{"category":{"slug":"startup-directory-and-launch-platforms","label":"Startup directory and launch platforms"},"methodology_url":"https://www.orbator.io/ai-index/methodology","license":"Free to use with attribution to orbator.io","date":"2026-08-27","engine":null,"available_dates":["2026-08-27","2026-08-26","2026-08-05","2026-08-03","2026-08-02","2026-07-28","2026-07-25","2026-07-24","2026-07-18","2026-07-17","2026-06-28","2026-06-27","2026-06-18","2026-06-17","2026-06-12"],"policy":{"quotable_engines":["anthropic","openai","gemini"],"max_excerpt_chars":400,"full_text_public":false,"customer_runs_public":false,"full_text_retention":"retained at least 24 months, then operator review","notes":["Only Index category runs are archived publicly — customer scans never appear.","The quotable unit is a short excerpt of at most 400 characters, never the full answer.","Engines outside the verbatim allowlist are recorded as having answered, with the excerpt withheld under their terms.","Prompt intent is published; the prompt text itself is not."]},"status":"ok","count":7,"limit":50,"truncated":false,"engines":[{"engine":"anthropic","count":7,"withheld":false,"answers":[{"engine":"anthropic","answered_on":"2026-08-27","prompt_intent":"best_in_category","excerpt":"Here's a breakdown of the best platforms to launch and get discovered as a new startup or product in 2026, organized by what they're best for:\n\n## 🚀 Launch-Day Visibility (Big Bursts of Traffic)\n\n**Product Hunt** remains the most recognizable option — if you want the most recognizable startup launch destination, Product Hunt is still one of the first platforms founders consider. For developers, P","excerpt_withheld":false,"withheld_reason":null,"highlights":[]},{"engine":"anthropic","answered_on":"2026-08-27","prompt_intent":"best_in_category","excerpt":"Here's a breakdown of the best startup discovery and directory platforms for getting early users, organized by purpose since different platforms serve different stages and audiences.\n\n## Launch-Day / Broad Discovery\n**Product Hunt** remains the default starting point — it is entirely free and drives 67% of tech product launches. It gives you a launch day event, a leaderboard, comments, upvotes, an","excerpt_withheld":false,"withheld_reason":null,"highlights":[]},{"engine":"anthropic","answered_on":"2026-08-27","prompt_intent":"problem_solving","excerpt":"Here's a practical playbook for announcing a product launch and building initial traction:\n\n## Launch Channels\n\n**Product Hunt** – Great for tech products, especially B2B SaaS/tools. Best if you can rally a community beforehand to upvote/comment on launch day.\n\n**Twitter/X** – Build in public before launch (share progress, screenshots, behind-the-scenes) so you have an audience ready when you anno","excerpt_withheld":false,"withheld_reason":null,"highlights":[]},{"engine":"anthropic","answered_on":"2026-08-27","prompt_intent":"problem_solving","excerpt":"## Getting Your SaaS Listed on Startup Directories\n\n### 1. Prepare Your Assets First\nBefore submitting anywhere, get your materials ready: a logo (512x512 PNG), 3-5 screenshots, a short description (80 words), a long description (200 words), and pricing info. This saves you from scrambling mid-submission and getting rejected for low-quality assets — blurry or placeholder screenshots get listings r","excerpt_withheld":false,"withheld_reason":null,"highlights":[]},{"engine":"anthropic","answered_on":"2026-08-27","prompt_intent":"alternatives","excerpt":"## Alternatives to Product Hunt for Indie Makers\n\nProduct Hunt is still the biggest launch platform, but its algorithm now favors established brands with existing audiences—making it harder for unknown indie hackers to break through. Here's a breakdown of the strongest alternatives, organized by what they're best for:\n\n### Direct \"launch and vote\" alternatives (closest to PH mechanics)\n\n**Uneed**","excerpt_withheld":false,"withheld_reason":null,"highlights":[{"start":202,"end":215,"name":"Indie Hackers"},{"start":392,"end":397,"name":"Uneed"}]},{"engine":"anthropic","answered_on":"2026-08-27","prompt_intent":"comparison","excerpt":"# General Startup Directories vs. Niche Product Launch Communities\n\nHere's how they differ and when to use each:\n\n## General Startup Directories\nThese are broad, high-traffic platforms designed for discoverability, SEO, and one-time launch spikes across all product categories.\n\n**Examples & characteristics:**\n- **Product Hunt** remains the default \"big day\" for many products, offering concentrated","excerpt_withheld":false,"withheld_reason":null,"highlights":[]},{"engine":"anthropic","answered_on":"2026-08-27","prompt_intent":"recommendation","excerpt":"## Best Launch Platform for Reaching Developer Early Adopters\n\n**Hacker News (Show HN) is the top choice** for reaching genuine developer early adopters. If you're building a developer tool - an API, a CLI, an SDK, an open-source library - Hacker News Show HN should be your first priority, with DevHunt as a backup, as it is the most valuable launch channel for developer tools, APIs, and technicall","excerpt_withheld":false,"withheld_reason":null,"highlights":[{"start":296,"end":303,"name":"DevHunt"}]}]}]}