MakerHunt for advertisers

Put your product in front of people who launch and ship every week

MakerHunt is a weekly launch community for makers, indie hackers, and early adopters. Sidebar ads put your brand next to real projects and hunts—not generic traffic.

From $200/mo · Up to 8 slots · Edit anytime · Cancel anytime

The problem with generic ads

What goes wrong elsewhere
Broad targeting, weak intent

Big networks optimize for impressions. You pay for people who were never going to care about your tool.

Banner blindness

Display boxes get ignored. Visitors don’t connect the ad to a community they trust.

No context

Your product floats next to unrelated content. There’s no “I’m here to find new products” moment.

What MakerHunt offers instead

A focused community context: people comparing launches, voting, and clicking through to try new products. Your ad sits beside that behavior—not against random feeds.

Audience snapshot
Builders, founders, and early adopters
Weekly hunt traffic: people actively evaluating products.
Project pages: readers deep in a niche or category.
Repeat sessions: users come back across the week.
Sidebar ads are for brands that want credible, in-context visibility—not spray-and-pray clicks.

Benefits

You’re not buying a vague “impression bucket.” You’re buying consistent presence in a product-discovery environment.

High-intent audience

People on MakerHunt are actively browsing launches, comparing tools, and looking for what to try next—not passive scrollers.

Repeat visibility

Sidebars follow users across the homepage and project pages, so your brand shows up again as they explore.

Simple, honest placement

Ads are clearly labeled. No dark patterns—just a clean card with your logo, name, and link.

You own the creative

Update copy, URL, favicon or custom image anytime from Ads Dashboard while your subscription is active.

Features & what’s included

Everything below is included per active slot unless noted. You manage live ads from Ads Dashboard.

  • Placement: Homepage right sidebar + project page right sidebar (below Partner Launch Platforms).
  • Slots: Up to 8 concurrent advertisers site-wide—limited inventory.
  • Pricing: $200/month per ad slot, billed monthly.
  • Checkout: Secure subscription via checkout; manage billing from your customer portal.
  • Tracking: Outbound links include campaign parameters for your analytics.
  • Edits: Change brand name, description, destination URL, and image without re-booking.
  • Cancellation: Cancel anytime; your ad stays live until the end of the paid period if you cancel mid-cycle.
  • Transparency: Marked as sponsored / ad so users know it’s paid placement.

Where your ad runs

Two surfaces, one subscription

One active slot shows your creative in both places—no need to configure placements separately.

Homepage

Right sidebar alongside categories, hall of fame, and network promos.

Project pages

Right sidebar below Partner Launch Platforms, near project context.

Creative format

Each ad is a compact card: optional image or favicon, title, optional one- or two-line description, and a single outbound link. We label the unit clearly so the experience stays honest and predictable.

  • Sponsored / ad labeling
  • Opens in a new tab with rel appropriate for sponsored outbound links
  • Designed to match MakerHunt’s maker-first UI

Live inventory

Slots are shared across all advertisers. When inventory is full, new bookings wait until a slot opens.

6 / 8
slots available right now

How it works

From signup to live ad in a few steps. You can iterate copy and creative after you’re live.

Step 01
Sign in & open Ads Dashboard
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Use your MakerHunt account. Everything for booking and editing lives in one place.

Step 02
Enter your ad details
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Add your URL, brand name, optional short pitch, and image or favicon fallback.

Step 03
Pay securely
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Complete checkout for $200/month per slot. Manage renewals via the billing portal.

Step 04
Go live & optimize
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Your ad appears when the slot is active. Tweak messaging anytime while subscribed.

Who it’s for

B2B SaaS & devtools

APIs, infra, AI wrappers, and productivity tools aimed at technical buyers.

Indie products

Solo or small teams shipping on a weekly rhythm and wanting consistent visibility.

Complementary services

Newsletters, agencies, or communities that help makers launch—when the offer fits the audience.

Pricing

One simple price per slot. Need more reach? Book additional slots when inventory allows (each slot is a separate subscription).

Sidebar ad slot
Homepage + project pages · Monthly
$200/mo
  • Included: dual placement (homepage + project sidebars)
  • Included: self-serve edits in Ads Dashboard
  • Included: sponsored disclosure on the ad unit
  • Limit: up to 8 concurrent advertisers site-wide
  • Billing: monthly · Cancel anytime

Policies & expectations

  • No performance guarantees. We don’t promise clicks, conversions, or rankings. You’re buying placement in our community surfaces.
  • Appropriate use. Ads must comply with our terms, represent the linked destination fairly, and must not promote scams or illegal content.
  • Need distribution help too? For done-for-you posting across launch platforms and social, see Posting Dude.

FAQ

Straight answers about placement, billing, and what you should expect.

Who sees MakerHunt ads?
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Visitors browsing the homepage and readers on individual project pages. Both sidebars are part of the main layout on desktop; mobile users see a streamlined layout where sidebar content still appears in the page flow.

Where exactly do ads appear?
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In the right sidebar on the homepage and in the right sidebar on project pages, below the Partner Launch Platforms block. Your ad uses the same card style across placements.

How much does one slot cost?
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$200 USD per month per slot. Each slot is one subscription; you can run multiple slots if inventory allows.

How many advertisers can run at once?
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MakerHunt runs up to 8 live ad slots at a time. Availability is first-come while slots remain.

What can I put in my ad?
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A destination URL, brand name, optional short description, and either a favicon-based image or a custom image URL. All content must comply with our terms and represent the product or brand you’re promoting.

Can I change my ad after it goes live?
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Yes. Log in and open Ads Dashboard to edit details whenever your subscription is active (or canceled but still within the paid period).

What happens if I cancel?
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Cancellation stops renewal. If you’ve already paid for the current period, your ad typically remains visible until that billing cycle ends—then the slot can go to someone else.

Do you guarantee clicks, signups, or sales?
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No. We sell placement and reach a relevant audience. Results depend on your offer, creative, landing page, and fit with MakerHunt visitors.

Are these “native” articles or display banners?
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They’re compact sponsored cards with your branding and a single primary link—designed to match MakerHunt’s UI, not to disguise advertising as editorial.

Can I advertise something that isn’t a SaaS?
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Generally yes if it’s a legitimate product or service and allowed under our policies. If unsure, contact us before booking.

How do I book?
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Create an account (or sign in), go to Ads Dashboard, enter your ad details, and complete checkout. You’ll manage everything from there.

Show your product to the MakerHunt community
Book a slot, upload your creative, and go live when checkout completes.