Can you promote in r/startups?
Welcome to /r/startups, the place to discuss startup problems and solutions. Startups are companies that are designed to grow and scale rapidly. Be sure to read and follow all of our rules--we have specific places for common content and requests.
The short answer
Answer publicly with helpful, non-promotional content; if you want to mention your startup do so sparingly with disclosure and only in the designated 'Share Your Startup' or feedback threads or after mod approval.
What works here
- Participate in public discussion and provide actionable advice
- Share your startup only in the designated Share Your Startup/Monthly thread
- Post feedback or surveys only in the weekly Feedback Thread
- Link to third-party resources (no affiliation) with an explanation
What gets posts removed
- Direct sales, ads, promotional posts, or recruiting customers in regular posts/comments
- Linking to content you are affiliated with in comments without mod approval
- Soliciting PMs/DMs or posting 'DM me' notices
- Posting your blog link without prior mod approval or full post body where required
Where this comes from
No direct sales/ads/promotion
Rule explicitly bans direct sales, advertisements, or promotional posts of any kind outside designated exceptions.
Designated threads for self-promotion
You may share your startup in the Monthly/Share Your Startup thread; feedback requests belong only in the weekly Feedback Thread.
Submissions must avoid tying to your own project
Posts should discuss methodologies/experience without naming your project or including its URL.
Links in comments must be unaffiliated
If linking in comments you must explain relevance and link only to content you have no affiliation with.
No PM solicitation
Do not request private messages or post DM/PM notices in comments or submissions.
Official rules of r/startups
- 01Relevant Content Only
- 02No direct sales, advertisements, or promotion
- 03Submissions Serve a Specific Purpose
- 04Feedback Has a Place
- 05Rules for Links in Comments/Discussion
- 06Do Not Solicit PM Requests / Post DM Notices
- 07Sharing Your Blog is To Start a Discussion, Never For Self-Promotion
- 08Always Be Kind and Supportive
- 09No Unscheduled AMAs
Based on the community’s official rules, analyzed June 2026. Rules change; the community itself is always the source of truth.
Intoru follows these rules for you.
It finds people in r/startups and hundreds of other communities who are looking for what you sell, and drafts replies that fit each community’s rules, so you help first and never read as spam.
Find your buyers on Reddit