Microlaunch alternatives for iOS apps

Free, on a day you schedule up to 30 days ahead, with a far bigger audience.

Cost:

Free

What you need:

A personal account at least a week old, a square thumbnail (240×240), at least two gallery images (1270×760), a tagline, and a description of up to 260 characters.

Rules that trip people up

• Post from a personal account. Company accounts can’t post products.
• A new account waits one week before it can post, unless it subscribes to the newsletter.
• Launch days start at 12:01 AM Pacific, and you can schedule a launch up to 30 days ahead.

Checked October 19, 2026 on its own site.

A daily launch board that lists mobile apps as accepted, free if you can wait.

Cost:

Free waiting line, launching 30 days to 5 months out. Fast-track $14.99 for a date about two weeks out, or $29.99 to pick your date.

What you need:

Your product’s name and a live page Uneed can read. It asks you to sign up after reading it.

Rules that trip people up

• Launches go live at 12:00 AM Pacific.
• A free launch needs a score of 10 on launch day to stay published, and 20 to keep a do-follow link.
• Products behind a waitlist or invite code are refused, and reviewers need a way to actually try the app.

Checked October 19, 2026 on its own site.

Hand-picked, lists apps as well as web tools, with a free queue.

Cost:

Free to submit, in a queue, with a link that isn’t do-follow. A £69 instant listing skips the queue and makes the link do-follow; the sponsor board is pay-what-you-want from £69.

What you need:

A URL for your app (a website, or your App Store page), a logo and a short description.

Rules that trip people up

• Submit your URL; the listing is read off it and you correct what comes back wrong.
• Every listing is hand-approved, and popular ones reach the homepage and the newsletter.
• Sponsors pay what they want on the sponsor board to rank higher; the free spot is a plain listing.

Checked October 16, 2026 on its own site. Not confirmed: the submit page doesn’t say whether an App Store link alone is accepted, or how long approval takes.

A listing for iOS apps that a person reviews and that stays up, paid once.

Cost:

Paid, one-time: Listed $9 for a permanent listing, or $5 for the first 15 apps at the launch price.

What you need:

Your App Store link. Facts about price, accounts and offline use can be added while it’s in review.

Rules that trip people up

• Only apps already live on the App Store.
• A person reviews every submission, and an app that isn’t approved is refunded in full.
• Listings show the maker’s answers about price, free tier, accounts and offline use.

Checked October 19, 2026 on its own site.

A paid, hand-reviewed directory for indie iOS apps only.

Cost:

Paid, one-time: Listed $9 for a permanent listing, or Spotlight $99 for 7 days at the top of the homepage. Featured apps are picked by the editors. No free way to submit.

What you need:

An app that is live on the App Store.

Rules that trip people up

• Only apps already available on the App Store; the form needs your App Store link.
• Reviewed by hand after payment, usually within 24 hours. A submission that isn’t approved is refunded in full.
• Only one Spotlight app at a time. If it’s taken, you’re booked into the next free slot.

Checked October 16, 2026 on its own site.

Free and live straight away, for apps made by one developer.

Cost:

Free listing. Paid placements by the week at launch prices, which it says will rise: Featured $4.99, Spotlight $9.99, or a side rail for $24.99 a month.

What you need:

Your App Store link. Metadata is read from the App Store and refreshed weekly.

Rules that trip people up

• Independent Apple apps only, made by one developer. Anything else is removed, with the reason sent back.
• There's no review before publication: listings go live at once and are checked afterwards.
• Links from listings and developer pages are nofollow. The website link becomes followed if you show their badge or pay for Featured.

Checked October 16, 2026 on its own site.

Reviewed before it appears, and the form asks only for your App Store link.

Cost:

No price or payment step shown on the submit pages.

What you need:

Your US App Store link. For a news post, a 16:9 header image at least 1600px wide and under 2MB.

Rules that trip people up

• Indie apps only: made by people you can talk to, not big companies.
• The app must be available on the US App Store.
• Submissions are reviewed before they appear, and the form asks only for your App Store link.

Checked October 16, 2026 on its own site. Not confirmed: the pages don’t say how long review takes.

iPhone and iPad users looking for apps, on the subreddit's terms.

Cost:

Free

What you need:

Karma from commenting in the subreddit, your price and flair, and your App Store link.

Rules that trip people up

• Everyone needs 10 karma earned in r/iosapps before posting.
• Self-promotion at most once per developer every 30 days, counted from your last app post, even a removed one. Posts in the monthly thread count too.
• The main feed also needs a trust signal (such as 20+ App Store ratings) or full transparency (your real name, contact details, and a website with a privacy policy and terms). Everyone else posts in the monthly App Shelf thread.

Checked October 16, 2026 on its own site.

Made for indie developers to share launches and real updates.

Cost:

Free

What you need:

A post written for Reddit rather than a link to your website.

Rules that trip people up

• Post app introductions, significant updates, or other content about your app.
• Its rules say content written on Reddit will probably work better than a link elsewhere.
• Less than one post per app per day.

Checked October 16, 2026 on its own site.

A Swift developer forum with a board just for announcing apps.

Cost:

Free

What you need:

Your App Store link, and promo codes if you have some.

Rules that trip people up

• Include a link to the App Store.
• Promo codes are welcome.
• If you want feedback on your app, ask for it.

Checked October 16, 2026 on its own site. Not confirmed: the pages don’t say whether posting needs an account.