The short answer
BetaList is for startups before launch or just after, and it needs a website on your own domain. A feature lasts about a day, and every submission is paid. Launch Indie Apps is for iOS apps already on the App Store, with only an App Store link. Before launch, BetaList. After, us.
Side by side
8 things that matter for an iOS launch, each with the one that fits better.
Your app's stage
Launch Indie Apps
Live on the App Store.
BetaList
Unreleased or recently launched. Apps launched weeks ago or longer aren't accepted.
Depends on youThey cover before launch; we cover after.
What you need
Launch Indie Apps
An App Store link. The name, icon and screenshots come in by themselves.
BetaList
A landing page on your own domain. App Store links aren't accepted as the website.
Better fit: Launch Indie AppsNo website needed here.
What you get
Launch Indie Apps
A permanent listing. No votes and no launch day to win or lose.
BetaList
A feature that lasts about a day before moving down the list. Startup pages appear to stay up.
Depends on youA day of attention against a page that stays.
Cost
Launch Indie Apps
$5 at the launch price, then $9, paid once. No free listing.
BetaList
Every submission is paid. The plan prices are shown inside the submission form, after you sign in, so we couldn't confirm them.
Better fit: Launch Indie AppsOur prices are public before you start.
Review
Launch Indie Apps
A person reviews every app before it goes live. A decision within 48 hours of payment, or a refund.
BetaList
An editorial team reviews each paid submission, gives no individual feedback, and its decision is final.
Depends on youBoth review by hand. Their refund wording differs between the FAQ and the terms.
Audience
Launch Indie Apps
New and small. Its own numbers are public on the stats page.
BetaList
70,000+ newsletter subscribers and 500,000+ page views a month (BetaList's figures; another line on the same page says 60k+).
Better fit: BetaListA much bigger audience of early adopters.
Link to your site
Launch Indie Apps
Links to your App Store page carry rel="sponsored", because the listing is paid. No link to your website.
BetaList
The Visit Site button on a recent listing is a followed link to your website, through a redirect, as BetaList's FAQ says.
Better fit: BetaListIf you want a backlink, BetaList gives one.
Fit for an iOS app
Launch Indie Apps
iOS apps on the App Store, made by indie makers and solo founders. Nothing else.
BetaList
Built for tech startups in general. An iOS version of an app already on another platform isn't accepted.
Better fit: Launch Indie AppsEvery listing here is an iOS app.
BetaList is the better choice if
- Your app isn't out yet and you want early sign-ups.
- You have a landing page on your own domain.
- You want a followed link and a large early-adopter audience.
Launch Indie Apps is the better choice if
- Your app is already on the App Store.
- You don't have a website, only an App Store page.
- You want a page that stays, and launch posts for everywhere else.
Using both
They fit different moments. Use BetaList while you collect sign-ups before launch, then list here once the app is on the App Store.
How we compared
We compared the two for one case: an indie maker with an iOS app already on the App Store, no audience yet and a small budget. If that isn't you, some rows will tip the other way.
Every fact about BetaList comes from its own pages, read on October 16, 2026 and linked below. Where its pages disagree with each other, we say so. Each row says which one fits that case better and why, or that it depends. We don't give scores out of ten; that would claim a precision we don't have.
This page is ours, and it's written by the person who runs Launch Indie Apps, so read it knowing that. Launch Indie Apps isn't affiliated with BetaList, and nobody paid for this page. If something here is wrong or out of date, email hello@launchindieapps.com and we'll fix it.
Common questions
Is BetaList free?
No. BetaList says all submissions are paid and there is no free submission option.
Can I submit an iOS app to BetaList with only an App Store link?
No. BetaList's submission terms say it doesn't accept app store links or pages on free subdomains, so you need your own landing page.
Is Launch Indie Apps affiliated with BetaList?
No. The two are independent of each other, and nobody paid for this comparison.
Sources
- Support and FAQ, BetaList (checked October 16, 2026)
- Criteria, BetaList (checked October 16, 2026)
- Submission terms, BetaList (checked October 16, 2026)
- Boost, BetaList (checked October 16, 2026)
- Advertise, BetaList (checked October 16, 2026)
- Anchorlight listing (link markup checked), BetaList (checked October 16, 2026)
- Pricing, Launch Indie Apps (checked October 16, 2026)
- About, Launch Indie Apps (checked October 16, 2026)
- Live stats, Launch Indie Apps (checked October 16, 2026)