Glossary
What is a soft launch?
A soft launch is a quiet release of a product to a limited audience, without a big announcement, to test it with real users before the public launch. A hard launch is the opposite: a full public announcement on a set day, with launch platforms, press and email. Most software teams soft launch first.
Soft launch vs hard launch
| Soft launch | Hard launch | |
|---|---|---|
| Audience | Waitlist, beta users, friends | Everyone |
| Announcement | None or minimal | Launch platforms, email, press, social |
| Goal | Find bugs and friction | Reach and sign-ups |
| Risk | Low | First impressions are public |
Why soft launch first
The first public impression is hard to redo. A soft launch shows where people get stuck in onboarding, which features they ignore, whether the pricing makes sense and which questions keep coming up. Fixing those before the hard launch makes the launch day spike convert better. It also gives you early users who can comment on launch day and your first social proof.
How to run a soft launch
- Open access to a small group: your waitlist, a community you belong to, or beta testers.
- Watch sessions and talk to users; track activation.
- Fix the biggest friction points.
- Collect quotes and screenshots for the hard launch.
- Set the hard launch date once a new user can get value without help.
Smaller directories can be part of a soft launch too: they bring a trickle of real users without the pressure of a ranked day.
Example
A team opens its product to 200 waitlist sign-ups. Half stall on a settings screen; the team cuts it from onboarding. Two weeks later they hard launch on Product Hunt with a smoother flow and five user quotes in the gallery.
FAQ
How long should a soft launch last?
Usually two to eight weeks, until new users can get value without your help.
Can I list on directories during a soft launch?
Yes, smaller ones. Save the big launch platforms for the hard launch.
Is a soft launch the same as a beta?
Close. A beta is often labelled as unfinished; a soft launch can be the finished product with a quiet release.