Product launch websites all promise the same thing: put your new SaaS in front of early adopters on day one. Almost none of them publish what a launch actually sends. So we measured it. We launched saasrocket.space itself on the main platforms in August 2026 and tracked every referral session in Google Analytics from July 30 to September 2. The numbers are below, next to what each platform costs and what kind of link you get.
One product, one month, small numbers. Treat them as a floor for a niche product with no launch-day network push, not as a benchmark. They still say more than a list of logos.
Quick pick
- Product Hunt: the public event. Worth it only if you can bring your own crowd; a quiet launch sends almost nothing.
- BetaList: the one paid submission that sent us real traffic. Best for pre-revenue products looking for early adopters.
- Uneed, Fazier, TinyLaunch, MicroLaunch: cheap or free directory-style launches with a backlink. Steady trickle, no spike.
- Hacker News and Indie Hackers: free community surfaces. Strong when the story fits, silent when it does not.
- saasrocket.space: the shareable artifact. Use it alongside a distribution channel, not instead of one.
The comparison table
Sessions are visits to saasrocket.space referred by each platform, from Google Analytics, July 30 to September 2 2026. "First 7 days" counts from the first day the platform sent a visit.
| Platform | Cost to launch | Wait | Backlink | Sessions, first 7 days | Sessions, total | Peak day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BetaList | About $39, refunded if rejected | A few days of review | Dofollow | 67 | 87 | 33 |
| Fazier | Free with their badge on your site | Next launch slot | Badge backlink | 14 | 25 | 4 |
| Uneed | $14.99 fast-track or $29.99 skip the line; free queue closed | About 14 days on fast-track | Dofollow | 7 | 10 | 7 |
| Product Hunt | Free | Pick a date | Product page link | 8 | 10 | 6 |
| TinyLaunch | Free | Next launch period | Dofollow only with their badge | 9 | 10 | 2 |
| MicroLaunch | Free tier; Pro $49 (currently $39 with a code) | Monthly window | Dofollow on Pro | Not launched | Not launched | n/a |
| Hacker News (Show HN) | Free | None | No | Not measured | Not measured | n/a |
| Indie Hackers | Free | None | Community profile | Not measured | Not measured | n/a |
| saasrocket.space | Free during early access | Instant | Dofollow once your badge is verified | This is the site being measured | n/a | n/a |
Pricing sources: BetaList charges roughly $39 up front and refunds it if the startup is not accepted, according to the Submitator BetaList guide; Launch Directories lists paid submissions from $28.99 with dofollow links. Uneed's own pricing page shows the free waiting line closed, fast-track at $14.99, skip the line at $29.99, and a dofollow backlink. MicroLaunch's premium page lists Pro launches at $49, discounted to $39 with a code at the time of writing, with DR60+ dofollow backlinks. TinyLaunch's home page states the dofollow backlink is granted only when you embed their badge. Fazier's free-with-badge model is described in the Smol Launch TinyLaunch alternatives guide.
What each platform actually did
BetaList: the only real spike
Our listing went live on August 19. The next day BetaList sent 33 sessions, the biggest single-source day of the month, and 67 sessions in the first week. Two weeks later the total was 87 sessions from 81 users, and 65 of those sessions were engaged, so the visitors were not bouncing. It was the only paid submission in this table, and the only one that produced a spike you could see without squinting.
BetaList suits a product that is pre-revenue or in beta. The audience expects early-stage products and is patient with rough edges. Make the stage clear in your description.
Fazier: a steady trickle
Fazier sent 25 sessions across 13 different days and never more than 4 in a day. Nothing dramatic, but it kept sending visitors for two weeks after launch, which the daily-launch sites did not. Listing is free if you place their badge on your site.
Uneed: a one-day bump
Uneed sent 7 sessions on launch day, August 4, and 10 in total. The free queue is closed, so a launch now costs $14.99 or $29.99. The dofollow link is the main reason to pay; the traffic alone did not justify it for us.
Product Hunt: quiet without a crowd
We launched on August 4 without a coordinated upvote push. Product Hunt sent 6 sessions that day and 10 in total. That is well below published benchmarks: the Shno Product Hunt statistics roundup reports 1,000 to 5,000 launch-day visitors for featured products and 100 to 500 for non-featured ones, and notes that only about 10 percent of launches are featured at all. We were not featured and did not campaign, so this is what a Product Hunt launch looks like when you submit and move on. If you cannot bring your own network on the day, expect the same.
TinyLaunch: small and free
TinyLaunch sent 9 sessions in the first week and 10 total, spread across a week of launch days. Free, ranked by upvotes, and the dofollow link requires their badge on your page.
MicroLaunch, Hacker News, Indie Hackers
We did not launch saasrocket.space on MicroLaunch, so there is no number. It runs monthly rankings instead of a daily sprint, which stretches the exposure window. Hacker News and Indie Hackers are communities rather than directories; we did not post a Show HN because the product story is not technical enough for that audience, and Indie Hackers traffic showed up under direct and social sources rather than as a referrer.
What the numbers add up to
Across all launch platforms combined, referrals came to 142 sessions out of 1,160 total sessions in the period, about 12 percent. Direct traffic, outreach and replay links did the rest. Launch platforms were a supporting act: a backlink, a first handful of curious visitors, and a reason to post an announcement. The launch itself still runs on your own list, your own network and something worth sharing.
Which one for a solo founder
- Pre-revenue, looking for first users: pay BetaList once. It is the only line in the table where the money bought a visible result.
- Launching the same week on several sites: Fazier and TinyLaunch are free and each adds a backlink if you host their badge. Add Uneed if the dofollow link matters more than the $15.
- Product Hunt: only with a plan. Line up real users to upvote and comment, prepare a maker comment, and be present all day. Without that, submit for the badge and expect single digits.
- Give the announcement an artifact: a launch on saasrocket.space is free during early access, instant, and gives you a replay link and a permanent star on the galaxy map to attach to every post above. The dofollow link is earned by adding our badge, same as the others, and we say so up front.
For the announcement copy itself, the website launch announcement templates cover every channel in the table, and the two-week SaaS launch plan schedules the week around it. If BetaList is the platform you are weighing up, the BetaList alternatives page goes deeper on that one.
Frequently asked questions
Is Product Hunt still worth it in 2026?
Only with a network you can activate on the day. A quiet submission sent us 10 sessions. Published benchmarks put featured launches at 1,000 to 5,000 visitors and non-featured ones at 100 to 500, with roughly one launch in ten featured, according to the Shno statistics roundup. The badge and the product page are still useful; the traffic depends on you.
Which SaaS launch platforms give a dofollow backlink?
BetaList and Uneed give a dofollow link with a listing, per the Submitator guide and Uneed's pricing page. TinyLaunch, Fazier and saasrocket.space grant it when you add their badge to your site. MicroLaunch includes it on the paid Pro launch, per its premium page.
How much does it cost to launch on BetaList?
About $39, paid up front and refunded if the startup is not accepted, according to the Submitator BetaList guide. There is no free queue any more in practice.
Do launch platforms bring paying customers?
In our month they brought curious visitors, not customers: 142 referral sessions and no purchases attributable to a launch platform. They are a place to earn a link and a first look. Conversion happens on your own site, after the announcement.