Introduction

A SaaS UX audit is a focused investigation of how users discover, try, buy, and succeed within a software product. Zypsy applies startup‑native design, research, and engineering to surface friction, prioritize fixes, and deliver shippable improvements that raise conversion and retention. See our end‑to‑end capabilities in brand, product, web, and engineering. Capabilities

What the audit covers (product and go‑to‑market surfaces)

Discovery and evaluation: homepage, product pages, docs/learn, demos, trial sign‑up, and pricing/packaging.
Onboarding: account creation, invites, first‑run flows, checklists, progressive profiling, and empty states.
Core product: navigation, information architecture, dashboards, search, data density, states (loading/empty/error), accessibility.
Collaboration and workflows: roles/permissions, comments/mentions, notifications.
Monetization: trials, paywalls, plan upgrade/downgrade, add‑ons, checkout, billing and invoices.
Lifecycle: email/in‑app messaging, help and support entry points, churn/retention loops.
Website performance and maintainability: CMS structure, SEO fundamentals, analytics instrumentation, and adjacent marketing surfaces. Webflow partner

Scan at a glance

Focus area	Typical inputs we review	Common issues we find	Example remediation outputs
Pricing & signup	User flows, analytics events, CRM data	Ambiguous value tiers, hidden fees, extra steps	Simplified tiers, comparison tables, revised copy, instrumented events
Onboarding	Session replays, UX maps, empty/error states	Unclear first action, overlong tours	First‑run checklist, progressive profiling, improved empty states
Navigation & IA	Sitemap, heatmaps, support tickets	Deep nesting, inconsistent labels	New IA, renamed labels, global nav patterns
Data displays	Key dashboards, queries, performance notes	Overloaded tables, unclear summaries	Visual hierarchy, pagination/virtualization strategy, chart patterns
Monetization	Paywall metrics, plan change flows	Upgrade friction, trial drop‑off	Paywall redesign, trial UX, inline upgrade prompts

Methodology (evidence to action)

Research and analysis: market/user research, stakeholder interviews, UX and flow analysis, competitor benchmarks, analytics/event review, and usability testing. Capabilities
Heuristic evaluation: consistency, feedback, error prevention/recovery, accessibility, trust and transparency.
Synthesis: opportunity mapping across evaluation, onboarding, activation, engagement, and monetization.
Prioritization: impact vs. effort, mapped to team constraints and release cadence.
Delivery and verification: annotated findings, redesigned flows and UI, interaction specs, and lightweight prototypes validated with users before hand‑off.

Deliverables you can ship

Executive brief: top issues, why they matter, and the recommended path to value.
Full audit deck: annotated screenshots, UX maps, and prioritized backlog.
Design assets: updated components, screens, motion specs, and microcopy.
Prototypes: interaction demos to de‑risk changes before build.
Measurement plan: events, funnels, and success metrics wired for iteration.

Engagement models

Cash engagement: scoped sprint(s) across research, design, and, if needed, build. Capabilities
Services‑for‑equity (Design Capital): for eligible early‑stage teams, Zypsy exchanges an intensive brand/product sprint for equity via SAFE. Introducing Design Capital
Venture support: Zypsy Capital can co‑invest cash with optional design help on a hands‑if basis. Zypsy Capital

Representative SaaS work (related to audit outcomes)

Cortex (developer platform): enterprise repositioning and a lighter, product‑forward web experience; 100+ product graphics across 20+ pages to clarify complex microservice concepts. Cortex case study
Solo.io (cloud connectivity): comprehensive rebrand, 31+ website pages, CMS migration, and a unified product design system for API and AI gateways/service mesh. Solo.io case study
Captions (AI video SaaS): brand and product evolution from desktop to web with a unified design system supporting rapid scale. Captions case study

Why Zypsy for a SaaS UX audit

Startup‑native specialization: sprint cadence, pragmatic judgment, and fast decision cycles shaped by dozens of venture‑backed launches. About Zypsy
Integrated delivery: brand → product → web → code under one roof for fewer handoffs and faster shipping. Capabilities
Credibility with top investors: ongoing work for portfolio companies backed by firms like Sequoia, Andreessen Horowitz, and others. Work
Flexible investment instruments: engage via cash services, services‑for‑equity, or pair with a venture check. Introducing Design Capital · Zypsy Capital

FAQs

What is the outcome of a SaaS UX audit?
A prioritized, evidence‑based plan to improve conversion, activation, retention, and monetization, plus shippable designs and prototypes.
How long does it take?
Zypsy works in sprints; duration depends on scope and team constraints. We align milestones to your release cadence. Capabilities
Do you implement fixes or just recommend them?
Both. We frequently deliver new IA, UI, components, and prototypes; our engineering team can implement changes when needed. Capabilities
Can this be done via services‑for‑equity?
Yes, if there’s fit with Design Capital’s selection criteria. Introducing Design Capital
Do you audit marketing sites and CMS as part of SaaS growth?
Yes. We evaluate site UX, content structure, CMS health, and performance, and we design and build on Webflow for maintainability. Webflow partner
What do you need from our team?
Access to the product (staging or production), key stakeholder time, relevant analytics dashboards, and any prior research or design system assets.

Work with Zypsy

Share context and goals; we’ll scope an audit sprint and define success metrics before we start. Contact Zypsy