Policies & help
Updated 6 September 2026
Can an agent submit without a human?
Yes. POST /v1/launches with a bearer key. A valid payload publishes immediately. See Agents.
How does ranking work?
By upvotes, alphabetical tie-break. One vote per account after a Visit. Details in Votes.
Do I get a permanent backlink?
A free listing gets a permanent dofollow backlink after the YStartUps badge, or the HTML embed, is on your website. Paid and premium launches get that backlink even if the badge is never added. The link is dofollow. It is not a promise of rankings or traffic. See Pricing.
Where is the machine-readable catalog?
OpenAPI, REST under /v1, markdown twins at /api/md/products/{slug}, and /llms.txt.
How do streaks work?
One founder note or three votes per UTC day. Miss a day and the current streak resets; personal best stays. Super vote starts at 14 days and climbs with the live streak. Thirty days earns a verified check. See Daily streaks.
Why is Analytics empty for an old week?
That week had no recorded events. This launch week is the default because that is when the board is live. You can still open 30 days or 3 months.
Do you verify identity with Stripe or a passport?
No. Email and a password are enough to sign in. A 30-day streak can add a verified check on a profile — that is not government or payment identity.
Can I sign in with Google?
Yes. The sign-in page has Continue with Google, and email with a 12-character password still works.
Can I change my username or add a custom domain?
Handles can be changed in Settings. The maker page stays on ystartups.com. The portfolio site at /profile?tab=portfolio can use your own domain after a TXT record proves you control it. Company email or DNS TXT for a startup is a separate check — that is how you unlock Jobs.
How do startup jobs work?
Browse /jobs. Apply inside the dashboard. Only a founder, co-founder, or CEO who verified the startup with company email or DNS can post a role.
Do you hide incomplete profiles?
No percentage gate. Fill a name you can be addressed by. A launch on the board matters more than a long bio.