Free Tool for Indie Hackers
Get a personalised hour-by-hour launch day schedule, 7-day pre-launch checklist, and post-launch follow-up plan — in seconds.
Launching on Product Hunt can be the single biggest traffic day your startup ever has — but only if you plan it right. The difference between a top-5 launch and a forgotten one often comes down to preparation and timing. Most founders know they need to launch on PH, but they don't have a structured, hour-by-hour plan for what to do before, during, and after launch day.
This free Product Hunt launch planner generates a personalised schedule based on your launch date, timezone, product category, and audience size. You'll get a live countdown to launch, a detailed hour-by-hour schedule (converted to your local timezone), a 7-day pre-launch checklist with interactive checkboxes, and a post-launch follow-up plan — all tailored to your specific situation. No spreadsheets, no generic blog posts. Just a concrete plan you can execute.
Set your launch date, timezone, product category, and audience size. This personalises your entire plan.
Get an hour-by-hour launch day schedule in your timezone, a 7-day pre-launch checklist, and personalised tips.
Use the interactive checklist to track your progress. Your progress is saved automatically — come back anytime.
Product Hunt is one of the most powerful free launch platforms for startups and indie products. Every day, the PH community votes on new products, and the top products get massive exposure — thousands of visitors, press coverage, and backlinks. But a successful PH launch doesn't happen by accident.
The PH day starts at 00:01 PST (Pacific Standard Time) and products compete for votes over a 24-hour window. Products that get strong early momentum in the first 2–4 hours tend to rank highest. This is why timing your launch and having your support network ready to engage early is critical.
These are the five things that separate top launches from forgettable ones.
Your tagline (max 60 characters) is what people see first. Make it clear, benefit-focused, and curiosity-inducing. Your description should explain what the product does, who it's for, and why it's different — in under 260 characters.
The maker comment is your pitch to the PH community. Write it like a personal letter: share your story, why you built this, what problem it solves, and what's coming next. Authenticity wins over polish on Product Hunt.
3–5 high-quality screenshots and a 30–60 second demo video or GIF. Show the product in action — don't just describe it. First impressions on PH are visual.
The most successful launches come from founders who've been active in communities before launch day. Join relevant Slack groups, subreddits, and Discord servers. Be a genuine participant, not a drive-by self-promoter.
Having an hour-by-hour plan (like the one this tool generates) ensures you don't miss key windows. The morning email blast, the mid-day social push, and the evening check-in are all critical touchpoints.
Many founders publish their product on PH and hope for the best. Without a pre-built support network, email list, and social media plan, even great products get buried.
PH's algorithm detects and penalises vote manipulation. Instead of asking for upvotes, share your launch story and ask for honest feedback. Genuine engagement drives rankings.
Comment engagement is a ranking factor. Respond to every comment quickly and thoughtfully. Thank people, answer questions, and show you're an active maker.
Weekends and Mondays have lower engagement. Mid-week launches (Tuesday to Thursday) generally see the most community activity and competition is more predictable.
Document your build journey on IdeaKiln and get support from a community of indie hackers and builders.
This planner is for informational purposes only. Product Hunt is a trademark of Product Hunt Inc. IdeaKiln is not affiliated with Product Hunt.