Q: Is Product Hunt still the best option for launching products?

TL;DR

I still think it's the best option, even for consumer products and indie hackers, so I went for it.

Please take a look at my product, upvote it, and try my do-it-or-lose-it habit builder: https://www.producthunt.com/posts/supersquad-do-it-or-lose-it-habit-app
It's designed to work best for lazy people who want to finally achieve their goals!

However, there's a growing debate about whether PH has moved away from being an indie hacker platform to becoming a playground for big startups. I considered many factors before launching on PH.

Here are some concerns:

• Most top products on PH are tools for indie hackers, and it seems the PH community is more interested in these sectors, especially since they can easily integrate with AI. My app, however, is a casual consumer-focused app, leading me to consider focusing more on other user acquisition strategies.
• PH has grown significantly, seemingly leaving less room for indie hackers. The #1 PH maker of 2023 was OpenAI. Would we consider Sam Altman an indie hacker?
• To trend, I found myself needing to send numerous cold messages to get meaningless upvotes for my project, a strategy that strays far from conveying the core value of my product.

On the plus side:

• As of now, PH has no adequate competitor in this space. Some alternatives don't allow free product submissions, and they didn't approve mine even though I have a fully serviceable app.
• I needed a significant launch goal to motivate my co-makers.
• It's free! Alternative solutions for user acquisition require significant investment, which isn't ideal for indie hackers.

So, I still see PH as the best option for now, but please share other recommendations or user acquisition strategies!