How to find early users in r/SideProject
r/SideProject is show-and-tell for makers, and a steady source of 'looking for a tool that does X' posts. Inbown surfaces those, scores intent 0–100, and drafts your reply.
About r/SideProject
r/SideProject is built around makers posting what they are working on, which makes it a natural home for early adopters. Mixed in with the show-and-tell are people asking whether a tool exists for a specific job, looking for feedback, or describing a workflow problem they want solved. For a founder, those requests are quiet buying signals from exactly the kind of person willing to try a new product from a small team.
The community is welcoming but easily annoyed by low-effort promotion. The makers who do well engage with other people's projects and answer questions genuinely. Inbown helps you do more of that with less time: it catches the 'is there a tool for X' posts when they are fresh, scores them so you prioritise, and drafts a reply that helps first and mentions your product where it fits. You always post it yourself.
What buying intent looks like in r/SideProject
- 'Does a tool exist that does X' requests
- Workflow problems described in a build update
- Feedback requests on products adjacent to yours
- Makers asking how to get users, where you can genuinely help
Threads Inbown surfaces here
- Anyone know a tool that does [exactly what you built]?
- Building X and stuck on Y. Is there something that handles this already?
- How did you all get your first users for a side project?
- Looking for feedback, and also a way to find people who need this.
Who finds customers here
Indie hackers and solo makers selling developer tools and small SaaS find receptive early adopters here.
See the playbook for indie hackers →Replying without getting removed
r/SideProject welcomes makers but not spam. A relevant mention inside a helpful answer is fine; a bare promo is not. Inbown drafts help-first replies, checks self-promo signals, and never posts on your behalf.
r/SideProject questions
Is r/SideProject good for finding customers?
It is good for finding early adopters and feedback, especially for developer tools and small SaaS. The buying signals are quieter than in r/SaaS, so intent scoring helps you spot the 'is there a tool for X' posts that are worth a reply.
How does Inbown surface these threads?
It scans the sub, scores threads 0–100 on intent, and surfaces the ones where someone is asking for a tool like yours, with a drafted reply you post from your own account.
What plan covers r/SideProject?
Starter ($19/month) covers Reddit. A free preview runs once against your URL with no signup so you can judge the feed first.
The honest verdict
r/SideProject is a maker community where early adopters hang out. Inbown catches the 'is there a tool for X' posts early, ranks them by intent, and drafts a help-first reply so you turn show-and-tell into your first users.
See it on your own product
Paste your URL. Watch Inbown surface real r/SideProject threads with buying intent in 30 seconds.
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