Can I promote my own software here?
Only if it is open source, or if you wait until Wednesday, use the appropriate flair, and provide something of value beyond the software itself.
Subreddit guides
r/software rules, stats, and what to post
A source-backed Rankhog guide to r/software: 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
- 375,241
- Verified
- September 18, 2026
- Category
- Bootstrapped SaaS founders and solo software builders
Rules can change, so Rankhog keeps verification dates and the original public Reddit sources visible.
Rule summary
- Piracy: * Do not share any links or tutorials to any copyrighted content without permission. * Do not discuss software that is primarily intended or used to download, copy, or facilitate piracy or theft. * Do not discuss video downloaders.
- Troll/Abuse: Please do not troll, harass, or be generally rude to your fellow users. Keep comments civil and be respectful of your fellow users. Harassment, and raiding other subreddits/sites can lead to a permanent ban at the moderators discretion.
- Spam/Self-Promotion: Don't promote your own software unless its open source. Permanent ban. The one exception is if you share on Wednesdays, use the appropriate flair and provide something of value to the community rather than just the software. That could be a great deal, or something that will make it worth people's time to read your post.
- Visit r/techsupport Before Posting: * Many of the posts posted here have to be removed as they are not related to software. * If your question is related to computer hardware or similar it most likely belongs to r/techsupport.
- Releases: Releases should be for new programs or big updates. Please do not use it as a log for your program's versions. The program should be open-source. This is not necessary, but is highly suggested. It should also not be behind a paywall, you may have donation links, but the program should be fully usable without payments.
- Karma requirement: We require users to have a certain amount of karma before making submissions. Our AutoModerator will remove submissions from users who fall below the threshold. The threshold is a secret to make it an effective way to block spam. Please don't ask for it. Don't worry though, the threshold is not set to high amounts, and if you really need to post something, do it, and send us Modmail. We'll happily manually review requests to post.
- Low Effort: Put time and effort into the posts you make. Use proper grammar and clean formatting. Check our Wiki FAQ before asking repetitive questions.
Works well
- Share your open source program with a detailed writeup of what it does and why you built it.
- On Wednesday, post with the correct flair and include a genuine deal, discount, or useful resource alongside your software mention.
- Announce a new program or a major update using the Releases approach, ensuring it is open source and fully usable without payment.
- Ask a thoughtful, well formatted question about a software topic that is not a tech support or hardware issue.
Avoid
- Do not promote paid software outside of Wednesday posts.
- Do not post links to copyrighted content without permission.
- Do not discuss software intended for piracy or video downloaders.
- Do not post hardware or tech support questions.
- Do not use the Releases flair for minor version logs of your program.
- Do not post low effort content with poor grammar or formatting.
What r/software Is For
This community is for anything software related. People post about programs, tools, and software topics here. The rules make clear that hardware and tech support questions do not belong, and those should go to r/techsupport instead.
Rules That Matter Before Posting
The rule called "Spam/Self-Promotion" is the one that will make or break you. It says you get a permanent ban if you promote your own software unless it is open source, with one exception. The exception is if you share on Wednesdays, use the appropriate flair, and provide something of value to the community rather than just the software. The rule named "Releases" also matters if you are posting about a new program or a big update, because it asks that the program be open source and fully usable without payments. The "Karma requirement" rule means a secret karma threshold exists, and the "Low Effort" rule means your post must be well written and formatted.
What To Post
A good post here is either a genuine discussion about software or a respectful share of open source work. If you are a founder with open source software, you can share it directly, and the "Releases" rule suggests it should be fully usable without payments. If your software is not open source, you must wait until Wednesday, use the appropriate flair, and offer real value like a deal or a useful insight, not just a product link. Put time into your writing and formatting, since the "Low Effort" rule expects proper grammar and clean presentation.
What To Avoid
Do not promote your own paid software outside of the Wednesday exception, because the "Spam/Self-Promotion" rule threatens a permanent ban. Do not share links or tutorials to copyrighted content without permission, and do not discuss software used for piracy or video downloading, as the "Piracy" rule forbids it. Do not troll or harass people, as the "Troll/Abuse" rule can lead to a permanent ban. Do not post hardware questions, since the "Visit r/techsupport Before Posting" rule sends those elsewhere. Do not make low effort posts with poor grammar or formatting, because the "Low Effort" rule asks for real time and effort.
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Common questions about r/software
Is there a karma requirement to post?
The threshold is secret and not shared, but it is not set very high. If your post is blocked, send a modmail to request a manual review.
Can I ask a hardware or tech support question?
No, the rules say to head over to r/techsupport for hardware or similar questions.
What counts as a valid release post?
Releases should be for new programs or big updates, not minor version logs, and the program should ideally be open source and fully usable without payments.
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