In the Era of Vibe Coded Apps, UX Is Your Moat
Published on: 14th May 2025
Code is no longer a moat. It’s a commodity now.
With a simple prompt and a few sentences in English, anyone can build a full-stack working app. Tools like Lovable.dev, Vercel v0, Replit, and Unicorn Platform make it incredibly easy to launch a website and SaaS.
So now the question is: if everyone has access to the same tools and can build the same kind of products, who actually wins?
The one who differentiates in these 3 things:
- Niches down and targets a specific audience he/she knows really well
- Has a better UI/UX
- Can market and distribute it to more people
In this article, I want to focus on UI/UX, the second point, because it’s often overlooked, notably by developers and solo founders.
Why I Stopped Using a Timer App
Recently, I stopped using a timer app for developers just because of its bad UI/UX, even though it was fulfilling my purpose (it was vibe coded without the help of a designer). Now I'm ready to pay for the same feature product but with good UI/UX and more data points.
Without good UI/UX, a great product feels average.
Design Makes Everything Easier
I’ve noticed many developers skip the design phase when building MVPs. But in the era of “vibe coding,” where aesthetics matter more than ever, design isn't optional. It's part of the product.
Good design reduces guesswork. When I have a Figma design file in front of me, I know exactly what to build and how to build it. No need to waste time browsing for inspiration or experimenting with random color palettes and fonts. It speeds things up.
A great product designer does more than make things look good. They help define the brand, the message, and how users will experience the product from start to finish.
But… Isn’t Design Expensive?
Sure, good design might cost some money at the beginning. But it’s totally worth it, especially when you're in a market where people expect things to look nice and work well.
Why UX Decides Who Wins
Let me put it simply:
User experience (UX) is why tech products win or lose. Everything else comes second.
UX isn’t just how your product looks. It’s how your user feels while using it.
It’s the onboarding, the copywriting, the flow, the small details, the micro-interactions, the support experience, the email notifications, the speed, the tone. All of it combined creates a vibe.
A good vibe = users stay.
A bad vibe = they leave.
So, don’t ignore design. It’s not just about pretty colors, it’s more about clarity, trust, and usability. If you're a solo builder, founder, or indie hacker, making design a priority might just be the competitive edge you need.
👉 If you are looking for low risk and low effort projects you should build an online directory, here you can read more about this.