★ Free tool

Free YC application grader

Reads every answer for specificity, evidence, clarity, conciseness, and insight, then gives the line-level fix for each one.

application.txt0 / 12 drafted

Paste your draft answers. Empty questions are skipped. Run the grader for a per-answer reading with the exact line-level fixes.

01Describe what your company does in 50 characters or lessPlain words, no pitch. YC caps this at 50 characters.

02What is your company going to make?For X customers with Y problem, we offer Z. A paragraph or two, no jargon.

03How long have the founders known one another, and how did you meet?Show a strong, durable relationship and that you can build.

04The time you most successfully hacked a (non-computer) system to your advantageOne concrete, audacious story that shows you’re formidable.

05Most impressive thing you’ve built or achieved (other than this startup)Don’t be humble. Back it with numbers.

06How far along are you?Frame it against how long you’ve worked and how many customers you’ve talked to.

07Are people using it? Users, revenue, or growthYour best number + growth. Proxies (signups, LOIs, GitHub stars) count.

08Why did you pick this idea? Do you have domain expertise here?Founder-market fit: show you’ve lived this problem.

09Who are your competitors, and what do you understand that they don’t?Name them (never “none”). State your non-obvious insight and why now.

10How do or will you make money? How much could you make?Who pays, how much, how often, sized bottoms-up, not “1% of a huge market.”

11How will you get users?One concrete, hard-to-copy plan. Not “we’ll run ads.”

12Other ideas you consideredNot a trick. Listing them shows you’re coachable.

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Fill in at least one answer and run the grader.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

01What does the grader measure?

The writing quality of each answer: specificity, evidence, clarity, conciseness, and insight. The reading quotes your own words, names the exact weakness, and gives the fix.

02Is the grader free?

Yes. Enrolling in the free course unlocks it, and after that you can run it on as many drafts as you like. The strength, the fix, and a worked example for every answer appear on the page.

03How does the grader read my answers?

Each answer is read the way a sharp reader would: for specific claims, real evidence, and clear writing. Every answer links to the exact course lesson that teaches it.

04Can I revise and run it again?

Yes, and that is the point. The reading stays beside your draft, so you can rewrite a weak answer and grade it again immediately. Your latest reading is saved to your account.

05What happens to my answers?

Signed in, your draft and your latest reading save to your account, visible only to you. Signed out, the draft stays in your browser and is never sent anywhere. Answers are analyzed by an AI service only when you run the grader.

The free course

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Start with Module 3 · How to Write a Winning YC Application

course.map23 videos · ~112 min

Free YC application grader

Answer-by-answer breakdown

Frequently asked questions

Your draft is close. The course closes the gap.