Find developer leads on Hacker News
Hacker News is where developers and founders discover new tools. CatchIntent finds the ones actively looking for solutions you offer.
Hacker News leads are hard to find manually
HN moves fast and discussions happen across thousands of threads. Manual monitoring misses opportunities.
Fast-moving discussions
HN threads move quickly. By the time you find a relevant Ask HN post, it may already be off the front page with dozens of responses.
Valuable but scattered
High-intent discussions happen in Ask HN threads, Show HN comments, and regular stories. Impossible to monitor everything manually.
Technical audience expects quality
HN users are sophisticated. They can spot promotional content immediately. Engagement must be authentic and valuable.
No built-in alerts
Unlike Reddit, HN has no native keyword alert system. You either refresh constantly or miss conversations.
Mix of discussion and promotion
HN has genuine tool-seekers and self-promoters. Hard to distinguish who actually needs help vs. who's just advertising.
AI-powered Hacker News monitoring
CatchIntent monitors all HN activity and uses AI to surface high-intent developer leads.
Complete HN coverage
Monitor Ask HN, Show HN, comments, and stories. Never miss a relevant conversation anywhere on Hacker News.
Developer intent detection
Our AI understands developer language and identifies genuine tool-seekers — people asking 'what's the best X for Y' or comparing solutions.
Real-time alerts
Get notified within minutes of high-intent posts. Engage while the discussion is still active and visible.
Context-aware filtering
AI filters out self-promotion and low-quality threads. Only see conversations from developers genuinely seeking solutions.
Relevance scoring
Each signal is scored so you can prioritize the best opportunities. Focus on threads most likely to convert.
How it works
Get started in minutes, not days
Define your keywords
Set up keywords related to your product, competitors, and the problems you solve. Include technical terms your audience uses.
AI monitors HN continuously
CatchIntent watches all Hacker News activity 24/7, analyzing posts and comments for developer buying intent.
Receive qualified signals
Get alerts for high-intent threads — Ask HN questions, tool comparisons, and developers seeking recommendations.
Provide value and convert
Engage authentically with helpful responses. HN rewards quality contributions with visibility and trust.
Why teams choose CatchIntent
Reach technical decision-makers
HN users are developers, CTOs, and founders — the people who choose and buy developer tools.
Engage early in buying journey
Catch developers when they're researching solutions, not after they've already decided on a competitor.
Build reputation
Helpful responses on HN build lasting reputation. Your contributions remain visible and continue generating leads.
Never miss Ask HN threads
Ask HN threads are goldmines for leads. CatchIntent ensures you see every relevant question.
Authentic developer marketing
HN users respect genuine help over marketing. Engagement that provides value builds trust with technical audiences.
Complement your content strategy
Use HN insights to understand what developers are asking for. Inform your content, features, and positioning.
Simple pricing,
no surprises
Pay for high-quality signals, not keyword noise. All plans include monitoring across all supported platforms.
Free Trial
$07-day free trial included with every plan. Try CatchIntent risk-free.
Basic
For solo founders testing the waters.
Pro
PopularFor teams ready to scale outreach.
Enterprise
For teams who need the best signals & full control.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hacker News good for lead generation?
For developer tools and B2B SaaS, yes. HN users are technical decision-makers actively discussing tools and solutions. Quality over quantity — these leads are highly qualified.
How do I engage on HN without looking promotional?
Focus on being helpful first. Answer questions thoroughly, share relevant experience, and only mention your product when directly relevant to their problem.
What types of posts does CatchIntent find on HN?
Ask HN questions ('What tool do you use for X?'), Show HN comments requesting features or alternatives, and comments in stories discussing relevant tools or problems.
How fast are the alerts?
Signals are typically delivered within minutes of the post appearing on HN. Fast enough to engage while discussions are still active.
Can I monitor specific HN users or threads?
CatchIntent monitors based on keywords and topics, not specific users. This ensures you find all relevant conversations, not just from known accounts.
What keywords work best for HN?
Technical terms, competitor names, problem descriptions ('how to X', 'best tool for Y'), and category keywords ('CI/CD', 'monitoring', 'database') typically work well.
Have more questions? Browse all FAQs or book a demo to talk to our team.