# The $0 Distribution Playbook for MCP Servers: 12 Channels, 30 Days, Real Numbers

> Source: <https://dev.to/goodjobwilliam/the-0-distribution-playbook-for-mcp-servers-12-channels-30-days-real-numbers-b4o>
> Published: 2026-08-16 05:34:13+00:00

A month ago I shipped [aicraft-code-review](https://github.com/GoodJobwilliam/aicraft) — an open-source MCP server that reviews code locally (OWASP scanning, N+1 detection, style rules) for Claude Code, Cursor and Cline. I had **$0 marketing budget** and no audience.

One month later: **650+ PyPI installs, 12 Product Hunt followers, and listings in 5 directories** — with more pending. Zero dollars spent. Here's the exact playbook, including what didn't work.

| Channel | Cost | Status | What it took |
|---|---|---|---|
PyPI |
$0 | ✅ 650+ installs | One afternoon: `pyproject.toml` , wheel build, `twine upload`
|
Smithery |
$0 | ✅ Live | Deploy via their CLI, quality score 52/100 |
mcpservers.org |
$0 | ✅ Approved in ~1 day | Simple submit form |
cursor.directory |
$0 | ✅ Live | Submit plugin + MCP server + rule |
Product Hunt |
$0 | ✅ Launched | Free launch, real user feedback |
Glama |
$0 | ⏳ Reviewing | Submit + `glama.json` + Dockerfile |
awesome-mcp-servers |
$0 | ⏳ PR open | Needs Glama listing + badge first |
Docker MCP Registry |
$0 | ⏳ PR open | Root `Dockerfile` , `LICENSE` , `SECURITY.md`
|
Official MCP Registry |
$0 | ⏳ Next |
`mcp-publisher publish` from the PyPI package |
MCPFind / Cline marketplace |
$0 | ⏳ PRs open | YAML metadata, waiting on maintainers |
Hacker News |
$0 | ✅ 1 point | Honest "Show HN" style post |
Reddit r/mcp |
$0 | ❌ Failed | See below |

**1. Directory listings compound.** Every listing adds an install path, a backlink, and social proof for the next directory. mcpservers.org approved me in a day; that listing made the cursor.directory submission stronger.

**2. Product Hunt gave us the roadmap.** We only got 3 upvotes — but two comments became our next release:

`MCP_CODE_REVIEW_CONFIG`

`.mcp-code-review.yaml`

auto-discoveryReal users telling you what to build beats any amount of guessing.

**3. The awesome-mcp-servers repo is the prize.** It has 92k stars and its README is how most people discover MCP servers. But the bar is real: your server must be listed on Glama with a quality score badge. Budget 2 weeks for review.

**Reddit with a new account = spam filter.** Both my r/mcp posts got silently removed. New accounts can't message mods either. Lesson: build karma in technical subreddits *before* you have something to promote.

**HN is a lottery.** One point, zero comments. Fine — the post is still a permanent backlink.

**Paid directories come early.** mcp.so wants $39. OpenTools is paid-only. Skip them at the start.

Two weeks after 0.1.0 shipped, `mcp`

2.0.0 dropped with a breaking API change — and fresh installs of my server crashed at import. I had pinned `mcp>=1.6`

**without an upper bound**.

If you ship a Python MCP server today: **pin mcp>=1.6,<2 in your dependencies right now.** The 0.1.1 release with the fix went out the same week.

`Dockerfile`

, `LICENSE`

, `SECURITY.md`

, `glama.json`

, install docs. Every directory asks for a subset of these.Next up: the official MCP Registry publish and the Glama badge. If you're building an MCP server, steal this list — and tell me which channel I'm missing.

[aicraft-code-review](https://github.com/GoodJobwilliam/aicraft) is MIT-licensed and installs with `pip install aicraft-code-review`

.