Sidehunt

Tired of launching your side project into the void? Welcome to Sidehunt, the weekly arena where indie makers and builders go to get real traction. This isn't just another directory; it's a focused, weekly competition where genuine early adopters—known as "hunters"—actively explore, vote on, and try new products. Every week, a fresh batch of side projects and indie launches goes live in a single, structured hunt. This creates massive visibility spikes and delivers authentic, concentrated feedback you can actually use. Whether you're a solo founder testing an idea or a small team looking to scale a launch, Sidehunt cuts through the noise. For a simple, one-time fee, you get your product in front of a targeted audience hungry for innovation, compete for valuable badges and dofollow backlinks, and join a curated hall of fame. Stop guessing and start growing with real user validation. Join the hunt where side projects become standout successes.

The Weekly Hunt

This is the core of Sidehunt: one focused, time-bound competition each week where all new products are featured. This creates a surge of attention and ensures your launch isn't buried in a perpetual feed. Hunters cast real votes, driving a transparent leaderboard. The top three products win coveted badges and powerful dofollow backlinks, providing immediate social proof and SEO benefits to help you stand out and climb the ranks.

Premium "This Week's Hunt" Spotlight

Grab the ultimate advantage with the premium spotlight position at the very top of the weekly hunt page. This featured slot gives your project maximum visibility before users even start scrolling, dramatically increasing click-through rates and engagement. It's the prime digital real estate for makers serious about making a big splash and capturing the attention of early adopters the moment they arrive.

Curated Top Categories & Hall of Fame

Discoverability is key. Sidehunt organizes all launches into clear, trending categories like Artificial Intelligence, Productivity, and SaaS, making it easy for hunters to find projects they love. Beyond the weekly buzz, the Hall of Fame showcases past winners and standout launches, providing lasting visibility and serving as social proof that builds long-term credibility for your product.

Featured Partners & Sponsorship Slots

Amplify your reach beyond the core platform. Sidehunt offers featured partner spots and site-wide sponsorships across its partner network, giving you sustained visibility. These sponsored slots support the community while offering makers a powerful way to run targeted campaigns, swap creatives anytime, and own a piece of premium advertising space that early adopters trust.

Solo Founders Validating an MVP

You've built a minimum viable product (MVP) in your spare time and need genuine feedback fast. Sidehunt provides the perfect, low-friction launchpad. Submit your project, get in front of active early adopters, and use the real votes and comments to validate your core concept before investing months of further development. It's the fastest way to know if you're on the right track.

Indie Hackers Seeking Initial Traction

For indie hackers, the first 100 users are the hardest. Sidehunt solves this by concentrating a community of eager hunters into a weekly event. Launching here generates that crucial initial burst of users, sign-ups, and buzz needed to escape the "zero-user" trap and start building momentum for your sustainable, bootstrapped business.

Small Teams Scaling a Product Launch

Your small team has a product ready for a bigger audience. Use Sidehunt as a reliable, high-impact launch channel to complement your marketing efforts. The structured format and guaranteed visibility help you scale your launch effectively, generate quality leads, and gather user feedback to prioritize your roadmap, all without the guesswork of where to post.

Marketers & Agencies Showcasing Client Projects

Agencies and marketers building products for clients can use Sidehunt to demonstrate rapid results. Launching a client's new tool or app on the platform delivers tangible outcomes—real traffic, user feedback, and potential backlinks—providing clear, reportable value and social proof that strengthens client relationships and showcases your launch expertise.

How does the voting and competition work?

Each week, all newly submitted products are featured in "This Week's Hunt." The community of hunters explores these launches and can vote for their favorites. These real, user-generated votes determine the live leaderboard. When the weekly hunt ends, the top three products with the most votes are awarded winner badges and valuable dofollow backlinks to their sites, providing public recognition and SEO benefits.

What is the cost to launch on Sidehunt?

Launching on Sidehunt is straightforward with simple, transparent pricing. It costs a one-time fee of $19 to submit your product to the weekly hunt. There are no hidden fees or recurring subscriptions. This fee secures your spot in that week's competition, getting you in front of early adopters, on the leaderboard, and eligible for the top prizes.

What are the benefits of the Premium Spotlight?

The Premium Spotlight is a featured slot at the top of the weekly hunt page, offering superior visibility. It ensures your product is the first thing hunters see, significantly increasing impressions and clicks. This prime positioning is ideal for makers who want to maximize their launch impact, drive higher engagement, and gain a competitive edge in the weekly competition.

Can I launch if my product isn't finished?

Sidehunt is best for products that are launched, in beta, or have a live website that users can visit and try. The community expects to interact with functional products. While it doesn't have to be perfect, it should be in a state that provides value and can collect meaningful feedback. Concepts or landing pages with no live functionality are less suitable for the hunting format.