Is there a “Kickstarter” for software?
Jemmy
21 replies
Many hardware product developers use Kickstarter to launch their ideas, get early adopters and iterate on features through communication with them, and get an upfront deposit to support initial production.
Is there a similar crowdfunding platform for software products? Software product managers can post their core feature ideas on this platform, get the attention and discussion of early adopters, and get a deposit to support the initial R&D expenses.
If so, please leave the name of this platform.
If not, we can discuss why.
Replies
Mia Sophia Walker@miasophiawalker
Crowdfunding for software sounds cool but challenging. I'd be wary of paying upfront for a concept without a working prototype to try out first. Building trust and managing expectations would be key. Maybe a tiered model with a free limited MVP, then paid add-ons later once you prove the core product could help build momentum and confidence. Communicating timelines and deliverables super clearly from the start is a must. Intriguing idea though - I'm curious if anyone has seen it work well for software!
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Tempo-Pulse
For software products, I think the crowdfunding format is more like a wishing pool.
We release the concept in advance during the product planning period, and collect user requirements and MVP development funds through crowdfunding. After the fund raising is completed, we should start the development ASAP and output the MVP product according to the expected time, deliver it to the users, and receive timely feedback and continue to release the second phase of crowdfunding, until we finally make a complete product.
I think the difficult part of this format is the willingness of users to pay for a concept, as well as user satisfaction and refund rates once the product is delivered.
You might want to check out GitHub sponsors or Patreon, though they are more geared towards ongoing support than upfront funding.
Tempo-Pulse
@jesse_t_glover Those you mention are indeed a formality. But still different from what I currently expect😊
Its an interesting idea but software development can be trickier to crowdfund. Features often evolve during R&D and backers might expect a finished product rather than ongoing iterations.
Tempo-Pulse
@parker_robert Indeed. But it also raises a lot of questions. It's because developers tend to think that the product can still be iterated on after it goes live that they tend to leave out key features and ignore the segments that matter most to users in the first official release. This is an unnecessary waste of development resources, and it deprives a lot of software of the early adopters it could have gained. This is a common practice, but it doesn't always work. So I'm thinking, if we can give users the opportunity to join in thinking about the product's features and image at an earlier stage, developers will have one more channel to understand their target users, which may also help them find PMF faster🤔
I think there are 3 key factors that attract people to participate in crowdfunding: the sense of accomplishment from supporting a promising product, the desire to receive unique rewards, and the satisfaction of helping an obviously ‘underrepresented’ industry (like film or movies, which tend to do well on crowdfunding platforms).
Clearly, the software industry doesn’t really fall into that ‘underrepresented’ category in most people’s minds, so the third factor might not apply here. Plus, software products are generally harder to showcase or demonstrate in a tangible way compared to hardware. This can make potential backers feel like the sense of accomplishment isn’t as strong. And, certain exclusive perks for software might be harder to highlight or don’t create much distinction from what regular users get in the end.(The point is, we need to overcome these Cons when launching and marketing software products!)
There's a platform called Product Hunt that helps software products get early adopters, though its not exactly crowdfunding.
I am right that Kickstarter is a fantastic model for hardware but for software platforms like ProductHunt allow me to share ideas and gather early feedback.
Tempo-Pulse
@wesley_ward Ideally, would you want a software platform like this that lets you live early paying users and early bookings?
For me, software doesn't have an exact equivalent to Kickstarter but there are platforms like LaunchRock and AppSumo that allow creators to gather early support and funding for their software.
@trevor_collins1 AppSumo is definitely a great platform, but its commission rate is too high. I believe it’s around 70%.
It's a great idea! but maybe software lacks the tangible appeal that drives crowdfunding for my hardware.
Tempo-Pulse
@prakash_yadav11 then why?What are the factors and reasons why software products lack this tangible appeal?
I think part of the problem is that people expect software to be free or subscription based.