Subreddits for Sharing Your Project: Ten Communities and the Rules to Read First
Well-known subreddits for sharing a project include r/SideProject, r/startups, r/SaaS, r/webdev, r/opensource, r/selfhosted, r/iosapps, r/androidapps, r/chrome_extensions and r/betatests. Each sets its own self-promotion rules, which change, and Reddit refused our automated check, so none are quoted here. Read the sidebar and pinned posts of the one you choose, post in a single community at a time, and write for it.
Why does every subreddit have different rules, and how do you read them?
A subreddit is run by volunteer moderators who write the rules that suit their community. One may welcome project links on certain days. Another may remove any link to your own work, and a third may require a prefix in the title. There is no portable rule you can carry between them, which is why this page names communities but does not summarise what each allows. Reddit’s pages refused our automated check on 13 November 2026, and rules can change without notice.
Reading rules properly takes about ten minutes per community and saves a removed post and a banned account. Do the following before you write anything:
- Open the community’s sidebar or “About” section and read every rule, including the ones about links and self-promotion.
- Look for pinned posts and a wiki; many communities put the real rules there.
- Read the last ten posts in which someone shared their own work. Note which stayed up, which were removed and why the moderators said so.
- If you are still unsure, message the moderators and ask, using the template below.
Hello, I built [name], a [one-line description]. Before posting I wanted to check your rules: is it acceptable to share a link to it here, and if so, in which thread or with which flair? I would also like to ask for feedback on [one specific thing], not just attention. Thank you for the work you do on the community.
Which subreddits are worth considering?
The names are real and well known. What each is for comes from its name and common use; what it allows is for you to read. We mention a weekly thread only where one has long been a known feature, and ask you to check it still exists.
01 r/SideProject
A community for showing projects people are building in their spare time.
- Who it suits
- Hobby projects and early products with a link anyone can open
- Read first
- Its rules on links and any pinned thread for projects
The name says it is meant for projects, so expect a feed full of other people’s launches. That means competition for attention, and it makes the title and first screenshot decisive. State what the project does and what you want help with.
02 r/startups
A large community about starting and running companies.
- Who it suits
- Founders asking about company problems, more than people showing products
- Read first
- Everything about self-promotion; communities of this size tend to be strict
Treat it as a place to ask a question about your company and learn from the answers, and let the mention of your product be incidental. If the rules say there is a dedicated thread for sharing your startup, that is the only place to do it.
03 r/SaaS
A community for software-as-a-service founders discussing pricing, churn, onboarding and tools.
- Who it suits
- Subscription software makers
- Read first
- Rules on promotional posts and how it expects questions to be framed
Posts about a decision you made, with numbers you can actually state, tend to belong in this kind of community more naturally than a bare launch link. If you cannot share numbers, share the reasoning.
04 r/webdev
A large community for web developers.
- Who it suits
- Web projects with something technical to discuss
- Read first
- Whether project links are confined to a weekly thread, as has long been the practice; confirm it still is
A community of working developers is quick to notice a thin product page, so make sure the link works on a phone and loads without an account. Ask a technical question about it instead of asking for praise.
05 r/opensource
A community for open-source software, news and discussion.
- Who it suits
- Projects with a public repository and a licence
- Read first
- Rules on project announcements versus discussion
Link the repository, not a landing page, and say what contribution you are looking for. The open-source showcases page covers directories that complement a post.
06 r/selfhosted
A community for people who run their own software and services.
- Who it suits
- Software people can run on their own hardware
- Read first
- Its rules about posting your own projects, which this kind of community usually addresses directly
Readers care about install steps, data location and upkeep. A post that begins with a one-command install and a note on where data lives is answering the first three questions in advance.
07 r/iosapps and r/androidapps
Two communities about apps for iPhone and Android.
- Who it suits
- Consumer apps with a store listing
- Read first
- Rules for developers posting their own apps
Choose the platform your app runs on and post in that one. Replying to a request for an app of your kind is usually better received than a new thread, if the rules allow it. See mobile app showcases for non-Reddit places.
08 r/chrome_extensions
A community about browser extensions.
- Who it suits
- Extensions already in a store
- Read first
- Whether links to your own extension need a particular post type
Include the store link only after the extension is approved, and say what permissions it asks for and why. A visitor looking at a permissions prompt wants the reason before they click.
09 r/betatests and r/alphaandbetausers
Two communities built for people who want to try unreleased software.
- Who it suits
- Anything you want people to test and report on
- Read first
- Required format for a test request, if any
The purpose is the one place on this list where asking for testers is the point. Say who the build is for, what to do and how to report problems. The beta testers page has more.
10 r/gamedev
A large community for people who make games.
- Who it suits
- Games and game tools, shown with their development story
- Read first
- Whether it runs a recurring thread for sharing work, as it has in the past; check that it still does
Developers there respond to devlogs and short clips more than to store links. If your project is a game, a clip and a question about one mechanic work better than a pitch.
11 Post your build ideas (our launch board)
A free launch board, ours, that gives your project a page not governed by any subreddit’s rules.
- Cost
- Free; one verified email
- Why it is here
- A stable link to put in a post when a community wants one
Launch it here for free first and link that page when a subreddit asks for a single URL. Remember that only the board’s own rules apply there: the outbound link is a followed link, and links inside comments are nofollow ugc.
Should you post in several subreddits at once?
No. Posting the same message in several communities is the pattern that self-promotion rules exist to stop, and it usually shows. You also cannot answer replies well in five places, and you learn nothing about which community responded. Choose the one that matches the project best, read its rules, write a post for its readers and wait a few days before considering another.
- Rewrite for each community. A post to r/selfhosted and one to r/iosapps should share facts, not sentences.
- Space them out. Leave at least a week between communities so you can fix what the first one showed you.
- Reply to every comment, including the unkind ones, in a calm tone.
- Do not ask for upvotes in the post or by message. Hacker News’s guidelines say outright not to ask friends to upvote, and many communities treat vote requests the same way.
The Reddit launch playbook and the Reddit launch post templates cover the writing. For finding communities by problem rather than by project, the guide to subreddits for startup ideas lists others, and the ideas board is a place to look for problems worth building a project around.
Frequently asked questions
Which subreddits can I share my project in?
Well-known ones include r/SideProject, r/startups, r/SaaS, r/webdev, r/opensource, r/selfhosted, r/iosapps, r/androidapps, r/chrome_extensions and r/betatests. Each sets its own self-promotion rules, which change, so read the sidebar and pinned posts of the one you choose and post in only one at a time.
Can I post the same project in multiple subreddits?
Not the same message at the same time. Rules against self-promotion exist to stop that pattern, and you cannot reply well in several places at once. Choose the best match, write for its readers, and wait a week or more before trying another with a post written fresh for that community.
How do I avoid getting banned for self-promotion?
Read each community’s rules before posting, take part in discussions first, link only to something that works without an account, and answer replies. If a rule is unclear, ask the moderators. Do not ask for upvotes, and do not delete and repost a removed post.
Is r/SideProject the best subreddit for a new project?
It is the best known for showing projects, and so it is crowded. It suits hobby projects and early products with a link anyone can open. A smaller, topic-specific community may give you fewer views but replies from people who have your problem. Read the rules of both before choosing.
Can I get feedback on Reddit without promoting?
Yes. Ask a specific question about a decision, such as how you would price a feature or which of two screens is clearer, and link the project only if the rules allow it or someone asks. Communities respond better to a real question than to an announcement.
Post your build ideas publishes this page and runs a free launch board that competes with some of the sites it names. Facts about other sites came from their own pages on the date shown above; terms, queues and prices change, so confirm on their sites before you decide. About the publisher.