Rank 49 · BLP 60
MakerHunt
Weekly hunts aimed at people who ship, not spectators.
MakerHunt is a weekly launch competition for builders. Projects go live Monday 8:00am UTC, sit on the homepage for a week, and compete for top-3 badges. Pricing follows the Hunt-network pattern: free (often badge + nofollow), optional nofollow-without-badge, and ~$19 Premium for guaranteed dofollow and a launch story.
The editorial difference is audience framing — MakerHunt talks to people who ship weekly, so the comments skew toward “I tried it” rather than drive-by upvotes. The traffic ceiling is still a focused board.
Pick MakerHunt when you want maker-to-maker feedback; pick IndieHunt when you want the broader indie-SaaS room. One weekly Hunt board in the same week is usually plenty.
Scheduled weekly cycle
Should you launch on MakerHunt?
Yes — this is a fairer weekly cycle than Product Hunt if you have no private hunter list.
MakerHunt is an actual launch surface: a date, a ranking or homepage slot, and comments. Cost: Free tier. ~$19 Premium; shared Premium Launcher license across Hunt sites.
Do not expect Product Hunt volume. Do expect a lasting page and a room small enough that silence is obvious. Stay in the comments for the whole cycle.
MakerHunt is part of the Hunt network — specialized rooms for daily launches (Aura++), weekly niches (IndieHunt, MakerHunt, SideHunt, EarlyHunt), and a lasting catalog (Uno Directory). Match cadence and niche; one daily and one weekly Hunt board in the same month is usually enough.
When: Week 2 as a warm-up, or as the only board if you are skipping Product Hunt. Not the same morning as Show HN.
Launch here if
- Tools other makers will use (dev, design, productivity)
- Founders who will demo in the comments
- A week-long warm-up before Product Hunt
Skip if
- Consumer apps that makers will not try
- Same-week launches on every Hunt weekly when one already matches
- Anyone buying Premium only to screenshot a badge
This page answers MakerHunt only. For an ordered stack by stage, buyer, and goal, use the shortlist recommender or the four-week sequence.
Launch window
When to show up
Monday 8:00am UTC, seven days on the homepage
One weekly Hunt room is enough. Match the niche (indie SaaS, makers, side projects, AI) instead of stacking every Monday board.
What money buys
Free vs paid
Free
Free, slot-capped
A weekly homepage run. Often nofollow — confirm on the live page.
Premium
~$19
Guaranteed dofollow and a spotlight. One weekly Hunt board is usually enough.
Ship kit
Do this before you press submit on MakerHunt.
- 01One-liner that matches the homepage H1
- 02Thumbnail plus a few real screens
- 03First comment written before you go live
- 04A URL strangers can actually try
- 05You present for the whole cycle — silence is obvious on a small board
Stack with
Same launch month, different job — not a second hunter day.
Not the same morning
These rooms all want you in the comments. Pick one.
Ask AI
Opens your assistant with a ready-made prompt about MakerHunt
How to submit
01
Write the listing for a maker, not a VC
What does it replace, what can I try in two minutes, what is actually done.
02
Ship a guest or demo path
Makers bounce if the first screen is a sales call calendar.
03
Stay for the week
A Tuesday reply to a bug report is the whole product.
Tips
- If the buyer is not a maker, skip MakerHunt.
- Use one Hunt weekly, then a non-Hunt directory for GEO.
- Confirm badge rules before you promise a free launch to yourself.
Questions people ask
Compare with
Sources and limits
Traffic and authority figures are planning ranges from public 2025–2026 reports, not platform-official guarantees. Scores last reviewed September 2026. Rules and prices change — confirm on the vendor site before you pay.