I’ve been building a macOS notes/productivity tool, and recently ran an experiment that completely changed how I think about product strategy.
Instead of focusing on big, heavy features…
I started adding tiny micro-utilities inside the note-taking flow:
Nothing fancy. Most took less than a day to build.
But the impact surprised me:
1. Micro-utilities reduce app switching → more stickiness
Users stayed inside the app longer because they didn’t need to jump to separate tools.
2. People talk about the “small things” more than the core product
Several users shared the app specifically because of these tiny additions.
3. Faster to ship + faster to delight
Micro-features let you iterate quickly without risking major feature bloat.
4. Privacy/offline-first is a stronger value prop than expected
A lot of users mentioned they prefer tools that don’t force sync, accounts, or cloud storage.
This experiment made me rethink how we build SaaS:
Sometimes shipping small, delightful add-ons creates more long-term value than huge, complex releases.
If you’re building a SaaS, consider adding one or two “micro-superpowers” - they punch way above their weight.
If you want to see how I implemented these ideas, I launched the project on Product Hunt today. Any feedback or support means a lot:
👉 https://www.producthunt.com/products/gubb