# Launches and posts you run yourself

> Product Hunt, Show HN, Reddit and the founder communities take no submissions: you launch or post there yourself, on a day you choose, and answer every comment. No tool or agency can do it for you, and the communities remove posts that look like it. Here is each place with its own rules, and how to prepare.

## Launch days

| Place | Kind | Takes | Price | Link | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Product Hunt](https://listaify.com/places/product-hunt) | Launch platforms | Accepts AI tools | Free to launch | nofollow | The team reviews every submission and picks which launches are featured on the homepage; not every launch is featured and decisions are usually final |
| [Peerlist Launchpad](https://listaify.com/places/peerlist-launchpad) | Launch platforms | Accepts AI tools | Free | nofollow | Projects go live at once on launch day and are removed if they break the rules or are reported for spam |

### How to prepare a launch day

1. **Get listed first.** By launch day the free AI directories and SaaS sites should already describe the product, so the visitors a launch brings find more than one page about it.
2. **Pick the day.** A launch day starts at a fixed hour (on Product Hunt, 12:01 a.m. Pacific time). A weekday brings the most visitors and the most competition, a weekend the least of both. Choose a day you can spend in the comments.
3. **Prepare the page.** The name, a one-line tagline, a short description, real screenshots, a short demo video, and a first comment from the maker: why it exists, who it is for, what is new.
4. **Make it easy to try.** A free plan, a trial or a demo without a sign-up wall, and an offer for the launch if you have one.
5. **Tell your own people.** Your users, your newsletter, your social accounts: ask them to look and to comment if they find it useful. Never ask for votes or buy them; launch platforms find voting rings and remove the launch.
6. **Stay all day.** Answer every comment, quickly and in your own words.
7. **Write down what it brought.** Visitors, sign-ups, the comments worth acting on: mark the result in your tracker, so the next launch starts from it.

## Communities

| Place | Takes | Price | Link | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [r/alphaandbetausers](https://listaify.com/places/r-alphaandbetausers) | Alpha or beta products only | Free | nofollow | Moderators remove posts they think are spam, not in alpha or beta, or sign-up-only pages, at their discretion |
| [r/buildinpublic](https://listaify.com/places/r-buildinpublic) | Build-in-public posts only | Free | nofollow | Moderators remove off-topic posts and spam links; posts that promote with no context about how the project was built are likely to be refused |
| [r/design_critiques](https://listaify.com/places/r-design-critiques) | Design critique requests only | Free | nofollow | not stated |
| [r/Entrepreneur](https://listaify.com/places/r-entrepreneur) | Promo only in weekly threads | Free | nofollow | Moderators remove posts that break the rules; promotion outside the weekly threads may bring a permanent ban |
| [r/EntrepreneurRideAlong](https://listaify.com/places/r-entrepreneurridealong) | Company-building stories | Free | nofollow | not stated |
| [r/growmybusiness](https://listaify.com/places/r-growmybusiness) | Questions and feedback only | Free | nofollow | Moderators treat selling, blog posts and outside surveys as spam |
| [r/IMadeThis](https://listaify.com/places/r-imadethis) | Accepts AI tools | Free | nofollow | not stated |
| [r/indiebiz](https://listaify.com/places/r-indiebiz) | Accepts AI tools | Free | nofollow | Moderators curb spam as needed |
| [r/indiehackers](https://listaify.com/places/r-indiehackers) | One SHOW IH post per product | Free | nofollow | not stated |
| [r/javascript](https://listaify.com/places/r-javascript) | No ads for paid products | Free | nofollow | not stated |
| [r/ladybusiness](https://listaify.com/places/r-ladybusiness) | Women and non-binary founders | Free | nofollow | Moderators may ban at once for spam, and posts without a flair may be removed automatically |
| [r/microsaas](https://listaify.com/places/r-microsaas) | Micro SaaS only, with context | Free | nofollow | Low-effort promotion is removed; links to paid courses or newsletters need moderator approval first |
| [r/nocode](https://listaify.com/places/r-nocode) | Launches only in monthly post | Free | nofollow | Posts and comments that hide a connection to the product can be deleted, and repeat breaches bring action from the moderators |
| [r/opensource](https://listaify.com/places/r-opensource) | Open source projects only | Free | nofollow | Off-topic posts are removed, and drive-by posts from accounts that do not join the discussion may be removed |
| [r/Python](https://listaify.com/places/r-python) | Showcases in monthly thread | Free | nofollow | Rule breaches can be reported and may lead to a ban |
| [r/roastmystartup](https://listaify.com/places/r-roastmystartup) | Own startup, for critique | Free | nofollow | Moderators look through post history to confirm the poster is tied to the startup; rule-breaking posts are removed |
| [r/SaaS](https://listaify.com/places/r-saas) | Max 1 promo per 60 days | Free | nofollow | Moderators remove rule-breaking posts and ban promotion spam with URL blacklisting; surveys and polls need moderator approval first, and the subreddit runs automated moderation apps |
| [r/selfhosted](https://listaify.com/places/r-selfhosted) | Self-hosted software only | Free | nofollow | not stated |
| [r/SideProject](https://listaify.com/places/r-sideproject) | Accepts AI tools | Free | nofollow | not stated |
| [r/smallbusiness](https://listaify.com/places/r-smallbusiness) | Promo only in weekly thread | Free | nofollow | Product mentions that look promotional are removed from posts and comments |
| [r/startup](https://listaify.com/places/r-startup) | Mod-approved startup services | Free | nofollow | A moderator must approve and verify each solicitation before it is posted |
| [r/startups](https://listaify.com/places/r-startups) | Promo only in stickied thread | Free | nofollow | Moderators have the final say on what counts as promotion; links to your own blog need prior moderator approval |
| [r/thesidehustle](https://listaify.com/places/r-thesidehustle) | Pitches allowed within reason | Free | nofollow | Rule breaches can bring a ban, and copied or generic pitches are not wanted |
| [r/webdev](https://listaify.com/places/r-webdev) | Only on Showoff Saturday | Free | nofollow | Moderators remove project posts made on any day other than Saturday; commercial promotion can bring a ban |
| [Medium](https://listaify.com/places/medium) | Accepts AI tools | Free | nofollow | No review before publishing is stated; Medium says it removes spam immediately and without notice |
| [Hacker News: Show HN](https://listaify.com/places/show-hn) | Only things people can try now | Free | nofollow | No review before posting; every Show HN appears on the shownew page and moves to the show page after a small points threshold. Flags, software and moderators can kill a post. |
| [DEV Community: #showdev](https://listaify.com/places/dev-showdev) | Accepts AI tools | Free | dofollow | No review before posting is stated; DEV removes content that breaks its content policy at its discretion |
| [Habr](https://listaify.com/places/habr) | Promo only in company blogs | Free or paid | not stated | A manager reviews each company blog request and contacts the team; free access can be refused without explanation |
| [vc.ru](https://listaify.com/places/vc-ru) | Promo needs a paid Pro blog | Free, or from $6 | dofollow | not stated |
| [freeCodeCamp Forum](https://listaify.com/places/freecodecamp-forum) | Showcase category only | Free | not stated | A trust level of 1 or higher is needed to start a topic in the category; flagged posts go to the moderation team |
| [Qiita](https://listaify.com/places/qiita) | Technical write-ups, not ads | Free or paid | not stated | Articles judged mainly promotional get a request to correct or delete, and can be set to private after a week |
| [Devpost](https://listaify.com/places/devpost) | Accepts AI tools | Free | nofollow | No review before posting is stated; Devpost can remove content or accounts that break its community guidelines, and users can report abuse |
| [Juejin (掘金)](https://listaify.com/places/juejin) | Chinese-language posts | Free | not stated | not stated |
| [V2EX](https://listaify.com/places/v2ex) | Accepts AI tools | Free, or from $20 | nofollow | No review before posting; a topic can be edited or moved only within 5 minutes, and admins move company marketing posts to the Promotions node (repeat misuse can affect the account) |
| [Hackster.io](https://listaify.com/places/hackster) | Hardware topics only | Free or paid | not stated | not stated |
| [Hashnode](https://listaify.com/places/hashnode) | No pure self-promotion | Free | dofollow | No review before publishing is stated; Hashnode can remove content that breaks its Code of Conduct, and reports go to hello@hashnode.com |
| [velog](https://listaify.com/places/velog) | Developer blog posts only | Free | not stated | Posts that break the community guidelines can be taken down |
| [Warrior Forum](https://listaify.com/places/warrior-forum) | Accepts AI tools | Paid | not stated | not stated |
| [Indie Hackers](https://listaify.com/places/indie-hackers) | Accepts AI tools | Free | nofollow | No review before posting is stated; the terms let moderators edit or remove content at any time |
| [Lobsters (show tag)](https://listaify.com/places/lobsters) | Invite-only, non-commercial | Free | nofollow | No review before posting; members with 50 karma can flag stories as off-topic or spam, and accounts banned for spam can cost their inviter the right to invite |
| [Svelte Society](https://listaify.com/places/svelte-society) | Svelte topics only | Sponsors from $399 a month | not stated | Submissions go to moderators; no review time stated |
| [GrowthHackers](https://listaify.com/places/growthhackers) | No over-promotional posts | Free, or from $400 | not stated | Applications are reviewed; access details arrive by email within 2 business days |
| [Fastlane Forum](https://listaify.com/places/fastlane-forum) | One self-promo post a week | Free, or from $67 | dofollow | Paid ads are reviewed and approved by the team; allow 24 hours |
| [Stacker News](https://listaify.com/places/stacker-news) | Accepts AI tools | Paid | not stated | not stated |
| [Tildes](https://listaify.com/places/tildes) | Own projects in moderation | Free | dofollow | not stated |
| [AI Tinkerers](https://listaify.com/places/ai-tinkerers) | Technical demos, no pitches | Free | not stated | Registration is an application; screening continues until just before the event |
| [WIP](https://listaify.com/places/wip) | Accepts AI tools | From $29 | nofollow | not stated |
| [eCommerceFuel](https://listaify.com/places/ecommercefuel) | Software vendor partners only | Free, or from $15,000 | dofollow | The team partners only with products it believes in |
| [TabNews](https://listaify.com/places/tabnews) | Pitches must add value | Free | nofollow | Other users rate posts with TabCoins, and moderators handle abuse |
| [AI Forums](https://listaify.com/places/ai-forums) | Promo only after 5 posts | Free | nofollow | All threads on the promotion board are screened for approval before they are posted |
| [CoderLegion](https://listaify.com/places/coderlegion) | Accepts AI tools | Free or paid | nofollow | not stated |
| [Make.rs](https://listaify.com/places/make-rs) | Accepts AI tools | Free, or from $100 | nofollow | not stated |
| [Online Geniuses](https://listaify.com/places/online-geniuses) | Promo only in #shameless_plug | Free | not stated | Members are vetted by hand; moderators can ban anyone who ignores their guidance |
| [PromptZone](https://listaify.com/places/promptzone) | No mainly promotional posts | Free | nofollow | Moderators can remove any post that breaks the content rules |
| [Solo 独立开发者社区](https://listaify.com/places/solo-xin) | Indie developers, small teams | Free or paid | not stated | Content that breaks the user agreement can be deleted, hidden or taken down |
| [W2Solo](https://listaify.com/places/w2solo) | Indie developer topics only | Free | nofollow | not stated |

### How to post in a community

1. **Read the rules first.** Each community decides what it allows: self-promotion only in a weekly thread, on one day, with a flair, or not at all. Each place below says what its own rules say; read them again before you post.
2. **Take part before you need anything.** Answer questions and share what you know. Many communities hide posts from new accounts or accounts with little karma.
3. **Post as the founder.** Say it is yours, ask for feedback rather than announcing, and show the thing (a demo, a screenshot) rather than describe it.
4. **Write for that community.** One community at a time, in its own words. The same post pasted everywhere reads as spam and gets removed.
5. **Stay in the thread.** Answer every comment, take criticism in public, and never use a second account to agree with yourself.
6. **Show HN is its own thing.** On Hacker News, Show HN is for something people can try now: a title that starts with "Show HN:", no waitlist or sign-up wall, and you in the thread.

## Questions

**Can you post to Reddit or launch on Product Hunt for me?**

No, and nobody honest can. Communities remove posts that are not the founder's own, and a launch needs the founder in the comments all day. The tracker keeps these places in a tab of their own, with their rules and these notes, so you can plan them yourself.

**When is the best day to launch?**

After the directories already describe you, on a day you can spend answering comments. A weekday brings the most visitors and the most competition; a weekend the least of both.

**Is it fine to ask friends to upvote?**

Ask people to look and to comment if they find it useful; never ask for votes or buy them. Launch platforms and Reddit find voting rings and remove the launch, the post or the account.


---
Source: Listaify, https://listaify.com. Every fact is read on the place's own pages on the date shown. Map of the site: https://listaify.com/llms.txt