The short answer
Start with Apple's featuring nomination in App Store Connect, then the communities where iOS users already look for apps, such as r/iosapps and r/IndieAppNews. Add Product Hunt and one or two free directories. Free costs time instead of money: waiting lines, posting rules and replying to people.
Every place below costs nothing to use. Each one has a catch, and the catch is usually where makers get stuck: a post removed for breaking a rule, or a free launch date months away.
This list is drawn from the Launch Map, where every place was checked on its own site. Rules change, so open the linked page before you post.
Where should you start?
With Apple. Nominating your app for App Store featuring is free and done in App Store Connect. Apple asks for at least 3 weeks' notice, so it's the one free thing that has to happen before launch day.
Nothing else on this list reaches people while they're standing in the App Store.
Which communities let you post your app?
| Place | When you can post | The rule that trips people up |
|---|---|---|
| r/iosapps | Once every 30 days | 10 karma there, plus App Store ratings or your real name and website for the main feed |
| r/apple | Sundays only, California time | 5 posts or comments a month that aren't about your app |
| r/iOSProgramming | Saturdays, one app a year | Your tech stack, one problem you solved, and an AI disclosure |
| r/IndieAppNews | Launches and real updates | A post written for Reddit beats a bare link |
| r/TestFlight | Before launch, for testers | Only your TestFlight link, and no tags in the title |
| Hacking with Swift forums | Any time | Include the App Store link |
| Show HN | Any time | Something people can try without signing up, and not a quick one-off |
Reddit is where most launches go wrong, because each subreddit has its own rules. Our Reddit guide goes through them one by one.
Which launch platforms are free?
| Platform | Free option | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Product Hunt | Free to launch | One day on the leaderboard, against thousands |
| Uneed | Free waiting line | A date 30 days to 5 months out, and a score of 10 to stay up |
| CodeHype | Free standard queue | Built for AI products and wants a website; a followed link needs their badge |
| Tiny Startups | Free to submit | A queue, hand approval, and a link that isn't do-follow |
Product Hunt is the big one. Should you launch there? depends on your app and your calendar.
Which directories are free?
- Indie Apps: free, permanent, and live straight away. It checks listings after they go up.
- Indie App Catalog: no price shown, reviewed before it appears, US App Store apps only, and no low-effort apps.
- AlternativeTo: free, but it says most free suggestions won't be looked at for a very long time. Worth paying for priority review if your app replaces a famous one.
More on choosing between them in which iOS app directories are worth it.
Can press and newsletters be free?
Yes. Apple-focused writers don't charge to cover an app, and MacStories says it has never done paid reviews. What they want is a short, personal note and a way to try the app.
Indie Dev Monday has no form at all: you subscribe, then reply to an issue with what you're building.
What does "free" really cost?
Time, in three forms:
- Waiting. Free launch lines can run for months.
- Rules. Each community has its own. In r/iosapps, even a removed post starts your 30-day wait again.
- Replies. Free places reward makers who answer every comment, all day.
Some "free" places also want something back, like a badge or a link on your website. That's a trade, not a gift, so decide whether you want their badge on your site.
Which free places should you skip?
- Places that need a website, if you only have an App Store page.
- Launch sites built for web products, where an iOS app is the odd one out.
- Anywhere you'd need to ask friends for upvotes to stay published.
How do you know which free place worked?
Give each place its own App Store campaign link. App Store Connect then shows page views and downloads per link, so a month later you know which free place was worth the time.
Where Launch Indie Apps fits
Launch Indie Apps isn't on this list, because it isn't free: a listing is a one-time payment, refunded if the app isn't approved. What is free is the Launch Map, with every place here checked on its own site and dated, whether you list with us or not.
Do this today
Nominate your app for featuring in App Store Connect if you haven't. Then pick one community from the table, read its rules page start to finish, and comment there for a week before you post.
Common questions
What is the best free way to promote an iOS app?
Start with Apple's featuring nomination in App Store Connect, which is free and needs at least 3 weeks' notice. Then post where iOS users look for apps, following each community's rules.
Can I post my iOS app on Reddit?
Yes, in subreddits that allow it and on their terms. r/iosapps allows one app post every 30 days once you have 10 karma there, and r/apple allows developer posts on Sundays.
Is Product Hunt free for iOS apps?
Yes. Launching on Product Hunt is free, and an iOS app can use its App Store link.
Sources
- Nominate your app for featuring, Apple Developer (checked October 16, 2026)
- Clarification of Trust and Transparency (pinned moderator post), r/iosapps (checked October 16, 2026)
- r/apple wiki: rules (archived copy of July 10, 2026), Reddit (checked October 16, 2026)
- r/iOSProgramming rules (archived copy of August 2, 2026), Reddit (checked October 16, 2026)
- r/IndieAppNews rules (archived copy of August 2, 2026), Reddit (checked October 16, 2026)
- r/TestFlight rules (archived copy of July 22, 2026), Reddit (checked October 16, 2026)
- App Announcements forum, Hacking with Swift (checked October 16, 2026)
- Show HN guidelines, Hacker News (checked October 16, 2026)
- Ad campaigns (launching is free), Product Hunt (checked October 16, 2026)
- How it works, Uneed (checked October 16, 2026)
- Pricing, CodeHype (checked October 16, 2026)
- Submit, Tiny Startups (checked October 16, 2026)
- List your app, Indie Apps (checked October 16, 2026)
- Submit an app, Indie App Catalog (checked October 16, 2026)
- FAQ, AlternativeTo (checked October 16, 2026)
- About, MacStories (checked September 14, 2026)
- About, Indie Dev Monday (checked September 14, 2026)
- Campaign links, Apple Developer (checked October 16, 2026)
- Where to launch an iOS app, Launch Indie Apps (checked October 16, 2026)
A note from Rashem
If you know a free place that belongs here, send it to hello@launchindieapps.com. I'll check it on its own site and add it to the Launch Map with the date.