How to promote your startup on r/startups

What is r/startups?

r/startups (reddit.com) is a reddit: large startup community for feedback and advice. Direct promotion is restricted to designated threads.

Subreddits are where founders find their first users. Reddit links are nofollow, but threads rank in Google for years and are one of the sources AI assistants cite most. Every subreddit has its own self-promotion rules - read the sidebar first, lead with a story or a genuine question, and never post the same link across many subs at once.

How to submit to r/startups

1. 1Use an account with real history - new accounts and low karma are often auto-filtered.
2. 2Read the subreddit rules and sidebar: many only allow promotion in weekly threads or on specific days.
3. 3Write a post that is useful on its own - what you built, why, what you learned, and real numbers.
4. 4Put the link in the post body or a comment only where the rules allow it, and add UTM parameters.
5. 5Reply to every comment in the first few hours; engagement decides whether the post reaches the front of the sub.

r/startups backlink and SEO value

Elite authority · DR 92

With an Ahrefs Domain Rating around 92, r/startups sits among the most authoritative domains on the web. Even a single profile here is a strong brand and trust signal, and pages on high-DR domains tend to rank for your brand name within weeks.

Links from r/startups are nofollow, so they do not directly pass PageRank. The value is elsewhere: brand search results, referral traffic, trust for buyers who research you, and citations that AI assistants pick up when they describe your product.

Want the live number? Run reddit.com through the free Domain Rating checker.

How much does r/startups cost?

Submitting to r/startups is free. There is no reason not to include it in your launch checklist - the only cost is the 10-20 minutes it takes to write a good listing.

Tips for a r/startups listing that converts

• Use the same product name, tagline, and logo you use on Founder.best and other directories - consistency helps search engines connect your listings.
• Write a fresh description for r/startups instead of copy-pasting. Duplicate text across dozens of sites adds little value.
• Add UTM parameters to your link so you can see in analytics whether r/startups sends real visitors.
• Record the live listing URL and date in your tracker, then check back in 30 days for indexing and traffic.

r/startups vs Founder.best

They work best together: an active weekly launch on Founder.best brings launch-day attention and a dofollow link, and r/startups adds a long-lived listing afterwards.

r/startups alternatives and similar directories

r/advancedentrepreneur

reddit.com

Experienced founders only - share deep lessons, not launch announcements.

DR 92 · Nofollow · Free

r/alphaandbetausers

reddit.com

Find early testers - post your beta and ask for specific feedback.

DR 92 · Nofollow · Free

r/androidapps

reddit.com

Android app discovery - developers can post their own apps following the sub's format.

DR 92 · Nofollow · Free

r/AppIdeas

reddit.com

Share and discuss app ideas, and find people who want what you are building.

DR 92 · Nofollow · Free

r/artificial

reddit.com

AI news and discussion - relevant for AI products with something new to show.

DR 92 · Nofollow · Free

r/betatests

reddit.com

Recruit beta testers for apps and web products.

DR 92 · Nofollow · Free

FAQ

Is r/startups free to submit to?

Submitting to r/startups is free. There is no reason not to include it in your launch checklist - the only cost is the 10-20 minutes it takes to write a good listing.

Does r/startups give a dofollow backlink?

No - links from r/startups are nofollow. It is still useful for brand visibility, referral traffic, and AI citations.

What is the Domain Rating (DR) of r/startups?

r/startups (reddit.com) has an Ahrefs Domain Rating of roughly 92 (elite authority). DR changes over time - check the live score with the free Domain Rating checker on Founder.best.

Is r/startups worth it for a new startup?

Our verdict: Must submit (8/10). r/startups combines free submission, strong visibility, and high authority. Put it near the top of your launch checklist.

What should I submit to before r/startups?

Start with an active launch on Founder.best for homepage visibility and a dofollow backlink, then work through reddit options like r/startups. One active launch plus 5-10 quality directories beats mass-submitting to hundreds of low-quality lists.