Building a No-Code SaaS in 90 Days
An obsessive developer-to-CEO journey through the no-code movement's potential, the tools that work (and don't), and how I built a functioning SaaS MVP completely without writing a single line of code.
Final MVP achieved 538 users in first 6 weeks with 92% no-code implementation using Airtable + Webflow + Zapier + Make integration workflows
Elene B.
Full-stack thinker, Helsinki
Why This Matters
The Product
Project "Canvas": A collaborative whiteboard tool that lets designers and developers work visually together in real-time using Figma/figjam-inspired interface, but built entirely without any code.
The Process
Using Airtable as the backend, Webflow for the UI, and Zapier/Make for automation, we connected 900+ triggers and actions to create a working product that could scale to 10k+ users while maintaining no-line-of-code fidelity.
The Obsessive Journey
Day 1-7: MVP Design in Figma
Spent 48 hours perfectinging the UI/UX with 27 usability checklists from Notion. Used real user personas from Airtable that evolved over time. Created 37 variations before final Figma design approval.
"Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works." – Minimalist design principles applied to every clickable element
Day 8-21: Webflow & Airtable Integration
Discovered that combining Airtable's API with Webflow's visual builder was more powerful than traditional code-based approaches for rapid iterations. Made 327 API integrations that were all no-code.
- 8-hour battle with Webflow's CMS to get nested objects working with Airtable links
- 50+ custom Webflow interactions built with only no-code tools
- Real-time sync between Airtable and Webflow without writing any glue code
Day 22-35: Automation & Scaling
Used 5 different no-code automation platforms simultaneously and found optimal performance by using Zapier for 85% of automation and Make for critical paths.
Automation Stack: ✅
Key Lessons Learned
Tool Limitations
While powerful, no-code tools are not infinitely scalable. Learned to identify when paid API usage vs internal scaling solutions were better.
User Validation
Built 3 different MVPs before finding the right product-market fit. Users wanted more templates and integration options.
Team & Community
Built with a team of 5 non-tech cofounders using Notion for project management and Slack for real-time communication. Found 78% of feedback came from Slack channels.
Want to Build Something?
No-code is a powerful way to build and validate ideas quickly. If you want to start a side project or test an idea with minimal risk, let's collaborate!