# Builtbyindies vs Penguin Startup

> Builtbyindies is the better fit for solo founders who want feedback from other makers, a backlink and a buildlog for updates. It has optional paid plans at $9 or $19 one-time. Penguin Startup is the better fit for founders who want a free listing with no paid placements, or for people who scan fresh launches by sector, including investors looking for deal flow.

Builtbyindies and Penguin Startup both help new products get seen, but they work differently. Builtbyindies runs weekly launch cohorts for indie makers. Other makers upvote and comment, and the top three products get a Product of the Week badge and a dofollow link.

Penguin Startup is a daily directory of new startups. Listing is free, submissions are checked by hand, and the weekly ranking follows visitor views. The site says nobody can pay to move up.

## At a glance

| | Builtbyindies | Penguin Startup |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Weekly product launches and feedback for indie makers | Daily directory of new startups, free for founders to list |
| Free plan | Yes, free plan | Yes, free |
| Pricing | Freemium. Free launch with community scheduling, though the site says it may require karma. Premium is $9 one-time for 14 days on the homepage spotlight. Featured is $19 one-time for 30 days plus a blog post. No subscriptions. | Free. Listing is free and the site says there are no paid placements at the moment. No paid plans are described. |
| Also covers | maker community, indie hackers, upvoting, backlinks | launch directory, product discovery, free listing |
| Page | https://another.directory/tools/builtbyindies | https://another.directory/tools/penguin-startup |
| Website | https://builtbyindies.com | https://penguinstartup.com |

Both do: product launches, startup directory

## Who Builtbyindies is for

Solo founders and small teams who have a product to show and want early users, feedback from other makers and a backlink. It suits people comfortable with a community of fellow builders as the audience. Teams after a large mainstream audience may find the cohorts small by design.

## Who Penguin Startup is for

Founders who want a free listing for a new product, and people who like scanning fresh launches in areas such as AI, SaaS and developer tools. The About page also names investors looking for deal flow outside their own networks. It is a discovery list, not a tool for deeper research on each company.

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From Another Directory (https://another.directory), a directory of new software tools. Compares what the two sites say; it is not a review.
