Weekly launch platforms
An honest comparison for solo founders choosing where to launch in 2026.
OpenHunts is a Hunt-network weekly launch platform—Monday 8:00 AM UTC, full-week exposure, upvotes, and premium from ~$9.9–$19 for guaranteed dofollow. Free tier has ~100-week queue or badge skip. IndieHunt offers similar weekly competition at $19 with launch blog and indie-maker branding.
Researched and updated 2026-07
OpenHunts runs 'This Week's Launches' with a Monday UTC refresh, countdown timer, spotlight/highlight placements, and upvote counts on each project. Past weeks are archived. The site reports ~78K visits and ~140K pageviews over six months, 6,412 users, and 36% newsletter open rate (self-reported on pricing page).
Pricing (openhunts.com/pricing): Free Launch ($0)—30 slots weekly, current queue ~100 weeks, or add badge to skip (per page). Full week exposure, homepage feature, dofollow if top 3, Twitter/newsletter shoutout if #1. Premium Launch ($9.9 sale from $19)—skip wait, launch next Monday, guaranteed dofollow, up to 5x exposure. Highlight ($20–$39/week)—instant launch pinned at top, guaranteed dofollow, guaranteed Twitter/newsletter shoutout.
OpenHunts shares Hunt-network DNA with IndieHunt, EarlyHunt, and Aura++: Monday cadence, weekly competition, badge/dofollow rules. OpenHunts' free queue (~100 weeks cited) is even longer than IndieHunt's weekly slot cap—badge skip or premium is essentially required for timely launches.
IndieHunt premium at $19 includes launch blog, social promotion on multiple channels, and indie-maker Hall of Fame. OpenHunts premium can be cheaper on sale ($9.9) but check current pricing—Highlight tier adds pinned placement at $39/week.
Stack Hunt sites across different weeks, not the same Monday, unless you enjoy splitting the same voter pool twice.
Quick reference for founders evaluating launch platforms in 2026.
| Dimension | ||
|---|---|---|
| Network | Hunt ecosystem | Hunt ecosystem |
| Launch day | Monday 8:00 AM UTC | Monday 8:00 AM UTC |
| Free queue | ~100 weeks cited (or badge skip) | 15 slots/week |
| Premium price | $9.9–$19/launch (sale varies) | $19/launch |
| Pinned placement | Highlight $39/week | Premium homepage week |
| Dofollow | Premium: guaranteed; free: top 3 | Premium: guaranteed; free: top 3 |
| Launch blog | Check tier | Included on premium |
| Best for | Budget premium on sale weeks | Primary indie weekly launch |
Facts in this comparison were checked against official documentation and third-party reports. External links are nofollow.
OpenHunts pricing page cites ~100 weeks current queue time for free launches, with 30 slots weekly. Badge skip is offered as an alternative—verify current terms on openhunts.com.
Both are weekly Hunt-network launches on Mondays. OpenHunts free queue is far longer; IndieHunt offers clearer weekly slot model and launch blog on premium.
Yes—OpenHunts shares launch mechanics and Premium Launcher compatibility with Aura++, IndieHunt, EarlyHunt, and sister sites.
Weekly competitions, premium dofollow backlinks, and launch content designed for search and AI discovery.
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