When is the right time to launch on Product Hunt?
Because building products has become much more accessible thanks to AI, the bar has had to rise a bit, or at least the expectations have become stricter.
I built my own tool – SafeLimit, but personally, I wouldn’t launch it on Product Hunt yet because it’s still very basic and doesn’t even have a website. 😀
Personally, I wouldn’t use Product Hunt only to validate an idea or a problem anymore.
I would feel ready to launch once I reached these points:
– the product works with its core features (it doesn't break)
– it has been properly tested by developers, UX/UI testers, and a few potential users (with bugs fixed)
– it has its own landing page explaining the product
– it already has a version with payments integrated
– it follows Product Hunt’s launch and community guidelines (novelty, uniqueness, etc.)
– it has a small but engaged user base that can support the launch with comments or reviews (social proof)
When would you personally feel ready to launch on Product Hunt?
What would be your minimum requirements?
Replies
Thought we ready after fixing core bug. Reverted code and test still passed). Test never checked that bug at all. Launch when validation actualy breaks if core premise fails, not when green light never tested reality
minimalist phone: reduce your screentime
@konstantin_tikhaev how many bugs did you have? I think that the most serious are those that put users into the risk (of leaking their data) + when the payment option doesn't work as well of course.
@busmark_w_nika just three at the time. the bug count was not the issue. our automated suite was 'green' while the core funcionality was broken
Softorino 💻📲
I picked a Sunday for this weekend, which most people tell me is a mistake. The logic is that fewer eyeballs also means fewer funded launches soaking up the top spots, so a small free tool actually gets a shot at ranking. Has anyone here run the same product on a weekday and a weekend and compared the finish?
minimalist phone: reduce your screentime
@yelyzaveta_kibets One tip – try to alert people in advance because some use LinkedIn only during the work week because it requires their work :)
Softorino 💻📲
@busmark_w_nika That is exactly why my LinkedIn heads up goes out Thursday rather than Sunday morning, the weekday crowd needs the warning while they are still at a desk. Good catch.
minimalist phone: reduce your screentime
@yelyzaveta_kibets I have my fingers crossed, then DM me on the launch day :)
Softorino 💻📲
@busmark_w_nika Deal, you will hear from me Sunday. Your timing point did not change the date but it did change when the warning goes out, so thanks for that.
This is a good point. I’d probably avoid launching just for validation and make sure the product is genuinely ready first. I’m taking a similar approach with my Chrome extension, Hide Shorts, Reels & Stories—I’m preparing the Pro version first, making sure the core experience and payments are solid, then planning a Product Hunt launch once there’s a real user base and some feedback behind it.
For me, Product Hunt would be more about introducing the polished product and getting meaningful feedback than simply testing whether the idea works.
minimalist phone: reduce your screentime
@ibrahimriaz will the product work only for Instagram? Or what platforms are included?
@busmark_w_nika Yes Hide Shorts, Reels, Stories & Sponsored – YouTube, Facebook & Instagram works properly on facebook, instagram, youtube.
minimalist phone: reduce your screentime
@ibrahimriaz What did you use for hiding Facebook shorts? I thought that they cannot enable access to this option.
minimalist phone: reduce your screentime
@ibrahimriaz Did you release it in the Chrome web shop aleady?
I think you already did a great job with this post.
1 month later, 559 comments, 612 upvotes.
And people are still viewing it.
Your tool came in clutch - I was gonna build a similar tool for LinkedIn so thank you!
minimalist phone: reduce your screentime
@kevintayong Cool, are you also facing restrictions?
@busmark_w_nika no but I wanted a simple way to track my LinkedIn activity. more like a goal tracker.
comment X times per day, send X DMs per day, send X connection requests per day.
minimalist phone: reduce your screentime
@kevintayong But X has quite huge limits or?
Hello Nika :3
I'm also a marketer of IT company who's gonna plan to launch service on Product Hunt soon, so thoroughly can feel what you're worrying about. 😂
I've got lots of helpful insights here, and maybe I'd upload a post as you do haha.
Anyway, wish success to your product and thank you for uploading post and sharing informations!!
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@marketer_kim You are welcome! :) When do you plan the launch? :)
@busmark_w_nika The developer in my team is planning to launch during next week, but idk .. the contents are not ready yet for PH launching page and etc .. It's just an wishful thinking in my opinion. haha
minimalist phone: reduce your screentime
@marketer_kim then feel free to DM m on LinkedIn, so I can support your launch :)
@busmark_w_nika Omg you are so sweet!! I'll send you a request rn under Chaeeun Kim. thx a lot!
When the product works to the extent that I like using it. Doesn't need to be perfect, but just good enough to be useful.
Most people are tired of vibe-coded stuff, so there needs to be some "substance" to the product; otherwise, it's hard to get people to care.
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@maxrohowsky I would say that distribution, story and maybe some kind of "exotic" stuff people convince :D
I have recently launched my own idea product on product hunt and found that without paid marketing it will not goes up to users. For that I don't know about what is problem in product hunt algorithms to provide atleast better visibility about great products to traffics or product hunt makers to decide actually which idea needs better attractions.
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@nikunj_kothiya Did you want to pay for ads in terms of promoting your Product Hunt launch?
@busmark_w_nika I do not want any paid promotion because I know my product has capability to attract users. But somehow I am at starting phase where I am expecting some boosting from product hunt at initial level.
minimalist phone: reduce your screentime
@nikunj_kothiya When will be the launch?
@busmark_w_nika Already Launched. You can see inside my profile product as Monument Patron where you also found live url.
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@ai_job_risk_check Thank you so much! :) Would you be open to test it and roast? :D
SlimSnap
I'd add one thing that mattered more than any of it for me: can you say in one sentence the exact moment someone reaches for this?
I launched mine "ready" by basically your checklist, worked, landing page, the lot. It still underperformed, and the gap wasn't polish. People couldn't tell what moment it saved them, so they nodded and scrolled on.
Worth setting expectations too: PH is one spike, not a growth engine. The launch-day number felt big and converted to almost nothing lasting. What actually brought users was being useful in threads where people already had the problem, before launch and long after.
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@bickov I think that this is one of the best marketing strategies. Advertisement for broader awareness, but being personally helpful when people ask for an advice/help. It is the best combo :)
I am of the opinion that AI accelerates the engineering loop. It doesn't change a thing about whether the idea or app has value. It just allows us to build faster. I think we should throw it out as soon as possible into the hands of other users :) But personally I too am a little hesitant even though I say that ahha
minimalist phone: reduce your screentime
@kevinyyh But with AI, there are too many identical products, and some don't bring value. That's why AppStore stopped confirming some AI-generated/vibe-coded apps. Rules are stricter also beyond PH.