Launch Your AI Project on IndieHunt — The AI-powered launch platform featuring weekly launches. Get discovered by builders, innovators, and early adopters.
Visit: https://indiehunt.io
IndieHunt is a specialized launch platform designed exclusively for AI projects and indie SaaS creators. We connect builders, innovators, and early adopters through a curated platform where creators showcase their AI projects, compete for recognition, and gain valuable exposure.
- 🎯 AI-Focused: Dedicated specifically to AI tools and indie SaaS products
- 🏆 Weekly Competitions: Structured weekly launch competitions with winner badges
- 🔗 SEO Benefits: Permanent dofollow backlinks for premium launches and winners
- 📈 Long-term Traffic: SEO-optimized launch blog posts drive ongoing visibility
- ⚡ Fast Launch: Projects go live every Monday at 8:00 AM UTC
- 💰 Flexible Pricing: Free, Nofollow, and Premium launch options
- Weekly Launch Competitions: All projects launch simultaneously every Monday at 8:00 AM UTC
- 7-Day Competition Period: Full week of homepage exposure and voting
- AI Autofill: Automatically extract project information from your website URL
- Flexible Scheduling: Choose your preferred launch week during submission
- Launch Blog Posts: SEO-optimized blog posts published for every launched project
- Real-time Voting: Community-driven upvoting system with live vote counts
- Winner Badges: Exclusive badges for top 3 projects each week
- Hall of Fame: Permanent recognition for weekly winners
- Badge Assets: Downloadable badge images for your website
- Ranking System: Real-time position tracking during competitions
- Dofollow Backlinks: Guaranteed for Premium launches, earned by Free launch winners
- Permanent Links: Backlinks remain active indefinitely
- Multiple Link Placements: Links appear on project pages, homepage, and directory
- SEO-Optimized Content: Launch blog posts optimized for search engines
- User Dashboard: Comprehensive dashboard to track all your projects
- Project Analytics: View votes, rankings, and performance metrics
- Edit Capabilities: Update project details before launch
- Status Tracking: Monitor submission status from draft to live
- Relaunch Feature: One-time premium relaunch option for non-winning projects
- Multiple Authentication Options: Email (Magic Link), Google OAuth, GitHub OAuth
- Responsive Design: Fully optimized for desktop, tablet, and mobile
- Category Discovery: Browse projects by 40+ predefined categories
- Search Functionality: Find projects by name, description, or category
- Email Notifications: Automated emails for scheduling, launch, and results
- Automated Email System: Notifications for all key events
- Launch Reminders: Get notified before your project goes live
- Winner Announcements: Email notifications for competition results
- Support Access: Direct contact via hi@indiehunt.io
IndieHunt offers three launch types to suit different needs and budgets:
Cost: Free
Features:
- ✅ Live on homepage for 7 days
- ✅ Community voting access
- ✅ Weekly competition eligibility
- ✅ Launch blog post about your project
- ✅ Nofollow links by default
- ✅ Earn dofollow + badge if you win top 3
- ✅ Standard launch queue
Requirement: IndieHunt badge/link required on your website for verification
Best For: New projects testing the waters, budget-conscious creators
Cost: Free
Features:
- ✅ Live on homepage for 7 days
- ✅ No badge required
- ✅ Community voting access
- ✅ Weekly competition eligibility
- ✅ Launch blog post about your project
- ✅ Nofollow links always (even if you win)
- ✅ Earn badge if you win top 3
- ✅ Standard launch queue
Best For: Projects that want exposure without backlink requirements
Cost: $10 (one-time payment)
Features:
- ✅ Live on homepage for 7 days
- ✅ Guaranteed dofollow backlink (immediate)
- ✅ No badge required
- ✅ Launch blog post about your project
- ✅ Earn badge if you win top 3
- ✅ Skip the queue - instant launch
- ✅ Premium badge for credibility
- ✅ Featured in newsletter to subscribers
- ✅ Priority support and feedback
- ✅ Unlimited slots (doesn't count toward free slots)
Best For: Serious creators who want guaranteed SEO benefits and priority placement
Cost: $10 (one-time payment, available once per project)
Eligibility:
- Project completed a full launch week
- Did not place in top 3 (#1, #2, or #3)
- Has not been relaunched before
Benefits:
- ✅ Upgraded to Premium Launch status
- ✅ All links become dofollow
- ✅ Existing upvotes preserved
- ✅ Can collect additional votes in new launch week
- ✅ Choose a new launch week
- ✅ Another chance to win top 3 and earn badge
Best For: Projects that want a second chance to compete and win
- Create an account (Email, Google, or GitHub)
- Fill out the submission form with project details
- Use AI autofill to speed up the process
- Select your preferred launch week
- Our team reviews your submission (24-48 hours for free, 12-24 hours for premium)
- You'll receive email notifications about approval status
- Premium launches get priority review
- Projects go live every Monday at 8:00 AM UTC
- Your project appears on the homepage for 7 days
- Community members can discover, visit, and vote
- Real-time vote counts and rankings
- Competition ends Monday at 7:59 AM UTC
- Top 3 projects automatically win
- Winners receive badges, dofollow links (if eligible), and Hall of Fame placement
- Email notifications sent to all participants
- Project page remains live permanently
- Backlinks continue providing SEO value
- Launch blog post drives ongoing traffic
- Project discoverable in directory and search
Q: Who can submit projects to IndieHunt?
A: Anyone who has built an AI project or digital product can submit. You'll need to create an account, have a working website URL, and provide accurate project information.
Q: How do I create an account?
A: Click "Sign In" and choose from three methods: email (magic link), Google OAuth, or GitHub OAuth. It's free and takes seconds.
Q: What information do I need to submit?
A: Required: project name, website URL, descriptions, categories, logo, and preview image. Optional: screenshots, video, maker info. Our AI autofill can extract most information automatically.
Q: What's the difference between Free, Nofollow, and Premium launches?
A: Free Launch: Free, requires badge on website, nofollow by default (dofollow if you win). Nofollow Launch: Free, no badge required, always nofollow. Premium Launch: $10, guaranteed dofollow, no badge, priority placement, newsletter feature.
Q: Can I change my launch type after submission?
A: Yes, but only before your project is scheduled. Once approved and scheduled, launch type cannot be changed.
Q: Can I relaunch my project if it doesn't win?
A: Yes! If your project completes a launch week and doesn't place in top 3, you can relaunch once for $10. Your project is upgraded to Premium, all links become dofollow, and existing votes are preserved.
Q: How does the weekly competition work?
A: All projects scheduled for a week launch simultaneously on Monday at 8:00 AM UTC. The competition runs for 7 days, ending the following Monday at 7:59 AM UTC. Top 3 projects by votes win.
Q: How are winners determined?
A: Winners are determined purely by vote count. The project with the most votes wins first place, second most wins second place, and third most wins third place.
Q: What do winners receive?
A: All top 3 winners receive: exclusive winner badge, badge assets for their website, Hall of Fame placement. Free & Premium launch winners also receive: automatic upgrade to dofollow backlinks, enhanced SEO benefits.
Q: Can I vote for my own project?
A: Yes! We encourage creators to share their projects and get votes from their network. Authentic engagement from real users is what matters most.
Q: What's the difference between nofollow and dofollow backlinks?
A: Nofollow links tell search engines not to pass SEO value (still provide traffic). Dofollow links pass SEO authority and can improve search rankings. Both provide traffic, but dofollow has additional SEO benefits.
Q: How do I verify my backlink for Free launches?
A: Add any link to indiehunt.io on your website (footer, about page, etc.). Our system automatically verifies it by checking your website's source code. You can use our provided badge code or a simple text link.
Q: Where will my backlink appear?
A: Your backlink appears on: project detail page, homepage listings, project browse page, and related projects sections. All links point to your website URL.
Q: How does Premium launch payment work?
A: Select "Premium Launch" during submission, complete project information, and proceed to payment. You'll be redirected to our secure payment processor (Polar) to complete the $10 one-time payment. After payment, your project is automatically scheduled.
Q: What payment methods do you accept?
A: We accept all major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) and other payment methods supported by Polar. Payments are secure, encrypted, and PCI-compliant.
Q: Can I get a refund?
A: Premium launch payments are generally non-refundable. However, refunds may be considered for technical errors, service non-delivery, duplicate payments, or cancellation requests made before processing. Contact support for specific circumstances.
Q: What can I see in my dashboard?
A: Your dashboard shows: all your submissions (drafts, pending, scheduled, live, past), current status of each project, vote counts and rankings, launch dates, and project performance metrics.
Q: Can I edit my project after submission?
A: Yes, but with limitations. You can edit draft submissions and scheduled projects (before they go live). You cannot edit website URL or launch type, or projects that are currently live.
Q: How do I track votes and performance?
A: Your dashboard shows real-time vote counts, ranking position during competitions, status updates, and you'll receive email notifications for key events.
- Homepage Exposure: 7 days of featured placement
- SEO Value: Permanent dofollow backlinks (premium/winners)
- Traffic Generation: Launch blog posts drive long-term traffic
- Community Engagement: Real-time voting and feedback
- Credibility: Winner badges and Hall of Fame recognition
- Discovery: Find new AI tools and indie SaaS products
- Voting Power: Support your favorite projects
- Early Access: Discover projects before they go mainstream
- Quality Curation: All projects reviewed before launch
- Email: hi@indiehunt.io
- X/Twitter: @praneetbrar
- Website: https://indiehunt.io
- FAQ Page: https://indiehunt.io/faq
Thanks to:
- The builders, founders, and creators who launch their projects on IndieHunt
- The community of voters and early adopters who discover and support new tools
- The open-source communities and maintainers whose work makes IndieHunt possible
Made with ❤️ by Praneet Brar
Launch Your AI Project Today → https://indiehunt.io/submit