StartupBase alternatives for indie makers
IndieNeed is a launch site where indie makers share new products.
StartupBase is a daily launch site with a free queue and paid launches. If it does not fit your launch, here are 8 other places to launch. Each entry gives the cost, format, link rule and main limitation as we found them on the site's own page, and the date we checked. We run IndieNeed, the first entry.
IndieNeed
- Format
- Daily launch board, plus a product page that stays up
- Cost
- Free listing; paid plans $15-$120, one-time
- Website link
- Free listings are nofollow. Any paid plan ($15-$120, one-time) includes a dofollow link, and a free listing can add one for $3, one-time. A followed link is not a promise of a higher ranking.
- Main limitation
- A newer and smaller audience than Product Hunt or Uneed
Checked on our pricing page.
TinyLaunch
- Format
- Launch board; free launches stay on the homepage for multiple days
- Cost
- Free Standard Launch; Premium Launch $39 per launch
- Website link
- Free: a backlink only for the top 3. Premium: a guaranteed backlink. Its page does not say dofollow or nofollow
- Main limitation
- A free launch gets a backlink only if it finishes in the top 3
Checked on tinylaunch.com/pricing.
MicroLaunch
- Format
- Paid launches with 30 days of visibility
- Cost
- Launch Pro $39 (listed at $49); Launch Plus $79 (listed at $99). A free launch is not confirmed on its pages
- Website link
- Launch Pro lists DR64+ dofollow backlinks
- Main limitation
- We could not confirm a free launch on its pages
Checked on microlaunch.net/premium.
ScrollLaunch
- Format
- Weekly leaderboard with 25 free slots a week
- Cost
- Free; Premium $39 per product, one-time
- Website link
- Free: the product-page link is dofollow only while its badge stays on your site. Premium: always dofollow. Feed and archive links are nofollow
- Main limitation
- 25 free slots a week, and the free link stays dofollow only while its badge is on your site
Checked on scrolllaunch.com/pricing.
Uneed
- Format
- Daily
- Cost
- Free (join the line); $14.99 Fast-track
- Website link
- Do-follow at an upvote score of 20; guaranteed with Skip the line
- Main limitation
- The free line assigns a launch date up to 5 months out
Checked on uneed.best/pricing.
Smol Launch
- Format
- Weekly (Mon-Sun)
- Cost
- Free (verified, badge needed); Premium $19
- Website link
- Unverified free launches: nofollow. Premium: permanent backlink, no badge
- Main limitation
- 50 verified free slots a week, platform-wide; the free launch covers only a product's first launch
Checked on smollaunch.com/pricing.
DevHunt
- Format
- Weekly
- Cost
- Free listing; launch $19 one-time ($49 boosted)
- Website link
- Free listing: nofollow. $19 launch: dofollow
- Main limitation
- Developer tools only
Checked on devhunt.org/faq.
Hacker News (Show HN)
- Format
- Community
- Cost
- Free
- Website link
- Not checked
- Main limitation
- No landing pages or fundraisers; no asking for upvotes
Checked on news.ycombinator.com/showhn.html.
Launch on IndieNeed
A free listing is reviewed and gets a launch day; paid plans publish right away. You can launch on StartupBase too.
Questions
- Are there free StartupBase alternatives?
- Yes: IndieNeed, TinyLaunch, ScrollLaunch, Uneed, Smol Launch and Hacker News (Show HN) have free launches, each with its own conditions, such as a queue, a badge or a nofollow link. Each entry on this page states them.
- Which StartupBase alternatives give a dofollow link?
- Most do, usually with a condition such as a badge, a paid plan or enough upvotes. Each entry states its rule as we found it. On IndieNeed: Free listings are nofollow. Any paid plan ($15-$120, one-time) includes a dofollow link, and a free listing can add one for $3, one-time. A followed link is not a promise of a higher ranking.
- Should I launch on more than one site?
- Yes. Most makers combine two or three sites that do different jobs, spread over a few weeks.