Show HN (Hacker News) vs Hauntboard
Looking for a Show HN (Hacker News) alternative? Here is a feature-by-feature breakdown of how Show HN (Hacker News) compares to Hauntboard, our own launch board, for indie hackers and solo founders.
Show HN (Hacker News) facts checked 14 Oct 2026. See sources
The Core Difference
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.
Direct Feature Comparison
Pricing, link policy, review times, and the traffic data each platform shows.
| Dimension | Hauntboard | Show HN (Hacker News) |
|---|---|---|
| Traffic Data | Each launch page shows its page views and outbound clicks in public (once per browser per day, known bots filtered) | Points and comments are public. |
| Link Type | Dofollow link for every approved launch; a free listing's link switches to nofollow if the Hauntboard badge is removed | 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. |
| Launch Format | Weekly board: one week on the board, and the product page stays up afterwards | A Hacker News post, ranked by votes. |
| Review | Human review: about 72 hours on the free tier, within 24 hours with Launch Now | No review queue; votes and moderators decide visibility. |
| Pricing | Free (next open week, Hauntboard badge required, 30 slots a week) · Launch Now $19 (pick your week, no badge) · Spotlight $49 (pinned top row for the week, 4 a week). One-time payments. | Free. |
1. Traffic Data
Upvotes and comments show interest, but not how many people clicked through to your site. On Show HN (Hacker News): Points and comments are public.
On Hauntboard, each launch page shows its page views and outbound clicks in public. Each browser counts once per day, and known bots are filtered out. A ghost meter marks visibility milestones from those counts.
2. Link Policy
Show HN (Hacker News): 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.
On Hauntboard, every approved launch, free or paid, gets a dofollow link. Free Hauntboard listings show the Hauntboard badge on your site; if the badge is removed, the link switches to nofollow.
3. Which One Fits?
Choose Show HN (Hacker News) if:
- • It's best for: Developer tools, open source, technical infrastructure, and minimalist utilities.
- • Its format suits you: A Hacker News post, ranked by votes.
Choose Hauntboard if:
- • You want a week on the board, with a free tier.
- • You want to see your launch's page views and outbound clicks in public.
- • You want a dofollow link and are happy to show the Hauntboard badge (or pay $19 to skip it).
Ready to unghost your product?
Launch your app on Hauntboard. Free launches get human review in about 72 hours, a dofollow link while the Hauntboard badge is on your site, and public page views and outbound clicks.