Hacker News with Generative AI: Business Models

Why Kagi launched "no use, no pay" (getlago.substack.com)
Paying for a SaaS subscription you don’t use sucks. Sure, I don’t use that shameful cupboard with the ice cream maker, sous-vide device and electric ham-cutter either, but at least those things don’t charge me again!
SaaS, Business Models, Subscription Services, Software
57 points by AnhTho_FR 19 hours ago | 18 comments
No OpenAI, I Won't Pay $10k/Month for Your AI Agent (thetrendysoftwareideas.substack.com)
OpenAI's latest pricing strategy has completely lost the plot. Yesterday, there was a leak that OpenAI plans to charge up to $20,000 a month for "AI agents".
OpenAI, AI, Pricing, Business Models
13 points by justiceforsaas 26 days ago | 3 comments
Tell HN: Brother printers no longer consumer friendly (ycombinator.com)
I dislike the tactics many of the other printer manufacturers employ such as subscription services, DRM on cartridges, etc. I've always used and recommended Brother laser printers as they seem to largely not employ these non-consumer friendly approaches. They have always let you continue printing even when one cartridge was empty. I've always brought official cartridges out of respect for their business model.
Printers, Consumer Technology, Business Models
36 points by SimonPStevens 28 days ago | 16 comments
The Era of Solopreneurs Is Here (manidoraisamy.com)
DeepSeek just dropped a bombshell: $200M in annual revenue with a 500%+ profit margin—all while charging 25x less than OpenAI. But DeepSeek didn’t just build another AI model. They wrote their own parallel file system (3FS) to optimize costs—something that would have been unthinkable for a company of their size. This was possible because AI helped write the file system. Now, imagine what will happen in a couple of years—AI will be writing code, optimizing infrastructure, and even debugging itself.
Startup, Artificial Intelligence, Business Models, Revenue, Cost Optimization
76 points by QueensGambit 31 days ago | 100 comments
Is PyPI moving towards a paid subscription model / abandoning package neutrality (python.org)
Python, Open Source, Software Development, Business Models
7 points by ayhanfuat 32 days ago | 0 comments
Ask HN: Is it possible to start an AI product without venture capital? (ycombinator.com)
I have an AI idea that I'm developing, but I don't have any money to burn. I also worry that a $20 subscription might not be enough to cover the costs of the most active users. Is it possible to create an AI product and start a business without any cash on hand to attract customers?
Entrepreneurship, Artificial Intelligence, Business Models
9 points by devanil 34 days ago | 12 comments
Ask HN: Why do you trust Kagi? (ycombinator.com)
I frequently see high praise for Kagi here, both for the quality of the search results as well as the ostensibly customer-friendly business decisions.
Search Engines, Privacy, User Experience, Business Models
14 points by monroewalker 35 days ago | 23 comments
They hijacked our flow state (desunit.com)
They stole our flow state – and turned it into a business model.
Psychology, Flow State, Business Models
18 points by desunit 37 days ago | 4 comments
Keeping our free tier sustainable by preventing abuse (geocod.io)
While many SaaS businesses have started to remove their free tiers due to abuse, we are determined to continuing to provide a free tier for our standard service.
SaaS, Business Models, Free Tiers, Abuse Prevention
106 points by thecodemonkey 40 days ago | 46 comments
A vending machine, on the internet (threekindwords.com)
These days, every new business seems to be a SaaS. I remember when software worked differently: you bought it, installed it, and used it without having to create an account, remember a password, or even connect to the internet. Your data lived on your C drive, and you were in control. Software was a tool, like a hammer or a chair. Buy a chair, and you could sit on it for life. No monthly fees required.
Software, Business Models, Internet, Nostalgia
215 points by EFFALO 42 days ago | 85 comments
Ask HN: Small Ideas vs. Big Ideas? (ycombinator.com)
I've been thinking about this one for a while, does it make sense to work on small ideas? Something like a utility a PDF converter or a small game and attempt to make it into an asset generating $10K - $30K in MRR? Or is it better to aim for building something as big as you can?
Entrepreneurship, Startups, Business Models, SaaS
60 points by amukbils 43 days ago | 78 comments
Ask HN: Are there any CLI only tools that are monetised (ycombinator.com)
I'm curious if anyone is aware of pure CLI tools that that are monetised, either by premium support or by offering a free and paid version. Majority I've seen are extensions of some sort of SaaS or desktop product (IDEs, testing, etc.)
Business Models, Software, Monetization
17 points by ludovicianul 58 days ago | 25 comments
Ask HN: Is it ironic that OpenAI says DeepSeek used its work without permission? (ycombinator.com)
Is it ironic that we have a free open-source model (that also shares reasoning chain) from a hedge fund and $200/mo model from a non-profit?
OpenAI, Artificial Intelligence, Open Source, Business Models
9 points by hnlurker22 61 days ago | 11 comments
Ask HN: Has anyone tried alternative company models (like a co-op) for SaaS? (ycombinator.com)
Long story short, I'm building a new product and will likely launch it as a yearly SaaS with a permissive license.
SaaS, Business Models, Entrepreneurship, Startups, Community
170 points by snide 74 days ago | 106 comments
Lifetime access plans are (mostly) a hoax (ycombinator.com)
I have never trusted the "lifetime access" plans offered by SaaS websites with subscriptions, as I know hosting services costs money and human resources to manage.
Business Models, Subscription Services
10 points by limbojunkie 82 days ago | 2 comments
Ask HN: Why can't Mozilla offer a paid privacy tier? (ycombinator.com)
I love firefox and want to support it, I hate seeing the direction the company goes to with privacy.
Mozilla, Firefox, Privacy, Business Models, Web Browsers
22 points by funerr 92 days ago | 18 comments
Building a Self-Hostable Product (fusionauth.io)
In this article, you’ll learn about the architecture, business model, and software design choices necessary to create a self-hostable developer tool.
Software Design, Self-Hosting, Developer Tools, Business Models, Architecture
24 points by mooreds 95 days ago | 7 comments
Delta emulator triples Apple's prices to encourage external clicks (theverge.com)
The Delta gaming emulator is now providing a link to sign up for Patreon-exclusive membership perks directly within the iOS app in Apple’s US App Store.
Mobile Gaming, Apple, Business Models, Gaming Emulators, Patreon
37 points by cglong 105 days ago | 9 comments
OpenAI O1 price gouging to get you to use Pro (reddit.com)
O1 limit determinations are completely screwed up, unfair, meant to gouge 200$ from us.
OpenAI, Pricing, Artificial Intelligence, Business Models, User Complaints
6 points by ghm2180 109 days ago | 0 comments
Show HN: No more subscriptions. Find software you can buy once and own forever (buyoncesoftware.com)
Software, Business Models, Technology, Ownership
8 points by richbowen 160 days ago | 4 comments
Bitwarden is no longer free software (github.com/bitwarden)
Desktop version 2024.10.0 is no longer free software
Software, Open Source, Privacy, Security, Business Models
260 points by ferbivore 164 days ago | 97 comments
X will pay its Premium users to engage with each other (theverge.com)
X is making a big change to how creators can earn money from the platform.
Social Media, Monetization, Business Models
36 points by LordAtlas 173 days ago | 42 comments
Pydantic wants to cash its open-source credibility – but not in the usual way (techcrunch.com)
A U.K.-based, open-source startup is launching its first commercial product with the backing of one of Silicon Valley’s most renowned venture capital firms.
Open Source, Startups, Venture Capital, Business Models
7 points by gemanor 182 days ago | 2 comments
'Not a business model': How companies misunderstand open source (computing.co.uk)
The dust-up between (formerly) open source database Redis and its fork, Valkey, highlights the fundamental difference between what businesses want and what open source actually is, says Open UK’s Amanda Brock.
Open Source, Business Models, Technology, Software Development
12 points by RyeCombinator 186 days ago | 1 comments
The End of Advertising (backgroundnoise.blog)
The business model that funded the internet is going away, and the open web will never be the same.
Advertising, Internet, Business Models, Open Web
13 points by staranjeet 188 days ago | 19 comments
Open Source is not a Business Model (cra.mr)
So you’re starting a company and you want an Open Source business model, eh? Let’s talk about what that means, and how that statement is both totally valid, and makes no sense at the same time.
Open Source, Business Models, Software Development
47 points by Brajeshwar 204 days ago | 30 comments
Ask HN: How can I monetise an open source app of mine that has become popular? (ycombinator.com)
One of my open source projects is starting to get a lot of traction (tens of thousands of users per month) without me realising. I built it a few years ago as a weekend project and promptly forgot about it.
Open Source, Monetization, Business Models
62 points by gigamick 204 days ago | 54 comments
Going open-source as a VC-Backed company (briefer.cloud)
Today, we're launching a free and open-source offering. But I'll be honest with you: Briefer is a VC-backed company, and it must make money.
Open Source, Venture Capital, Business Models
159 points by lucasfcosta 204 days ago | 83 comments
A Post-Google World? (thebignewsletter.com)
Another Google antitrust trial starts on Monday. If Google loses, it'll be three strikes. At some point, they will give up and realize that the writing is on the wall for their current business model.
Antitrust, Google, Business Models
290 points by toomuchtodo 207 days ago | 165 comments
Volkswagen Plans to Shift from Selling Cars to Offering 'Vehicles on Demand' (techdirt.com)
Auto Industry, Business Models, Mobility, Subscription Services
5 points by 8ig8 215 days ago | 2 comments