What if my post doesn't take off?

Most Show HN posts don't hit the front page, that's normal. Even 500-2,000 views from a modest post can bring valuable early adopters. You can try again later with a new version or major update. HN allows re-posts if there's substantial new content.

Should I post code or product?

**Product link is standard for Show HN.** However, if you're open source, include a GitHub link in your first comment. HN loves open source and it often gets more engagement. The product should be live and usable, don't link to a landing page.

How do I handle trolls?

Mostly, ignore them. HN self-moderates through downvotes. If someone makes a legitimate point wrapped in rudeness, respond to the legitimate point and ignore the tone. Kill them with kindness, it often turns critics into supporters.

Can I launch on HN and Product Hunt the same day?

You can, but it's not ideal. You'll split your attention and can't engage fully on both platforms. **Better approach:** Launch on HN first (more technical, harder to game), then Product Hunt a few weeks later with learnings incorporated.

What karma do I need to post?

Anyone can post Show HN with any karma level. However, low-karma accounts are more likely to be flagged or ignored. Aim for 50+ karma from genuine participation before launching.

My post got flagged within minutes, what happened?

It usually means a few users flagged it as off-topic, duplicate, or overly promotional in tone before it built up enough genuine engagement to outweigh the flags. Check your title and first comment for marketing language, and make sure you are not cross-posting the same link from multiple accounts. If it seems like a mistake, you can politely ask HN moderators (contact link at the bottom of any page) why.

Is it okay to mention pricing in the thread?

Yes, if someone asks. HN readers are usually fine with paid products as long as you are upfront about it. What they dislike is a free-sounding pitch that turns out to be a paywall trap. Be transparent from your first comment.

🚀 Pre-Launch

Hacker News Launch

Use the "Show HN" format to introduce your product to one of the most influential technical audiences on the internet.

15 min read

Last updated: Jul 7, 2026

🧡

"Our Show HN post hit the front page and drove 10,000 visitors in 2 days, 600 signups, and around $60K in lifetime value from 60 paying customers. The technical community feedback was invaluable."

Founder, Reply.io

📅 HN Launch Timeline

Setup Warm-up Outreach

Before

Build HN karma + lurk community

⏱ 2-4 weeks

Day before

Write your title, story and reply templates

⏱ 1-2 hours

Day of

Post at optimal time, engage actively hour by hour

⏱ Full day

Day 1-2

Respond to every comment

⏱ 4-6 hours

After

Follow up with interested users

⏱ 2-3 hours

Before

Build HN karma + lurk community

⏱ 2-4 weeks

Day before

Write your title, story and reply templates

⏱ 1-2 hours

Day of

Post at optimal time, engage actively hour by hour

⏱ Full day

Day 1-2

Respond to every comment

⏱ 4-6 hours

After

Follow up with interested users

⏱ 2-3 hours

Is this for you?

Great fit if...

You're building for technical audiences
Your product is live and functional
You can handle HN-level criticism
You have a technical story to tell
You're building something novel or interesting

Try something else if...

Your target market isn't technical
You're launching marketing-ware (vaporware)
You can't handle direct/harsh feedback
Your product is generic or unremarkable
You need guaranteed results, HN is a lottery even with a great post

Try Product Hunt for broader audiences →

Not the right fit?

If Hacker News Launch doesn't match your situation, consider these alternative tactics that achieve similar goals:

Product Hunt Launch

Launch your product on Product Hunt to reach early adopters and tech enthusiasts.

intermediate•free•immediate

What to expect

200K+

Daily unique visitors to HN

10K+

Visitors from front page (typical)

2M+

Daily pageviews

Quick math: Front page placement can drive 10,000-50,000 visitors. Even posts that don't hit front page can generate 500-2,000 highly targeted technical visitors. The feedback alone is worth it.

Hacker News has a culture, respect it first. Posts from new accounts with zero karma often get flagged or ignored before anyone even reads them. If you have never used HN before, spend a few weeks becoming a real member of the community before you post your own product.

What is "karma"?

Karma is a public score attached to your HN account, one point for every upvote your comments and posts earn. It is HN's way of separating regular community members from throwaway accounts created just to promote something. There is no official minimum to post, but low-karma accounts posting "Show HN" on day one look suspicious to both moderators and readers.

Pre-launch activities

Do these over 2-4 weeks, not the night before. HN regulars can tell the difference between a genuine account and one built purely to launch.

Create an account if you don't have one
Fill in your profile bio with a one-line honest description of who you are
Comment thoughtfully on relevant discussions, aim for at least 15-20 genuine comments
Submit interesting links you did not write (articles, tools, repos you found useful)
Build some karma, aim for 50+ before launching
Study 10-15 past "Show HN" posts that succeeded (look them up on HN Algolia) and note what their titles and first comments did
Study 5-10 "Show HN" posts that flopped and note the pattern (vague title, no first comment, marketing tone)

HN detects astroturfing

Don't ask friends to upvote your post. HN has sophisticated detection and will penalize or ban coordinated voting. Organic engagement only.