# How to get your first 100 app users from Product Hunt and launch sites

*A launch is a spike, so plan for the day after.*

> A zero budget launch plan for Product Hunt, Show HN, BetaList and Indie Hackers: the official rules, a prep checklist, launch day plan and templates.

Source: https://www.appgrowthmarketer.com/playbooks/first-100-users-from-launch-sites
Author: Ar.Bhavesh Panse, AI App Growth Marketer (https://www.arbhaveshpanse.com)
Published: 2026-09-26 · Updated: 2026-09-26

to get your first 100 app users from Product Hunt and launch sites, prepare for two weeks, launch on Product Hunt and Show HN on different days, reply to every comment within the hour, and send visitors into an onboarding that brings them back. never ask anyone for upvotes. treat each launch as a one day spike, not a channel.

## Why a launch is a spike, not a channel

a launch is a spike because the traffic arrives in one day and mostly stops the next. launch sites show new products on a daily front page, so your post gets attention for about a day and then scrolls away. that makes a launch great for feedback and a first burst of users, and poor as steady growth.

plan the launch as one move inside the wider [first 100 app users playbook](https://www.appgrowthmarketer.com/playbooks/first-100-app-users), not as the whole plan. the users worth counting are the ones still opening the app a week later, not the visitors on launch day.

## Which launch sites fit a zero budget app

on a zero budget, focus on Product Hunt and Hacker News first, because both are free and have large audiences of early adopters. add Indie Hackers for a builder story. BetaList now charges for every submission, so it only fits if you have some money. free directories are a small extra, not a plan.

| site | cost | what it wants | watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product Hunt | free | a real product, posted from a personal account | no asking for upvotes |
| Hacker News (Show HN) | free | something people can try right now | no asking friends to vote or comment |
| Indie Hackers | free | honest builder stories and lessons | pure promo posts fall flat |
| BetaList | paid, refunded if not selected | pre launch or recently launched startups with their own domain | no direct App Store links as the main URL |
| category directories | often free | a listing in your niche | skip anything that charges for "guaranteed" traffic |

sources: [Product Hunt's launch guide](https://www.producthunt.com/launch), [Show HN guidelines](https://news.ycombinator.com/showhn.html), [BetaList FAQ](https://betalist.com/faq) and [BetaList submission guidelines](https://betalist.com/criteria).

## The rules you must not break

the one rule shared by every launch site is simple: never ask for votes. Product Hunt's guide says you cannot ask people directly to upvote and should ask them to visit and comment instead. Hacker News is even blunter. breaking this rule can bury your post, and it tells the community you care more about rank than feedback.

- Product Hunt: makers are encouraged to hunt their own product, only personal accounts can post, and you ask people to visit, try and comment, not vote ([launch guide](https://www.producthunt.com/launch)).
- Show HN: it must be something you made that people can try, and the [Show HN page](https://news.ycombinator.com/showhn.html) says "Please don't ask friends to upvote or comment." Blog posts and sign up pages do not count.
- Hacker News overall: the [site guidelines](https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html) say "Don't solicit upvotes, comments, or submissions," and ask that self promotion stay a small part of how you use the site.

telling your network "we launched today, i'd love your honest feedback" is fine. "please upvote us" is not.

## Two week prep checklist

good launches are mostly won before launch day. use the two weeks before to get assets ready, fix the first minute of onboarding, and write your post and replies in advance. every item here is free and takes a few hours at most. the list below follows Product Hunt's [preparing for launch page](https://www.producthunt.com/launch/preparing-for-launch).

1. **tagline:** 60 characters max, plain words, what it does and for whom
2. **gallery:** at least two images, 1270 by 760 recommended; show the app doing its main job
3. **thumbnail:** square, 240 by 240 recommended, under 3MB
4. **links:** full URLs, no shortened links or UTM tracking links on Product Hunt
5. **video (optional):** a public YouTube link showing the app in under a minute
6. **try it fast:** a web demo, a TestFlight link or a short video, because many visitors are on desktop
7. **first comment:** written and saved (template below)
8. **onboarding:** a new user reaches the main value in under two minutes
9. **follow up:** an email or in app message ready for day 1 and day 7
10. **schedule:** pick a day you are fully free; Product Hunt lets you schedule up to a month ahead

## Launch day plan

on launch day your only job is to be present and responsive. Product Hunt suggests 12:01 am Pacific Time to get the full day, so schedule for then and be awake for the first hours. post Show HN on a different day, so you can give each launch your full attention. block the whole day and cancel everything else.

| time (Pacific) | what you do |
|---|---|
| 12:01 am | launch goes live, post your first comment right away |
| 12:15 am | tell your email list, network and communities you launched, asking for feedback, not votes |
| morning | reply to every comment within the hour, fix small bugs live |
| midday | share one honest update on X or LinkedIn about what people are saying |
| evening | thank everyone, note every feature request in a sheet |
| next day | claim or update your product page, email every new signup |

## How to write the post

write the post like a person explaining their work to a curious friend: who it is for, the problem, what it does, and what is still rough. skip hype words and superlatives. on Hacker News especially, a plain title and honest limits earn more trust than any claim about being the best.

Product Hunt first comment template:

> hi everyone, i'm [name], i built [app]. i made it because [one line personal reason]. it helps [who] [do what] without [the pain]. what works today: [two things]. what's still rough: [one honest thing]. i'd love to hear what confuses you or what you'd change. i'll be here all day replying.

Show HN title and text template:

> Show HN: [App], [plain description of what it does]
>
> i built [app] to [solve problem] after [short reason]. you can try it here without signing up: [link]. it's built with [stack, if relevant]. i'm most unsure about [specific thing] and would like feedback on it.

## Replying to comments

reply to every comment, fast, and treat criticism as free research. thank people for bug reports, answer questions directly, and say what you will change. never argue, and never let a teammate pile on to defend you. the tone of your replies is often what visitors remember, more than the product itself.

a simple reply rule: answer the question in the first line, add one detail, and end with a question back when it helps. log every request in one sheet so you can tell people later that you shipped it.

## Turning visitors into retained users

a launch only helps if visitors become users who come back. make the first session short and rewarding, capture an email or a notification opt in with a clear reason, and follow up personally with everyone who signed up. launch users are often makers, so separate them from your real target users when you read the data.

- day 0: personal thank you email to every signup, with one question
- day 1: a nudge to finish the main action if they have not
- day 7: ask the active ones what almost made them quit
- day 14: invite the most engaged into a small feedback group

this is also where most founders stall, and the [first 1,000 app users playbook](https://www.appgrowthmarketer.com/playbooks/first-1000-app-users) picks up from here.

## Realistic expectations and what to measure

expect a spike of visitors, a smaller group of signups, and a much smaller group who stay. that is normal. measure signups and day 7 retained users from each site with tagged links on your own site, and judge the launch on retained users and the quality of feedback, not on rank or badges.

a launch is also the cheapest acquisition you will ever get. in my experience consumer AI apps struggle above roughly $0.50 blended CAC (all channels together), so free spikes from launches, plus [community work](https://www.appgrowthmarketer.com/playbooks/first-100-users-from-communities), matter while you find a channel that repeats. for what to track after launch, see [app growth metrics](https://www.appgrowthmarketer.com/learn/app-growth-metrics).

## Frequently asked questions

### Is a Product Hunt launch worth it for a mobile app?

it is worth one well prepared day, not a whole strategy. a launch can bring a burst of visitors, feedback and a few loyal early users, and it is free to hunt your own product. most of that traffic is other makers on desktop, so treat it as a spike and have a plan to keep the users you get.

### Where should I launch my app for free?

start with Product Hunt and a Show HN post on Hacker News, both free, then share a builder story on Indie Hackers. BetaList now charges for every submission, with a refund if you are not selected, so skip it on a zero budget. add free directories in your category only if they allow your type of app.

### Can I ask friends to upvote my Show HN or Product Hunt launch?

no. Hacker News says plainly not to ask friends to upvote or comment, and Product Hunt's launch guide says you cannot ask people directly to upvote. you can tell people you launched and ask them to try the product and leave honest feedback. vote rings get launches buried and accounts penalised.