SideFrog

Break Room / Start

Where to get honest feedback

Frank, at the water cooler

Ask the people who'd pay. Other founders will happily critique your idea, but they aren't your customers. Go where your buyers already talk, ask a real question, and count the answers.

Lists of “subreddits to promote your startup” are everywhere, and most of them are communities of other builders. That's useful if you're making an app and want another builder's opinion. It doesn't tell you whether anyone will buy your tacos.

Posting a taco idea in a software forum is the office equivalent of asking IT to plan the potluck.

1. Decide whose opinion counts

Write down who would actually pay. Your SideFrog result should already give you a good starting point. Feedback from those people matters more than upvotes from everyone else, because they're the ones whose answer should change what you do next.

2. Find where your buyers already talk

Go to them instead of asking them to come to you:

Don't assume promotion is welcome; read the rules first. A useful question will usually teach you more than an ad anyway.

3. If your idea is an app, try builder communities too

For software, other builders can be useful early testers. Places worth checking include:

Use their feedback to improve the product, and don't confuse it with proof that customers will pay.

4. Read the rules before you post

Every community has its own rules, they vary widely and they change. Some allow sharing anytime, some have a weekly thread, and some don't allow self-promotion at all. Read the sidebar or group rules before posting, and better yet, spend some time reading and helping other people before you show up with your thing.

5. Ask, don't pitch

Start with the problem. Instead of “I built an app that does X. Check it out,” try “How are you handling X today?” Describe what you're thinking about in a sentence or two, and leave the link out unless the rules allow it or someone asks. End with one question that's easy to answer. The Side Kit has a prompt that writes the post from the community's rules.

6. Count what you hear

Keep a simple tally:

Then compare it with the “Keep going if” and “Rethink it if” lines SideFrog gave you. Twenty upvotes from other founders and no interest from buyers means rethink.

Got an idea? SideFrog gives you a straight verdict, who'd pay, a first test to run and names with an open .com, in about ten seconds.

Check your idea

Want help building it? Mark helps people vibe code their first site with AI. Pick a time with Mark or message him on LinkedIn.

Questions people ask

Can I post my idea in r/startups or r/Entrepreneur?

Check the current rules first. Larger business communities often restrict self-promotion, require particular post formats or put promotional content in designated threads.

Should I post a link to my landing page?

Only where the rules allow it. If you're trying to learn rather than promote, asking about the problem usually gets better information than leading with your link.

What about sites that list new apps?

Directories and launch sites can bring traffic and early users, which is useful. Traffic is different from evidence that someone will pay, though, so talk to potential buyers too.

How many responses is enough?

There's no magic number; you're looking for a pattern. Ten detailed answers from people who actually have the problem can tell you more than hundreds of anonymous upvotes.

Read next

Sources

Last checked October 3, 2026.