The 24-Hour Challenge
Building a complete SaaS in 24 hours seemed impossible until recently. Today, with the right AI tools, it's a reality accessible to anyone with an idea and the determination to make it happen.
In this guide, we'll show you exactly how to do it, hour by hour, from conception to launch.
Before You Start: What You Need
- A validated idea: A specific problem you want to solve
- Tool accounts: Lovable, Bolt.new or Replit (free tiers available)
- 24 free hours: Total focus on the project
- A domain: Optional but recommended for launch
Hours 0-2: Validation and Planning
Define the Problem
Before writing a line of code (or prompt), answer these questions:
- What specific problem does your SaaS solve?
- Who is your target user?
- What's the main feature (MVP)?
- How will you monetize?
MVP Sketch
Draw the 3-5 essential screens on paper. No need to be a designer - just have the user flow clear.
Hours 2-8: Building the Frontend
Choose the Right Tool
| Scenario | Recommended Tool | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Landing + Simple Dashboard | Bolt.new | Extreme speed, instant deploy |
| App with complex database | Lovable | Integrated Supabase, ready auth |
| Custom backend logic | Replit | Total flexibility, AI Agent |
Effective Frontend Prompts
Example prompt for Lovable:
"Create a SaaS for managing subscriptions. Homepage with hero section, 3-tier pricing, and features section. User dashboard with subscription list, monthly spending charts, and button to add new subscription. Modern design, dark mode, purple and blue colors."
Hours 8-14: Backend and Database
Data Structure
With Lovable Cloud you can create tables in natural language:
"Create a users table with email, name, plan (free/pro/enterprise), signup date. Create a subscriptions table linked to users with service name, monthly cost, renewal date, category."
Authentication
Modern tools handle auth automatically:
- Lovable: Integrated Supabase Auth (email, Google, GitHub)
- Bolt.new: Pre-configured Clerk or Auth.js
- Replit: One-click Replit Auth
Hours 14-18: Integrations and Payments
Stripe for Payments
Example prompt:
"Integrate Stripe Checkout. When user clicks a pricing plan, open Stripe checkout. After payment, update user plan in database and show confirmation page."
Transactional Emails
Use Resend or SendGrid for welcome emails and notifications. Most AI tools can integrate these services with a prompt.
Hours 18-22: Testing and Refinement
Pre-Launch Checklist
- Test complete registration flow
- Test payment flow (use Stripe test mode)
- Verify mobile responsive
- Check all links and CTAs
- Test dashboard with real data
Bug Fixing with AI
When you find a bug, describe exactly what happens and what should happen. The AI will fix the problem in most cases.
Hours 22-24: Deploy and Launch
Deployment
- Lovable: Auto-deploy to lovable.app subdomain
- Bolt.new: One click for Netlify/Vercel
- Replit: Deploy with Replit Deployments
Custom Domain
Connect your domain in the tool settings. DNS propagation: 5-30 minutes.
Launch
Post on Product Hunt, share on Twitter/LinkedIn, send to beta testers.
Real Example: SaaS in 24 Hours
We built "SubTracker" - a subscription tracking tool - in exactly 23 hours and 47 minutes using Lovable:
- Hours 0-2: Idea validation, UI sketch
- Hours 2-8: Landing page + basic dashboard
- Hours 8-14: Database, subscription CRUD, charts
- Hours 14-18: Stripe integration, emails
- Hours 18-22: Bug fixing, UI polish
- Hours 22-24: Deploy, custom domain, launch
Final Tips
- Start small: A working MVP beats a perfect product never launched
- Iterate fast: Collect feedback and improve after launch
- Document the process: Screenshots and notes will help for future projects
- Don't seek perfection: The 24 hours are for validating, not perfecting
Now it's your turn. Pick an idea, set the timer, and build your SaaS!
