What is this website?
BuiltByIndies is a community for independent makers. Products enter a weekly, capacity-limited launch queue; you can also write Buildlogs, publish Stories, comment, and send in-site messages. It targets the gap after something is built but few peers see it. A free submission is scheduled into the next week that still has space. You can also pay once to pick a week, buy homepage placement, or have the site write an intro post after launch week. Profiles and posts are public by default and may be indexed. The cadence is closer to weekly capped exposure than to an always-open link directory.
Core features
- Launch in weekly cohorts: other members can upvote, comment, and bookmark, which feeds that week’s ranking.
- Submission is free; you then choose Free, Premium, or Featured. Free takes the next week with remaining capacity.
- Premium is $9 once: a full week is allowed, go live immediately, a dofollow link, and 14 days of homepage spotlight.
- Featured is $12 once: about 30 days on the homepage, plus a blog post the site writes after launch week.
- Buildlog and Stories are for public progress notes and longer posts; Karma, activity streaks, and badges are also part of the community.
- Ad slots are sold by the week and reviewed; members can share referral links under the affiliate terms (commission rate and per-user cap are stated there).
Typical use cases
- An indie developer with a demo-ready build wants a fixed week where other makers open the listing and leave comments.
- Someone who already writes public build notes and wants concrete peer advice, not only a static directory listing.
- When the free queue is far out: add the official badge to your site through launch day; after a check, the slot can move to the following week (still a free launch).
- When you need a chosen week or a backlink: pay Premium or Featured once instead of a monthly subscription.
- When you are not launching a product but want to reach early users: book ads separately from the launch queue.
Who is it for?
- Independent developers or very small teams who accept public, indexable profiles and product pages.
- People willing to earn Karma through votes and comments and to accept anti-manipulation checks.
- Launchers who need one-off payment to move a slot or buy placement.
- A poor fit: treating weekly rank as a traffic or SEO promise—the terms do not guarantee visits, votes, or backlink results.
- A poor fit: closed betas or teams that cannot make materials public, and anyone using extra accounts to farm votes (accounts can be suspended; serious breaches may forfeit payment).
How does it compare with similar tools?
Skip “biggest directory” labels and compare the mechanics:
- Cadence: weekly cohorts with a cap. If you need to submit anytime and appear immediately on an uncapped list, the fit is weaker.
- Pricing: launching can wait in a free queue; paid launches are one-time. Ads are billed weekly; rejected ads are fully refunded.
- Gate: before scheduling, you may need to upvote products in the current week and meet a Karma threshold then in force.
- Visibility: profiles, follow graphs, and Karma are public; email, DMs, and payout details are not public by default.
- Operations and payments: the operator is based in India; checkout uses Dodo Payments; affiliate payouts can go to UPI or PayPal.
FAQ
Q: How long does a free launch wait?
A: It is placed in the next calendar week that still has space. Before scheduling you may need to upvote the current cohort and meet the Karma rule at that time; follow the submit flow.
Q: Are Premium and Featured monthly subscriptions?
A: No. Both are one-time fees. The Featured blog post is written after launch week, and the link is emailed when it is live.
Q: Can I launch earlier without paying?
A: Yes, via the badge path. After a free launch is scheduled, add the official badge to your site and keep it through launch day; after verification it can move to the next week. Removing the badge returns the original week. Picking any week, a dofollow link, and homepage spotlight remain paid-plan items.
Q: Does a weekly ranking mean an official endorsement?
A: No. The terms say listings, ranks, and badges are not endorsements. Trying a listed product is your own judgment.
