| name | niche-validator |
| description | Validate and score a niche idea (or compare 2-3) across keyword volume, competition, willingness-to-pay, buildability, and flippability. Returns a 1-10 weighted score with go/conditional/no-go verdict. Triggers on "validate niche", "score idea", "should I build", "is this niche worth it", or /niche-validator. |
Niche Validator
Score a niche idea (or compare 2-3) and return a go/conditional/no-go verdict.
Slash command
/niche-validator — single entry point. Detects whether the user supplied 1 niche (validate flow) or 2-3 niches (compare flow).
Validate flow (1 niche)
Input: Niche idea (e.g., "AI resume builder for nurses")
Process
- Keyword research — search volume for primary + related keywords (DataForSEO, Google Trends, web search)
- Competitor scan — count direct competitors, note funding levels, identify market leaders
- TAM estimation — addressable market size from industry reports or bottoms-up calc
- Scoring — rate each dimension 1-10
Scoring Dimensions
| Dimension | Weight | 1 (Bad) | 5 (Okay) | 10 (Great) |
|---|
| Volume | 20% | <100 searches/mo | 1K-5K | >10K |
| Competition | 20% | Funded incumbents, saturated | Mid-tier players | Few/no direct competitors |
| Willingness to Pay | 25% | Free alternatives dominate | Some paid tools exist | Buyers actively spending |
| Buildability | 15% | 6+ months, team needed | 2-3 months solo | MVP in 2-4 weeks |
| Flippability | 20% | No acquisition interest | Niche acquirers exist | Active M&A in space |
Competition is inverted: fewer competitors = higher score.
Weighted Score Formula
Score = (Volume × 0.20) + (Competition × 0.20) + (WTP × 0.25) + (Buildability × 0.15) + (Flippability × 0.20)
Go/No-Go Thresholds
- 8-10: Strong go. Build immediately.
- 6-7.9: Conditional go. Validate WTP before building.
- 4-5.9: Weak. Needs a unique angle or pivot.
- 1-3.9: No-go. Move on.
Output Template
## Niche Validation: [Niche Name]
**Primary keywords**: [keyword1] ([vol]/mo), [keyword2] ([vol]/mo)
**Direct competitors**: [count] ([list top 3])
**TAM**: $[amount] ([source])
| Dimension | Score | Rationale |
|-----------|-------|-----------|
| Volume | X/10 | ... |
| Competition | X/10 | ... |
| Willingness to Pay | X/10 | ... |
| Buildability | X/10 | ... |
| Flippability | X/10 | ... |
**Weighted Score: X.X/10**
**Verdict: [GO / CONDITIONAL / NO-GO]**
### Key Risks
- ...
### Recommended Next Steps
1. ...
Compare flow (2-3 niches)
Input: 2-3 niche ideas
Process
- Run the validate flow on each niche (parallel where possible)
- Output side-by-side comparison table
- Recommend the strongest option with reasoning
Output Template
## Niche Comparison
| Dimension | [Niche A] | [Niche B] | [Niche C] |
|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| Volume | X/10 | X/10 | X/10 |
| Competition | X/10 | X/10 | X/10 |
| Willingness to Pay | X/10 | X/10 | X/10 |
| Buildability | X/10 | X/10 | X/10 |
| Flippability | X/10 | X/10 | X/10 |
| **Weighted Score** | **X.X** | **X.X** | **X.X** |
**Recommendation**: [Niche X] because...
Data Sources
- Volume: Google Trends, DataForSEO keyword data, web search
- Competition: Web search for "[niche] SaaS", ProductHunt, G2, Capterra
- TAM: Industry reports, bottoms-up (audience size × avg price × frequency)
- WTP: Existing pricing pages, Reddit/forum complaints about paying for solutions
- Flippability: Acquire.com listings, recent acquisitions in space, PE/VC activity
