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

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."

8 points | by PaulShin 2 days ago

6 comments

  • akerl_ 2 days ago
    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."
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    • PaulShin 1 day ago
      Exactly. they're not visiting the site for an artistic experience. Thank you for the clarification.
  • sema4hacker 2 days ago
    Evoking a vibe is what artists try to do. Visually enticing buyers of your product is what graphic designers do. Either use a designer or copy from the millions of expertly designed sites that already exist. You'll have to change it all anyway in a decade or two when styles and fashions change.
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    • PaulShin 1 day ago
      You're right. Rather than trying to stand out in a unique way, it's better to look like something already trusted and established. Thanks for the insight!
  • KellyCriterion 2 days ago
    Orienting according to look & feel patterns that people are already familiar with are always a good thing to follow: Like "X" for closing some object usually on the upper right etc.

    People actually decide if they like to use an app if the adaption to the usage of that app is as low as possible, so copying existing patterns is good practice.

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  • rozenmd 1 day ago
    pattern matching. if you stray too far from the group, procurement folks get jittery about needing to explain it to their company.
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    • PaulShin 1 day ago
      Seen from that perspective, it makes sense to shift toward a more modern, familiar look
  • stephenlf 2 days ago
    The answer to your question is ShadCN
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    • tpcollns 1 day ago
      I believe this is a big part of why many recent websites look identical. Also, LLMs seem to be great at it, and it is the default for generating websites in products like Lovable, Bolt, V0, etc.
    • PaulShin 1 day ago
      LoL
  • android521 15 hours ago
    well, listen to the users.