Introduction

Streamline removed their homepage and sent visitors straight into the app. It’s a bold move that breaks the usual SaaS playbook.

What's the Problem It Solves?

Most SaaS websites rely on a homepage to explain their product and push people to sign up. But this doesn't always match how users want to explore or use a product. This article looks at whether skipping the homepage and going straight into the app can actually improve user experience and results.

Quick Summary

Streamline made a big change-they removed their homepage and let people jump right into using the app, without signing up. Instead of pushing a “get started” button, users now land in the product with a welcome message they can easily close. This decision came after years of testing and experimenting with different homepage designs and marketing approaches.

The team was inspired by B2C platforms like Instagram and Reddit, where users often skip the front door and land directly on content. They also studied examples like LinkedIn, which changes how much friction it adds based on how a visitor arrived. For Streamline, this change gave them a faster way to get users engaged, though it came with tradeoffs-like a drop in SEO power. The final decision wasn’t just about data; it was also about trusting instinct, understanding how their users behaved, and testing their way into what worked best.

Key Takeaways from the Article

• You don’t always need a homepage-sometimes going straight to the app works better.
• Match the user’s intent with the right level of friction.
• Removing the homepage can boost engagement, but might hurt SEO.
• Always test and learn before making big changes.
• Some users want to try your product right away, without sign-up walls.
• Design choices should reflect who your audience is-devs and designers may prefer less “marketing.”
• There’s no one-size-fits-all answer; what works for one company might not work for another.
• Don’t blindly trust metrics from others-test your own ideas and trust your users.

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