSeven places startup ideas actually hide — reviews, workarounds, pricing pages, founder revenue threads — and how to mine each one, with real examples.

Startup ideas for developers: 18 dev-tool gaps taken from real complaintsDeveloper-tool startup ideas drawn from complaints about frameworks, databases, testing tools, cloud marketplaces and simulation software, where the same problem is reported across many products.

Turn real pain into your next startup.

Startup ideas by market

Ideas people are already asking for

Products already making money

How it works

From the blog