Not all subreddits are created equal. Some welcome self-promotion, others will ban you instantly. Here's your definitive guide to the best places to share your startup in 2025.
Tier 1: Most Promotion-Friendly#
These subreddits explicitly allow self-promotion. Start here to practice your approach before moving to stricter communities.
Gold standard for project sharing. Extremely supportive community designed for entrepreneurs. 145-298% yearly growth.
"I built..." posts, video demos, tech stack discussions allowed. Story/context required.
Indie hackers, solo founders, product demos
Explicit promotion welcome. Lower quality leads but accepts anything.
Direct product pitches acceptable
Testing messaging, direct promotion
Showcase creative projects and products. High engagement for visual content.
Share your creations
Creative/visual products, design work
GitHub-hosted projects only. High engagement among developers.
Reposts allowed if 6+ months + new features
Developer tools, open source projects
Share your creations. High encouragement/feedback culture.
Art, crafts, digital, apps all welcome
Finished products, creation stories
Tier 2: High-Reach, Strict Rules#
These subreddits have massive reach but require strategic approach. Direct promotion gets you banned—use designated threads and value-first content.
Largest startup community. Story-driven posts work best.
Direct self-promotion = PERMANENT BAN. Weekly 'Thank You Thursday' for promos. Need 10+ karma within r/Entrepreneur.
Business lessons, 'How I built...' stories
Highly engaged founders discussing validation, funding, GTM. +194K members/year growth.
Monthly 'Share Your Startup' thread. Weekly 'Manic Mondays'. NO direct URLs in posts.
Discussion posts, experience sharing
MASSIVE reach—can drive 100K+ views. But extremely strict.
NO sign-up products. 90-10 rule enforced. Account must have karma history.
Free, unique web tools only
Self-promotion allowed if thoughtful and non-salesy. AMAs perform well.
Weekly Feedback Thread for MVPs/products
SaaS founders, metrics sharing, product insights
r/InternetIsBeautiful Workaround
Tier 3: Niche Communities#
Developer & Technical#
| Subreddit | Members | Rules | Best Content |
|---|---|---|---|
| r/webdev | 1.5M+ | Showoff Saturday only | Web dev tools |
| r/devops | 250K+ | Value-first | Infrastructure solutions |
| r/programming | Large | VERY STRICT - no product launches | Programming craft only |
| r/AI_Agents | Niche | Focused on autonomous AI | AI frameworks, tools, demos |
No-Code & Automation#
Building without coding focus. Great for no-code MVPs and workflows.
Project showcases welcome
Webflow, Airtable, Zapier projects
Indie Hackers & Micro-SaaS#
| Subreddit | Members | Enforcement | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| r/indiehackers | 115K+ | Often allows popular self-promo | Bootstrapped founders |
| r/buildinpublic | 27K+ | Varies | Build journey updates |
| r/MicroSaaS | Niche | Micro-SaaS focus | Small SaaS discussions |
| r/RoastMyStartup | Niche | Feedback-focused | Honest feedback/roasts |
Beta Testing Communities#
Perfect for pre-launch products. These communities expect early-stage products and provide valuable feedback.
Beta testing focus. Community expects early-stage products.
Beta signup requests welcome
Products in beta, early access offers
Beta testing focused. High intent testers.
App testing opportunities
All beta products
Daily beta tester opportunities. All products welcome.
Testing requests with clear instructions
Mobile apps, web apps
Subreddits to AVOID#
Instant Ban Risk
| Subreddit | Why to Avoid |
|---|---|
| r/sales | ANY business promotion = instant permanent ban. No exceptions. |
| r/programming | Extremely strict. Focused on craft only. No launches. |
| r/technology | Too big, too hostile to self-promo |
| r/business | Heavily moderated, no promotion |
Warning Signs a Subreddit is Wrong#
- Sidebar explicitly says "no self-promotion"
- Recent posts show heavy moderator removal
- Top posts are all news/discussion, never showcases
- No weekly/monthly promotional threads
Optimal Posting Times#
Best Days to Post#
Monday-Thursday perform best for business/startup content. Avoid Mondays for r/Entrepreneur (save for NooB Monday questions).
Peak Engagement Windows (EST)#
| Time | Why It Works | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| 6-9 AM | Before work browsing | Business-minded Redditors |
| 12-2 PM | Lunch breaks | Quick engagement |
| 7-9 PM | Evening unwinding | Longer reads |
Special Thread Timing#
- r/webdev: Saturdays only ("Showoff Saturday")
- r/Entrepreneur: Thursdays ("Thank You Thursday" promo thread)
- r/startups: Monthly stickied thread + Weekly "Manic Mondays"
Posting Strategies by Tier#
Tier 1 Strategy (Explicit Promotion)#
- Karma Required: 50-100 minimum
- Format: Direct but valuable—story + product
- Frequency: Weekly acceptable if adding value
- Follow-up: Engage with ALL initial comments
Tier 2 Strategy (High-Reach Strict)#
- Karma Required: 100-500+ (build 2-5 days minimum)
- Pre-work: 2-3 weeks genuine participation, NO promotion
- Format: 95% value, 5% product mention
- Ratio: 9:1 contribution to promotion
- Always: Disclose affiliation upfront
Tier 3 Strategy (Niche)#
- Karma Required: 100+
- Research: Check if official "no links" rule is enforced
- Format: Match community tone/culture exactly
- Cadence: Don't become "that promo person"
What Success Looks Like#
Winning Post Formats#
- "I built [product] in [timeframe]" — "I built a SaaS making $10K/month in 6 months"
- "How I [achievement]" — "How I got 1,000 users without ads"
- Educational/Story-driven — "Lessons from building [product]"
- Data-backed — Revenue numbers, user counts, specific metrics
- Vulnerable/Honest — "My startup failed—here's what I learned"
Real Results#
| Example | Result | Key Factor |
|---|---|---|
| Findlay Hats | $28K from one post | Humorous, genuine personality |
| Starter Story | $80K/month business | Weekly r/Entrepreneur posts |
| Tinder for Movies | 22,000 signups | Personal story over features |
| Chargeback Armor | $5.2M acquisition | Started from one Reddit comment |
The First Hour Matters