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Re:Show HN: I built a Typeform alternative for $15 (no subsc... by anandnair on Sunday February 23, 2025 @11:23AM (#43150455)
Curious to know how you'll manage the infra cost if customers just pay $15 for lifetime
Re:Show HN: I built a Typeform alternative for $15 (no subsc... by MartinBonan on Monday February 24, 2025 @11:30AM (#43161436)
Fair question! The key is keeping the infra light and the product focused.

MangoForm isn’t a heavy SaaS with tons of real-time processing. Forms are relatively low-cost to host, especially when optimized properly. I also don’t need to constantly push updates just to justify a recurring fee—it’s built to be stable and efficient from day one.

At $15 per customer, it’s all about volume and keeping things simple. Not every product needs to scale infinitely—sometimes, it just needs to be profitable enough to sustain itself.

Would a one-time fee work for every SaaS? Definitely not. But for a form builder? I’d argue it makes more sense than a $600/year subscription.