I think you made the right call honestly. Waitlists measure curiosity, but real usage measures commitment. Someone can join a list in five seconds and never come back. But someone who actually uses your product, gets stuck, and still returns is giving you real validation. You can always build hype later, but you cannot fake the lessons that come from watching real users struggle with your product. That said, a short waitlist just to sharpen your messaging before launch seems like a nice middle ground.