21 websites like ProductHunt to publish my startup
There is a strange and distinct quietness that settles over a founder immediately after they press the button to launch their creation.
It is the silence of the internet, vast and indifferent, waiting to see if anyone will notice what has just been built.
We spend months, sometimes years, crafting the code and polishing the pixels, believing that the sheer quality of our work will act as a beacon.
But the reality of the digital economy is far more crowded and noisy than we like to admit in our hopeful moments.
Building something wonderful is only the first half of the equation, and perhaps it is the easier half.
The second half is distribution, the art of placing your work in front of the people who actually need it.
For a long time, there has been a default assumption that one specific platform in San Francisco is the only place that matters for a debut.
While that platform is undeniably powerful, relying on a single point of failure is a strategy that rarely pays off in engineering or in marketing.
The internet is fragmented into thousands of tribes and micro-communities, each with its own language and its own appetite for the new.
To truly give your startup a chance at life, you must be willing to walk into these different rooms and introduce yourself.
It requires a shift in mindset from hunting for a single explosive moment to cultivating a broad surface area of luck.
As the venture capitalist Paul Graham once noted, it is better to have a hundred people love you than a million people kind of like you.
Finding those hundred people often means looking in the corners of the web where early adopters hang out, not just the main stage.
What follows is a curated collection of places where you can tell your story, gathered from the experiences of founders who found traffic in unexpected places.
We will explore twenty-one different avenues, starting with a platform that has been quietly gathering momentum among thoughtful creators.
Oddcircles
There is a growing fatigue with the algorithmic shouting matches that dominate the major social networks.
Oddcircles has emerged as a response to this, positioning itself as a space for genuine connection rather than just broadcast.
It feels less like a billboard and more like a roundtable discussion where the quality of the conversation matters.
When you list a project here, you are not just throwing a link into the void; you are presenting it to a community that values the human element behind the code.
The pace here is refreshingly different, allowing for deeper feedback and interactions that aren't governed by a fleeting news feed.
For a founder, this means the engagement you get is often stickier and more meaningful than a mere upvote.
It is an excellent place to start because it sets a tone of quality and intention for your launch campaign.
BetaList
If your product is not quite finished, if the paint is still wet and the edges are a little sharp, this is where you should go.
BetaList specialises in the pre-launch phase, catering to early adopters who enjoy seeing things before they are polished for the general public.
The psychology of the user here is distinct because they are not looking for a perfect solution; they are looking for novelty and potential.
Getting listed here can drive a significant number of subscribers to your waiting list, validating your concept before you write another line of code.
It effectively turns the cold start problem into a warm introduction.
However, they are quite selective, and they have a manual review process that ensures only genuine startups get through.
This curation is actually a benefit, as it maintains a high signal-to-noise ratio that keeps the audience engaged.
Hacker News
This is perhaps the most daunting and potentially rewarding arena for a technical founder.
It is a text-based forum run by Y Combinator, and it strips away all the vanity metrics of avatars and images to focus purely on the idea.
The community here is intellectually rigorous and does not suffer fools or marketing speak gladly.
If you post here, you must speak plainly and honestly about what you have built and the technology stack behind it.
A successful post here can crash your servers in minutes due to the sheer volume of traffic it generates.
But more valuable than the traffic is the critique, which will be sharp, technical, and often incredibly insightful.
It is a place where you can find your first technical hires or your first serious bugs, often in the same thread.
Indie Hackers
There is a romantic myth that startups are built by solitary geniuses in garages, but the truth is usually more collaborative.
Indie Hackers is a community that celebrates the transparent journey of building a business, often without venture capital.
It is not just a directory but a living history of revenue numbers, struggles, and small victories.
Listing your product here is usually accompanied by sharing your story, your revenue goals, and the lessons you have learned along the way.
The readers are other founders who understand exactly how hard it is to get that first paying customer.
Because of this empathy, the feedback is constructive and focused on business viability rather than just technical novelty.
It is an ecosystem where transparency is the currency of trust.
Launching Next
Sometimes you need a platform that focuses on the breadth of what is happening in the startup world right now.
Launching Next has a straightforward, utilitarian approach that appeals to those who want to scan the horizon quickly.
They feature a wide array of projects, and their submission process is known for being relatively frictionless.
While it might not generate the explosive traffic of the larger giants, it provides a steady trickle of curious visitors.
It also serves as a reliable source for journalists and bloggers who are looking for new tools to cover.
Being listed here adds another permanent backlink to your domain, which is a subtle but important factor in your long-term search engine visibility.
It is a reminder that launch day is not a single event but a cumulative process of being found.
Reddit is not a single website but a federation of thousands of distinct communities, each with its own culture and rules.
You cannot simply broadcast your message here; you must participate in the conversation.
Subreddits like r/SideProject or r/Entrepreneur are welcoming spaces for showing off what you have built, provided you remain humble.
The key is to approach these communities with a spirit of contribution rather than extraction.
If you explain why you built something and ask for genuine feedback, the community will often rally behind you.
However, if you paste a marketing slogan and leave, you will be ignored or downvoted into oblivion.
It requires a thick skin and a willingness to engage in the comments section, where the real value often lives.
AppSumo
If you have a software product that is ready for the prime time and you are looking to generate cash flow quickly, this is a heavy hitter.
AppSumo operates on a daily deals model, offering lifetime access to software for a fixed price.
This might sound like you are devaluing your product, but the trade-off is access to a massive audience of buyers who have their credit cards out.
Many companies have used this platform to fund their early development roadmap without giving away equity to investors.
The users here are often small business owners and marketers who will put your tool through its paces immediately.
It acts as a stress test for your support team and your infrastructure.
The exposure is significant, but you must be prepared for the influx of support tickets that comes with thousands of new users.
AlternativeTo
Most new products are not inventing a new category but offering a different take on an existing one.
AlternativeTo is where people go when they are frustrated with the incumbent market leader and want a change.
If you have built a privacy-focused alternative to a popular analytics tool, for instance, you need to be listed here.
The traffic from this site is highly intentional; these are people actively searching for a solution because their current one is failing them.
By positioning yourself against the giants, you can draft off their name recognition.
It allows you to define your product by what it is not, which is often a very clear way to communicate value.
It is a strategy of positioning yourself as the nimble speedboat alongside the turning ocean tanker.
Designer News
If your startup relies heavily on user interface design or is a tool specifically for creatives, this community is essential.
It functions similarly to Hacker News but with a focus on typography, layout, and visual culture.
The audience here notices the details that others might miss, such as the kerning on your landing page or the fluidity of your animations.
Winning the respect of this crowd can be a powerful stamp of approval for your brand's aesthetic.
They are the tastemakers who often decide which tools become the industry standard for creative work.
A discussion here can lead to your product being included in design newsletters and mood boards across the industry.
It is a niche audience, but one that holds a disproportionate amount of influence over what looks cool.
StackShare
For developer tools and infrastructure startups, the conversation is rarely about features and usually about the stack.
StackShare allows companies to list the technologies they use, creating a map of the software dependencies in the modern web.
If your product is a database, a framework, or a utility that developers integrate, you need to be part of this map.
Developers trust other developers, and seeing that a respected company uses your tool is the ultimate social proof.
It moves the marketing conversation away from hype and towards practical utility.
You can see exactly who is using your product and how it fits into their broader architecture.
This transparency builds confidence in potential adopters who are wary of introducing new dependencies.
Dev.to
This is a publishing platform that has managed to maintain a remarkably positive and inclusive atmosphere for developers.
It is not a directory in the traditional sense, but writing a technical article about the problem your startup solves is a powerful way to launch here.
Instead of pitching your product, you pitch your knowledge and your journey.
The community rewards educational content, and a well-written post can stay relevant for months.
It allows you to build authority and trust before you ever ask for a click.
The comment sections here are often supportive and can lead to genuine relationships with other engineers.
It is content marketing in its most authentic form, spoken in the language of code.
Pitchwall
Pitchwall is a newer entrant that focuses on the visual aspect of the pitch.
It allows founders to showcase their products with a clean, card-based interface that emphasises the value proposition quickly.
The barrier to entry is low, making it an accessible option for first-time founders who might be intimidated by more aggressive platforms.
It facilitates a quick feedback loop, allowing you to iterate on your messaging based on how people react.
There is a sense of camaraderie here, as everyone is in the same boat of trying to get noticed.
It is less about the hard sell and more about "here is what I made, what do you think?"
This lower-pressure environment can be a great practice run before you tackle the larger, more critical stages.
SaaSHub
The software-as-a-service model has its own specific dynamics and metrics.
SaaSHub is an independent marketplace that focuses purely on software products, aiming to be objective and data-driven.
It does not rely on paid placements to the same extent as others, which gives it a feeling of neutrality.
Users can compare products side-by-side, which means you need to be clear about your competitive advantages.
It is an excellent place to catch the long-tail traffic of people searching for specific software comparisons.
The site is structured to help users find the best tool for the job, not necessarily the most hyped one.
For a bootstrapped founder, this level playing field is a distinct advantage.
F6S
This platform is a massive network that connects founders not just to users, but to accelerators, grants, and investors.
It is the infrastructure that underpins the application process for many of the world's leading startup programs.
Creating a profile here makes you visible to a global network of partners who are looking to support innovation.
It is less about consumer traffic and more about business development and ecosystem connections.
You might find your first pilot partner or a government grant that extends your runway.
The data you enter here often serves as a common application for multiple opportunities, saving you time.
It positions your startup within the professional economy of tech growth.
Startup Stash
Originally created as a curated directory of tools for startups, it has become a destination in its own right.
If your product helps other startups exist—whether it is a marketing tool, a design resource, or a productivity app—you belong here.
The site is organised meticulously by category, making it very easy for users to browse for specific solutions.
It is the digital equivalent of a well-organised toolbox.
Being listed here puts you in front of other founders who are in the building phase and willing to try new things.
The curatorial hand of the editors ensures that the quality remains high.
It is a reference site that people bookmark and return to, which provides a long shelf life for your listing.
Crazy About Startups
https://crazyaboutstartups.com
This is a community-driven platform that covers the broader lifestyle and challenges of entrepreneurship.
It accepts contributions and news about new launches, often with a focus on the story behind the business.
The tone here is enthusiastic and supportive, catering to the dreamer as much as the operator.
It is a good place to practice your press release writing and to see how your story resonates with a general business audience.
They cover a wide range of industries, not just pure technology, which can be refreshing.
It helps you step outside the bubble of developer-centric sites and reach a more generalist crowd.
Every piece of coverage helps to build the narrative that your company is active and alive.
TechCrunch
While this is a news publication and not a directory, the "tipping" or pitching process is a valid channel for a launch.
Getting covered here is often considered the holy grail of startup PR, but it requires a very specific approach.
You are not submitting a link; you are pitching a story to a busy human editor.
You need to identify the specific writer who covers your sector and send them a personal, concise note about why your news matters now.
It is a long shot, but the payoff is global visibility and immediate credibility with investors.
Even if they do not write a full article, they might include you in a roundup or a newsletter.
It is a high-stakes game, but one that ambitious founders should not ignore entirely.
Feedough
Feedough is a resource for entrepreneurs that focuses on business models, startup guides, and success stories.
They have sections dedicated to reviewing new startups and tools that help businesses grow.
The audience here is in a learning mindset, looking for education and resources to improve their own ventures.
If your product teaches something or simplifies a complex business process, it will fit well here.
It is a place where the theoretical meets the practical.
Getting featured here often involves providing value through knowledge, positioning your brand as an expert.
It connects your product to the concept of business success.
Springwise
If your startup is focused on sustainability, social impact, or genuine innovation that changes behaviour, Springwise is the place.
They scour the globe for innovations that matter, with a heavy emphasis on positive change.
The readership includes corporate innovation teams and future-scanners who are looking for the next big shift.
It is not a place for another "to-do list app" unless that app fundamentally changes how we work.
Being featured here gives your startup a badge of innovative thinking.
It aligns your brand with the future rather than just the present market.
For mission-driven founders, this is a highly aligned platform.
Capterra
For those operating in the B2B space, consumer launchpads often fail to deliver the right kind of lead.
Capterra is a review-driven directory specifically for business software.
It is where purchasing managers and IT directors go to build their shortlists.
The game here is about accumulating genuine reviews from your early users to build social proof.
A high rating here is a significant asset that you can use in your sales decks and on your landing page.
It is a search engine for serious buyers who have a budget and a problem to solve.
The traffic is lower in volume but extremely high in intent.
The Niche Forums
(No single URL, as this varies by industry)
Finally, we must acknowledge that the best place to publish is often the place where your specific customers already gather.
If you are building a tool for knitting enthusiasts, you should be on Ravelry; if for audiophiles, Head-Fi.
These are the hidden corners of the web where passion runs deep and marketing is viewed with suspicion.
To launch here, you must first be a member of the community.
You must understand their inside jokes, their specific pain points, and their language.
When you introduce your product in these spaces, it should be done with the humility of a craftsman presenting work to their guild.
The feedback from these forums will be more detailed and relevant than anywhere else on the internet.
Finding your specific niche forum is a research project in itself, but it is often the most valuable one you will undertake.
The Long Tail of the Launch
The internet is not a single room where you stand on a table and shout; it is a sprawling city with thousands of doorways.
Publishing your startup is not a task you complete in a single afternoon.
It is a campaign of small conversations, repeated over and over again in different contexts.
Each of the websites listed above represents a different context, a different mindset, and a different opportunity.
Some will yield nothing but silence, while others might bring you your first champion.
As Seth Godin wisely observed, we must have the empathy to realise that the world does not owe us its attention.
We earn that attention by going to where the people are and offering them something that respects their time and solves their problems.
Do not be discouraged if the first few attempts do not result in a viral explosion.
Momentum in the digital world is often invisible at first, building up slowly beneath the surface of analytics charts.
The goal is to keep opening doors until you find the room where your people are waiting.
Once you find them, the real work of building a company begins.
There is a immense satisfaction in seeing that first stranger sign up, a validation that you have created something real.
So take your list, refine your pitch, and begin the walk through these twenty-one digital doorways.
Your users are out there, looking for you, just as hard as you are looking for them.
