How do I earn credits on Founders?

You earn credits by giving accepted teardowns, First-Impression Checks, or Bug Hunts — each pays +1 credit. New accounts also get a one-time starter grant of 3 credits.

Can I buy reputation or rank?

No. Reputation is earned, never bought — money can’t buy rank here, not yours, not anyone’s. PRO adds visibility and tools but never adds rank, points, or reputation.

What happens to my credits when I request feedback?

Credits are escrowed on request (1 credit per reviewer slot, 1–5 slots). If a slot goes unfilled, it is refunded — never spent or lost.

How are reviews graded?

Reviews are AI-graded in seconds against a 60-out-of-100 quality bar. Below the bar earns nothing; accepted work pays instantly.

How quickly does a new listing go live?

A new listing goes live as soon as you give your first teardown to another founder, or automatically within 24 hours either way.

How it works

Give a teardown. Get one back. Launch with backup.

Founders is a give-to-get economy: every credit is earned by helping another founder, every point of reputation by doing it well. No penny actions, nothing to buy your way past.

The loop · start with 3 credits

1Give a teardown+1 credit · +6–10 repA structured review, AI-graded. Accepted at 60/100 — below the bar earns nothing.
2Spend a credit1 credit per reviewer slotEscrowed when you ask; unfilled slots are refunded.
3Get torn down1–5 reviewersFounders who earned their credits review you — and you rate them.
4Launch with backup+1 rep per verified show-upFounders pledge to show up; show-up rates are public.
5Climb the ladder10 · 30 · 75 · 150 repTiers are reached by contribution only. Then give again.

The economy

What earns, and what it costs

The whole exchange on one screen. Nothing here has a purchase path.

What earns

Give an accepted teardown
Structured review, AI-graded 0–100. Accepted at 60+. Rep = score ÷ 10. The core craft.
+1 credit
+6–10 rep
~15–20 min
Your teardown rated ★4+ by the founder
A one-time bonus when the requester rates your accepted review 4★ or higher.
+2 rep
automatic
Show up for a launch you pledged to
Pledge before launch day, check in on it, the founder confirms (or it auto-confirms in 48h). Walk-ins welcome — pledges just carry a public show-up rate.
+1 rep
~2 min on launch day
Join the platform
Your starter grant — enough for your first three expert teardowns.
3 credits
one-time
Give an accepted First-Impression Check
A lighter, faster teardown template — same AI rubric, same 60 bar, same payout math.
+1 credit
+6–10 rep
~10 min
Give an accepted Bug Hunt
Find bugs with exact repro steps — reproducibility is weighted heaviest in the score.
+1 credit
+6–10 rep
~30 min
Get your testimonial approved
Owner-approved. Requires an accepted review on that product first.
+5 rep
~5 min

What it costs

Request feedback
1–5 reviewer slots, deadline 1–30 days. Credits are escrowed; unfilled slots are refunded — escrowed, never lost.
1 credit per reviewer slot
Break a launch pledge
Pledged, then never checked in within 72 hours of launch. Withdrawing before launch day is free. Your show-up rate is public.
−1 rep (never below 0)

Reputation

The ladder

Tiers are climbed by contribution and never by payment. The ring around a founder's avatar is the only thing on this platform that money cannot reach.

NEWCOMER0+ rep
CONTRIBUTOR10+ rep
TRUSTED30+ rep
EXPERT75+ rep
LUMINARY150+ rep

Badges

Founding Member · Be among the first 100 verified founders
First Review · Give your first review
Reviewer · Give 10 reviews
Mentor · Give 50 reviews
Builder · List your first product
Launcher · Schedule your first launch
Tier badges · Advance through the reputation tiers

The firewall

The rules that keep it honest

Credits are escrowed on request — unfilled slots are refunded, never spent.
Reviews are AI-graded in seconds. Quality bar: 60/100.
Below the bar earns nothing. Accepted work pays instantly.
Reputation is earned, never bought — money can’t buy rank here. Not yours, not anyone’s.
New listings go live when you give your first teardown — or automatically within 24 hours.

Pro buys visibility and tools — Pro never adds rank, points, or reputation. See pricing →

Frequently asked questions

How do I earn credits on Founders?: You earn credits by giving accepted teardowns, First-Impression Checks, or Bug Hunts — each pays +1 credit. New accounts also get a one-time starter grant of 3 credits.
Can I buy reputation or rank?: No. Reputation is earned, never bought — money can’t buy rank here, not yours, not anyone’s. PRO adds visibility and tools but never adds rank, points, or reputation.
What happens to my credits when I request feedback?: Credits are escrowed on request (1 credit per reviewer slot, 1–5 slots). If a slot goes unfilled, it is refunded — never spent or lost.
How are reviews graded?: Reviews are AI-graded in seconds against a 60-out-of-100 quality bar. Below the bar earns nothing; accepted work pays instantly.
How quickly does a new listing go live?: A new listing goes live as soon as you give your first teardown to another founder, or automatically within 24 hours either way.