When copying ain't bad
You don't need to reinvent the wheel
As a kid, I was told copying is unethical. And I believed that.
Then I started working in software.
Turns out, great products copy each other all the time, and there’s nothing wrong with that. If someone’s already solved a problem well, your either find a better solution or replicate the best solution.
Recently, I stumbled across this form that screamed Typeform. In case you aren’t familiar, Typeform is a form builder platform known for its sleek, conversational design. Its branding is so distinctive, you can usually spot a Typeform just by looking at it. They’ve truly mastered the art of form design.
But when I looked at the URL?
Lo and behold. It wasn’t Typeform. It’s Youform 😂
Here’s an image of a Typeform and Youform for the same form question:
Out of curiosity, I dug deeper. The story is pretty interesting:
📈 $12k in revenue - in just 3 weeks after launch (source: reddit)
💡 A simple pitch: “The most affordable Typeform alternative”
✅ Unlimited responses on the free plan (Typeform limits you to 100 responses, on the $25/month base plan)
Users had been using the founder’s previous product (a chatbot builder) as a Typeform alternative. So he leaned into the demand and built Youform. Just two plans:
Free – all core features. Unlimited form submissions.
Pro – file uploads, payments, remove branding, partial submissions etc.
That’s it. No pro, pro max, pro max ultra.
The result? A familiar UX people love, without the price tag.
👉 Youform didn’t reinvent the wheel. They made it cheaper.
And that’s a powerful lesson: You don’t always need to innovate. Just find the cracks in popular products, and build something customers actually want.