Find the best launch platform for your product
There is no single best launch platform: the right one depends on what you want, what you are building, and who will back you on day one. Tap five answers and get 15 launch sites ranked for you, with the trade-off of each and the order to launch in.
- Free
- No signup
- Instant result
- Runs in your browser
How to use Launch Platform Matcher
- Tap one answer in each of the five groups: product type, goal, audience, budget, and timing.
- Read your top 3 launch platforms. Each shows a fit score, why it fits, and its main trade-off.
- Check Your launch order for what to submit now and what to save for launch day.
- Open See all 15 platforms ranked for the rest, or press Copy link to share your results.
Tip: Change one answer at a time to see how the ranking moves.
Answer five quick questions
Top match: Product Hunt, 72 out of 100.
Showing results for a typical B2B or SaaS launch with no budget. Tap your answers to update them instantly.
Your top 3 launch platforms
- 1
Product Hunt
72/100 fit
Reach and social proof for products with supporters ready
- The largest audience of early adopters, journalists, and investors here.
- A strong fit for B2B and SaaS products.
Heads up: Launch day needs supporters, and you have none yet.
- Free: Yes
- Link: Reported nofollow
- Paid: None needed
- 2
AlternativeTo
70/100 fit
Products that clearly replace a well-known tool
- Catches people who are actively searching for a replacement for a known product.
- A strong fit for B2B and SaaS products.
- Works without an existing audience.
Trade-off: It only works if you clearly replace something well known. Little launch-day energy, and links are reported as nofollow.
- Free: Yes
- Link: Reported nofollow
- Paid: Ads
- 3
Indie Hackers
61/100 fit
Founders who will show up in the community regularly
- An engaged audience of founders, though there is no launch-day moment.
- A strong fit for B2B and SaaS products.
Trade-off: There is no leaderboard launch moment. Self-promotional posts are met with scepticism, and results depend on your participation.
- Free: Yes
- Link: Confirm on site
- Paid: None
Your launch order
- Launch day
Product Hunt
Line up people to visit and comment on launch day (you cannot ask for upvotes), and use our time planner for the 12:01 AM Pacific reset.
- Launch day
Show HN
Post only when people can use it immediately, and skip marketing language.
- After launch
AlternativeTo
List the specific product you replace and say what you do differently.
- After launch
Indie Hackers
Share milestones and lessons, not just links, and reply to every comment.
Three or four well-chosen platforms beat fifteen shallow ones. Tag each link with the UTM builder to see which one sends users.
Start with a launch that keeps working
A free LaunchAF launch comes with a permanent dofollow link once your badge is verified.
See all 15 platforms ranked
- Show HN60/100
A weak fit for B2B and SaaS products.
Visit Show HN (opens in a new tab) - LaunchAF53/100
Newer and smaller than Product Hunt or Hacker News. The free launch needs the badge and a review before it goes live.
See plans - Nick Launches53/100
Every launch is reviewed first, and the free route may require a visible badge on your site. Smaller audience than the big two.
Visit Nick Launches (opens in a new tab) - Peerlist47/100
Launch day needs supporters, and you have none yet.
Visit Peerlist (opens in a new tab) - Uneed47/100
Free route waits months, which clashes with your timing. A paid fast-track exists.
Visit Uneed (opens in a new tab) - Twelve Tools45/100
It is a link exchange, and a directory listing does not bring the community discussion that a launch platform does.
Visit Twelve Tools (opens in a new tab) - Smol Launch43/100
Free route waits a few weeks, which clashes with your timing.
Visit Smol Launch (opens in a new tab) - Fazier42/100
Free route waits a few weeks, which clashes with your timing. A paid fast-track exists.
Visit Fazier (opens in a new tab) - MicroLaunch42/100
Free route waits a few weeks, which clashes with your timing. A paid fast-track exists.
Visit MicroLaunch (opens in a new tab) - TinyLaunch39/100
Launch day needs supporters, and you have none yet.
Visit TinyLaunch (opens in a new tab) - BetaList34/100
Reportedly paid, and your budget is $0.
Visit BetaList (opens in a new tab) - DevHunt33/100
A weak fit for B2B and SaaS products.
Visit DevHunt (opens in a new tab)
How the launch platform matcher scores
Each platform gets a fit score out of 100. We built it to be honest about trade-offs, not to push you toward any one site, and that includes our own.
- Your goal (up to 40 points). We rate every platform from 1 to 5 for visitors, for SEO backlinks, and for feedback, and score the one you picked.
- Your product type (up to 27 points). Developer tools fit Show HN and DevHunt; micro-SaaS fits MicroLaunch and TinyLaunch; a broad consumer app fits Product Hunt and BetaList.
- Your audience. Product Hunt and weekly leaderboards reward launches that arrive with supporters, so having no audience lowers them and a larger one raises them.
- Your budget and timing. A reportedly paid-only platform drops on a $0 budget, and a free queue that takes weeks or months drops when you launch within two weeks, unless a paid fast-track fits your budget.
Facts come from public pages and published reviews checked on 29 September 2026. The ratings are editorial judgments, no platform pays to be ranked, and LaunchAF gets no bonus. Read the full comparison for the reasoning behind each platform.
All 15 launch platforms compared
Prices and policies change often, so confirm on the platform before you submit or pay.
| Platform | Best for | Free route | Backlink | Paid options |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LaunchAF | Indie founders who want a permanent link and a weekly leaderboard | Yes (badge and review) | Dofollow, permanent | $19 to $199 |
| Product Hunt | Reach and social proof for products with supporters ready | Yes | Reported nofollow | None needed |
| Show HN | Technical products people can try right now | Yes | Not a goal | None |
| Nick Launches | Weekly launches with a permanent dofollow listing | Yes (review, badge may be required) | Dofollow, via badge and listing | Ads from $99/month |
| Peerlist | Solo builders who also want a professional profile | Yes (verified profile) | Check per link | Ads only |
| Uneed | Founders who will pay a little to launch soon | Yes (long queue) | Dofollow (10 upvotes on free) | From $14.99 |
| Fazier | Founders happy to add a link back for a free listing | Yes (link back required) | Dofollow | About $29 to $139 |
| MicroLaunch | Micro-SaaS and single-purpose tools | Yes (queue) | Reported dofollow | From about $49 |
| TinyLaunch | Small products that can rally a few supporters for a weekly ranking | Yes (badge for the link) | Dofollow with badge | $39 Premium |
| DevHunt | Developer tools, libraries, and APIs | Yes (waiting list) | Reported dofollow | Fast-track options |
| Smol Launch | Patient founders who want a free dofollow link | Yes (badge, queue) | Dofollow with badge | Relaunches are paid |
| Twelve Tools | A quick free listing to round out your backlinks | Yes (link back required) | Dofollow | Paid tiers |
| BetaList | Pre-launch products collecting their first waitlist signups | Reportedly no | Confirm on site | About $99 to $299 |
| Indie Hackers | Founders who will show up in the community regularly | Yes | Confirm on site | None |
| AlternativeTo | Products that clearly replace a well-known tool | Yes | Reported nofollow | Ads |
Frequently asked questions
What is the best launch platform for a startup?
There is no single best launch platform, because the right one depends on your goal. Product Hunt has the biggest audience, Show HN suits technical products people can try right now, and platforms like LaunchAF and Nick Launches offer a permanent dofollow link with a weekly launch. This matcher ranks 15 platforms for your product type, goal, audience, budget, and timing. LaunchAF is our own product, so it gets no bonus in the scoring.
How does the launch platform matcher work?
It scores each of 15 platforms out of 100. Your main goal (visitors, SEO backlinks, or feedback) and your product type carry most of the score. Your audience size, budget, and timing then raise or lower it, for example by penalizing a platform with a long free queue when you launch within two weeks. It runs in your browser, needs no account, and updates as you tap.
Is Product Hunt still the best place to launch?
It is still the best known and has the largest built-in audience, so it ranks first for reach when you have supporters ready. Its trade-offs are one intense day of competition, personal accounts only, no asking for upvotes, and outbound links that are widely reported as nofollow. Many founders pair it with a platform that gives a permanent link.
What is the best free launch platform?
Product Hunt, Show HN, Peerlist, Indie Hackers, and LaunchAF's free launch cost nothing. Several others have a free route that asks for a badge or a link back, or puts you in a queue. Set your budget to $0 in the matcher to see which free routes fit your timing, and read our guide to the best free launch platforms for the details.
Which launch platforms give a dofollow backlink?
According to their publishers or published reviews, LaunchAF, Nick Launches, Uneed, Fazier, Twelve Tools, and Smol Launch offer dofollow links, some only with a badge or link back. Product Hunt and AlternativeTo links are widely reported as nofollow, and Show HN is not a link source. Always check the link attribute on your live listing, because policies change.
How many launch platforms should I use?
Three or four well-chosen platforms beat fifteen shallow ones. A practical mix is one platform for reach, one or two weekly launches with a real backlink, and one community. The matcher builds this launch order for you from your top results.
Can I launch on several platforms at once?
You can, but stagger them. Platforms with a queue should be submitted first because they take weeks. Then give your main launch day your full attention, and use the lasting listings after it so you are not splitting your energy or your supporters.
How up to date is the ranking?
The platform facts come from our review of public pages and published reviews on 29 September 2026. The 1 to 5 ratings are editorial judgments, and no platform pays to be ranked. Prices, queues, and link policies change often, so confirm the details on the platform before you submit or pay.
Keep reading
- 15 Best Launch Platforms for StartupsThe full comparison behind this tool.
- 15 Best Free Launch PlatformsWhat is really free and what is not.
- Product Hunt alternativesWhere else to launch when you skip Product Hunt.
- Is Product Hunt worth it?An honest look at what a launch day delivers.
- Best dofollow backlink sitesIf links matter most to you.
- LaunchAF vs Product HuntSide by side.
More free launch tools
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