r/startups

r/startups · 1.2M members

Limited PromoWeekly thread only, no standalone posts

1.2M founders, but direct promotion gets you banned. Play the long game.

Strictly moderatedVery Active

Don't come here to promote — come here to learn. Build a comment history first, save product mentions for the weekly thread, and expect your account to need 50+ karma and 30 days of age before you can even post.

Before you post:Your Reddit account must be at least 30 days old with 50+ karma.

Tips for Founders

Do This

Build a post history of helpful comments before sharing anything about your startup
Frame posts as asking for feedback or sharing lessons, never as announcements
Save direct product mentions for the weekly share thread
Share specific metrics and real challenges — the community hates vague posts
Read at least 20 recent posts to understand the culture before participating

Avoid This

Posting "just launched my startup" as a standalone post (instant removal)
Using a new account with no post history
Treating the subreddit like a free advertising channel
Writing a blog-style post that's really just a product pitch in disguise

Self-Promotion Rules

Direct self-promotion is heavily restricted. Share your product only in the designated weekly threads, never as standalone posts.

Ratio RuleNo standalone promotional posts — use weekly threads only

Link PostsNot allowed

Requires FlairYes

Designated ThreadWeekly 'Share Your Startup' thread

Min Karma50

Min Account Age30 days

Visit r/startups →1.2M members · Very Active

Community Rules

No direct promotion
Standalone promotional posts are removed immediately. Use the weekly share thread.
Focus on discussion
Posts should ask questions, share learnings, or spark discussion — not advertise.
Use flairs
All posts must use the correct flair category.
No URL shorteners
URL shorteners and tracking links are auto-removed by the spam filter.
Minimum effort
Low-effort posts (one-liners, vague questions) are removed.