Hacker News
Hacker News is free to list on, gives a nofollow link, and is best used for launch & referral traffic — with a very high domain rating of 91.
Overview
Hacker News “Show HN” is free, high-intent tech traffic — but the audience is ruthless about substance. One shot at the front page; no guaranteed placement or permanent listing.
- High-intent tech traffic
- Technical credibility
- Founder feedback loop
Hacker News is a good fit for developer tools, AI tools, indie projects, SaaS products. Audience: Developers, technical founders, and YC-adjacent builders.
One shot — no re-posts within ~6 months; promotional tone gets downvoted
How to submit
- 1 Post as “Show HN: Your Product — short description”
Use the Submit page. Title format matters: “Show HN: [Product] – [concrete value prop]”. Link directly to your product or demo, not a landing-page wall.
- 2 Write a founder comment immediately
Post a top-level comment explaining what you built, who it’s for, what’s different, and what feedback you want. HN rewards transparency and technical honesty.
- 3 Time it for US morning weekday
Tuesday–Thursday, 8–10 AM ET tends to perform best. Avoid major tech news days when the front page is crowded.
- 4 Respond fast and substantively
Answer every question without marketing fluff. Acknowledge limitations. The community downvotes promotional tone quickly.
- 5 Don't re-post within 6 months
Duplicate Show HNs for the same product get flagged. Save it for meaningful launches (v1, major pivot, open-source release).
Best practices
- A working demo beats a waitlist page.
- Open-source or technical deep-dives often outperform pure SaaS pitches.
- Track referral traffic — spikes are short but can convert highly.
Nofollow links from HN. Value is qualified traffic and occasionally inbound links from blogs that pick up your launch — not direct DR transfer.
Similar directories
All Hacker News alternatives →| # | Directory | DR | Link | Price | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | BetaListBest for launch & referral traffic · betalist.com | 76 | Dofollow | Paid | RECOMMENDED |
| 31 | Startup StashBest for launch & referral traffic · startupstash.com | 66 | Dofollow | Free | TOP PICK |
| 39 | ScrollLaunchBest for launch & referral traffic · scrolllaunch.com | 69 | Dofollow | Freemium | WORTH IT |
| 42 | UneedBest for launch & referral traffic · uneed.best | 75 | Dofollow | Free | WORTH IT |
| 51 | TinyLaunchBest for launch & referral traffic · tinylaunch.com | 73 | Dofollow | Free | WORTH IT |
| 61 | Technology AdviceBest for launch & referral traffic · technologyadvice.com | 78 | Dofollow | Paid | RECOMMENDED |
Frequently asked questions
Is Hacker News worth submitting to?
Hacker News Show HN delivers high-intent technical traffic in short bursts — the audience rewards demos, honesty, and substance over marketing copy.
Does Hacker News give a dofollow or nofollow link?
Hacker News provides a nofollow link. It won't pass direct link equity, but it still drives referral traffic and helps brand discovery.
Is Hacker News free?
Yes — Hacker News offers a free way to get listed. Free listings are often reviewed manually, so approval can take from a few days to a few weeks.
What is Hacker News's domain rating (DR)?
Hacker News (news.ycombinator.com) currently has a domain rating of 91 on Ahrefs' 0–100 scale — a very high score. Higher DR generally means a stronger backlink profile, which is one signal of how much weight a link from the site may carry.
What should I watch out for with Hacker News?
One shot — no re-posts within ~6 months; promotional tone gets downvoted