Can I post a link to my startup or product here?
No, the rule called Soliciting / Advertising bans all self-promotion outside the Weekly Free For All Thread published each Sunday.
Subreddit guides
r/Business_Ideas rules, stats, and what to post
A source-backed Rankhog guide to r/Business_Ideas: public rules, community context, posting fit, and startup-promotion risk before you publish.
By Anthony Riera, founder and operator of Rankhog.
Subreddit guides combine public Reddit source URLs, captured rules, visible verification dates, and Rankhog's account-safety workflow.
Current public stats
- Members
- 473,081
- Verified
- September 18, 2026
- Category
- Idea-stage founders and startup validators
Rules can change, so Rankhog keeps verification dates and the original public Reddit sources visible.
Rule summary
- Soliciting / Advertising: You are not allowed to advertise your own product, service, blog, website, Discord instance or social media. If you have a business or offer services, you may only post them in our Weekly Free For All Thread that gets published each Sunday. If you are looking feedback on your website reach out via ModMail first. If your site requires credentials, you must provide sample credentials; you cannot expect the community to individually sign up to your site or join your waitlist.
- Low-Effort Feedback Requests: Posts that are considered 'low effort' will be removed. Think about what you're posting and make sure that you've included enough information for this community to be able to respond, without having to prompt you for basic information.
- Crypto or NFT Posts: No posts related to cryptocurrencies or NFTs will be tolerated, period.
- Students & those seeking financial advice: This sub supports entrepreneurs and business owners, offering insights into business operations and marketing strategies. It's not intended for general financial/investment advice. Students: Post academic queries in our weekly Student Questions Thread, live every Sunday at 0600 GMT+0. This ensures a focused and valuable space for all business discussions.
- Use the correct flair: There is a reason for each of the flairs on this sub. Ensure that you use the correct one as your post will be checked that it contains certain information based on your selection. Incorrectly flaired posts will likely be removed.
- Be Real and Be Nice: Be respectful to your fellow community members and try to understand someone's point even if you don't agree with it. **ANYONE** who insults another member will be banned. Let's be gentlemanly/lady like to each other. If you can't do that, at least be civil. If you can't do either, out you go.
- 'What Business Do I start?' posts: We see and reject so many of these posts and they are typicaly removed If you browse this sub, you will find hundreds, if not thousands of busines ideas. If you are going to ask the community 'what business do I start?' then you must include at least the following basic information: - Your available capital - Your skills and experience - Preferred Industry(s) - Preferance for Online or Brick and Mortar - Have you run a business these details are a **minimum** of what your post is to include.
- No links to surveys: If you want to ask our community questions, then do so in your post. Do not link to external surveys without getting a moderator's 'thumbs up' first. You're welcome to post survey links in our weekly Sunday free-for-all posts.
- Pay attention to u/AutoModerator: If u/AutoModerator comments on your post, it's likely prompting you to include information that would be helpful to other users and to give them more to work with when generating a response. If no such effort to include this basic information, your post will likely be removed.
- Go easy on emojis: All human mods here were born before 1990; translation: we're all grumpy old farts who don't subscribe to the notion of inserting pictures into sentences. Don't go overboard.
- Human replies only: There are some exceptions, like ideas for names, but for the most part, non-human responses are banned. Everyone has access to ChatGPT and if that the type of insight someone is after, they'll ask GPT themselves. GPT can *improve* (or translate) your response, but it must not have created it.
Works well
- A detailed post sharing a specific business idea with context on the problem it solves, the target customer, and the cost of sale, written in your own words and flaired correctly.
- A well-structured question about starting a venture that includes your available capital, skills, experience, preferred industries, online or brick and mortar preference, and whether you have run a business before.
- A thoughtful comment on someone else's idea that adds operational or marketing insight, written by a human and respectful in tone.
- A website feedback request submitted to the moderators via ModMail first, with sample credentials provided so the community can look without signing up.
Avoid
- Posting any link to your own product, service, blog, website, Discord, or social media outside the Sunday thread.
- Asking the community what business to start without listing your capital, skills, experience, preferred industries, online or brick and mortar preference, and whether you have run a business before.
- Posting anything related to cryptocurrencies or NFTs.
- Linking to an external survey without getting moderator approval first.
- Using AI to generate your post or comment instead of writing it yourself.
- Insulting another member, since the rules say anyone who does will be banned.
What r/Business_Ideas Is For
This community is for sharing and exploring business ideas, getting insights on starting a venture, and understanding things like cost of sale and taxation. The rules say it supports entrepreneurs and business owners with insights into business operations and marketing strategies. It is not a place for general financial or investment advice, and students are directed to a weekly thread for academic questions.
Rules That Matter Before Posting
The rule called Soliciting / Advertising is the one that matters most for anyone doing marketing here, because it blocks all self-promotion outside the Sunday thread. The rule called Low-Effort Feedback Requests means a vague post will get pulled. The rule called Crypto or NFT Posts is a hard no for that entire topic. The rule called Students and those seeking financial advice keeps general financial questions out. The rule called Use the correct flair means your post will be checked for certain information based on the flair you pick. The rule called Human replies only means AI-generated content is banned. The rule called No links to surveys means you need moderator approval before posting any survey link.
What To Post
A good post here is a genuine, detailed business idea or a well-structured question that gives the community enough to work with. If you want feedback on a concept, write it out thoroughly so people do not have to prompt you for basics. Use the correct flair and include whatever information that flair requires. If you want website feedback, message the moderators first and provide sample credentials if your site needs a login. Save any promotion for the Weekly Free For All Thread that drops each Sunday. Write every word yourself, because AI-generated replies are banned.
What To Avoid
Do not advertise your own product, service, blog, website, Discord, or social media anywhere except the Sunday thread. Do not post low-effort feedback requests that leave the community guessing for basic details. Do not post anything about cryptocurrencies or NFTs. Do not ask what business to start without including your capital, skills, experience, preferred industries, online or brick and mortar preference, and prior business experience. Do not link to external surveys without moderator approval. Do not ignore AutoModerator when it prompts you for more information. Do not go overboard with emojis. Do not post AI-generated replies. Do not insult another member, because the rules say anyone who does will be banned.
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Common questions about r/Business_Ideas
Can I share my website for feedback?
You must reach out via ModMail first, and if your site requires credentials you must provide sample credentials so the community does not have to sign up individually.
What information do I need to include if I ask what business to start?
You must include your available capital, skills and experience, preferred industries, preference for online or brick and mortar, and whether you have run a business before.
Are crypto or NFT projects allowed here?
No, the rule called Crypto or NFT Posts says no posts related to cryptocurrencies or NFTs will be tolerated, period.
Can I use ChatGPT to write my post or comment?
No, the rule called Human replies only bans non-human responses. You may use AI to improve or translate your response, but it must not have created it.
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