Show HN (Hacker News) Review & Guide
Hacker News' format for sharing things you've built.
Facts checked 14 Oct 2026. See sources
Quick Facts
- Pricing
- Free.
- Review Turnaround
- No review queue; votes and moderators decide visibility.
- Free Option
- Yes
- Posting is free, and Show HN placement isn't sold.
- Link Type
- Dofollow (conditional)
- Followed once a post has a few points. On 14 Oct 2026, links on the shownew page were marked nofollow, while posts with about 10 or more points on the Show page and front page had no nofollow.
Overview
Show HN is a post format on Hacker News for sharing something you built that people can try. New Show HN posts appear on the shownew page; once a post gets a few points it moves to the Show page, and popular posts can reach the front page.
Strengths
- Feedback from a technical audience.
- No paid placement.
- Links become followed once a post gains a few points.
Limits
- Strict rules on what qualifies: no landing pages, sign-up pages, newsletters, or fundraisers.
- Many posts get little attention, and visibility fades as new stories arrive.
- Asking friends to upvote or comment is not allowed.
How to Submit & Launch on Show HN (Hacker News)
- Start the title with 'Show HN:' and describe the project plainly.
- Make it easy to try, ideally without sign-ups or email gates.
- Be around to answer questions in the comments.
Show HN (Hacker News) vs Hauntboard
Show HN is a single post judged by a technical audience. Hauntboard gives a launch a full week on the board, human review, and public page views and outbound clicks.
Free Hauntboard listings show the Hauntboard badge on your site; if the badge is removed, the link switches to nofollow.
Points and comments are public.
Followed once a post has a few points; nofollow before that.
Open to everyone; ranked by votes.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these pages on 14 Oct 2026. Platforms change their terms; check the live page before you pay.