# Needle — llms-full.txt > Full markdown documentation for AI agents and MCP servers. Indexed below; > product facts first, then the complete knowledge-base documentation. > Generated from frontend/lib/llm/productFacts.mjs + docs/knowledge-base/. > Last updated: 2026-08-07 # Index - Plan: Starter — $108/year, annual only - Plan: Solo — $15/month or $150/year - Plan: Growth — $49/month or $490/year - Plan: Scale — $149/month or $1490/year - Platforms: Reddit, Stack Overflow, Hacker News, GitHub, YouTube, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, Bluesky, Lobsters, Mastodon, Tumblr, Forums, Product Hunt - Trial: 7-day free trial on all paid plans (card required; one trial per account) - Support: support@useneedle.net - Doc: What is Needle? (1-minute overview) (01-what-is-needle) - Doc: Who is Needle for? (ICP and use cases) (02-who-is-needle-for) - Doc: How Needle is different (03-how-needle-is-different) - Doc: Quick start: get value in 10 minutes (04-quick-start) - Doc: Search playbook: best queries and examples (05-search-playbook) - Doc: How to interpret results (intent and sentiment) (06-how-to-interpret-results) - Doc: Dashboard Search guide (Manual & Auto Search) (07-search-guide) - Doc: Onboarding Welcome Scan (before a paid plan) (08-preview-and-welcome-scan) - Doc: Trending Problems guide (09-trending-problems-guide) - Doc: Plans, limits, and platform access (12-plans-limits-platform-access) - Doc: Privacy and data handling (13-privacy-data-handling) - Doc: FAQ (frequently asked questions) (14-faq) - Doc: Free tools (no signup required) (15-free-tools) - Doc: Needle Directory (support summary) (16-needle-directory) - Doc: Real-time Social Search and Lead Generation (17-realtime-searching-and-leads) - Doc: Integrations Catalog (18-integrations-catalog) # Product facts - Site: https://useneedle.net - Founded: 2025 - Founder: Vaibhav Singhal - Users: 900+ founders and GTM teams - Plans: Starter ($108/year, annual only), Solo ($15/month or $150/year), Growth ($49/month or $490/year), Scale ($149/month or $1490/year) - Trial: 7-day free trial on all paid plans (card required; one trial per account) - Platforms (per plan): Reddit, Stack Overflow, Hacker News, GitHub, YouTube, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, Bluesky, Lobsters, Mastodon, Tumblr, Forums, Product Hunt - Support: support@useneedle.net - Twitter/X: https://x.com/use_needle (@use_needle) - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/useneedle - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@useneedle - Discord: https://discord.gg/vDEFVBEFSS # Documentation ## What is Needle? (1-minute overview) # What is Needle? (1-minute overview) **Use this when:** Someone asks what Needle does, what it’s for, or whether it’s right for them. --- Needle is a **customer and market discovery platform** for early-stage teams. It helps you find and act on real demand-where people already talk about problems, compare tools, and look for solutions-instead of guessing or spraying generic outreach. **In one sentence:** Needle searches across multiple communities (Reddit, Stack Overflow, Hacker News, YouTube, GitHub, Tumblr, X (Twitter), Mastodon, Bluesky, Lobsters-per plan), ranks conversations with **intent** and **sentiment**, and uses **Auto Search** for **your brand** so Needle **reruns your saved setup on a schedule**, with optional digests. Paid plans support up to **3** brand profiles depending on your tier (Solo includes **1** brand, Growth **2** brands, while Scale includes up to **3** brands, with Enterprise upgrades available for more). New visitors can try a **homepage preview**; after signup, a **one-time welcome scan** runs before they choose a plan. **[Needle Directory](16-needle-directory.md)** is the public product catalog on Needle, separate from Search. **What you get:** - **Manual Search** - Start a **custom search on demand** with the phrasing you enter for that run; results stream live. Usage counts toward your plan’s **manual search run** limits. - **Auto Search** - Configure **your brand** with keywords/phrases and platforms. Needle **runs scheduled passes** using that saved setup; **new posts** can trigger **digest notifications** (channels depend on plan). Save **competitors** to **highlight when those names appear in posts**. **Automatic Auto Search runs do not consume manual search quotas.** - **Trending Problems** - See what’s gaining momentum so you can validate demand before it’s obvious. - **Analytics** - Usage, recent activity, and quick links back into Search. - **Needle Directory** - Public product listings for builders who want a stable page on Needle (separate from Search); see [Needle Directory](16-needle-directory.md). **Outcome:** You spend less time manually checking platforms and more time reaching the right people with the right message. --- **Next read:** [Who is Needle for?](02-who-is-needle-for.md) | [Quick start](04-quick-start.md) | [Needle Directory](16-needle-directory.md) ## Who is Needle for? (ICP and use cases) # Who is Needle for? (ICP and use cases) **Use this when:** Someone asks if Needle is right for them, who typically uses it, or what use cases it supports. --- **Best fit:** Pre-seed to Series A B2B SaaS and dev-tool companies (1–20 people), founder-led GTM. Users are usually founders, solo marketers, growth leads, product managers, or early SDRs. Geography: US, Canada, UK, EU, India, Australia (English-first). Typical deal size: roughly $1k–$30k ACV, 0–30 day sales cycle. Industries: SaaS, dev tools, analytics, productivity, security, fintech, B2B infra, AI tooling. **Core use cases:** - **Validate demand** - See how often problems come up, how urgent they are, and whether people are willing to pay. - **Find early adopters** - Discover who’s already talking about the problem and where they hang out. - **Get buyer language** - Pull real phrases for positioning, landing pages, and outreach. - **Stay on top of demand** - Use **Trending Problems** and **Search** to see what’s heating up, then use **Auto Search** for **your brand** (paid plans support up to **3** brand profiles depending on plan tier). - **Map competitors** - Build a competitor set and see where they’re failing or leaving gaps. **Strong trigger moments:** Just launched or about to launch; pivoting or refining ICP; building outbound from community signals; hearing “people keep recommending X”; doing lots of manual Reddit/HN/Stack Overflow research. **Secondary fit:** Agencies/consultants doing customer research and positioning; VC analysts/operators doing lightweight market scans. **Not a great fit (for now):** Pure B2C with weak community signal in our platforms; enterprises needing formal CI suites or heavy compliance; teams that only want a static company database with no conversation-led discovery. --- **Next read:** [How Needle is different](03-how-needle-is-different.md) | [Quick start](04-quick-start.md) ## How Needle is different # How Needle is different **Use this when:** Someone compares Needle to manual search, Google, or other “social listening” or research tools. --- **vs manual search:** Instead of opening Reddit, HN, GitHub, Stack Overflow, and others one by one, Needle searches multiple communities in one place and ranks by relevance and intent. You get sentiment and buying-intent signals so you can prioritize who’s ready to act-not just who mentioned a keyword. **vs generic social listening:** Needle is built for **customer and market discovery**: finding people with problems, validating demand, and getting language for positioning and outreach. We focus on **10+ communities** where founders and technical users actually seek solutions (Reddit, HN, Stack Overflow, GitHub, YouTube, Tumblr, X, Mastodon, Bluesky, Lobsters, Forums, and more by plan), not broad consumer feeds. **vs “just use Google”:** Google shows pages; Needle shows **conversations** with intent and sentiment. You see who’s frustrated, who’s comparing alternatives, and who’s asking for recommendations-so you can reach the right person with the right message instead of guessing. **What makes Needle stick:** - **One workflow** - **Manual search** for on-demand runs, **Auto Search** for each **brand** when Needle should **run again on its own** (paid tiers), **Trending Problems**, **Analytics**, and **AI reply drafts** on posts (plan-dependent)-without a pile of disconnected “modules.” - **Intent + sentiment** - Not just “mentioned X” but “how ready are they to act?” and “how do they feel?” - **Plan-based access** - Solo/Growth/Scale scale limits, platform access, digest channels, and export options. --- **Next read:** [Quick start](04-quick-start.md) | [Search playbook](05-search-playbook.md) ## Quick start: get value in 10 minutes # Quick start: get value in 10 minutes **Use this when:** Someone is new and wants to see value fast. --- **Not signed up yet?** Try the **homepage preview** (enter your website) for a quick sample, then sign up. See [Preview and welcome scan](08-preview-and-welcome-scan.md). --- 1. **Sign up and subscribe** - Create your account, complete **brand onboarding**, and run the one-time **welcome scan** on Auto Search. Pick a plan from Pricing and start the **7-day free trial** to unlock Manual search and recurring Auto Search. 2. **Run your first manual search** - In the dashboard, open **Manual search**. Describe the **problem** your product solves, not your product name. Examples: “people frustrated with project management,” “looking for Notion alternatives,” “customer support software too expensive.” Use 3–20 words for best results. 3. **Scan intent and sentiment** - Each result shows intent (how ready they are to act) and sentiment (frustrated, positive, neutral). Focus on **high intent + negative sentiment** first-these are people in pain who are actively looking for solutions. 4. **Use the results** - Open the conversation, understand context, and reach out with a helpful message. Save or export results if your plan includes exports (Solo: CSV; Growth and Scale: additional formats). 5. **Turn on Auto Search** - Open **Auto Search**, pick **your brand** in the header, and finish **Settings** (keywords/phrases, platforms, how often Needle runs again, how far back Auto Search looks on each pass). Needle then **collects new posts on that schedule** using your **saved brand setup** and shows the latest ranked posts; optional **digests** notify you when new posts appear. Use **Manual search** when you want a **fresh, one-off query** without changing your brand defaults. Paid plans support up to **3** brand profiles depending on your tier (Solo includes **1** brand, Growth **2** brands, while Scale includes up to **3** brands, with Enterprise upgrades available for more). 6. **Check Trending Problems** - See what’s gaining momentum across communities. Use it to validate ideas and spot opportunities early. 7. **Open Analytics** - See recent runs and quick links when you want a snapshot of activity. **Pro tip:** Search for the problem and the language your customers use when they’re frustrated-not your category label. “Overwhelmed by project management” often beats “project management software.” --- **Next read:** [Search playbook](05-search-playbook.md) | [How to interpret results](06-how-to-interpret-results.md) ## Search playbook: best queries and examples # Search playbook: best queries and examples **Use this when:** Someone asks how to search, what queries work best, or how to find early adopters. --- **Search for the problem, not your product.** People don’t search for your brand before they know you. They search for pain points, alternatives to tools they use, and “how do I do X.” **Good query examples:** - “people frustrated with [problem]” - e.g. project management, customer support, invoicing - “alternatives to [competitor or tool]” - e.g. Notion, Slack, HubSpot - “looking for [solution type]” - e.g. simple CRM for small team, dev tool for X - “[problem] too expensive” - budget-sensitive buyers - “how do I [outcome]” - people seeking a solution **Use 3–20 words.** More specific usually means more relevant. “People struggling with team task tracking and missed deadlines” is better than “task management.” **Try different platforms.** Reddit and HN are strong for technical and founder audiences; Stack Overflow for dev pain; YouTube for tutorials and comparisons; Tumblr, X, Mastodon, Bluesky, and Lobsters add other angles. Your plan determines limits and defaults. **Combine with other features:** - Use **Trending Problems** to see what’s hot, then search for that topic to find conversations. - On **Growth** and **Scale**, use **Auto Search** so **your brand** keeps getting **fresh passes** on the **schedule** you set, with optional **digests**, so new posts surface without repeating the same manual workflow every day. --- **Next read:** [How to interpret results](06-how-to-interpret-results.md) | [Search guide (Manual & Auto)](07-search-guide.md) ## How to interpret results (intent and sentiment) # How to interpret results (intent and sentiment) **Use this when:** Someone asks what intent and sentiment mean or how to prioritize leads. --- **Sentiment** = how the person feels about the topic. - **Negative** - Frustrated, unhappy, complaining. Often the best opportunity: they have a problem and may be ready to try something new. - **Positive** - Happy, satisfied. Useful for understanding what’s working or who’s already a customer elsewhere. - **Neutral** - Informational or mixed. Can still be valuable for research and positioning. **Intent** = how ready they are to take action (e.g. buy, try, switch). - **High (e.g. 75–100)** - Actively looking: comparing options, asking for recommendations, or expressing urgency. These are your best leads. - **Medium (e.g. 50–74)** - Researching, considering. Good for nurture or follow-up. - **Low (e.g. 25–49)** - Casual interest. Useful for market understanding, less for immediate outreach. **Best combo for outreach:** **High intent + negative sentiment** - someone in pain who’s actively seeking a solution. Prioritize these first. **Common mistakes:** - Chasing every mention of your category instead of problem language. - Ignoring sentiment and treating all results the same. - Only searching for your product name (most people don’t search for you until they know you). --- **Next read:** [Dashboard Search guide](07-search-guide.md) | [Quick start](04-quick-start.md) ## Dashboard Search guide (Manual & Auto Search) # Dashboard Search guide (Manual & Auto Search) **Use this when:** Someone asks how in-app search works, where to run it, or how **your brand** relates to **Auto Search**. --- **Manual Search** - Run a **custom search on demand**: describe the problem or topic in plain language for **this run** (typically 3–20 words), pick your timeframe, and stream ranked public posts with **intent** and **sentiment**. Best for experiments and ad hoc scans. Counts toward **manual search run** limits (daily/monthly on the plan). **Requires an active paid plan or trialing subscription** (not available on “no plan” before checkout). **Auto Search** - For **your brand**, Needle runs **scheduled passes** using the **phrases, sites, lookback, and cadence** you save in **Settings**-not the free-form text from your last manual search unless you aligned them on purpose. Each pass pulls fresh public posts, scores them, and surfaces intent, sentiment, and **when competitor names appear in the text** if you saved competitors in Settings. The **Auto Search** tab shows the **latest** posts; status appears in the header. Set **how often** Needle runs, networks, **how far back Auto Search looks** (rolling window per pass), and digests under **Dashboard → Settings**. **Scheduled** Auto Search **requires a paid plan or trial.** Paid plans support up to **3** brand profiles depending on your tier (Solo includes **1** brand, Growth **2** brands, while Scale includes up to **3** brands, with Enterprise upgrades available for more). **Automatic Auto Search runs do not count toward manual search quotas.** **Before a paid plan:** After onboarding, users get a **one-time welcome scan** (7-day snapshot on a subset of communities) on the Auto Search tab-not recurring scheduled Auto Search. See [Preview and welcome scan](08-preview-and-welcome-scan.md). **When to use Search:** - Validating whether people have the problem you solve - Finding early adopters and the communities they’re in - Getting real language for positioning and outreach - Researching competitors and alternatives people mention **How it works:** **Manual** is a run **you** start with the query you type **for that run**. **Auto Search** reuses the phrases and sites you saved for **your brand** in Settings and runs on a schedule-both rank public threads, but they are not the same “saved query vs one-off” story unless you intentionally mirror the wording. **Limits (summary):** Solo: 5 manual searches/day (up to 50 results/run), 300/month. Growth: 30/day, 1,800/month (up to 200 results/run). Scale: 150/day, 9,000/month (up to 500 results/run). **Brand profile (Auto Search):** Up to **3** brand profiles depending on plan tier (Solo: 1 brand, Growth: 2 brands, Scale: 3 brands). Exact numbers and platform lists are on the **Pricing** page. **Tips:** Search for the problem and customer language, not your product name. Use 3–20 words. Focus on high intent + negative sentiment for outreach. --- **Next read:** [Search playbook](05-search-playbook.md) | [How to interpret results](06-how-to-interpret-results.md) | [Plans and limits](12-plans-limits-platform-access.md) ## Onboarding Welcome Scan (before a paid plan) # Onboarding Welcome Scan (before a paid plan) **Use this when:** Someone asks what they get **before subscribing**, how the homepage search input works, or what happens right after signup. --- ## Welcome Scan Flow (Account Required) - On the **homepage**, visitors can enter their **website URL** to kick off a free Welcome Scan. - **Account Required:** To run the scan and view results, the visitor must create a free account (no credit card required). - **Onboarding Setup:** Needle reads the domain, suggests what to track, and allows the user to customize their brand keywords, ICP, and target platforms in the onboarding wizard. - **The Scan:** Once onboarding is finished, a free one-time **Welcome Scan** is run for the brand. This returns up to 25 intent-ranked threads from public platforms (Reddit, Hacker News, Stack Overflow, Tumblr, Lobsters) using a **7-day lookback window**. - **Dashboard Access:** The Welcome Scan results are permanently saved to the user's dashboard brand workspace. - **Zero-result quality gate:** If a scan finishes with **0 results** (very niche keywords, quiet communities), the Auto Search tab shows a **“No results” panel** that lets the user **refine keywords/ICP and rerun** the free welcome scan. Reruns are only allowed for completed scans below the activation result threshold - once a scan returns meaningful results (or the account starts a trial/paid plan), the one-time scan is considered done and rerun is disabled. ## What is *not* included without a paid plan - **Manual search** (on-demand custom queries across plan platforms). - **Recurring Auto Search** on a schedule (daily/hourly passes). - **Slack/Discord/Teams Digests**, CSV exports, and full platform access (LinkedIn, YouTube, Mastodon, X, etc.). ## Trial All paid plans (**Solo**, **Growth**, **Scale**) include a **7-day free trial** (credit card at checkout; one trial per account). Starting a trial immediately unlocks manual search, scheduled Auto Search, and full platform coverage based on the selected tier. --- **Next read:** [Quick start](04-quick-start.md) | [Search guide](07-search-guide.md) | [Plans and limits](12-plans-limits-platform-access.md) ## Trending Problems guide # Trending Problems guide **Use this when:** Someone asks what Trending Problems is or how to use it to validate ideas. --- **What it is:** Trending Problems automatically surfaces what’s gaining momentum across Reddit, GitHub, YouTube, Stack Overflow, and Hacker News. It shows topics and problems people are discussing with sentiment-so you can see what’s heating up and where frustration (opportunity) is high. **When to use it:** - Validating a startup idea before building or pivoting - Spotting emerging problems before they’re obvious to everyone - Finding topics for content and outreach - Understanding what your audience cares about right now **How to use it:** Open **Trending Problems** in the dashboard. Browse by platform or topic. Look for rising discussion volume, negative sentiment (frustration = opportunity), and urgent language. Use those topics as input for **Manual search** to find specific conversations and people to reach out to. **Why it’s useful:** It’s a radar for demand. Instead of guessing what’s trending, you see what’s actually being discussed and how people feel-so you can validate ideas with real signal. **Access:** Available across plans with higher limits/history on Growth and Scale. See the Plans and limits doc for details. --- **Next read:** [Search playbook](05-search-playbook.md) | [Plans and limits](12-plans-limits-platform-access.md) ## Plans, limits, and platform access # Plans, limits, and platform access **Use this when:** Someone asks what’s included in each plan, how many searches they get, which platforms they can use, or how **Auto Search** works for **your brand**. --- **Single source of truth for pricing and limits.** For exact prices and current numbers, always point users to the **Pricing** page on the website. Below is a **summary** for chat and support. ### Trial (all paid plans) - **7-day free trial on all paid plans** - Starter, Solo, Growth, and Scale (monthly or annual checkout; Starter is annual-only). - **Card required** at checkout; **not charged** for the subscription period if they **end trial** or **cancel before day 7**. - After day 7, first **paid** charge runs unless billing fails → plan may go to **none** / on hold until fixed. - **One trial per account** (lifetime). Returning subscribers who already paid or used a trial checkout **without** a new trial period. - **Promo codes** apply to the **first paid invoice after the trial**, not the $0 trial window. - **Cancel during trial:** Settings → **End trial** (immediate; no period-end option). ### Auto Search (quick reference) | | Starter | Solo | Growth | Scale | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | **How often Auto Search runs** (for your brand) | Every 8 hours · Daily · Weekly | Every 8 hours · Daily · Weekly | Every 4 hours · Every 12 hours · Daily · Weekly | Every hour · Every 4 hours · Every 6 hours · Every 12 hours · Daily · Weekly | | **How far back Auto Search looks** (rolling window per pass, after the first run) | 24 hours | 24 hours | 12 hours · 24 hours | 1 hour · 4 hours · 12 hours · 24 hours | ### Starter ($108/yr - annual only, ≈$9/mo equivalent) - **Billing:** **Annual only** - there is no monthly option; one payment per year. The **7-day free trial** still applies. - **Manual Search:** **3** runs/day, **90**/month, up to **25** results/run. **Manual timeframes:** up to **24 hours** per run. - **Auto Search:** **1** brand per account, **Every 8 hours / Daily / Weekly** run intervals, optional digests; automatic runs do **not** count toward manual quotas. **Settings:** choose **networks** and **24h** lookback only. - **Digest channels:** Google Chat only (confirm on Pricing). - **AI reply drafts:** **10** drafts/day (**180**/month). - **Platforms (search):** **5** core communities - Reddit, Stack Overflow, Hacker News, GitHub, Lobsters (no Mastodon, Bluesky, or Product Hunt). - **Exports:** Not included - **CSV export starts on Solo** (see below). ### Solo ($15/mo, $150/yr) - **Manual Search:** **5** runs/day, **300**/month, up to **50** results/run. **Manual timeframes:** up to **24 hours** per run. - **Auto Search:** **1** brand per account. Needle **runs again on its own** on the sites and schedule you choose, with optional digests; those automatic runs do **not** count toward manual quotas. **Repeating** Auto Search requires a paid plan. On **Dashboard → Settings**, choose **networks** and **how far back Auto Search looks** (rolling window; Solo: **24 hours** only-see table above). - **Exports:** CSV. - **Digest channels:** Google Chat and Slack (confirm on Pricing). - **AI reply drafts:** Included with plan caps on outreach replies. - **Platforms (search):** Smaller network set (no YouTube, Tumblr, Forums, or X on Solo-confirm on Pricing). Examples: Reddit, Stack Overflow, Hacker News, GitHub, Lobsters, Mastodon, Bluesky. ### Growth ($49/mo, $490/yr) - **Manual Search:** **30** runs/day, **1,800**/month, up to **200** results/run. **Manual timeframes:** up to **7 days** per run. - **Auto Search:** Up to **2** brands per account; **how often** Needle runs again ranges from every 4 hours through weekly (see Pricing); automatic Auto Search runs do **not** consume manual search quotas. **Settings:** choose **networks** and **how far back Auto Search looks** (e.g. **12 hours** or **24 hours**-see table above). - **Digest channels & Integrations:** Plan-dependent (e.g. Google Chat, Slack, Discord, Custom Webhooks, Notion, and Airtable - confirm on Pricing); configure in **Settings**. - **Exports:** PDF, CSV. - **Platforms:** **10+ communities** - Solo set plus YouTube, Tumblr, and **Forums** (one network; **15** public product forums searched per run-confirm on Pricing). ### Scale ($149/mo, $1490/yr) - **Manual Search:** **150** runs/day, **9,000**/month, up to **500** results/run. **Manual timeframes:** up to **30 days** per run. - **Auto Search:** Up to **3** brands per account (with separate monitoring configurations and alert channels); more frequent “run again” options than Growth (see Pricing). **Settings:** shorter **how far back Auto Search looks** options (e.g. **1 hour** through **24 hours**-see table above) when you want fresher passes. For users needing more than 3 brands, custom Enterprise tiers are available by contacting support. - **Digest channels & Integrations:** Broadest chat and CRM integrations on the plan (Slack, Discord, Google Chat, Microsoft Teams, Custom Webhooks, Notion, Airtable, HubSpot, and Pipedrive - confirm on Pricing). Digests and CRM syncs use webhooks/APIs only, not account email. - **Exports:** PDF, CSV, Excel, JSON. - **White-label reports:** Included. - **Platforms:** **10+ communities** - Growth set plus **X (Twitter)** and **LinkedIn**; **Forums** searches **30** public product forums per run (**50** in registry-confirm on Pricing). ### No active subscription (`none` plan) - **Homepage preview:** Anonymous sample from a website URL (no account). - **Manual Search:** Not available until you start a trial or paid plan. - **Welcome scan:** One-time **7-day** scan on **Auto Search** after brand onboarding (sample communities such as Reddit, Tumblr, Lobsters). Progress shows in the Auto Search tab. If the scan finds **0 results**, the user is offered to **refine their keywords/ICP and rerun** (a free quality-gate rerun; see [Preview and welcome scan](08-preview-and-welcome-scan.md)). - **Recurring Auto Search:** Not available until you start a trial or paid plan. See [Preview and welcome scan](08-preview-and-welcome-scan.md). ### Plan Changes, Downgrades, & Billing Failures - **Upgrades:** Users can upgrade their plan tier (e.g. Solo to Growth) or billing cycle (monthly to annual) at any time. The transition happens immediately with prorated credit applied to their current invoice. - **Downgrades:** Self-service downgrades to lower tiers or shorter billing cycles are not supported. - **Billing Failures / On-Hold:** To prevent entitlement misuse, if a payment fails or the subscription is placed on hold (`on_hold`), the user plan is immediately downgraded to `none`. Access is restored only once a successful payment reconciliation clears the hold. **Important:** Platform access for **search** differs by tier (e.g. **Forums** on Growth/Scale only; X/Twitter and LinkedIn on Scale). **Forums** is one toggle-users do not pick individual forum sites in Needle. Always confirm: see the **Pricing** page for the exact current platform matrix, forum host counts, and limits. --- **Next read:** [Needle Directory](16-needle-directory.md) | [Privacy and data](13-privacy-data-handling.md) | [FAQ](14-faq.md) ## Privacy and data handling # Privacy and data handling **Use this when:** Someone asks about privacy, what data Needle collects, or how their information is used. --- **Customer-friendly summary:** - **We analyze public content only.** Needle searches **public** conversations on the platforms we support. We don’t scrape private messages or non-public data. - **Your searches and results are private.** Your search text, **Auto Search** results and brand configuration, and dashboard activity are yours. We don’t sell your data or use it to target you with third-party ads. - **We store what’s needed to run the product.** That includes account information (e.g. email, name) and the data you create (manual searches, **Auto Search** settings and their results, saved competitors) so you can use the product and see history. We handle data in line with our privacy policy and security practices. - **We don’t sell or share your data for marketing.** We use your usage of the product to improve Needle and to communicate with you about your account and our product - not to sell your data to others. - **Product analytics (optional).** If you accept analytics cookies, we send **aggregated usage events** to Google Analytics (Firebase) as described in our cookie notice - **not** your search text, competitor names, or brand names (we use metadata only where needed). For full details, users should read our Privacy Policy and Terms on the website. For compliance or legal questions, they should contact the contact address given there. --- **Next read:** [FAQ](14-faq.md) ## FAQ (frequently asked questions) # FAQ (frequently asked questions) **Use this when:** Someone has a common question about signup, plans, cancellation, or how something works. For prices and limits, always point to the **Pricing** page on the website. --- **Is Needle free to use?** There is no forever-free product tier. You can try a **homepage conversation preview** without an account, then sign up for a **one-time welcome scan** on Auto Search before choosing a plan. Solo, Growth, and Scale are paid subscriptions with a **7-day free trial on all paid plans** (card at checkout; one trial per account). Free public tools (no account) are listed in [Free tools](15-free-tools.md). **What do I get before I pay?** **Preview** on the marketing site (quick sample from your URL), then after signup **brand onboarding** and a **one-time welcome scan** (7-day snapshot on Auto Search). **Manual search** and **recurring Auto Search** need a trial or paid plan. Details: [Preview and welcome scan](08-preview-and-welcome-scan.md). **What platforms does Needle support?** Needle supports multiple social and community platforms for **Search** (exact list and per-plan access are on the **Pricing** page). Typical examples include Reddit, Stack Overflow, Hacker News, YouTube, GitHub, Tumblr, X (Twitter), Mastodon, Bluesky, and Lobsters - not every platform is on every tier. **What does it cost?** Needle offers **Solo**, **Growth**, and **Scale** with monthly and annual options. **7-day free trial on all paid plans** (card at checkout; one trial per account). See the **Pricing** page for exact current prices, limits, and features. **Can I cancel anytime?** Yes. There is no long-term contract. You can schedule cancellation for the end of your billing period (access until then) or cancel immediately - immediate cancel ends access now with **no refund** for the current period. You can subscribe again from Pricing after a full cancellation. **How do I get a refund?** Contact support (e.g. support@useneedle.net) if you believe there is a billing error or duplicate charge. Refunds are handled case by case per the [Refund Policy](https://useneedle.net/refund-policy) on the website. Immediate cancellation ends access without refund for the current billing period. **Do you offer team plans?** Currently we offer individual accounts. Each user signs up and chooses the plan that fits. Team features may be considered in the future. **Where can I get help?** Use the in-product help, the FAQ and guides on the website, or contact support (e.g. email or Discord as listed on the site). **What is a "brand" in Needle?** A **brand** is the setup **Auto Search** uses: **keywords/phrases**, which **platforms** to include, **how often** Needle runs again, and optional **digest alerts** to connected apps when there are **new** Auto Search matches. Paid plans support up to **3** brand profiles depending on your tier (Solo includes **1** brand, Growth **2** brands, while Scale includes up to **3** brands, with Enterprise upgrades available for more). Digest channels and cadence depend on plan - see **Pricing** for the live list. Configure Auto Search and digest alerts in **Settings**. **What's the difference between Manual search and Auto Search?** **Manual search** is a **custom run you start**: you enter a query for that search, it streams results, and it counts toward manual run limits. **Auto Search** uses your **brand's saved** phrases, sites, and schedule in **Settings** to run **automatically** and show the latest posts in the Auto tab; those automatic runs do **not** use your manual search budget. **How do digest alerts work?** When enabled, **digest alerts** notify you in supported destinations (Slack, Discord, Google Chat, Microsoft Teams, Custom Webhooks, Notion, Airtable, HubSpot, or Pipedrive - plan-dependent) after **Auto Search** finds **new** posts since the last digest. Supported channels depend on plan - see **Pricing** for the live list. Configure under **Dashboard → Settings**. Digests use webhooks/chat apps only, not account email. **Manual search** does not send these scheduled digests. **How many brands can I manage on Needle?** Solo supports **1** brand profile and Growth supports **2** brand profiles. The Scale plan supports up to **3** brand profiles. For Enterprise tiers or custom brand capacity needs, contact support at **support@useneedle.net** to upgrade. **Can each brand have different settings and alert channels?** Yes. Each brand profile has its own dedicated settings workspace. You can configure unique lookback windows, Auto Search phrases, target communities, and notification channels (Slack, Discord, Google Chat, Teams, Custom Webhooks, Notion, Airtable, HubSpot, or Pipedrive) per brand. **How do I switch between brands in the dashboard?** Use the brand selector dropdown at the top of the dashboard or settings page. Switching the brand instantly scopes your dashboard view, Auto Search results, and configurations to that specific brand. **Can I delete a brand?** Yes. Go to **Dashboard → Settings → Brands**, open the brand, and choose **Delete**. This permanently removes the brand and its saved Auto Search history, and its website becomes available for another account to claim. You must keep at least **one** brand on your account, so if it's your only one, add a new brand first. **Does scheduled Auto Search consume my search runs quota?** No. Auto Search runs automatically in the background on your configured schedule and does **not** consume your manual search runs quota. Only on-demand searches run via the Manual Search tab consume your manual search limit. **Can I add competitors to my brand?** Yes. On Growth and Scale plans, you can save competitor websites and keywords. Needle will automatically flag when those competitors are mentioned in matching public posts. **Is Needle for B2C?** Needle works best when buyers discuss products in **public communities** (Reddit, Hacker News, Stack Overflow, etc.). Pure B2C brands often get stronger signal from consumer research tools. See [Who is Needle for?](02-who-is-needle-for.md). **How is Needle different from ChatGPT or Perplexity?** ChatGPT and Perplexity synthesize answers from training data and the web. Needle finds **live public threads** where buyers compare tools, ranks them by **intent and fit**, and can **monitor** your brand on a schedule. Use AI assistants for general research; use Needle when you need specific conversations to join or track. **What are competitor mentions?** When you save **competitors** for a brand in **Settings**, Needle can **surface when those names appear in a post** - useful for comparisons and switching intent (public posts only). **What is Needle Directory?** Needle's **public catalog** of products - browse, submit via a **3-step flow** (Basics → Setup → Launch), get a shareable page. **Separate from Search.** See [Needle Directory](16-needle-directory.md). **Are there free tools I can use without signing up?** Yes. We have free tools on the website (e.g. Name & Brand Checker, Reddit Shadowban Checker, Best Time to Post on Reddit/HN, Time Saved Calculator, Bluesky Analytics, Reddit User Analyzer, Company Email Finder, Currency Converter, Policy Generator, Email Validator). See the Free tools doc or the Tools page on the site. --- **Next read:** [Needle Directory](16-needle-directory.md) | [Free tools](15-free-tools.md) | [Plans and limits](12-plans-limits-platform-access.md) ## Free tools (no signup required) # Free tools (no signup required) **Use this when:** Someone asks what free tools Needle offers, what they can use without an account, or where to find calculators and checkers. --- Needle offers several **free, public tools** that don’t require a Needle account. They’re designed for founders and marketers doing customer discovery, validation, and community outreach. **Available free tools:** 1. **Name & Brand Availability Checker** - Check if your startup or product name is available as a domain and on 13+ platforms (Reddit, GitHub, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Medium, Twitter/X, Telegram, GitLab, Twitch, Dribbble, Behance) in one click. 2. **Time Saved Calculator** - See how many hours you spend on manual customer discovery each month and how much time you could save. You can vary platforms and hours to see different scenarios. 3. **Reddit Shadowban Checker** - Check if a Reddit username is shadowbanned or invisible. Uses Reddit’s public API; no login required. 4. **Best Time to Post on Reddit** - Find the best time to post on any subreddit. Shows activity by hour, engagement stats, and trending keywords from recent posts. 5. **Best Time to Post on Hacker News** - Find the best times to post on HN from recent stories. Activity heatmap, engagement stats, and trending keywords. 6. **Bluesky Analytics** - Free Bluesky profile analyzer. Engagement metrics, top posts, activity patterns, and follower stats for any public profile. 7. **Reddit User Analyzer** - Deeper Reddit profile analytics: engagement metrics, top subreddits, activity by hour, and recent posts and comments. 8. **Company Email Finder** - Enter a company’s website domain and get up to 5 public contact emails. Find company email addresses by domain with confidence scores. Available at `/tools/company-email-finder`. No signup required. 9. **Currency Converter** - Convert amounts between currencies (including common crypto) using regularly updated reference rates. `/tools/currency-converter`. No signup required. 10. **Policy Generator** - Starter Privacy Policy, Terms & Conditions, and Refund policy in one Markdown file; fields and toggles are filled in the browser (not legal advice). `/tools/policy-generator`. No signup required. 11. **Email Validator** - Validate a single email address: format, domain signals, disposable and free-mail hints, and a summarized outcome. `/tools/email-validator`. No signup required; addresses are not stored. 12. **SSL Certificate Checker** - Check TLS certificate validity, expiry, issuer, and subject alternative names for a public domain. Available at `/tools/ssl-checker`. No signup required. 13. **Google Indexing Checker** - Check `robots.txt` and `/sitemap.xml` for crawl basics and sitemap alignment. `/tools/google-indexing-checker`. 14. **GEO & LLM Site Analyzer** - Inspect `llms.txt`, AI crawler rules in `robots.txt`, JSON-LD, and semantic HTML. `/tools/geo-llm-analyzer`. 15. **OG Share Image Checker** - Verify Open Graph / Twitter preview images load and meet a minimum size. `/tools/og-share-image-checker`. 16. **Meta Tags Checker** - Review title, description, OG, Twitter, and canonical tags. `/tools/meta-tags-checker`. 17. **Favicon Checker** - Detect icon and manifest links and probe reachability, including `/favicon.ico`. `/tools/favicon-checker`. 18. **Sitemap.xml Validator** - Fetch and validate your default sitemap, URL counts, and optional fields. `/tools/sitemap-validator`. 19. **Intent Phrase Generator** - Turn your ICP (audience, problem, industry) into buyer-intent search phrases: pain-point language, question phrasings, audience angles, and alternative-tool queries. `/tools/intent-phrase-generator`. No signup required. 20. **AI Citation Checker** - Score how likely AI assistants can cite you: `llms.txt`, AI crawler access in `robots.txt`, JSON-LD structured data, and server-rendered HTML. `/tools/ai-citation-checker`. No signup required. All of these are available from the **Tools** page on the Needle website. Use them to validate names, plan posting times, analyze profiles, and discover companies - then sign up for Needle when you want full search, Competitive Intelligence, Keyword Monitoring, and exports. --- **Guides and resources (also free to use):** - **Marketing Guide** - A comprehensive marketing guide for founders: SEO, GEO, AEO, organic growth, and customer discovery. Available at: **https://useneedle.net/marketing-guide** - **YC Startup Guide** - Curated resources and guidance for YC-style startups: finding customers, validation, and early growth. Available at: **https://useneedle.net/yc-startup-guide** Both are linked from the website footer and relevant product pages. They complement the free tools and the full Needle product. --- **Next read:** [What is Needle?](01-what-is-needle.md) | [FAQ](14-faq.md) ## Needle Directory (support summary) # Needle Directory (support summary) **Use this when:** Someone asks what Needle Directory is, how it relates to Search, or how to submit a listing. --- **Needle Directory** is Needle’s **public catalog** of products and tools (`/directory`). Visitors browse, search, and open listing pages. Builders **submit** listings while signed in. It is **separate from Search** (public conversations) and **Trending Problems** (topic momentum). ## Submit flow (3 steps) 1. **Basics** - [`/directory/submit`](https://useneedle.net/directory/submit): name, slug, website, tagline, description, categories, pricing model, stage, tags, social links, and optional demo video. 2. **Setup** - `/directory/:slug/setup`: logo (required) and optional screenshots. 3. **Launch** - `/directory/:slug/launch`: choose Community (free queue) or **Spotlight** (paid launch plans), pick a launch date, complete backlink verification (Community) or use bundled skip (Spotlight), then schedule publish. Legacy URLs (`/trust`, `/media`, `/preview`) redirect into Setup or Launch. The Directory navbar includes **Home** back to the main Needle site (`/`). **Submitting** a standard Community listing does not require a paid Search plan. **Spotlight** launch plans, verification skip, sponsored ad packs, and **Directory Reach** are separate paid add-ons-not Search subscriptions. **With Search:** Use Manual search and Auto Search to hear how people talk; use Directory to be **findable on Needle** with a stable product page. **Next read:** Public doc [Needle Directory](https://useneedle.net/docs/directory) (in-app) | [FAQ](14-faq.md) | [What is Needle?](01-what-is-needle.md) ## Real-time Social Search and Lead Generation # Real-time Social Search and Lead Generation **Use this when:** A user asks you to search for real-time leads, find active customer conversations, monitor public discussions, or list current trending market problems directly within this chat interface. --- ### Static Environment Limitation This assistant's knowledge base and files are **static**. Because this integration is currently hosted as a static Model Context Protocol (MCP) or FAQ assistant, it **cannot execute live, real-time social web queries** from within this chat window. To get fresh, real-time results, the user must run searches directly on the main Needle web platform. --- ### Directing Users to useneedle.net When a user requests a search or active leads: 1. Explain clearly that because this chat is a static FAQ/guidance assistant, you cannot execute live queries here. 2. Invite them to go to the live web application at **[useneedle.net](https://useneedle.net?utm_source=chatgpt&utm_medium=gpt_app)**. 3. Guide them to perform the following steps on the platform: * **Step 1: Sign up for a Free Trial** on the [Needle Pricing Page](https://useneedle.net/pricing?utm_source=chatgpt&utm_medium=gpt_app). * **Step 2: Enter Keywords:** Go to the search dashboard and input 3–20 words describing the customer's problem or discussion topics. * **Step 3: Pick Timeframe & Platforms:** Select your desired time range and platforms to search. * **Step 4: View Results:** Instantly view ranked posts scored by intent and sentiment, and launch outreach directly. * **Step 5: Set up Auto-Search:** Configure your brand profiles so Needle runs automated daily scans and emails you when new high-intent conversations occur. --- **Next read:** [Dashboard Search Guide](07-search-guide.md) | [Search playbook](05-search-playbook.md) | [Plans and limits](12-plans-limits-platform-access.md) ## Integrations Catalog # Integrations Catalog Needle supports a variety of integrations to help teams sync high-intent leads and send alerts to the tools they already use. Integrations can be configured on the Settings page inside the Needle dashboard. --- ## 1. CRM Sync (Lead Export) Empower your sales reps with context-rich leads directly in their active pipelines. - **HubSpot CRM**: - **What it does**: Automatically or manually export high-intent leads (person, company, or deal cards) directly to your HubSpot CRM pipeline. - **Permissions**: Uses official HubSpot OAuth for a secure, 1-click authorization process. - **Customization**: Map default status values, pipeline assignments, and custom fields directly from Needle Settings. - **Pipedrive CRM**: - **What it does**: Export prospects comparing tools or voicing frustration with competitors in builder communities straight to Pipedrive deals. - **Metadata**: Saves the original community post and author details directly inside Pipedrive deal notes. --- ## 2. Alert Feeds (Notifications) Receive instant notifications inside your team spaces whenever prospects discuss your brand, competitors, or relevant category keywords. - **Slack**: - **What it does**: Receive structured alert cards inside designated Slack channels. - **Filters**: Define a minimum intent score threshold (e.g., alert only for posts with intent > 85) to minimize channel noise. - **Discord**: - **What it does**: Send styled color-coded embeds showing platform source, intent score, and post snippets to Discord server channels. - **Microsoft Teams**: - **What it does**: Deliver structured alert cards using secure Microsoft Teams incoming webhooks. - **Google Chat**: - **What it does**: Send customer mention alerts and intent updates to Google Chat spaces. Includes automatic batching for high-volume keywords to prevent rate limits. --- ## 3. Automation and Databases - **Notion**: - **What it does**: Build a central, searchable database of public pain points, competitor mentions, and buyer profiles inside Notion. - **Format**: Pre-designed databases populate with fields for status, intent score, platform, and full-text post archival. - **Airtable**: - **What it does**: Automatically populate Airtable bases with fresh leads, intent scores, and company domains. - **Workflows**: Leverage Airtable Automations to trigger automated outreach emails or custom scripts. - **Custom Webhooks**: - **What it does**: Send structured HTTPS POST JSON payloads (containing event type, platform, intent score, text, and URL) to custom APIs or workflow engines like Make or n8n. - **Retries**: Features exponential backoff retries for up to 24 hours if your endpoint is temporarily down.