Comparison
Nick Launches vs Smol Launch: Which Fits Your Launch? (2026)
A direct comparison to help you choose the right launch platform for your product.
Contents
The verdict
Nick Launches and Smol Launch both run weekly boards, with free queues tied to available room. Nick Launches offers 7 to 30 days of paid featured placement, and its weekly recap names the most upvoted free launches. Smol Launch supports written star reviews and gives its top 3 weekly launches a winner badge to embed. Both sell featured placement and directory submission services. Pick Nick Launches first if extended featured placement fits your launch; pick Smol Launch if reviews and an embeddable winner badge matter most.
What's the difference?
Nick Launches vs Smol Launch
Nick Launches weekly launches with featured placement options; best for makers seeking a weekly board with extended featured placement. Smol Launch weekly launches with reviews and winner badges; best for makers who want written reviews, an embeddable weekly winner badge and a choice of free or paid scheduling.
How we evaluated these platforms
This comparison was assembled by the Smol Launch editorial team using a mix of public platform documentation, indie-maker community feedback, and first-hand operator experience running Smol Launch — a weekly indie product launch platform.
For each platform we evaluate: audience size and intent (who actually browses), visibility persistence (24-hour spike vs. multi-week ranking), backlink type (do-follow vs. no-follow), maker community signal (votes, comments, reviews), and pricing transparency.
Pricing and feature data is verified at the time of last update (shown above). Where Smol Launch appears in a ranked list we disclose that bias and rank by the same objective criteria as every other platform — we do not place Smol Launch at #1 by default.
This page is reviewed quarterly. Live Smol Launch metrics (where shown) refresh weekly from the production database.
The platform figures we publish — launches per week, category mix, and the spread of votes per launch — are compiled in State of Indie Launches, with the counting rules behind each one.
How to choose between Nick Launches and Smol Launch
Treat this as a fit decision, not a popularity contest. Pick Nick Launches first when its focus fits your needs: makers seeking a weekly board with extended featured placement. Pick Smol Launch first when its focus fits your needs: makers who want written reviews, an embeddable weekly winner badge and a choice of free or paid scheduling. If neither description matches your first 50 users or first 100 signups, test the lower-friction option before committing your main launch week.
-
Nick Launches
- Audience:
- 4,400+ newsletter subscribers (Oct 2026)
- Visibility window:
- Weekly board; 7 to 30 days featured on paid plans
- Launches per period:
- 86 to 105 a week (October 2026)
- Link type:
- Dofollow after the badge check (free); no badge needed on paid plans
- Pricing:
- Free with a site badge and 3 upvotes; Starter $19, Pro $39, Premium $99 and Ultimate $199 with 7 to 30 days featured. Directory service $99 / $149 / $199 for 30+ / 60+ / 100+ directories (as of October 2026)
-
Smol Launch
- Audience:
- 16,000+ makers
- Visibility window:
- 7 days
- Launches per period:
- Up to 50 Basic Free + 50 Free Verified/week; paid launches uncapped
- Link type:
- Dofollow (badge-verified free tier + premium)
- Pricing:
- Basic Free; Free Verified after badge check and 3 votes; Premium $19; Premium+ $39 including 1-week Featured Spot, priority review and newsletter mention; Featured Spot $19/week or $61/4 weeks. Launch Everywhere $99 / $149 / $199 for 30+ / 60+ / 100+ directories (as of October 2026)
Methodology: how we compare launch platforms.
Want reviews and a winner badge on your launch page?
Every listing can collect star reviews, and the weekly top 3 get a winner badge. Vote for 3 launches to launch free, or pick any week with Premium for $19.
Scan first
Nick Launches vs Smol Launch at a glance
Use this quick table to compare fit, pricing, and the main reason to choose each platform before reading the detailed notes.
| Platform | Best for | Pricing | Main difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Makers seeking a weekly board with extended featured placement | Free with a site badge and 3 upvotes; Starter $19, Pro $39, Premium $99 and Ultimate... | Nick Launches starts its weekly board on Monday at 00:00 UTC. Its boards held 86-105 launches a week in recent weeks. Paid plans from $19 to $199... | |
| Makers who want written reviews, an embeddable weekly winner badge and a choice of free or... | Basic Free; Free Verified after badge check and 3 votes; Premium $19; Premium+ $39... | Smol Launch runs from Monday at 9:00 AM to Sunday at 11:59 PM Pacific. Listings can collect 1-5 star ratings with written reviews, and the top 3... |
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
Nick Launches
Weekly launches with featured placement options
Nick Launches starts its weekly board on Monday at 00:00 UTC. Its boards held 86-105 launches a week in recent weeks. Paid plans from $19 to $199 offer 7 to 30 days of featured placement. A directory submission service, API and MCP server also give makers ways to extend their launch work. Free listings require a site badge and support for 3 other launches that week.
Smol Launch
Weekly launches with reviews and winner badges
Smol Launch runs from Monday at 9:00 AM to Sunday at 11:59 PM Pacific. Listings can collect 1-5 star ratings with written reviews, and the top 3 launches receive winner badges. Basic Free and Free Verified submissions take the first open week. Premium costs $19 and lets you choose any open week; Premium+ adds a week of featured placement, priority review and a newsletter mention for $39.
Pros & Cons
Nick Launches
6 pros · 5 consPros
- Weekly board starts Monday at 00:00 UTC
- Paid plans from $19 give 7 to 30 days of featured placement
- A person reviews every launch before it goes live
- Directory service needs no launch and starts within 48 hours
- Directory service offers 30+, 60+ or 100+ submissions
- API and MCP server complement the weekly launch board
Cons
- Free entry requires upvoting 3 launches during that week
- The free listing stays only while your site keeps the badge
- Paid featured launches appear above free entries on the weekly board
- Site badges come in Featured and Premium versions, with no weekly winner badge to embed
- Product pages carry comments and upvotes but no star reviews
Smol Launch
6 pros · 6 consPros
- Listings collect 1-5 star ratings with written feedback
- Top 3 weekly launches receive numbered winner badges
- Premium lets you select any open week for $19
- Premium+ bundles 1 week featured, priority review and a newsletter mention for $39
- Launch Everywhere covers 30+, 60+ or 100+ directories
- Free Verified adds a verified listing after a badge check
Cons
- Basic Free has a nofollow link
- Both free tiers require votes for 3 other launches before you submit
- Free allocation has 50 Basic Free and 50 Free Verified slots per week
- Featured Spot cards are paid placements above the weekly board
- The $19 Premium plan does not include the Featured Spot bundled into Premium+
- Free tiers cover a product's first launch; later launches use a paid tier
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Nick Launches | Smol Launch |
|---|---|---|
| Audience | 4,400+ newsletter subscribers (Oct 2026) | 16,000+ makers |
| Visibility Duration | Weekly board; 7 to 30 days featured on paid plans | 7 days |
| Launches per Period | 86 to 105 a week (October 2026) | Up to 50 Basic Free + 50 Free Verified/week; paid launches uncapped |
| Backlink Type | Dofollow after the badge check (free); no badge needed on paid plans | Dofollow (badge-verified free tier + premium) |
| Pricing | Free with a site badge and 3 upvotes; Starter $19, Pro $39, Premium $99 and Ultimate $199 with 7 to 30 days featured. Directory service $99 / $149 / $199 for 30+ / 60+ / 100+ directories (as of October 2026) | Basic Free; Free Verified after badge check and 3 votes; Premium $19; Premium+ $39 including 1-week Featured Spot, priority review and newsletter mention; Featured Spot $19/week or $61/4 weeks. Launch Everywhere $99 / $149 / $199 for 30+ / 60+ / 100+ directories (as of October 2026) |
| Best for | Makers seeking a weekly board with extended featured placement | Makers who want written reviews, an embeddable weekly winner badge and a choice of free or paid scheduling |
| Link | Nick Launches | Smol Launch |
Frequently Asked Questions
What do free launches require on each platform?
How do the paid launch plans compare?
Do both platforms offer directory submission services?
Which platform offers reviews and winner badges?
Should I launch on Nick Launches or Smol Launch first?
Is Nick Launches worth it for a new product?
Read next
Launch your product on Smol Launch
Get a full week on the front page, with votes and feedback from other makers.
Launch your product →