Field notes
How to Launch on StartupBase: Free Queue vs $39 Premium, Launch Time and Backlink
StartupBase has a free launch with a 4–5 week wait and a badge requirement, and in our check most free listings had nofollow links. Premium is $39 and includes the dofollow link. Routes, steps, Outrank and what we'd pick.
StartupBase has a free launch, but it comes with a 4–5 week wait, requires a StartupBase badge on your site, and in our check of 18 live listings, most free-looking listings had a nofollow link. Premium starts at $39 one-time and fixes all three: you launch as early as tomorrow (or any day within 30 days), get a guaranteed homepage feature, and a permanent dofollow backlink from a site with a 74 Domain Rating. Launches go live every day at 12:00 AM PDT.
Here's the whole flow: signing in, the free and Premium routes, the $15 "Outrank" shortcut, and which one we'd pick. Checked on StartupBase's live pages in October 2026.
StartupBase at a glance
| StartupBase | |
|---|---|
| Launch page | startupbase.io/launch |
| Launch time | Every day at 12:00 AM PDT |
| Free option | Yes. Badge required on your site, date assigned from the queue, launches in ~4–5 weeks |
| Premium | From $39 one-time: pick tomorrow or any date within 30 days, no badge, guaranteed homepage feature |
| Outrank | Pay what you want (from $15), no product page needed, permanent dofollow link |
| Backlink | Premium and Outrank: permanent dofollow. Free: not promised |
| What we saw | 3 of 18 listings followed, 15 nofollow (5 Oct 2026) |
| Made by | Atta ("Made with ❤️ by Atta & AI") |
| Claimed stats | 4.3K+ products launched, 16.5K+ newsletter subscribers, 20.6K+ founders and early adopters |
| Domain Rating | 73 in our Ahrefs check; StartupBase states 74 |
| Traffic | ~35,000 visits/month (3-month SimilarWeb average). StartupBase claims 60K+ monthly visitors and a 16.4K-subscriber newsletter |
| Sign-in | Google, LinkedIn, X, or email with a 6-digit code |
| Payments | One-time via Paddle, nothing recurring |
What StartupBase is
StartupBase is a daily launch platform made by a founder called Atta. Products launch every day at midnight Pacific, compete for upvotes on the homepage, and then live on as permanent listings grouped into topic pages ("AI Agents", "Vibe Coding", "Developer Tools") and collections ("Trending This Week", "Verified Products").
Its pitch is that the launch "keeps working after launch day": topic pages, collections and search keep sending traffic to your listing. It also sells reviews, newsletter features and a pay-what-you-want ad board called Outrank. StartupBase says 4.3K+ products have launched there.
Free vs Premium
| Free | Premium | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0 | From $39, one-time |
| Launch date | Assigned from the queue, ~4–5 weeks out | Tomorrow, or any day within 30 days |
| Badge on your site | Required | Not required |
| Homepage on launch day | In the daily list | Guaranteed feature |
| Listing | Permanent | Permanent |
| Add-ons | – | Newsletter feature, extended homepage time, reviews |
Both routes end with a permanent listing, and StartupBase calls the free one the "same permanent listing". The link is where they differ: the "permanent DR 74+ dofollow backlink" appears only in the Premium column, and our check of live listings (below) shows free listings get nofollow.
Step 1: sign in
Click Launch in the top right. StartupBase asks you to sign in with Google, LinkedIn, X or email. Email sends a 6-digit verification code, so there's no password to set.
Use the identity you want shown as the maker. StartupBase lists products with their founders, and LinkedIn sign-in is a good fit for B2B tools.
Step 2: ship the listing
StartupBase's own description is "Add your product, logo, and pitch in ten minutes." Have these ready:
- Name and one-line pitch. The daily list shows the pitch under the name, followed by up to three topic tags (for example "Productivity · Design Tools · Content Creation").
- Logo, square and legible at small sizes.
- Description and screenshots for the product page.
- Topics. StartupBase builds topic pages and collections (AI Tools, Developer Tools, Founder Tools and others), and those keep sending traffic after launch day. Choose topics people browse.
- Deal (optional). Several launches show a deal badge ("25% FOR LIFE", "30% OFF FOR 3 MONTHS") next to the name. It's a cheap way to stand out in the list.
Step 3: claim a date
On the free route, StartupBase assigns a date from the queue, currently about 4–5 weeks out. Add the badge to your site before you submit. On Premium you choose: tomorrow, or any day in the next 30.
When we captured the Today list, the leaders had 19, 17 and 15 upvotes. StartupBase's own example launch day shows 52 upvotes and 410 visitors. Treat that as a best case, not a typical day.
The Outrank shortcut
StartupBase also runs Outrank, a pay-what-you-want board starting at $15. You pay once, skip the product page and the review queue, and appear on the board immediately with a permanent dofollow link. The top three run in the sitewide sidebar and in every newsletter, and your rank is the total you've ever paid, so others can outbid you.
It's useful if you only want a quick permanent link. If you want reviews and a proper product page, use a real launch.
What we found on 18 live listings
We opened 18 product pages linked from StartupBase's homepage on 5 October 2026 and inspected the Visit website button.
| Main link | Listings |
|---|---|
Followed (rel="noopener noreferrer") |
3 |
nofollow noopener noreferrer |
15 |
Links inside reviews and comments are ugc nofollow, as you'd expect. The listings in the sidebar's Outrank board (the paid "pay what you want" spots) were followed.
That ratio says most launches are on the free route, and free launches don't get the followed link. If the link is why you're there, budget the $39.
Which option should you choose?
- Premium ($39) if you want a specific date this month, don't want a third-party badge on your site, or are coordinating with other launches. That's a 73-DR permanent link plus a guaranteed homepage day.
- Free if you can wait a month, don't mind the badge, and mainly want the listing. Don't count on a followed link.
- Outrank ($15+) only for the link. You'll get little community attention.
On traffic: StartupBase reports 60K+ monthly visitors, and third-party data puts it nearer 35K. Plan on a modest referral bump on launch day and steady trickle traffic from topic pages, not a flood.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Premium is $39 one-time, and you choose the date within 30 days.
- Guaranteed homepage feature on Premium.
- Topic pages and collections keep listings findable after launch day.
- Outrank gives a followed link from $15 with no listing needed.
Cons
- Free launches wait 4–5 weeks and need a badge.
- Free listings mostly get
nofollowlinks. - Small daily vote counts mean less buzz than the marketing suggests.
- The claimed 60K visitors is well above the ~35K independent estimate.
Common mistakes on StartupBase
- Going free for the backlink. Free listings we checked were
nofollow. - Removing the badge after launch. The free listing depends on it.
- Picking too many topics. Choose the three topics people browse most.
- Skipping the deal field. A visible discount badge is one of the few ways to stand out in a busy daily list.
StartupBase vs similar launch boards
Figures from AgentLaunch's catalog checks (DR via Ahrefs, visits as a 3-month SimilarWeb average).
| Directory | DR | Visits/month | Free route | Cheapest paid | Link on free |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| StartupBase | 73 | ~35,000 | 4–5 weeks, badge | $39 | Mostly nofollow |
| Uneed | 76 | ~173,000 | Up to 5 months | $14.99 | Score of 20 |
| Fazier | 83 | ~87,000 | Up to 30 days, badge | $29 | Not promised |
| PeerPush | 75 | ~55,000 | Queued | $39 | Followed |
| TinyLaunch | 73 | ~77,000 | Weekly | $39 | Top 3 only |
| DevHunt | – | – | Queue | $19 | nofollow |
After launch
- Tag the URL (
?utm_source=startupbase&utm_medium=launch) and track signups, not clicks. See measuring directory referral traffic. - Free route: keep the badge up. Removing it can cost you the listing.
- Inspect the link on your product page, and watch your Domain Rating with our DR checker.
Where StartupBase fits
StartupBase launches at the same time as Uneed (midnight Pacific), so don't put both on the same day. The wider list is in sites like Product Hunt and best startup directories. AgentLaunch keeps each one's route, price and link type in one catalog and fills the forms from your browser when you're ready.
FAQ
Is StartupBase free? Yes. The free launch requires a StartupBase badge on your site and has a 4–5 week queue.
How much is a StartupBase Premium launch? From $39 one-time. It lets you launch tomorrow or on any date within 30 days, with no badge.
What time do StartupBase launches go live? 12:00 AM PDT every day.
Is the StartupBase backlink dofollow?
On Premium and Outrank, yes. In our check of 18 listings, 15 had nofollow links, which fits free launches not getting the followed link.
What is StartupBase Outrank? A pay-what-you-want board from $15. You pay once and appear on the board with a permanent dofollow link, no product page needed. Rank is the total paid, so others can outbid you.
Is StartupBase worth it? Premium at $39 is worth it if you want a followed link and a chosen date. The free launch is fine for the listing, but don't expect the link.