Frequently Asked Questions
Is it really free?
Yes. No payment information required to sign up.
What's the catch?
The free tier includes text ads. Paid plans help keep the service running. Your data is never sold.
What sites are monitored?
KeywordsPal monitors all content on Hacker News, Lobste.rs, Bluesky, Mastodon, GitHub Discussions, and RSS Feeds (25+ curated tech/dev feeds + your custom feeds), including both post submissions and comments.
How does KeywordsPal compare?
| Feature | KeywordsPal | F5Bot | Syften |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free: 10 keywords Pro $20/mo: 100 keywords Teams $500/mo: Unlimited | Free with ads | From $19.95/mo (3 filters) $99.95/mo (100 filters) |
| Platforms | Hacker News, Lobste.rs, Bluesky, Mastodon, GitHub Discussions | Reddit, Hacker News, Lobste.rs | Reddit, Bluesky, Product Hunt, HN + paid add-ons |
| Features | Analytics, trend tracking, batched notifications | Basic matching, 50/day limit | AI sentiment, multi-channel notifications |
| Best For | Developers and founders | Hobbyist use | Enterprise teams |
Does it scan comments?
Yes. KeywordsPal scans both posts and comments on all supported platforms.
Are keywords case-sensitive?
No. Keywords match regardless of capitalization.
How can I test it?
Post a comment containing your keyword on Hacker News or create a GitHub Discussion in a monitored repository. You'll receive an email within a few minutes.
When I add a keyword, does it search historical content?
Yes. When you add a new keyword, KeywordsPal automatically searches the previous 24 hours of content across all selected platforms to populate initial results. This ensures you see immediate value from your monitoring.
After the initial 24-hour backfill completes, the system transitions to real-time monitoring, collecting only new content posted going forward. This approach balances immediate visibility with efficient resource usage while respecting platform API rate limits.
What are the limits?
Free: 10 keywords. Pro: 100 keywords. Teams: Unlimited keywords.
Common words are automatically filtered to reduce noise. Notifications are batched every 5 minutes.
Will you support more platforms?
Yes. Product Hunt and RSS feeds are coming next. Email [email protected] with suggestions.