Where to launch an iOS app

Apple’s own route to editorial featuring on the App Store.

Cost

Free

Best for

Every app. Nominate before launch day, not after.

Prepare

A nomination name, a detailed description, and your launch date or timeframe. Apple may ask for artwork later.

Rules to know

• Nominate in App Store Connect, on your app’s Featuring tab.
• Apple asks for at least two weeks’ notice on its Getting Featured page and at least three weeks in App Store Connect Help, and recommends nominating up to three months ahead.
• The Account Holder, Admin, App Manager or Marketing role can submit.
• Up to 10 apps per developer account, and up to 5 links of supporting material per nomination.

Checked September 14, 2026 on developer.apple.com/app-store/getting-featured, developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-featuring-nominations/nominate-your-app-for-featuring

Built only for iOS apps by indie makers and solo founders: a reviewed launch, then a listing that stays.

Cost

Paid, one-time: Listed $9, Daily Spotlight $29 or Weekly Spotlight $49. Launch prices for the first spots: $5, $15 and $25.

Best for

Launching as soon as your app is live on the App Store, with launch posts written for each channel, a badge that counts App Store clicks, and a Spotlight week on the homepage if you want one.

Prepare

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

Rules to know

• Only apps already live on the App Store.
• A person reviews every submission. If it isn’t approved, or there’s no decision within 48 hours of payment, you’re refunded in full.
• A Spotlight week that’s missed or cut short moves to the next free Monday.

Checked September 15, 2026 on launchindieapps.com/pricing, launchindieapps.com/about

It takes App Store links, but the audience leans toward tech and web products.

Cost

Free

Best for

An app with a clear hook for early adopters, launched on a day you can spend replying.

Prepare

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 to know

• 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.
• Products behind a waitlist aren’t featured unless people get immediate access.

Checked September 14, 2026 on producthunt.com/launch, help.producthunt.com/en/articles/479557-how-to-post-a-product, help.producthunt.com/en/articles/481909, help.producthunt.com/en/articles/9883485

Its help center lists mobile apps as accepted. Most visitors are founders and indie hackers.

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.

Best for

A free launch, if you can bring votes on the day.

Prepare

A live product page Uneed can read, a logo and a description.

Rules to know

• 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.
• Submitting doesn’t schedule anything: choose a launch option in your dashboard afterwards.

Checked September 14, 2026 on uneed.best/submit-a-tool, uneed.best/pricing, uneed.best/how-it-works, help.uneed.best/common-questions-and-issues/what-we-accept

Apps with App Store links launch there, though most visitors are SaaS founders.

Cost

Free, or a $49 Pro Launch to skip the queue.

Best for

A month-long campaign instead of a single launch day.

Prepare

An X or Google account to sign in, and your app’s details.

Rules to know

• Launches run as 30-day campaigns.
• Free launches wait in a queue of two to three months or more, and get no-follow links.
• Relaunches are for major feature releases only.

Checked September 14, 2026 on microlaunch.net, microlaunch.net/premium

Developers and designers vote, and apps compete with every other kind of project.

Cost

No price shown.

Best for

Showing a finished app to builders who follow indie makers.

Prepare

A verified personal Peerlist profile, and a project name, tagline, cover image and link.

Rules to know

• Individual, verified profiles only, with a real name and photo. No company profiles.
• The project must be complete, or the launch fails.
• Launches open on Mondays, 12:00 AM to 11:59 PM UTC.
• Only the week’s top 5 projects get a backlink, and asking for upvotes counts as spam.

Checked September 14, 2026 on peerlist.io/launchpad, help.peerlist.io/individual/launchpad/guidelines-faqs

Nothing on its pages mentions mobile apps or the App Store.

Cost

Free, or one-time paid tiers from $29.

Best for

An extra launch if your app has its own website.

Prepare

An account, and a website for the backlink on the free tier.

Rules to know

• The free tier requires a link to Fazier on your homepage or footer.
• Free submissions are reviewed and listed within 30 days.
• Paid tiers need no backlink and can be scheduled.

Checked September 14, 2026 on fazier.com/submit

No stated rule for mobile apps, and most launches are web products.

Cost

Free standard launch, or $39 per Premium launch to skip the queue.

Best for

A small launch if your app has a website.

Prepare

An account, and a website where you can embed the badge.

Rules to know

• Free launches wait in the standard queue.
• The top three get a badge, and the do-follow link needs that badge embedded on your site.

Checked September 14, 2026 on tinylaunch.com, tinylaunch.com/pricing

A hand-picked directory that lists apps as well as web tools, with a newsletter behind it.

Cost

Free to submit a startup. Deal and tool listings are $49, and sponsored spots start at $119.

Best for

A free, curated listing with a link that lasts, if a person approves it.

Prepare

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

Rules to know

• 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 to rank higher; the free spot is a plain listing.

Checked September 22, 2026 on tinystartups.com, tinystartups.com/submit

Its guidelines say it is for AI products. It does have a Mobile Apps category, but the audience is mostly founders and developers.

Cost

Free, in a 14-day queue. Plus is $15 and Pro $25, one-time, to launch on a date you choose. Homepage ads from $15 a week.

Best for

An extra free listing and backlink, if your app uses AI or you can keep their badge on your site.

Prepare

A website URL, a square logo, a tagline and up to 5 screenshots. There is a separate field for your App Store link. You need a free account.

Rules to know

• Every launch is reviewed by a person, aiming for about 24 hours.
• The free listing's link is dofollow only while their badge stays on your site. Plus and Pro don't need the badge.
• Pro adds 7 days on the homepage and a dedicated blog post.
• Ask your community to upvote, but don't buy votes.

Checked October 9, 2026 on codehype.ai, codehype.ai/submit, codehype.ai/pricing, codehype.ai/guidelines

A direct App Store link isn’t accepted as the product link.

Cost

Paid only. The price appears at checkout, and you’re refunded if the app isn’t selected.

Best for

A pre-launch or just-launched app with its own landing page.

Prepare

A landing page on your own domain.

Rules to know

• Needs its own domain and a custom landing page. An App Store button on that page is fine.
• No apps that repeat one already released on another platform.
• Featured at most twice, before and at launch, at least a few weeks apart.

Checked September 14, 2026 on betalist.com/criteria, betalist.com/support

A general startup launch site, not built around apps.

Cost

Free with a StartupBase badge on your site, launching in about 4–5 weeks. Premium from $39, one-time, on a date you pick within 30 days.

Best for

An extra launch if your app has a website that can carry the badge.

Prepare

A website for the badge, and your product details.

Rules to know

• The free launch requires the StartupBase badge on your website.

Checked September 14, 2026 on startupbase.io/launch

A directory of iOS apps by indie makers and solo founders, where every listing is reviewed by a person. It’s new, so the catalog is still growing.

Cost

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

Best for

A permanent listing where people discover indie iOS apps, with facts about price, accounts and offline use shown before they download.

Prepare

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

Rules to know

• 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 September 15, 2026 on launchindieapps.com/pricing, launchindieapps.com/about

A curated directory for indie iOS apps only.

Cost

Paid, one-time: Listed $9, Featured $79 for 7 days, Spotlight $149 for 7 days. No free option shown.

Best for

A paid listing, with a week of homepage placement if you want one.

Prepare

An app that is live on the App Store.

Rules to know

• Only apps already available on the App Store.
• Every submission is reviewed by hand, and a rejected purchase is refunded in full.

Checked September 14, 2026 on discoverindieapps.com/submit, discoverindieapps.com/terms-of-service

A catalog of indie apps for Apple platforms, iPhone included.

Cost

No price or payment step shown on the submit pages.

Best for

A catalog listing, plus a news post on launch day or for a big update.

Prepare

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

Rules to know

• 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.
• A separate news form takes launches and big updates: a title of up to 65 characters and at least a couple of short paragraphs.

Checked September 14, 2026 on indieappcatalog.com/app/submit, indieappcatalog.com/news/submit, indieappcatalog.com/about

Built for iOS app deals, so the audience is iPhone users; it works only if you run a real offer.

Cost

Paid only. One iOS feature is $150 for a day; bundles of two for $200 and five for $250. Quarterly plans from $199.

Best for

A launch-day deal, such as a free lifetime unlock or a discount, shown to people who look for app deals.

Prepare

An iOS app with an offer you can switch on for the day, and a plan chosen on the pricing page.

Rules to know

• Your app runs a limited-time offer during the feature: a free deal, free subscription or discount. The site says free lifetime deals perform best.
• Placement is bought by plan through checkout; there is no free submission.

Checked September 22, 2026 on indieappsanta.com, indieappsanta.com/pricing

It has an iPhone section, but people arrive looking for an alternative to an app they know, not for new launches.

Cost

Free, or a one-time $5 to move to the front of the review queue.

Best for

Being found by people searching for an alternative to a well-known app.

Prepare

An account, then your app’s description, platforms, license and tags, and the apps it replaces.

Rules to know

• Verify your email address before you can suggest an app.
• Free suggestions usually wait at least a few months. The $5 priority review usually takes 1–2 business days.
• Don’t offer anything in return for upvotes.

Checked September 14, 2026 on alternativeto.net/faq, alternativeto.net/platform/iphone

A software directory that accepts mobile apps only when they have a proper website.

Cost

Free. A Featured listing is $99 a month.

Best for

A secondary listing if your app has its own website.

Prepare

Your website, categories and competitors. An email address on your own domain gets higher priority.

Rules to know

• Released products only: no waitlists or unreleased apps.
• Your own domain, not a free subdomain.
• List your competitors, or the submission goes to the bottom of the queue.
• No submissions by email.

Checked September 14, 2026 on saashub.com/services/submit, saashub.com/featured-products

Mostly developers and tech readers, and an App Store-only app is harder for them to try than a web link.

Cost

Free

Best for

An app with something technically interesting to discuss.

Prepare

An App Store link people can use without signing up, and a first comment with the story behind the app.

Rules to know

• Show HN is for something people can try, ideally without sign-ups or emails.
• Start the title with “Show HN”, and don’t use capitals or exclamation marks for emphasis.
• Don’t ask friends to upvote or comment.
• Be around to answer questions.

Checked September 14, 2026 on news.ycombinator.com/showhn.html, news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

Founders and makers read it, not app users.

Cost

Free account

Best for

A build-in-public story about your app.

Prepare

An account and a product page.

Rules to know

• A free account is needed to add a product or post.

Checked September 14, 2026 on indiehackers.com/products

iPhone and iPad users looking for apps.

Cost

Free

Best for

A finished app shared with people who try new apps, once you’re part of the subreddit.

Prepare

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

Rules to know

• 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.
• Developers who don’t qualify for the main feed promote in the monthly App Shelf megathread.
• Links must go to the App Store or TestFlight, and you always disclose that you made the app.
• No generative AI or AI-wrapper apps.

Checked September 14, 2026 on reddit.com/r/iosapps/about/rules

A very large audience of Apple users, with a narrow window for developers.

Cost

Free

Best for

A Sunday post about your app if you already take part in the subreddit.

Prepare

A history of comments or posts in r/apple, and a text post about your app.

Rules to know

• Developers may promote their app on Sundays (California time), as a self-post only.
• Activity requirements are enforced: take part in the subreddit before you post.
• Read the detailed self-promotion rules linked from the rules page first.

Checked September 14, 2026 on reddit.com/r/apple/about/rules

iOS developers, not app users. They reward what you learned building it.

Cost

Free

Best for

A how-I-built-it post with a real technical challenge.

Prepare

Your tech stack, a specific technical or design problem you solved, and an honest AI disclosure.

Rules to know

• Post your app only on a Saturday, and only one app, once a year.
• Don’t post just before the day changes, or without previous activity in the subreddit.
• App Saturday posts must cover your tech stack, one development challenge and how you solved it, and whether AI was used to build the app.

Checked September 14, 2026 on reddit.com/r/iOSProgramming/about/rules, reddit.com/r/iOSProgramming/wiki/app-saturday

iPhone users, but developers need the moderators’ approval first.

Cost

Free

Best for

An app the moderators agree to feature, or an AMA.

Prepare

A message to the moderators explaining your app.

Rules to know

• Developers who want to promote their own app must message the moderators first.
• App release notes aren’t allowed as posts.

Checked September 14, 2026 on reddit.com/r/iphone/about/rules

Made for indie developers to share launches and updates. Many readers are developers themselves.

Cost

Free

Best for

Launch posts, significant updates and tips for using your app.

Prepare

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

Rules to know

• 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.

Checked September 14, 2026 on reddit.com/r/IndieAppNews/about/rules

Where developers and testers meet for App Store betas.

Cost

Free

Best for

Recruiting beta testers before launch.

Prepare

A public TestFlight link and a note on what testers should try.

Rules to know

• Posts are about your TestFlight app only, with no other links.
• The title is your app’s name, plus an optional short message, with no tags.
• Assign the correct flair, and don’t post the same app too often.

Checked September 14, 2026 on reddit.com/r/TestFlight/about/rules

Deal hunters. It doesn’t take launch deals, so it’s for a later sale, not launch day.

Cost

Free

Best for

A genuine price drop on a paid app after launch.

Prepare

A real, lasting price reduction and a correctly formatted title.

Rules to know

• No launch deals for new releases, no always-free or freemium apps, and no betas.
• No free trials or limited-time access offers.
• Titles follow the format [Platform] [App name] [Price change in US dollars] [Description].
• Promo codes only as a giveaway of 500 or more lifetime codes, never in plain text.

Checked September 14, 2026 on reddit.com/r/AppHookup/about/rules

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

Cost

Free

Best for

Telling other iOS developers you shipped, and asking for feedback.

Prepare

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

Rules to know

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

Checked September 14, 2026 on hackingwithswift.com/forums/app-announcements, hackingwithswift.com/forums/app-announcements/about-the-app-announcements-forum/4

Its readers care about quality apps made for Apple platforms.

Cost

Free. MacStories says it has never done paid reviews.

Best for

A well-made app with something new to try.

Prepare

A short, personal note and a way for the editor to try the app.

Rules to know

• There is no tips form. The About page lists the editors’ email addresses.
• They only write about apps they have tested themselves.
• Don’t send App Store release notes as a pitch.

Checked September 14, 2026 on macstories.net/about

A large Apple news site. Tips are for news, so an app needs a news angle.

Cost

Free

Best for

An app launch that is genuinely news.

Prepare

A clear news angle and your App Store link.

Rules to know

• Send tips by email or through the anonymous tips form on the contact page.

Checked September 14, 2026 on 9to5mac.com/contact

An Apple news site that takes news tips, with no guidance for app pitches.

Cost

Free

Best for

An app launch with a story behind it.

Prepare

A news angle and your App Store link.

Rules to know

• News tips go to the address on the About page.

Checked September 14, 2026 on cultofmac.com/about

A newsletter about indie developers, many on Apple platforms. It features people, not app listings.

Cost

Free

Best for

Sharing your story as an indie developer over time.

Prepare

A short update about your app and where you are with it.

Rules to know

• There is no form: subscribe, then reply to any issue with what you’re building, where you are and what’s next.
• Since 2026 it checks back in with developers every few weeks or months.

Checked September 14, 2026 on indiedevmonday.com/about

It takes blog posts and Swift libraries, not app announcements.

Cost

Free to suggest a link. Sponsorship is paid.

Best for

A technical write-up about how you built your app.

Prepare

A link to your write-up and a short reason it’s worth including.

Rules to know

• The suggestion form accepts blog posts and libraries only.
• Published weekly on Fridays for Swift and Apple platform developers.

Checked September 14, 2026 on suggest.iosdevweekly.com, iosdevweekly.com