You shipped. Now nobody knows it exists.
The cheapest fix is to list the product everywhere people look for new tools. Each listing brings a bit of traffic, some bring a backlink, and together they tell Google your domain is real. None of it replaces talking to users, but it's an afternoon of work that keeps paying.
I went through a long list of these sites and checked every link. About one in four was dead: parked domains, broken SSL certificates, directories that disappeared. What's left is below.
A few things I learned along the way:
- Almost everything needs an account. Set aside time to sign up, verify emails and fill in profiles. Keep your logo, screenshots, a one-liner and a longer description ready to paste.
- Not every listing gives you a backlink. Some only link to you on a paid tier. Check before you spend time on it.
- Badges are the usual price of a free listing. Several sites will list you for free if you put their badge in your footer.
- Free queues are slow. Expect to wait weeks unless you pay to skip.
- Launch days need prep. Product Hunt and Show HN reward a planned launch with people ready to try the product and comment. A drive-by submit wastes your one shot.
Launch platforms
Start here. These sites are built around launching new products and bring the most early users.
- Product Hunt - Plan a real launch day, not a drive-by submit
- Hacker News - Post as a Show HN
- TinyLaunch - DR 72+ backlink and a badge
- PeerPush - Free queue takes about six weeks, $39 skips it
- BetaList - Early-stage startups
- PitchWall - Formerly BetaPage
- Launching Next
- Launch - Launch platform for vibe-coded apps
- StartupBase
Communities
Post here as a person, not a brand. Share what you built and what you learned, then answer every comment. Read each subreddit's self-promotion rules first.
- Indie Hackers - Product page plus build-in-public posts
- DEV Community - Write-up, not a listing
- r/SideProject
- r/buildinpublic
- r/TestMyApp
- r/macapps - Mac apps only
Software review sites
These rank well on Google for "X alternative" and "best X tools" searches. They matter more once you have a few customers who can leave reviews.
- AlternativeTo - List yourself as an alternative to the big incumbents
- SaaSHub
- G2 - Only matters once you have reviews
- Capterra
- GetApp
- Software Advice
- StackShare
Startup directories
Mostly about backlinks and long-tail discovery. Do a batch of these in one sitting with your copy ready to paste.
- Wired Business - Free if you add their badge to your site, otherwise paid
- FindYourSaaS - Free listing has no backlink, the $9/mo Featured tier does
- YourWebsiteScore - Free site analysis, then a score badge page with a backlink
- Startup Stash
- Startup Buffer
- Startup Tracker
- Startup Ranking
- StartupBlink
- Killer Startups
- Snapmunk
- Side Projectors
- Robin Good Tools
- Feed My Startup
- StartUp Beat
- Tech Pluto
- Paggu
- EU-Startups - European startups
- YourStory - Indian startups
Company databases and investors
Worth a profile so investors, journalists and candidates can find you.
- Crunchbase
- Wellfound - Formerly AngelList
- F6S
- InnMind
Lists and guides
When you run out of the sites above, these point to hundreds more.
- LaunchDirectories - 100+ directories, filter by DR 40+
- SubmitSaaS - Paid bulk submission to 140+ directories
- Needle marketing guide - Playbook for getting discovered
App stores
Only if you ship a native app or a browser extension. A store listing is a whole distribution channel of its own.
- Apple App Store - Native iOS and Mac apps
- Google Play - Native Android apps
- Chrome Web Store - Browser extensions
- Firefox Add-ons - Browser extensions
I keep this list up to date on my bookmarks page too.
