# Lobsters review and launch guide

Source: https://bestlaunchplatforms.com

> Lobsters (lobste.rs) is an invite-only technical link aggregator. Lower reach than Hacker News, higher signal for systems/open-source artifacts. Not a general launch board. Invite required.

- Rank: 68
- BLP Index: 55
- Website: https://lobste.rs
- Category: community
- Cadence: ongoing
- Cost: Free (invite required to post)
- Backlink: nofollow discussion links; citation value is the thread

Lobsters is a tagged, invite-only link aggregator for people who like computing. It is smaller than Hacker News and less tolerant of marketing. A well-tagged `show` post can still send exactly the right engineers.
You need an invite. You need something to show. You need to talk like a peer. If that sounds like work, it is — and that is why the room still works.

## Best for
- Open source, languages, systems, security, unusual demos
- Founders who already read Lobsters
- A second technical room after or instead of a weak Show HN

## Skip if
- SaaS with no technical story
- Growth-hacked invite begging
- Consumer lifestyle apps

## FAQ
### Lobsters vs Hacker News?
HN is larger and meaner at scale. Lobsters is smaller, tagged, invite-only, and often more technical. Many founders never need Lobsters. Systems people sometimes need it more than PH.

### Can I pay to post?
No.