SaaS Launch Audit
A comprehensive, repeatable audit workflow for SaaS products approaching launch. Provides clear PASS/FAIL states with single actionable next steps.
Purpose
Validate launch readiness across 10 critical areas: validation, pricing, payments, AI economics, discovery, competitors, social presence, legal, trust infrastructure, and launch day operations.
Workflow Overview
- Discovery Survey - Gather project context (product type, audience, stage)
- Interactive Verification - Actively verify items using browser tools and web queries
- PASS/FAIL Report - Output each item with status and next step for failures
- Iterate - Re-run audit after fixes until all items pass
Discovery Survey
Before running the checklist, gather project context:
Questions to ask:
- Product type: B2B SaaS, B2C, Developer Tool, Marketplace, or Other?
- Target audience/ICP: Who is the primary customer?
- Current stage: Pre-MVP, Beta/Early Access, or Ready to Launch?
- Does the product use AI/ML that affects unit economics?
- Primary domain/URL to audit (if live)
Platform recommendations by product type:
- Developer Tools: GitHub, Hacker News, Reddit, X, Dev.to
- B2B SaaS: LinkedIn, Product Hunt, G2/Capterra
- B2C/Consumer: X, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube
- Indie Hacker: Product Hunt, Indie Hackers, X, Reddit
Audit Checklist (10 Sections)
1. Pre-Launch Validation
| Item |
Verification Method |
| 50+ discovery calls completed |
Ask user |
| Pre-payment secured from 3+ customers |
Ask user |
| Problem validated (not just interest) |
Ask user for evidence |
| Manual service delivery tested |
Ask user |
2. Pricing Strategy
| Item |
Verification Method |
| Pricing model selected (outcome/usage/hybrid) |
Ask user, verify NOT per-seat only |
| Value metric identified |
Ask user what outcome they charge for |
| 3-4 tiers with clear differentiation |
Browser: check pricing page |
| Annual contract incentives configured |
Browser: verify discount shown |
| Pricing page live and scannable |
Browser: visual check |
3. Payment Integration
| Item |
Verification Method |
| Stripe account activated (live keys) |
Ask user to confirm |
| Test transactions successful |
Ask user |
| Webhook endpoints configured |
Ask about endpoint URL |
| Billing portal accessible |
Browser: test billing portal link |
| Tax/KYC requirements met |
Ask user |
4. AI Economics (if applicable)
| Item |
Verification Method |
| Inference costs calculated per action |
Ask user for cost breakdown |
| AI costs < 30% of revenue |
Calculate: inference cost / revenue per user |
| Gross margin > 50% (AI-adjusted) |
Verify: traditional SaaS 80-90%, AI-first 50-65% |
| Margin protection strategy exists |
Ask about usage caps, tiering |
| Cost monitoring/alerts configured |
Ask user |
5. GEO & AI Discovery
| Item |
Verification Method |
| AI visibility audit completed |
WebSearch: query ChatGPT/Perplexity for brand |
| Structured data/FAQ schema |
Browser: check page source |
| Content uses authoritative language |
Browser: check for excessive hedging |
| SSR/pre-rendering for LLM crawlers |
Ask about rendering strategy |
| Server response time < 200ms |
Run scripts/tech-audit.sh |
| Core Web Vitals passing |
Check PageSpeed Insights |
2026 Fact: AI agents account for ~33% of organic search activity. Only 12% of companies appear across ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude.
6. Competitor Intelligence
| Item |
Verification Method |
| 3+ direct competitors identified |
Ask user to list |
| Competitor pricing documented |
WebSearch: research each competitor |
| Differentiation statement written |
Ask user for positioning |
| AI visibility comparison done |
WebSearch: query "[category] tools" |
| Citation sentiment analyzed |
Review AI responses for tone |
7. Social Media & Launch Prep
| Item |
Verification Method |
| Primary platform profiles created |
Browser: check each platform |
| LinkedIn founder profile optimized |
Browser: review profile |
| X/Twitter presence established |
Browser: check account |
| Product Hunt profile ready |
Browser: check PH profile |
| 400+ PH supporters lined up |
Ask user about DM outreach |
| Launch email sequence drafted |
Ask user |
| Content calendar for 30 days |
Ask user |
| "Magic Triangle" ready |
Ask about founder content + outreach + retargeting |
8. Legal & Compliance
| Item |
Verification Method |
| Privacy Policy live |
Browser: check /privacy or footer link |
| Terms of Service live |
Browser: check /terms or footer link |
| Cookie consent banner |
Browser: verify banner appears |
| DPA template ready (if B2B) |
Ask user |
9. Trust Infrastructure
| Item |
Verification Method |
| Auth system production-ready |
Ask user about auth provider |
| Audit logging enabled |
Ask user |
| Error tracking configured |
Ask about Sentry or similar |
| Uptime monitoring active |
Ask user |
| Security headers configured |
Run scripts/tech-audit.sh |
10. Launch Day Readiness
| Item |
Verification Method |
| Support channels operational |
Browser: check support links |
| FAQ/Knowledge base published |
Browser: check /help or /docs |
| Analytics tracking verified |
Ask about GA4, PostHog setup |
| Team roles assigned |
Ask user |
| Rollback plan documented |
Ask user |
Output Format
Report each item as:
[PASS] Item description
or
[FAIL] Item description
→ Next step: Single actionable instruction
Verification Tools
Browser Verification
Use mcp__claude-in-chrome__* tools to:
- Navigate to pricing, terms, privacy pages
- Check for cookie banners, structured data
- Verify billing portal accessibility
- Review social media profiles
Web Search Verification
Use WebSearch to:
- Query AI assistants for brand visibility
- Research competitor pricing
- Check product mentions and sentiment
Script Verification
Use provided scripts:
scripts/tech-audit.sh - Core Web Vitals, SSL, security headersscripts/competitor-visibility.sh - AI visibility comparison
Additional Resources
For detailed guidance, see the references directory:
references/pricing-2026.md - Outcome/usage-based pricing strategies, 2026 trends, tier design principlesreferences/payment-verification.md - Stripe go-live checklistreferences/geo-visibility.md - GEO/AI discovery optimization, technical requirements, content strategiesreferences/launch-tactics.md - Product Hunt and social strategies, "Magic Triangle" approachreferences/trust-infrastructure.md - Trust-as-a-Product requirementsreferences/metrics-2026.md - AI-first SaaS metrics (gross margins, cost optimization)references/platform-guides.md - Platform-specific launch guides
Completion Criteria
The audit is complete when:
- All 10 sections have been evaluated
- Each item shows PASS or FAIL with next step
- User has a prioritized list of fixes
Re-run the audit after implementing fixes until all critical items pass.
Key 2026 Insights
- Pricing: Per-seat is declining (126% YoY growth in credit models). Use outcome-based or hybrid models.
- AI Economics: Target AI costs < 30% of revenue. Traditional SaaS: 80-90% margins. AI-first: 50-65% margins.
- Discovery: AI agents now ~33% of organic search. Only 12% of companies appear across all AI platforms.
- Trust: Trust-as-a-Product is a differentiator, not just compliance.
- Product Hunt: 26.5% of launches get 500-1000 users. 49% fail by relying on PH alone.
1---2name: saas-launch-audit3description: This skill should be used when the user asks to "audit my SaaS", "check if I'm ready to launch", "review my launch checklist", "verify my pricing", "audit my payment setup", "check my AI visibility", "prepare for Product Hunt", "validate my SaaS for launch", or mentions launching a SaaS product. Provides a comprehensive, repeatable checklist with PASS/FAIL verification and actionable next steps.4---56# SaaS Launch Audit78A comprehensive, repeatable audit workflow for SaaS products approaching launch. Provides clear PASS/FAIL states with single actionable next steps.910## Purpose1112Validate launch readiness across 10 critical areas: validation, pricing, payments, AI economics, discovery, competitors, social presence, legal, trust infrastructure, and launch day operations.1314## Workflow Overview15161. **Discovery Survey** - Gather project context (product type, audience, stage)172. **Interactive Verification** - Actively verify items using browser tools and web queries183. **PASS/FAIL Report** - Output each item with status and next step for failures194. **Iterate** - Re-run audit after fixes until all items pass2021## Discovery Survey2223Before running the checklist, gather project context:2425**Questions to ask:**261. Product type: B2B SaaS, B2C, Developer Tool, Marketplace, or Other?272. Target audience/ICP: Who is the primary customer?283. Current stage: Pre-MVP, Beta/Early Access, or Ready to Launch?294. Does the product use AI/ML that affects unit economics?305. Primary domain/URL to audit (if live)3132**Platform recommendations by product type:**33- **Developer Tools**: GitHub, Hacker News, Reddit, X, Dev.to34- **B2B SaaS**: LinkedIn, Product Hunt, G2/Capterra35- **B2C/Consumer**: X, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube36- **Indie Hacker**: Product Hunt, Indie Hackers, X, Reddit3738## Audit Checklist (10 Sections)3940### 1. Pre-Launch Validation4142| Item | Verification Method |43|------|---------------------|44| 50+ discovery calls completed | Ask user |45| Pre-payment secured from 3+ customers | Ask user |46| Problem validated (not just interest) | Ask user for evidence |47| Manual service delivery tested | Ask user |4849### 2. Pricing Strategy5051| Item | Verification Method |52|------|---------------------|53| Pricing model selected (outcome/usage/hybrid) | Ask user, verify NOT per-seat only |54| Value metric identified | Ask user what outcome they charge for |55| 3-4 tiers with clear differentiation | Browser: check pricing page |56| Annual contract incentives configured | Browser: verify discount shown |57| Pricing page live and scannable | Browser: visual check |5859### 3. Payment Integration6061| Item | Verification Method |62|------|---------------------|63| Stripe account activated (live keys) | Ask user to confirm |64| Test transactions successful | Ask user |65| Webhook endpoints configured | Ask about endpoint URL |66| Billing portal accessible | Browser: test billing portal link |67| Tax/KYC requirements met | Ask user |6869### 4. AI Economics (if applicable)7071| Item | Verification Method |72|------|---------------------|73| Inference costs calculated per action | Ask user for cost breakdown |74| AI costs < 30% of revenue | Calculate: inference cost / revenue per user |75| Gross margin > 50% (AI-adjusted) | Verify: traditional SaaS 80-90%, AI-first 50-65% |76| Margin protection strategy exists | Ask about usage caps, tiering |77| Cost monitoring/alerts configured | Ask user |7879### 5. GEO & AI Discovery8081| Item | Verification Method |82|------|---------------------|83| AI visibility audit completed | WebSearch: query ChatGPT/Perplexity for brand |84| Structured data/FAQ schema | Browser: check page source |85| Content uses authoritative language | Browser: check for excessive hedging |86| SSR/pre-rendering for LLM crawlers | Ask about rendering strategy |87| Server response time < 200ms | Run `scripts/tech-audit.sh` |88| Core Web Vitals passing | Check PageSpeed Insights |8990> **2026 Fact:** AI agents account for ~33% of organic search activity. Only 12% of companies appear across ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude.9192### 6. Competitor Intelligence9394| Item | Verification Method |95|------|---------------------|96| 3+ direct competitors identified | Ask user to list |97| Competitor pricing documented | WebSearch: research each competitor |98| Differentiation statement written | Ask user for positioning |99| AI visibility comparison done | WebSearch: query "[category] tools" |100| Citation sentiment analyzed | Review AI responses for tone |101102### 7. Social Media & Launch Prep103104| Item | Verification Method |105|------|---------------------|106| Primary platform profiles created | Browser: check each platform |107| LinkedIn founder profile optimized | Browser: review profile |108| X/Twitter presence established | Browser: check account |109| Product Hunt profile ready | Browser: check PH profile |110| 400+ PH supporters lined up | Ask user about DM outreach |111| Launch email sequence drafted | Ask user |112| Content calendar for 30 days | Ask user |113| "Magic Triangle" ready | Ask about founder content + outreach + retargeting |114115### 8. Legal & Compliance116117| Item | Verification Method |118|------|---------------------|119| Privacy Policy live | Browser: check /privacy or footer link |120| Terms of Service live | Browser: check /terms or footer link |121| Cookie consent banner | Browser: verify banner appears |122| DPA template ready (if B2B) | Ask user |123124### 9. Trust Infrastructure125126| Item | Verification Method |127|------|---------------------|128| Auth system production-ready | Ask user about auth provider |129| Audit logging enabled | Ask user |130| Error tracking configured | Ask about Sentry or similar |131| Uptime monitoring active | Ask user |132| Security headers configured | Run `scripts/tech-audit.sh` |133134### 10. Launch Day Readiness135136| Item | Verification Method |137|------|---------------------|138| Support channels operational | Browser: check support links |139| FAQ/Knowledge base published | Browser: check /help or /docs |140| Analytics tracking verified | Ask about GA4, PostHog setup |141| Team roles assigned | Ask user |142| Rollback plan documented | Ask user |143144## Output Format145146Report each item as:147148```149[PASS] Item description150```151152or153154```155[FAIL] Item description156 → Next step: Single actionable instruction157```158159## Verification Tools160161### Browser Verification162Use `mcp__claude-in-chrome__*` tools to:163- Navigate to pricing, terms, privacy pages164- Check for cookie banners, structured data165- Verify billing portal accessibility166- Review social media profiles167168### Web Search Verification169Use WebSearch to:170- Query AI assistants for brand visibility171- Research competitor pricing172- Check product mentions and sentiment173174### Script Verification175Use provided scripts:176- `scripts/tech-audit.sh` - Core Web Vitals, SSL, security headers177- `scripts/competitor-visibility.sh` - AI visibility comparison178179## Additional Resources180181For detailed guidance, see the references directory:182183- **`references/pricing-2026.md`** - Outcome/usage-based pricing strategies, 2026 trends, tier design principles184- **`references/payment-verification.md`** - Stripe go-live checklist185- **`references/geo-visibility.md`** - GEO/AI discovery optimization, technical requirements, content strategies186- **`references/launch-tactics.md`** - Product Hunt and social strategies, "Magic Triangle" approach187- **`references/trust-infrastructure.md`** - Trust-as-a-Product requirements188- **`references/metrics-2026.md`** - AI-first SaaS metrics (gross margins, cost optimization)189- **`references/platform-guides.md`** - Platform-specific launch guides190191## Completion Criteria192193The audit is complete when:1941. All 10 sections have been evaluated1952. Each item shows PASS or FAIL with next step1963. User has a prioritized list of fixes197198Re-run the audit after implementing fixes until all critical items pass.199200## Key 2026 Insights2012021. **Pricing**: Per-seat is declining (126% YoY growth in credit models). Use outcome-based or hybrid models.2032. **AI Economics**: Target AI costs < 30% of revenue. Traditional SaaS: 80-90% margins. AI-first: 50-65% margins.2043. **Discovery**: AI agents now ~33% of organic search. Only 12% of companies appear across all AI platforms.2054. **Trust**: Trust-as-a-Product is a differentiator, not just compliance.2065. **Product Hunt**: 26.5% of launches get 500-1000 users. 49% fail by relying on PH alone.
b-open-io