# launchduels

A public board where early software competes for one seat per category. B2B founders graduate when one company signs their pilot (25 days); indie founders graduate when 25 real users verify they joined (10 days). Free to file, 0% equity, seats are never sold, and every number wears how it knows - attested, verified, or audited.

## The boards

- [The board](https://launchduels.com/): PilotDuel (B2B) and CohortDuel (indie), live.
- [The queue](https://launchduels.com/queue): every startup waiting for a seat, ranked first-come.
- [The audit trail](https://launchduels.com/trail): every seat change, with the rule that caused it.
- [The rules](https://launchduels.com/rules): the B2B rulebook, versioned and public.

## The guide library (51 pieces)

- [From Beta Feedback to Signed Commitments: What Actually Converts](https://launchduels.com/guides/beta-feedback-to-commitments.md) - Beta feedback is free, which is why it predicts nothing. Here is what moves a beta user from commenting to committing.
- [Demand Validation Tools for B2B SaaS Founders: The Honest List](https://launchduels.com/guides/demand-validation-tools.md) - Most demand-validation advice measures interest. Here is what each tool actually measures, and which kind of proof a B2B buyer trusts.
- [Inbound Interest Without Cold Email: What a Public Board Changes](https://launchduels.com/guides/inbound-interest-without-cold-email.md) - Cold email makes the first move a favor. Public proof makes it a lookup. Here is how the trust problem changes.
- [Product Hunt Alternatives for B2B SaaS Products](https://launchduels.com/guides/product-hunt-alternatives-b2b.md) - Product Hunt measures votes from a consumer crowd. B2B products need proof from companies. Here is where each alternative actually fits.
- [We Ask Where You Found Us (Instead of Tracking You)](https://launchduels.com/guides/we-ask-instead-of-track.md) - Our first real user was a ghost in our own ledger - privacy tools beat even first-party beacons. So the board asks instead of tracks.
- [BetaList pricing: what the paid tiers actually buy](https://launchduels.com/guides/betalist-pricing.md) - BetaList submissions are paid-only now: about $39 to enter, $129-$299 to jump the queue. Here is what each tier buys - and what it cannot.
- [DevHunt review: Open-source launches vs B2B pilots](https://launchduels.com/guides/devhunt-vs-launchduel.md) - DevHunt runs a weekly developer vote for the best new dev tools. launchduels runs head-to-head duels where verified demand, not votes, moves the seat.
- [How much Product Hunt costs: the full price list](https://launchduels.com/guides/how-much-product-hunt-costs.md) - Submitting is free. Everything else is not: ads from $5,000, managed campaigns from $10,000 a month, and a shadow market selling upvotes.
- [Launching Next review: A directory listing vs a live duel](https://launchduels.com/guides/launchingnext-vs-launchduel.md) - Launching Next lists 45,000+ startups with no contest at all. launchduels is the opposite: scarcity, a clock, and demand that decides.
- [MicroLaunch review: 30 days of visibility vs a seat you win](https://launchduels.com/guides/microlaunch-vs-launchduel.md) - MicroLaunch sells skip-the-queue boosts and 30-day exposure. launchduels keeps the queue closed - the seat moves only when demand moves it.
- [Peerlist Launchpad review: First 100 users vs one signed pilot](https://launchduels.com/guides/peerlist-vs-launchduel.md) - Peerlist hands your product to a builder network and hopes for the first 100 users. launchduels declares the bar first and verifies who clears it.
- [Product Hunt review: what upvotes measure, and what they do not](https://launchduels.com/guides/product-hunt-review.md) - A review of Product Hunt written by the rival board it inspired: what the vote is worth, what the badge proves, and where the mechanics stop.
- [Product Hunt vs Hacker News: which launch gets you real users](https://launchduels.com/guides/product-hunt-vs-hacker-news.md) - One is a vote, one is a conversation. Which launch actually produces users - and which produces a day of traffic - compared head to head.
- [TinyLaunch review: A featured slot you buy vs a seat you win](https://launchduels.com/guides/tinylaunch-vs-launchduel.md) - TinyLaunch sells skip-the-queue launches at $39 with a guaranteed backlink. launchduels keeps every seat free and makes demand the only way in.
- [Uneed review: A homepage slot you buy vs a seat you win](https://launchduels.com/guides/uneed-vs-launchduel.md) - Uneed sells guaranteed visibility - and a vote multiplier for paid subscribers. launchduels sells nothing: one seat per category, won with verified demand.
- [AppSumo review: A revenue event vs demand proof](https://launchduels.com/guides/appsumo-vs-launchduel.md) - AppSumo sells a lot of licenses at steep discounts - real revenue, real distribution. A founding cohort on a launch board verifies something different.
- [BetaList review: A waitlist vs a working cohort](https://launchduels.com/guides/betalist-vs-launchduel.md) - BetaList collects interest before you launch. launchduels proves people use you after.
- [Build in Public: What Actually Counts as Proof](https://launchduels.com/guides/build-in-public-proof.md) - Dashboard screenshots and unlabeled milestone posts have quietly made "proof" and "a number that looks good in a tweet" mean the same thing.
- [Can You Buy Votes on Launch Platforms? (And What Stops It)](https://launchduels.com/guides/can-you-buy-votes-on-launch-platforms.md) - Vote manipulation is launch marketing’s open secret - paid upvotes, engagement pods, launch-day vote swaps.
- [How to Validate a SaaS Idea With a Founding Cohort Instead of a Waitlist](https://launchduels.com/guides/cohort-vs-waitlist.md) - A waitlist measures whether a headline was compelling. A founding cohort measures whether the product works - here is how to run one instead.
- [Commitment Clocks and Brought-Marks: Accountability With Receipts](https://launchduels.com/guides/commitment-clocks-and-brought-marks.md) - A promise with no date is just talk. A commitment clock puts a founder’s next move on the public record with a deadline, and the answer - landed, missed.
- [Communities vs Launch Boards: Where You Learn vs Where You Prove](https://launchduels.com/guides/communities-vs-launch-boards.md) - Indie Hackers, Reddit, Discord - communities are the strongest launch channel that exists. So what is a launch board actually for?
- [Do Launch Boards Have Network Effects? Directory vs Network](https://launchduels.com/guides/do-launch-boards-have-network-effects.md) - A directory gets more useful as it fills; a network gets more useful as it connects.
- [Do-Follow Links from Directories: When Volume Becomes a Pattern Google Notices](https://launchduels.com/guides/dofollow-directory-links.md) - Every directory offers a do-follow link. Submit to enough of them and your backlink profile looks a specific way.
- [The Duel Week Playbook](https://launchduels.com/guides/duel-week-playbook.md) - A beat-by-beat plan for the week your startup spends in a public duel - from the opening-hour trailer post to sudden-death overtime.
- [Public Duels vs. Paid Featured Listings: What Actually Decides Who Gets Seen](https://launchduels.com/guides/duels-vs-featured-listings.md) - Most directories pick between two honest answers - proof decides the placement, or money does.
- [ATTESTED vs. VERIFIED vs. AUDITED: How Proof Tiers Work](https://launchduels.com/guides/evidence-tiers.md) - Not every claim of "we have users" carries the same weight, even when the number is identical.
- [How to Find Startups to Pilot With (When You Have No Network)](https://launchduels.com/guides/find-startups-to-pilot-with.md) - The companies most likely to run your pilot are not the ones with enterprise sales teams - they are early founders who need their first customer more than.
- [Your First Customers Are Hiding in Plain Sight](https://launchduels.com/guides/first-customers-hiding-in-plain-sight.md) - The internet solved distribution. It never solved first trust - where your first customers are actually waiting, and how to reach them.
- [How to Get Your First Pilot Customer Without a Warm Network](https://launchduels.com/guides/first-pilot-customer.md) - Most first-pilot advice assumes you have a network that owes you a favor.
- [How to Get Your First Users Without an Audience (The 30-Day Method)](https://launchduels.com/guides/first-users-without-an-audience.md) - Everyone says audience first, product second. Here is a method for the rest of us - built around one declared bar, one public clock, and demand you can count.
- [Founding Cohort Meaning (vs. an Accelerator Cohort)](https://launchduels.com/guides/founding-cohort-vs-accelerator-cohort.md) - A founding cohort is a batch of customers who use one product to prove it works. Here is the plain meaning, and how it differs from an accelerator batch.
- [What Is a Founding User Program? (And How to Run One in 30 Days)](https://launchduels.com/guides/founding-user-program.md) - Founding users vs beta users vs free tier - the difference is the proof.
- [Founding Users vs Beta Users: The Difference Is the Proof](https://launchduels.com/guides/founding-users-vs-beta-users.md) - They sound interchangeable. They measure completely different things about your product - and choosing wrong quietly costs you your first real traction.
- [How to Check if a Startup Is Legit Before You Buy In](https://launchduels.com/guides/how-to-check-if-a-startup-is-legit.md) - Every early startup looks the same from a landing page - which is exactly why the landing page proves nothing.
- [How to Write a Launch Thread That Actually Gets Read](https://launchduels.com/guides/how-to-write-a-launch-thread.md) - The launch thread is a serialized argument for your product, not a press release in five parts.
- [launchduels vs Product Hunt: Which One Does Your Launch Actually Need?](https://launchduels.com/guides/launchduels-vs-product-hunt.md) - They look like competitors. They solve different problems - what Product Hunt is for, what launchduels is for, and which your launch needs.
- [Machine-Verified Demand: When a Signed Webhook Is the Proof](https://launchduels.com/guides/machine-verified-demand.md) - Every launch platform reports its own numbers, and every screenshot can be rendered.
- [Marketing Is the New Moat (And You Keep Building Instead)](https://launchduels.com/guides/marketing-is-the-new-moat.md) - You shipped another feature. Nobody noticed. Marketing is the moat now - the case for building less and telling more people.
- [Pilot Boards vs. Beta Waitlists: What Is Actually Different](https://launchduels.com/guides/pilot-vs-waitlist.md) - "Join our beta" and "hold a pilot seat" look like the same ask from outside. They are not the same mechanism - invitation vs.
- [7 Product Hunt Alternatives for Founders (2026 Edition)](https://launchduels.com/guides/product-hunt-alternatives-2026.md) - PH still works for some launches. Seven alternatives sorted by what they actually do - including one where you can lose.
- [Should You Join a Founding Cohort? The Member’s Side](https://launchduels.com/guides/should-you-join-a-founding-cohort.md) - Founding-user offers are written for founders - this is the version for the joiner.
- [Should You Take the Pilot Offer? A Buyer’s Checklist](https://launchduels.com/guides/should-you-take-the-pilot-offer.md) - Free pilot, discounted first year, founding-member deal - early-stage offers can be genuinely great or genuinely radioactive, and most checklists do not.
- [What Should a Startup Launch Platform Actually Measure?](https://launchduels.com/guides/startup-launch-platforms.md) - Launch platforms measure attention: upvotes, visitors, leaderboards. Attention is not demand.
- [The True Cost of Launching a Startup: Every Expense, Itemized](https://launchduels.com/guides/true-cost-of-launching.md) - Beyond building the product, what does launching actually cost? Every item on the ledger - filings, tools, accounts, launch-day spend - itemized.
- [Upvotes vs Activations: Which Launch Metric Actually Matters?](https://launchduels.com/guides/upvotes-vs-activations.md) - A thousand upvotes and twenty-five activated users measure completely different things. Only one of them survives the investor question.
- [What Counts as a Verified Pilot Customer?](https://launchduels.com/guides/verified-pilot-customer.md) - A real company that agreed to defined, published terms to trial a product - not a lead, not a call, not a "yeah we would be open to trying it.".
- [What Is a Founding Cohort?](https://launchduels.com/guides/what-is-a-founding-cohort.md) - A fixed-size group of real, verified early users a founder recruits to prove a product works - typically the first 25.
- [What Is a Public Startup Duel?](https://launchduels.com/guides/what-is-a-public-startup-duel.md) - A structured, time-boxed, visible contest between a founder holding a seat and a founder challenging it - decided by real proof rather than payment.
- [What Is an Activation Event? (And How to Define Yours)](https://launchduels.com/guides/what-is-an-activation-event.md) - The activation event is the single thing a real user of your product does that a tourist cannot fake - first budget, first build, first workout.
- [Why Listing on launchduels Is Free (And Why Sponsors Pay Instead)](https://launchduels.com/guides/why-listing-is-free.md) - Founders are bootstrapped, financially constrained, and placing the biggest bet of their lives on the thinnest cushion.

## Software alternatives (50 compared brands)

- [7 best Adobe Acrobat alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/adobe-acrobat.md) - The honest list of Adobe Acrobat alternatives: the value PDF editors, the free workhorses and the web-first task tools - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best After Effects alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/after-effects.md) - The honest list of After Effects alternatives: the free compositing inside Resolve, the one-time Mac motion tool, the open-source 3D powerhouse and the web-animation newcomers - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Airtable alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/airtable.md) - The honest list of Airtable alternatives: open-source databases you can self-host, the spreadsheet veterans, the docs-with-databases option and the enterprise grid - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Asana alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/asana.md) - The honest list of Asana alternatives: the depth-first platforms, the readable work OS, the flat-priced calm option and the engineering standard - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Calendly alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/calendly.md) - The honest list of Calendly alternatives: the polite scheduler, the open-source option, the lifetime deal and the free built-ins - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Canva alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/canva.md) - The honest list of Canva alternatives: Creative Cloud-grade tools, brand-governed design systems, data-driven infographics and open options - what each does better than Canva, and when to stay.
- [7 best ChatGPT alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/chatgpt.md) - The honest list of ChatGPT alternatives: the writing and code rival, the search-grounded assistant, the bundle options and the open models - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best ClickUp alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/clickup.md) - The honest list of ClickUp alternatives: the disciplined work managers, the enterprise suites, the calm option and the open-source pick - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Dropbox alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/dropbox.md) - The honest list of Dropbox alternatives: the ecosystem giants, the privacy-first option, the lifetime-priced one and the enterprise suite - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Duolingo alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/duolingo.md) - The honest list of Duolingo alternatives: the conversation-first courses, the audio method, the community tutors and the spaced-repetition machine - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Evernote alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/evernote.md) - The honest list of Evernote alternatives: the all-in-one workspaces, the local-first knowledge bases, the free native notes and the open-source option - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Figma alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/figma.md) - The honest list of Figma alternatives: the Mac-native veteran, open-source Penpot, free desktop editors and AI-assisted newcomers - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Framer alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/framer.md) - The honest list of Framer alternatives: the CMS-first builders, the client-proof platforms and the open-source route - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Ghost alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/ghost.md) - The honest list of Ghost alternatives: the zero-tech network, the newsletter-growth platform, the open publishing incumbent and the owned-list tools - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Gmail alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/gmail.md) - The honest list of Gmail alternatives: the encrypted Swiss option, the suite players, the speed-focused client and the no-ads contrarians - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Google Docs alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/google-docs.md) - The honest list of Google Docs alternatives: the document standard, the docs-as-apps option, the privacy-first suites and the writing-focused tools - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Grammarly alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/grammarly.md) - The honest list of Grammarly alternatives: the open-source multilingual checker, the style editors, the paraphrasers and the enterprise option - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Gumroad alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/gumroad.md) - The honest list of Gumroad alternatives: the storefront platforms, the merchant-of-record options and the membership builders - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best HubSpot alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/hubspot.md) - The honest list of HubSpot alternatives: the automation-first platform, the sales-first CRMs, the all-in-one suite and the enterprise standard - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Illustrator alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/illustrator.md) - The honest list of Illustrator alternatives: the one-time-price professional, the open-source workhorse and the collaborative newcomers - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Intercom alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/intercom.md) - The honest list of Intercom alternatives: the modern all-in-ones at friendlier prices, the shared-inbox purists, the AI-first newcomers and the enterprise standard - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Jira alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/jira.md) - The honest list of Jira alternatives: the modern engineering tracker, the everything-platforms and the lightweight boards - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Kit alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/kit-convertkit.md) - The honest list of Kit (ConvertKit) alternatives: the newsletter-growth platform, the network play, the value leaders and the ownership option - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Lightroom alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/lightroom.md) - The honest list of Lightroom alternatives: the studio-grade RAW editors, the one-time-price options and the free open-source pipeline - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Mailchimp alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/mailchimp.md) - The honest list of Mailchimp alternatives: the value leaders, the creator-first platform, the ecommerce specialists and the enterprise suite - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Microsoft Teams alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/microsoft-teams.md) - The honest list of Microsoft Teams alternatives: the chat-first original, the community-native option, the open-source rooms and the Google path - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Monday.com alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/monday-com.md) - The honest list of Monday.com alternatives: the disciplined project managers, the engineering standard, the flat-priced calm option and the open-source pick - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Netflix alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/netflix.md) - The honest list of Netflix alternatives: the franchise libraries, the quality-over-quantity play, the bundle options and the free tiers - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Notion alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/notion.md) - The honest list of Notion alternatives: docs-that-act-like-apps, local-first knowledge bases, open-source clones and the enterprise wiki - what each does better than Notion, and when to stay.
- [7 best OneDrive alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/onedrive.md) - The honest list of OneDrive alternatives: the sync benchmark, the Google bundle, the privacy-first options and the enterprise content cloud - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best PhotoRoom alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/photoroom.md) - The honest list of PhotoRoom alternatives for ecommerce sellers: web-based batch product shots, API pipelines, design-canvas editors and one board-verified pick - with when each beats the incumbent, and when it doesn't.
- [7 best Photoshop alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/photoshop.md) - The honest list of Photoshop alternatives: the one-time-price pro editor, the free open-source workhorses, the browser clone and the AI-first newcomers - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Pipedrive alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/pipedrive.md) - The honest list of Pipedrive alternatives: the platform plays, the enterprise standard, the AI-assisted newcomer and the suite deals - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Premiere Pro alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/premiere-pro.md) - The honest list of Premiere Pro alternatives: the free professional-grade editor, the Mac-native classic, the AI-assisted newcomers - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best QuickBooks alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/quickbooks.md) - The honest list of QuickBooks alternatives: the cloud-native leader, the freelancer-first option, the genuinely free tier and the European standard - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Salesforce alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/salesforce.md) - The honest list of Salesforce alternatives: the mid-market platform, the focused sales CRMs, the suite deals and the AI-assisted newcomers - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Shopify alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/shopify.md) - The honest list of Shopify alternatives: the open-source store you own, the enterprise platforms, the simple builders and the embeddable option - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Sketch alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/sketch.md) - The honest list of Sketch alternatives: the browser collaboration standard, the open-source platform, the free desktop editors and the AI newcomers - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Slack alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/slack.md) - The honest list of Slack alternatives: the enterprise standard, community-native chat, open-source self-hosting and the Microsoft-native option - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Spotify alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/spotify.md) - The honest list of Spotify alternatives: the lossless rival, the bundle options, the hi-fi purist and the discovery machines - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Stripe alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/stripe.md) - The honest list of Stripe alternatives: the merchant-of-record platforms that handle global tax, the enterprise processors and the regional specialists - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Substack alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/substack.md) - The honest list of Substack alternatives: the ownership options, the growth-mechanics platform and the full-CMS routes - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Trello alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/trello.md) - The honest list of Trello alternatives: the depth-first project platforms, the enterprise suites, the open-source clone and the all-in-one workspaces - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Webflow alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/webflow.md) - The honest list of Webflow alternatives: the design-to-publish newcomer, the site builders, the WordPress route and the agency platforms - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Wix alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/wix.md) - The honest list of Wix alternatives: the design-led builders, the client-proof platforms and the open-source route - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best WordPress alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/wordpress.md) - The honest list of WordPress alternatives: the visual builders, the publishing purist and the enterprise-grade CMS - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Xero alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/xero.md) - The honest list of Xero alternatives: the US default, the freelancer-first option, the genuinely free tier and the suite play - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Zapier alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/zapier.md) - The honest list of Zapier alternatives: the visual powerhouse, open-source self-hosting, developer-grade pipelines and the enterprise platforms - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Zendesk alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/zendesk.md) - The honest list of Zendesk alternatives: the value help desks, the AI-first platforms, the shared-inbox purists and the open-source option - what each does better, and when to stay.
- [7 best Zoom alternatives](https://launchduels.com/alternatives/zoom.md) - The honest list of Zoom alternatives: the bundle options, the browser-native one, the open-source meeting room and the webinar platforms - what each does better, and when to stay.

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Contact: board@launchduels.com.