Product Hunt vs BetaList
Choosing between Product Hunt and BetaList? Here's how they compare on price, link policy, review time and launch format, with Hauntboard, our own launch board, as a third option. We run Hauntboard, so every fact about Product Hunt and BetaList is sourced from their own pages.
Facts checked 14 Oct 2026 · Product Hunt sources · BetaList sources
The Short Answer
Product Hunt and BetaList are close to opposites. Product Hunt is free, runs a single-day leaderboard ranked by upvotes, and its outbound link isn't dofollow. BetaList is paid-only, selective, and aimed at pre-launch and early startups, with a Visit Site link that isn't marked nofollow. Pick Product Hunt if you can bring supporters on launch day; pick BetaList if you're still pre-launch and want early adopters.
Side by Side
Product Hunt, BetaList and Hauntboard, from each one's own pages.
| Dimension | Product Hunt | BetaList | Hauntboard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free option | Yes: Product Hunt's launch guide says launching is 100% free. It also sells advertising, but doesn't list ad prices there. | No: BetaList's FAQ says there is no free submission option. Startups that aren't selected get an automatic full refund. | Yes: the next open week, 20 free slots a week, with the Hauntboard badge on your site |
| Pricing | Free to launch. | Paid submission only (plan prices shown at checkout); full refund if not selected. Optional Boost: $99/week or $199/month. | Free (next open week, Hauntboard badge required, 20 slots a week) · Launch Now $19 (pick your week, no badge) · Spotlight $49 (pinned top row for the week, 4 a week). One-time payments. |
| Link type | Not dofollow: HackerNoon found the Visit website link marked ugc in September 2026, which isn't dofollow. Product Hunt blocked our own check on 14 Oct 2026. | Dofollow: BetaList's FAQ says the Visit Site link is a 301 redirect without nofollow (it adds ref=betalist). On the listing we checked, the main button had no nofollow; image links to the same redirect were marked nofollow. | Dofollow link for every approved launch; a free launch's link is nofollow while the Hauntboard badge isn't on its site |
| Review and timing | No review fee; you schedule the launch yourself. | Depends on the plan; BetaList shows the timeline when you choose one. | Human review: about 72 hours on the free tier, within 24 hours on paid launches |
| Launch format | Daily leaderboard, on Pacific Time. | Featured on the homepage feed; popular startups go in the newsletter at least 24 hours later. | Weekly board: one week on the board, and the product page stays up afterwards |
| Audience (its own figure) | No figure published on the pages we checked. | 60,000+ newsletter subscribers | No site-wide audience figure to quote yet; every launch page shows its own page views and visits, and totals are on the stats page. |
Which One Fits?
Choose Product Hunt if:
- • You have an audience that will show up on launch day.
- • You want to launch for free.
- • You want the reach of the best-known launch site.
Choose BetaList if:
- • Your startup is pre-launch or just launched, and you want early adopters.
- • You want a link that isn't nofollow: BetaList's FAQ says its Visit Site link is a 301 redirect without nofollow.
- • You'll pay for a selective listing, and a newsletter feature (60,000+ subscribers, by its own count).
Using Both
They suit different stages. Use BetaList while you collect early adopters before launch, then launch on Product Hunt once the product works and you can be online all day. Because BetaList is paid and selective, send it a product with a clear landing page.
Where Hauntboard Fits
Hauntboard is a weekly launch board where a person reviews every launch, every approved launch gets a dofollow link, and each launch page shows its own page views and visits in public. It's new, so its audience is still small, and it can sit next to either of these. See how it compares with Product Hunt or BetaList.
Common Questions
- Is BetaList free?
- No. BetaList's FAQ says there's no free submission option, and startups that aren't selected get an automatic full refund. Product Hunt is free to launch.
- Which gives a better backlink?
- HackerNoon found Product Hunt's Visit website link marked ugc in September 2026, which isn't dofollow. BetaList's FAQ says its Visit Site link is a 301 redirect without nofollow.
- Can I use both?
- Yes, and they fit different moments: BetaList for early adopters before you launch, Product Hunt for a launch day.
Ready to launch?
Launch on Hauntboard: free launches get human review in about 72 hours, a dofollow link while the Hauntboard badge is on your site, and public page views and visits.