THE BOARD

Where to launch a startup, and what each launch site sends

Where a new product goes to be seen in its first month: the directories, the launch boards, the communities that still read a Show HN, and what each one charges and sends. The list is long and most of it is dead or paywalled, so the posts here say which is which, with the numbers dated. Start with the directory list, then the launch checklist.

A brass desk clock marking the first minute of a product hunt launch day, lit by a single lamp before dawn.
Launches9 min

A Product Hunt Launch, Hour by Hour

What actually decides your rank on a Product Hunt launch day, hour by hour, and the moves that change where you land.

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15 posts
Goods laid out on a market stall at first light, standing in for a menu of product launch ideas sorted from free to costly.
Launches9 min

Product Launch Ideas by Budget, From $0 Up

Product launch ideas sorted by what they actually cost, from free tactics to a $500 budget, with real numbers and sources at every tier.

A row of small paper lanterns strung along a wooden pier at dusk, lit one by one over still water, standing for how to find beta testers one relationship at a time.
Launches12 min

How to Find Beta Testers

Where to find beta testers fast: your own list, the right communities, paid platforms, and what Apple and Google actually require.

Stadium starting blocks waiting at dawn, the quiet moment before a product launch strategy goes live.
Launches12 min

The Product Launch Strategy Before Day One

A product launch strategy locks three decisions before day one: the audience, the positioning, and the order the channels fire in.

A small wooden rowboat pushed off a quiet dock at first light, mist lifting off the water.
Launches10 min

How to Launch a Startup

Launching a startup is one specific moment, not the whole company. This is what has to be true before day one, and what to do once it arrives.

A coiled queue rope with a small stamped tag stands reset at a market gate before dawn.
Launches18 min

Peerlist Launchpad Alternatives

Nine Peerlist Launchpad alternatives, checked this month for cost, queue time, and what each one actually sends after launch week ends.

Small paper boats drift down a misty river at dawn, one lit by a lantern carrying a small marked tag on its mast.
Launches17 min

Indie Hackers Alternatives, Priced This Month

Ten Indie Hackers alternatives, checked this month: what each costs to post, who reads it, and where paying still buys reach.

A row of lit ticket booths at dawn, each priced differently, standing for the crowd of Uneed alternatives now competing for the same launch-day attention.
Launches19 min

Uneed Alternatives and What Each Sends

Eight Uneed alternatives, priced and checked this month, with what each one actually sends once your launch-day vote count stalls.

A small boat leaving one berth in a misty dawn marina, standing for the first of six launch platforms for indie hackers to try, while the other berths sit empty.
Launches9 min

Launch Platforms for Indie Hackers

The six launch platforms worth an indie hacker's time in 2026, sequenced day by day, priced free and paid.

A small wooden boat rests on a launch ramp at dawn, ropes coiled and a lantern lit at its bow, mist low over the harbor water.
Launches8 min

The Startup Launch Checklist That Sets Numbers

A startup launch checklist with the exact site to open and the number to set for each step, not seven vague things to feel ready before you launch.

A small wooden boat pulling away from a misty harbor at first light, a small mark stamped on its hull.
Launches9 min

9 Reasons to Launch a Startup on The Board

Nine real reasons to launch a startup on The Board, priced against BetaList, Product Hunt and Google Ads, and what each one actually buys you.

A row of shuttered ticket booths at a quiet station before dawn, one booth open with a warm light and a small marked plaque on its counter.
Launches9 min

How to Submit a Startup to Directories

The field-by-field order for submitting a startup to directories, what each field controls, and how to check in 30 days whether it sent anyone.

A greenhouse holding plants at three stages of growth, from covered seed trays to one flowering plant, lit by dawn light through the glass.
Launches17 min

BetaList Alternatives, Priced by Stage

The real BetaList alternatives, split by launch stage instead of popularity: pre-launch, launch day and after, each priced and checked this week.

A row of empty stadium turnstiles in a hazy concrete concourse at dawn, with one turnstile's counter lit orange while the rest sit dark.
Launches17 min

12 Product Hunt Alternatives, Priced and Checked

Twelve places to launch instead of Product Hunt, with what each one costs, what it sends and who it suits. Every figure dated and linked, September 2026.

An open-air market of empty wooden stalls at dawn, with only one stall's lantern lit while the rest sit dark.
Launches12 min

The Startup Directories Worth Your Time in 2026

Every startup directory worth submitting to in 2026, ranked by what it actually sends, what it costs, and which ones to skip entirely.