Work · alternatives · 2026
24 alternatives to A directory of startups that did things that don't scale
Hey HN, I've been working on a little side project and could really use your feedback. So, I've always been fascinated by those stories of successful startups doing crazy things in their early days - you know, like Airbnb founders personally photographing listings or DoorDash founders delivering food themselves. I started collecting these stories, and before I knew it, I had a pretty big list. So I thought, "Why not turn this into a website?" And that's how https://dothingsthatdontscale.org was born. It's super basic right now - just a simple directory with about 70 examples. But…
A directory of startup stories that catalogs unconventional early-stage tactics used by successful companies. The site collects approximately 70 examples of founders engaging in labor-intensive, non-scalable… Below are 24 products that do a similar job, ranked by how close each is in meaning and then by launch-day votes. A directory of startups that did things that don't scale launched in 2024; newer entries below may have overtaken it.
- 1
Discover new unscalable ways to grow your startup
2018 · dothingsthatdontscale.com · its alternatives →
- 2
Open Startups▲439A list of startups making their stats public
2019 · open-startups.xyz · its alternatives →
- 3
- 4
- 5
A directory of startups that did things that don't scale
2024 · dothingsthatdontscale.org · its alternatives →
- 6
- 7
Dozens of templates, articles & videos to help you grow
2024 · groundup.vc · its alternatives →
- 8CO
2018 · submitchecklist.com · its alternatives →
- 9
- 10
- 11
Startr▲156"Like Airbnb for Uber." Inspiration for your next startup
2016 · play.google.com · its alternatives →
- 12
I made an open source directory for sharing projects Ever wondered how to show off that something you just built? Look no further! Awesome Launch is meant to be a list of communities and forums you can share your projects to get feedback or your first users. Anyone is free to contribute sites and resources. Hope you enjoy!
2025 · github.com · its alternatives →
- 13PT
I made this for people like myself who keep a list of ideas for apps / startups. I also made it for people who are curious to see what projects others have "in their drawer"... and who may want to have a say in which idea should see the light of day. https://ideas.dynamate.io/ The site allows creators to anonymously showcase their idea: Title. Description text. Maybe some mockups... I've tried to make it so that it's quick and easy to just dump an idea in there that's been sitting on some list of yours for months - and hopefully get some feedback on it. If someone else on…
2022 · ideas.dynamate.io · its alternatives →
- 14AC
Most of the directory or listing services are worthless from a browser's point of view. Your startup(or any listed business) gets lost somewhere buried under categories and sub-categories. So, while these directories do offer a link or two, they really do not provide any value or a good user-experience to a casual browser who simply wants to check out cool startups, quickly find out a bit about them and explore further if interested. I created StartupOnTop to address this very issue and offer a directory that presents startups in a clean, clutter-free manner. It offers a top-down view…
2011 · startupontop.com · its alternatives →
- 15
A curated directory of 700+ entrepreneurs to learn from
2021 · its alternatives →
- 16
StartupSubmitter▲100Submit your startup to every directory proven to boost SEO
2021 · startupsubmitter.com · its alternatives →
- 17
Tiny Notes▲95My startup diary - fundraising, pivot, mockups, and beyond
2023 · t.me · its alternatives →
- 18
- 19
Unscalable▲94A collection of interviews with startup founders.
2015 · inkshares.com · its alternatives →
- 20
A must have for all those who are crazy about startups !
2015 · its alternatives →
- 21FS
I started a newsletter sending out daily startup ideas. After a year, I transitioned to weekly ideas with more in-depth details. I recently posted all of them to the website and made them searchable. Check it out and let me know what you think. By providing more than just an idea, my hope is to help someone start their next business. https://www.startupsfromthebottom.com/
2020 · its alternatives →
- 22IM
I kept seeing more and more Product Hunt alternatives pop up, so I started tracking them in a spreadsheet to potentially use for future launches. The list was sitting at around 80 sites when I decided to deep dive and see how many more I could find. So I then built IndieLaunch: 250+ directories to help you launch your startup. It's free to use and includes Domain Rating (DR) and traffic info so you can pick the right spot to get the most eyes on your launch.
2024 · indielaun.ch · its alternatives →
- 23
FoundersWall▲35I used to be just a blogger. Now I build internet products, still without code, using AI, design, and taste. I was building in public on X for last 2 months. And honestly, I got tired of how it became performative and started to feel fake. I shipped 2 products. Both failed to get any real traction. I kept sneaking into popular builders’ profiles, hoping to learn how they do it. One thing I kept seeing everywhere, product launch directories. I thought here is the scope. So I started building one. Same UI like the rest. Nothing special. Suddenly one day when it was half built, I realized…
2025 · founderswall.com · its alternatives →
- 244S
I scraped more than 400 urls that were listed as supposed good places to launch a startup. I checked out each one, and found a lot of neglected sites, domains for sale, sites asking a lot of money to list your startup, etc. I made notes about my experience with each. I think this could be useful to other startups.
2023 · launchpointzero.com · its alternatives →
Also compare
Ranked by how close each launch is in meaning, then by votes. Prices were read from each product’s own site when checked and can change. Refine with your own description →