Guide · Hacker News

How to find customers on Hacker News without being that founder

Hacker News is one of the few places on the internet where thousands of engineers, founders and technical buyers say out loud what tools they need. "Ask HN: What do you use for X?" threads, comments like "I'd pay for something that does Y", and complaints about an incumbent tool are all buying signals. The catch: HN has a low tolerance for marketing. This guide covers how to find these posts and how to show up without being flagged.

1. Know where buying intent lives on HN

• • Ask HN threads. Titles like "Ask HN: Alternatives to…", "What's your stack for…", "How do you handle…". The best answers often stay useful for months via search.
• • Comments on Show HN posts. People compare the launched product with what they use and mention what's missing.
• • Comments on news about a tool shutting down, raising prices or changing terms. These are switching moments.
• • "Who wants to be hired / Who is hiring" threads are not the place — skip them.

2. Search manually (free)

HN's search is powered by Algolia at hn.algolia.com. Useful patterns:

• • "alternative to" <competitor>
• • "looking for" <category>
• • "recommend" <category>

Filter by "Past week" and sort by date for fresh threads. Do this for 10–15 minutes a day and keep a note of the threads you replied to.

3. Automate the boring part

Manual search breaks down once you have more than a couple of phrases. Options:

• • Keyword alerts: email whenever a phrase appears. High recall, lots of noise — mentions, not buying intent.
• • Algolia HN API: if you code, a small script can poll for your phrases.
• • AskCatcher (our product, disclosure): you describe your product, and once a week it emails Hacker News and Stack Exchange posts where someone is most clearly asking for a tool like yours, with a draft reply you edit and post yourself.

4. Reply like a community member

The HN guidelines ask people not to use the site primarily for promotion. In practice, replies that work:

• • Answer the question first. If they asked how to do something, explain how — including options that aren't yours.
• • Disclose. "Disclosure: I built X" is normal and respected on HN. Hiding it is not.
• • Be specific. "We handle CSV imports up to 1 GB because that was my problem too" beats "check out my tool!".
• • Mention trade-offs. "It doesn't do Z yet" builds more trust than any feature list.
• • One link, max. Often zero — people will click your profile.
• • Don't reply to old threads just to drop a link.

5. Make your HN profile work

Put a one-line description and your URL in your HN "about" field. Curious readers check it. Your comment history is your reputation: comment on things unrelated to your product too.

6. Track what works

Keep a simple sheet: thread URL, date, reply, clicks (use a UTM link if you include one), signups. After two weeks you'll know which kinds of threads convert.

7. Consider a Show HN — once

When your product works and people can try it without friction, a Show HN is worth one shot. Write it in first person, explain what it does and why you built it, and stay in the comments all day.

Summary

Finding customers on Hacker News is mostly patience: find the people already asking, help them honestly, disclose that you're the maker, and do it consistently. Tools only save you the searching.

How do I promote my product on Hacker News without getting flagged?

Answer the question first, disclose you're the maker, mention limitations, use at most one link, and don't solicit upvotes.

Weekly Hacker News and Stack Exchange digests. X coming soon.