5 Pain Points SaaS Founders Discuss on Reddit (And How to Address Them)
We analyzed 500+ posts from r/SaaS and r/startups over 30 days. Here are the 5 pain points that came up most often—and how you can use this intelligence if you sell to SaaS founders.
Pain Point #1: "Our Churn is Killing Us"
Real Reddit Quote
"We're at $15K MRR but churn is 8%. Every time we add 5 customers, we lose 3. It's like running on a treadmill. We've tried surveys but no one responds."
— r/SaaS, 142 upvotes
Why This Matters
High churn is the #1 growth killer for early-stage SaaS. Founders know this, but they struggle to diagnose why customers leave because traditional feedback loops fail (exit surveys, support tickets).
How to Address It (If You Sell to SaaS)
- Outreach hook: "I noticed SaaS companies in [industry] are struggling with 6-8% churn. We've helped similar teams reduce it by identifying drop-off patterns..."
- Content angle: "The Real Reason Your SaaS Churn is High (It's Not Your Product)"
- Sales call question: "What's your current monthly churn rate? Have you identified the main reason customers leave?"
Pain Point #2: "Cold Outreach Isn't Working Anymore"
Real Reddit Quote
"We're sending 500 emails/week with 'personalization' (first name, company) but reply rate is under 2%. Everyone says cold email is dead but we can't afford paid ads. What's working for you?"
— r/startups, 89 upvotes
Why This Matters
Most SaaS founders rely on cold outreach for early traction. But "personalization" has become a commodity—everyone uses first name and company fields. Prospects can smell templated emails instantly.
How to Address It
- Outreach hook: "Saw you're struggling with cold email reply rates. Most tools only do surface-level personalization. What if you could reference pain points your prospects are actively discussing?"
- Content angle: "Why 'Personalized' Cold Emails Still Get Ignored (And How to Fix It)"
- Sales call question: "When you say personalized, do you mean name/company, or do you reference specific problems they've mentioned publicly?"
Pain Point #3: "We Don't Know What Content to Create"
Real Reddit Quote
"We're posting 2-3 blogs/month but barely getting traffic. How do you know what topics your audience actually cares about? We're just guessing based on keyword tools."
— r/SaaS, 67 upvotes
Why This Matters
Most SaaS founders know they "should" do content marketing, but they waste time on topics that don't resonate. SEO tools suggest keywords, but don't tell you what angle or pain point to address.
How to Address It
- Outreach hook: "I noticed you're creating content but not seeing traction. What if you could see exactly what questions your ICP is asking in communities—before you write?"
- Content angle: "How to Never Run Out of Content Ideas (Using Community Intelligence)"
- Sales call question: "How do you currently decide what blog topics to write about? Are you basing it on SEO tools, or actual conversations with prospects?"
Pain Point #4: "Pricing is Confusing—We Don't Know What to Charge"
Real Reddit Quote
"We've changed our pricing 3 times in 6 months. Some people say we're too expensive, others sign up without blinking. We have no idea what the 'right' price is."
— r/startups, 103 upvotes
Why This Matters
Pricing anxiety is universal for early-stage SaaS. Founders fear undercharging (leaving money on the table) and overcharging (losing customers). They lack market data on what competitors actually charge.
How to Address It
- Outreach hook: "I saw you're iterating on pricing. Have you seen what your competitors' customers are saying about pricing in communities? Sometimes there's gold in those complaints."
- Content angle: "How to Price Your SaaS Using Community Intelligence (Not Just Competitor Pages)"
- Sales call question: "How did you land on your current pricing model? Have you tested different price points with your ICP?"
Pain Point #5: "We Can't Compete with Bigger Players"
Real Reddit Quote
"Every time we pitch, prospects say 'Why not just use [BigCompetitor]?' We're cheaper and more flexible, but they have brand recognition. How do you compete as a small player?"
— r/SaaS, 78 upvotes
Why This Matters
David vs. Goliath positioning is hard. Smaller SaaS companies can't compete on features or brand, so they need to compete on understanding—knowing customer pain points better than the big players.
How to Address It
- Outreach hook: "Competing with [BigCompetitor]? The companies winning aren't just cheaper—they're showing they understand prospects' specific pain points better."
- Content angle: "How Small SaaS Companies Beat Enterprise Competitors (Without Bigger Budgets)"
- Sales call question: "When prospects compare you to [BigCompetitor], what's your main differentiator? Do you highlight how you understand their niche better?"
How to Use These Insights
These aren't just interesting observations—they're actionable sales intelligence. Here's how to operationalize them:
- Cold Outreach: Use these pain points as email opening hooks. "I noticed many SaaS founders in [vertical] are struggling with churn—is that something you're dealing with?"
- Content Marketing: Write blog posts addressing each pain point. Rank for "how to reduce SaaS churn" and capture inbound traffic.
- Sales Discovery: Ask about these pain points on calls. Prospects are more likely to open up about problems they know others have too.
- Product Positioning: Update your homepage to address these pain points directly. "Struggling with cold email reply rates? Here's why..."
The Competitive Advantage
Most companies do market research once per quarter—via surveys or analyst reports. By the time they act, the market has moved on.
Community intelligence is real-time. These pain points are being discussed right now in r/SaaS and r/startups. The companies that monitor and act on them have a massive advantage.
That's the difference between "market research" and "market intelligence."