HN Explorer

Ask HN: Who Is Running a SaaS Business on Top of Open Source Product?

2 points by drieddust ↗ HN
I see a bunch of open source software which can be offered as a SaaS solution. Did anyone find success doing it? What is your experience?

Edit: Replaced open source product with open source software

4 comments

[ 2.9 ms ] story [ 19.5 ms ] thread
LinuxBender
Do you mean a SaaS business utilizing open source software, or a SaaS business providing a PaaS/IaaS platform for others to build their business?
drieddust
A SaaS Business utilizing the open source softwares.
LinuxBender
I would suggest that most SaaS businesses make heavy use of a myriad of open source software. All of the SaaS providers that I am aware of use just about everything open source when they can.

The exceptions arise when the business needs a particular service that they don't have the personnel or expertise to develop and support in-house, especially when that service is customer facing and is required to meet their service level agreements. Even then, that service may be comprised of open source and close sourced software, but commercially supported by a 3rd party.

verdverm
Are you talking about OSS that solves some business need, but lacks a commercial entity / support? (Like as the core product?)

Netlify is one example.

You'll want to look into the particular projects license to make sure it is ok.

Our SaaS is built / runs on a phenomenal amount of OSS. The core is not OSS yet, we create some OSS for non differentiating code, contribute back to the web framework we use.