Why ColorSnap Failed
Extract color palettes from any image in seconds. Upload a photo and instantly get clean, usable color codes for UI design, branding, and web projects.
Causes of failure
Primary reasons cited by the founder
Post-Mortem
💡What was the idea?
I wanted to build a fast, no-friction tool that extracts clean color palettes from images and makes them immediately usable for designers and developers. The goal was to remove the manual back-and-forth of picking colors, converting formats, and aligning them with modern workflows like Tailwind. It was aimed at solo designers, frontend developers, and makers who want speed and clarity, not another bloated design app.
What went wrong?
The product worked, but adoption stalled. I focused heavily on building features and polish, assuming usefulness would drive growth on its own. I delayed distribution, feedback loops, and real-world validation. When traffic came in, retention was low. That was the signal. People liked the output, but it wasn’t solving a painful enough problem to become a habit.
What would you do differently?
I would start with a narrower use case and validate it early. I’d ship a rough version faster, put it in front of real users, and iterate based on actual behavior instead of assumptions. I’d also prioritize distribution from day one rather than treating it as a later step.
Biggest lesson learned
“A product can be technically solid and still fail if it’s not anchored to a strong, urgent problem. Build less, test sooner, and let users, not intuition, decide what matters.”
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