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Ask HN: Why does every B2B SaaS have to look like Linear/Stripe?

8 points PaulShin | 1 comments | 07 Dec 25 04:43 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source

I'm a founder (and ex-architect) building a logistics OS. Recently, I received feedback that my site looks "cheap and ugly" because I used Serif fonts and an engraving style aesthetic instead of the standard Sans-Serif "Clean Tech" look.

My intent was to evoke the "Age of Exploration" vibe, since the AI era feels like charting unknown territories. But users seem conditioned to trust only "Standard Blue SaaS UI."

My question to HN: Does a B2B tool have to follow the "Standard Modern UI" to be taken seriously? Or is there room for distinctive, maybe even polarizing, aesthetics in enterprise software?

I'm debating whether to cave in and redesign to "boring but safe" or double down on our soul. Would love to hear your thoughts on "Brand Distinctiveness vs. UI Familiarity."

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akerl_ ◴[07 Dec 25 04:49 UTC] No.46179237[source]▶
I think the boring answer is that the people who are looking to procure B2B SaaS solutions aren't looking for artistic sites that "evoke" a feeling. They're looking for a product that meets their needs, and one of those needs is "when I tell my superiors / peers / users about this product, and they Google it, it looks crisp and professional, like giving this SaaS a big stack of money will be worth it."
replies(1): >>46180815 #
1. PaulShin ◴[07 Dec 25 10:55 UTC] No.46180815[source]▶
Exactly. they're not visiting the site for an artistic experience. Thank you for the clarification.