Comparison Guide

15 Best Product Hunt Alternatives for 2026

Product Hunt is great, but it's not the only place to launch. Here are 15 alternative platforms to maximize your startup's visibility and backlink profile.

Why Look Beyond Product Hunt?

More Backlinks

Each platform provides unique backlinks, diversifying your link profile and boosting SEO.

Different Audiences

Each platform has a unique community. Reach developers on DevHunt, AI enthusiasts on TAIFT, etc.

Less Competition

Product Hunt is crowded. Smaller platforms often provide better visibility for your launch.

The Complete List

#1

Hacker News (Show HN)

DR 91

Audience: Developers, Tech Enthusiasts

Visit Site →

Pros

  • Massive reach
  • Highly engaged technical audience
  • Can go viral quickly

Cons

  • Very competitive
  • Can be harsh on non-technical products
  • Short lifespan on front page

Best for: Developer tools, technical products, startups with interesting technology

Launch tip: Use "Show HN:" prefix, focus on your technical story, be prepared for tough questions.

#2

Reddit

DR 91

Audience: Varies by subreddit

Visit Site →

Pros

  • Huge niche communities
  • Long-lasting posts
  • Authentic engagement

Cons

  • Each subreddit has different rules
  • Requires karma building
  • Can be hostile to self-promotion

Best for: Finding your exact niche community and engaging authentically

Launch tip: Build karma first, read rules carefully, be genuinely helpful before sharing your product.

#3

Indie Hackers

DR 76

Audience: Indie Makers, Bootstrapped Founders

Visit Site →

Pros

  • Supportive community
  • Great for sharing journey
  • Revenue-focused discussions

Cons

  • Smaller reach than PH
  • More niche audience
  • Less viral potential

Best for: Bootstrapped products, sharing your building journey, getting founder feedback

Launch tip: Share your story openly including revenue numbers. Community values transparency.

#4

BetaList

DR 49

Audience: Early Adopters, Beta Testers

Visit Site →

Pros

  • Designed for pre-launch products
  • Quality early adopter audience
  • Less competition

Cons

  • Smaller audience
  • Costs for featured placement
  • Review process can take time

Best for: Pre-launch products looking for beta testers and early feedback

Launch tip: Launch here before Product Hunt to gather early users and testimonials.

#5

DevHunt

DR 58

Audience: Developers, Technical Users

Visit Site →

Pros

  • Developer-focused
  • Growing community
  • Less competitive than PH

Cons

  • Smaller reach
  • Limited to dev tools
  • Newer platform

Best for: Developer tools, APIs, libraries, and technical products

Launch tip: Great complement to PH launch. Focus on technical documentation and use cases.

#6

SaaSHub

DR 66

Audience: SaaS Buyers, Business Users

Visit Site →

Pros

  • SEO benefits
  • Alternative comparison
  • Long-term discovery

Cons

  • Not a launch platform
  • Passive discovery only
  • Takes time to rank

Best for: Being found when users search for alternatives to competitors

Launch tip: List your product with comprehensive details. Add competitor comparisons.

#7

Uneed.best

DR 50

Audience: Tool Hunters, Early Adopters

Visit Site →

Pros

  • Curated quality
  • Community voting
  • Dofollow backlinks

Cons

  • Selective approval
  • Smaller audience
  • Manual review

Best for: Unique, high-quality products that solve real problems

Launch tip: Focus on the unique value proposition. Quality matters more than hype.

#8

There's An AI For That

DR 49

Audience: AI Tool Seekers

Visit Site →

Pros

  • Huge AI audience
  • Great SEO
  • Category leader

Cons

  • AI tools only
  • Very competitive
  • Review process

Best for: AI-powered products and tools

Launch tip: Clearly explain what AI does. Include demo video if possible.

#9

TinyStartups

DR 53

Audience: Indie Makers

Visit Site →

Pros

  • Supportive community
  • Focus on small products
  • Regular features

Cons

  • Small reach
  • Niche audience
  • Limited traffic

Best for: Small, bootstrapped products from indie makers

Launch tip: Share your building journey and revenue milestones.

#10

AITools.fyi

DR 56

Audience: AI Enthusiasts, Businesses

Visit Site →

Pros

  • Growing AI directory
  • Good SEO
  • Active community

Cons

  • AI tools only
  • Competitive space
  • Takes time to rank

Best for: AI tools and products looking for long-term discovery

Launch tip: Include comprehensive feature list and pricing details.

#11

Launched

DR 42

Audience: Startup Enthusiasts

Visit Site →

Pros

  • Launch-focused
  • Less competitive
  • Good backlink

Cons

  • Smaller audience
  • Less traffic
  • Basic features

Best for: Supplementing your main launch campaign

Launch tip: Use as part of a multi-platform launch strategy.

#12

MicroLaunch

DR 42

Audience: Micro SaaS Builders

Visit Site →

Pros

  • Micro SaaS focused
  • Supportive community
  • Regular launches

Cons

  • Very niche
  • Small audience
  • Limited reach

Best for: Micro SaaS products and small tools

Launch tip: Perfect for testing launch messaging before bigger platforms.

#13

Startups.fyi

DR 44

Audience: Startup Community

Visit Site →

Pros

  • Startup-focused
  • Good backlink
  • Simple submission

Cons

  • Lower traffic
  • Less engagement
  • Basic directory

Best for: Building backlink profile and basic visibility

Launch tip: Include strong tagline and clear value proposition.

#14

IndiePa.ge

DR 48

Audience: Indie Makers

Visit Site →

Pros

  • Indie-focused
  • Portfolio-style
  • Community feel

Cons

  • Small audience
  • Limited features
  • Niche reach

Best for: Indie makers wanting a portfolio page for their products

Launch tip: Showcase your full portfolio of products together.

#15

Submit25

DR 27

Audience: Indie Hackers, Startup Founders

Visit Site →

Pros

  • Dofollow backlinks
  • Part of 12-site network
  • Permanent listings

Cons

  • Newer directory
  • Growing audience
  • Building traffic

Best for: Getting a quality backlink and reaching indie hacker community

Launch tip: Submit via BacklinkRocket to get listed on Submit25 + 11 more directories.

Recommended Launch Strategy

Multi-Platform Launch Timeline

Week 1-2

Pre-launch Phase

Submit to BetaList, build presence on Indie Hackers and Reddit. Collect early feedback.

Week 3

Main Launch

Launch on Product Hunt (Tuesday-Thursday). Same day, post on Hacker News if technical.

Week 4-5

Expansion Phase

Submit to niche directories: DevHunt, AITools.fyi, SaaSHub, and others relevant to your category.

Week 6+

Long-tail Phase

Complete remaining directories. Focus on quality descriptions and engagement.

Pro Tips

  • Space out your submissions to avoid looking spammy to search engines
  • Customize your pitch for each platform's audience
  • Engage with the community before and after launching
  • Track all submissions in a spreadsheet for follow-up
  • Prioritize platforms by Domain Rating for maximum SEO impact

Ready to Launch Everywhere?

Get our complete list of 29 high-authority directories with submission guides for each platform.