YC traction answer checker
Check whether your answer shows concrete, current evidence of demand and momentum—without uploading it.
Velocity over vanity metrics
A smaller number tied to active behavior, payment, retention, or customer commitment is easier to judge than cumulative signups, press, followers, or “interest.”
Stage-appropriate evidence
Pre-launch founders can use interviews, pilots, LOIs, or pre-orders. Launched companies should prefer current usage, revenue, retention, and growth.
Open YC’s official application page →Frequently asked questions
What counts as traction in a YC application?
Traction is stage-dependent evidence that people want the product or that the team is learning and executing quickly. It can include active usage, revenue, retention, paid pilots, pre-orders, signed letters of intent, or specific customer interviews.
What should a pre-launch startup write for traction?
Use the strongest evidence you actually have: how many users you interviewed, what fraction confirmed the problem, signed pilots or letters of intent, pre-orders, or a waitlist with its acquisition source. Label intent honestly instead of presenting it as usage or revenue.
Does the checker decide whether my traction is enough for YC?
No. It checks whether the answer makes evidence, recency, and velocity easy to understand. YC funds companies at many stages, and no client-side checklist can predict an application decision.
Does YC Roaster store my traction answer?
No. The checker runs in your browser. Analytics include only answer length, checks passed, and result band—not the answer text or numbers you enter.
YC Roaster is not affiliated with Y Combinator. This checker does not predict application outcomes.