HOW IT WORKS
Every ranking, clap count, and story on CLAPSTORM is built from the same live, first-party data — nothing is scraped, estimated, or paid for. This page is the methodology behind those numbers: where claps come from, how the board is ranked, and how winners and their stories are made.
The clap economy
- Everyone starts level. Each weekly round hands every member the same base allowance of 100 claps. Unused claps don’t roll over — every round starts fresh for everyone.
- Showing up earns more. A daily claim adds 50 claps, growing by 10 for each consecutive day you claim, capped at 100 a day. Streaks reward regulars, but the cap keeps whales impossible.
- Claps are not currency. They can’t be bought, sold, or transferred — the only way to get claps is to show up, and the only thing to do with them is back launches you rate.
- Self-claps are capped. Makers can back their own launch, but only up to a cap (50 claps plus 20% of what they’ve personally claimed that round) and always from their own budget — enough to get on the board, never enough to win with.
How the board is ranked
The board is ordered by one number: claps received this round. Every clap counts equally — there’s no karma weighting, no follower bonus, no editorial picks, and no paid placement. Moderation exists only to subtract: spam launches and fraudulent accounts are hidden, which removes their fake claps from the board. Nothing is ever boosted.
How winners are chosen
When a round closes, the standings lock. The launch with the most claps is the week’s winner, and the top three earn a permanent place in the Hall of Fame. There are no tie-break committees or judgment calls — the board you can see is the result.
How winner stories are written
Each week’s #1 launch gets a featured winner story. Stories are drafted by an AI writer, but from that round’s verified data only: the final standings, real clap totals, and real community reviews. The winning maker gets 24 hours to add a quote, which is printed verbatim — their words are never rewritten. Every number, link, and quote on a story page renders straight from the database rather than from the AI, and the team can correct or unpublish any story. The same rule applies to anything else CLAPSTORM publishes: real numbers from the live board, never invented ones.
Keeping the numbers honest
- Real accounts only. Sign-up is bot-gated and email verified, so a clap represents a person, not a script.
- Reviews are first-party. Ratings come from signed-in members, and a launch only shows a score when it has real rated reviews — nothing is estimated or imported.
- Moderation subtracts, never adds. Spam is hidden and its claps go with it; no launch is ever nudged up the board.
Questions about any of this? Get in touch — or see it all in action on this week’s board.
FAQ
Can makers buy claps or pay for placement?
No. Claps can’t be bought, sold, or transferred, there’s no paid placement, and there’s no premium tier. The only way up the board is more people backing your launch.
How is the weekly winner decided?
Purely by claps. When the round closes, the launch with the most claps is the winner, the top three take permanent spots in the Hall of Fame, and the #1 gets a featured winner story.
Are winner stories written by AI?
They’re drafted by an AI writer, but only from that round’s verified data — final standings, clap totals, and real reviews. Every number and link on a story page renders from the database, not from the AI, and the maker’s quote is printed verbatim, exactly as they submitted it. The team can correct or unpublish any story.
Does the CLAPSTORM team ever adjust rankings?
No. Moderation removes spam and fraudulent accounts, which can only take fake claps off the board — nothing and nobody is ever boosted.
Where do the review scores come from?
From signed-in community members who rate a launch from 1 to 5 stars. A launch shows a rating only when it has real rated reviews — scores are never estimated or imported.