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LeagueNEWDraftSimulateItCheckItAI DecodedIndia
Original research · 2026-09-12

Startups ship what you
can see. Not what you can't.

We ran 500 recent Y Combinator startup homepages through CheckIt's 35 technical checks. The median scored 75/100, and not one site fell below 40 — the floor is much higher than the “startups don't care about their websites” story suggests.

But the failures are strikingly consistent, and they share a property. Every check a visitor would notice is nearly universal: 100% have a custom domain, 99.8% configure a mobile viewport, 99.2% write a descriptive title. Every check only a crawler or a security scanner would notice is a coin flip or worse — structured data at 56.5%, a content security policy at 19.8%, HSTS preload at 12.8%. Startups optimise for the demo, not the crawler. Every company is named and ranked further down.

Re-measured 2026-09-12

First published 2026-09-07 with figures from an earlier build of CheckIt. An audit of the auditor found four checks scoring the wrong answer: structured data missed the @graph form that most CMS plugins emit, modern-image detection recognised only a literal file extension and so missed every image CDN, font-loading was looked for in the HTML instead of the stylesheet, and a soft 404 — a site answering 200 for a page that does not exist — was being scored as a pass. The same 500 companies have been re-scored on the corrected engine. Time-to-first-byte is also now measured after a DNS and TLS warm-up, so it reflects the server rather than this machine's cold cache; that single change accounts for most of the movement in the median. Per-check rates that moved: structured data, modern images, layout shift and custom 404. The distribution, the ranking and the finding itself are unchanged.

494
sites audited
75
median score /100
59–87
10th–90th percentile
6
didn't respond

How the scores spread

Number of sites in each 10-point band. Mean 74.1, median 75.

0
0
0
0
8
43
106
166
142
29
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90

The ten checks startups fail most

Share of the 494 sites that passed each check, lowest first. Every one of these is invisible to a visitor and visible to a machine.

HSTS preload eligible12.8%
Web App Manifest present18.4%
Content-Security-Policy set19.8%
Secure transport (HTTPS + headers)35.4%
Theme color meta tag35.4%
Layout shift prevention47.0%
Image alt text coverage47.6%
Structured data (JSON-LD)56.5%
Apple touch icon present58.9%
Privacy / Terms link59.1%

And what nearly everyone gets right

Custom domain100.0%
Mobile viewport configured99.8%
No placeholder text99.4%
Render-blocking scripts ≤ 299.4%
Descriptive page title99.2%

Where the points are lost

Average share of available points earned in each dimension. Weakest first.

DimensionAverage earned
Trust & Compliance
54.7%
SEO & Discoverability
63.3%
Modern Web Standards
63.8%
Polish & Foundations
75.7%
Performance
77.7%
UX & Conversion
85.6%
Brand & Identity
91.2%

Every site we scored

All 494 companies, ranked. Scores are out of 100 across the same 35 checks, measured on 2026-09-12. Run your own site through CheckIt to compare on the same scale.

#CompanyScore
1
Avoca Systems
98
2
Insurf
98
3
Alkera AI
95
4
Didit
94
5
Hedge
94
6
Agency Tool Company
93
7
Agent FM
93
8
Asendia AI
93
9
Prescience, Inc.
93
10
Risklytics
93
11
TesterArmy
93
12
Harbor
92
13
OneCLI
92
14
Rational
92
15
Rindler
92
16
RonanRx Inc.
92
17
AICE
91
18
Rapidfolio
91
19
Archal
90
20
Ardent
90
21
Complir
90
22
Denta
90
23
Donkey
90
24
Hubble
90
25
Revnu
90
26
Superset
90
27
Trident
90
28
Trope
90
30
Chert
89
31
Experiential Labs
89
32
InsForge
89
33
OpenTag
89
34
Perceptron ML
89
35
Userlens
89
36
Arctic Health
88
37
Axelrod
88
38
Cosmic Robotics
88
39
Decawork
88
40
Dreach
88
41
Framewise Health
88
42
LemonLime
88
43
Mireye
88
44
Pacific
88
45
Payna
88
46
RentAHuman
88
47
screenpipe
88
48
Tsenta
88
49
CentralComs
87
50
CoArena
87
51
Datoric
87
52
Expanse
87
53
FlowManual
87
54
Gigacatalyst
87
55
Graphify Labs
87
56
Pluto
87
57
Rex
87
58
RightNow
87
59
Runtime
87
60
smol machines
87
61
Studio
87
62
Bloom
86
63
Caution
86
64
Egoist Machines
86
65
HEVN, inc
86
66
InstaAgent
86
67
Kinect
86
68
Manicule
86
69
Oddpool
86
70
Panta
86
71
Pavoot
86
72
Poth Labs
86
73
Robocurve
86
74
Skymerse
86
75
Speko
86
76
Stoa
86
77
tday.com
86
78
Trellis
86
79
Velum Labs
86
80
Voquill
86
81
Aktoria Robotics
85
82
Bloomy
85
83
Captain
85
84
IMPACT Drones
85
85
Last Accounting Company
85
86
Lyon
85
87
Marker
85
88
Nine Fives
85
89
OpenTrade
85
90
primitive
85
91
ProvenMetal
85
92
Sazabi
85
93
Traceforce
85
94
Vendo
85
95
Zomma
85
96
Almanac
84
97
Button Computer
84
98
Codag
84
99
Hoplite
84
100
Hub
84
101
Inth
84
102
Klarify
84
103
Minicor
84
104
Miso Labs
84
105
Multiplier
84
106
OneTriangle
84
107
OpenWork
84
108
Peer
84
109
Sherpa
84
110
Click
83
111
Conifer
83
112
Corvera
83
113
flowscope
83
114
Hessian
83
115
Lightfield
83
116
OpenProse
83
117
Prized
83
118
Simantic
83
119
Simulithic
83
120
Callab AI
82
121
Context.dev
82
122
Instaplay
82
123
Keyframe Labs
82
124
Klaimee
82
125
Maritime
82
126
OpenRelay
82
127
OpenVector
82
128
Torus
82
129
Tracer
82
130
Agnost AI
81
131
Arlo Industries
81
132
Async
81
133
Elyra
81
134
GovGuard
81
135
hardware intelligence
81
136
Hebbian Robotics
81
137
Infera
81
138
Meteoric
81
139
Nebula Security
81
140
Nodus Compute
81
141
Ontora
81
142
Parasma
81
143
Pollen
81
144
Pops
81
145
Quippy
81
146
Savant
81
147
Totalis
81
148
Veeza AI
81
149
AgentPhone
80
150
Allowance
80
151
Assemble
80
152
Buildbox
80
153
CarSignal
80
154
Dock
80
155
Familiar
80
156
herdr
80
157
Lab0
80
158
LightSprint
80
159
Litmus
80
160
Marble
80
161
Modern
80
162
Ooak Data
80
163
Orchestra
80
164
Osmaura
80
165
Oxus
80
166
Sentient OS
80
167
Silmaril
80
168
Standout
80
169
Tasklet
80
170
The Company Company
80
171
transload
80
172
6thSense
79
173
9 Mothers
79
174
Allia Health
79
175
Arzana
79
176
Astraea
79
177
BentoLabs AI
79
178
Callbook AI
79
179
Chronicle Labs
79
180
Definite
79
181
Forward
79
182
FullSeam
79
183
Glen
79
184
Hexa
79
185
Interfaze
79
186
Lamina Labs
79
187
Neuromorphic
79
188
Overdrive Health
79
189
Palette
79
190
Redoubt Insurance
79
191
Arden
78
192
Atlia
78
193
Cerenovus
78
194
Control Seat
78
195
Edgerun
78
196
Ekho Labs
78
197
Juno
78
198
Kimpton
78
199
Kinro
78
200
Luca IQ
78
201
OnePatch
78
202
Orca Aerospace
78
203
rekursiv.ai
78
204
Result
78
205
Superlog
78
206
Agentic Fabriq
77
207
Arga Labs
77
208
Autumn AI
77
209
Bernard
77
210
CharacterQuilt
77
211
Dipole Labs
77
212
Fuchsia
77
213
Lamb Labs
77
214
LATO
77
215
Levocred AI
77
216
Libra Robotics
77
217
Limrun
77
218
MOCHI.TV
77
219
Qlo
77
220
Stratum Industries
77
221
Sunflower
77
222
ARC Prize Foundation
76
223
Archer
76
224
Gravy
76
225
Kebra
76
226
Lantern AI
76
227
Memory Store
76
228
Nex
76
229
Pango
76
230
Prototyping.io
76
231
RealPact
76
232
Salesgraph
76
233
Sidekick
76
234
TareBio
76
235
Wato
76
236
Akon Labs
75
237
Clara
75
238
Enjamb Labs
75
239
Executor
75
240
FinalDose
75
241
Financial Datasets
75
242
Greypoint Industries
75
243
Inkbox
75
244
Kuli
75
245
Parrot
75
246
Ploy
75
247
Radley
75
248
Rasyn
75
249
River Markets
75
250
Stage
75
251
Taiga
75
252
Tenor
75
253
Waybill
75
254
Armature
74
255
BioStack Platforms
74
256
Eden Robotics
74
257
jo
74
258
Lumeria
74
259
OS3
74
260
Pairio
74
261
Playabl.ai
74
262
Replicas
74
263
Riften
74
264
Shielded
74
265
shotwell.ai
74
266
Signals
74
267
TakeCareOS
74
268
Touchmark
74
269
Zaplar
74
270
Alloovium
73
271
Amboras
73
272
Billow AI Labs
73
273
Clawvisor
73
274
Ekpa
73
275
GitCafe
73
276
Gojiberry AI
73
277
Hlabs
73
278
Inviscid AI
73
279
Linzumi
73
280
machine0
73
281
Mass Magnetics
73
282
Olam Labs
73
283
Palisade
73
284
qomplement
73
285
RASPIRE
73
286
Saffron
73
287
Talos
73
288
tash
73
289
Thomas
73
290
Agentcard
72
291
antimattr
72
292
Atrisa
72
293
Audun
72
294
Degla Inc
72
295
Derya
72
296
Discovered Materials
72
297
Drafted
72
298
ED1TH
72
299
Gamgee
72
300
General Astronautics
72
301
Gutgutgoose
72
302
Kara
72
303
Lattice Health
72
304
Light Anchor
72
305
Markov
72
306
Mosaic
72
307
Aseon Labs
71
308
Evergrove
71
309
Galactic Resource Utilization Space, Inc. (GRU Space)
71
310
GUILD
71
311
HeyClicky
71
312
Jcode
71
313
Maingen
71
314
Maquoketa Research
71
315
Mochatrade
71
316
Reason Machines
71
317
SpaceFlow Technologies, Inc.
71
318
Veltha
71
319
Applied Electrodynamics, Inc.
70
320
Ascii
70
321
Autostep
70
322
COACH
70
323
Computable
70
324
Edviro
70
325
Grocalo
70
326
hiloop
70
327
Magma
70
328
Mentlio
70
329
Nori
70
330
Origin
70
331
Osseus
70
332
Prodigy Research
70
333
Shiraz AI
70
334
The Subvocal Company
70
335
Uno Wallet
70
336
Valgo
70
337
Wealor
70
338
Capveon
69
339
Collar
69
340
Foresight
69
341
KugelAudio
69
342
Mount
69
343
Moving Atoms
69
344
Petrarch
69
345
Saudara AI
69
346
Touchy
69
347
Twolabs
69
348
Aerogen Systems
68
349
Care GP
68
350
Covera
68
351
Erinys
68
352
Humwork
68
353
Most Robotic
68
354
Neuron Industries
68
355
Panacea
68
356
Pennant
68
357
Regbase
68
358
Ultrasonium
68
359
Apollo Atomics, Inc.
67
360
Asakana
67
361
Hemlock
67
362
HERA
67
363
Imperfect
67
364
Molagri
67
365
Napkin Math
67
366
Omanta
67
367
Palisade
67
368
Rise Reforming
67
369
Whitespace
67
370
Zolvo
67
371
Adialante
66
372
Amorphic Labs
66
373
ANORIA
66
374
Arbital
66
375
CatchBack Cards
66
376
Cignara
66
377
Daqstra
66
378
Fabraix
66
379
Grip
66
380
Haladir
66
381
Huscarl
66
382
Isengard Industries Inc
66
383
Pentagon
66
384
ValCtrl
66
385
Vernius Systems, Inc.
66
386
Vorelios
66
387
Wondering
66
388
YouArt
66
389
83 Sciences
65
390
Alchemize
65
391
Antropi Robotics
65
392
Ethos Space Resources
65
393
HyperProbe
65
394
Lumius
65
395
Marengo
65
396
PerfectBit, Inc.
65
397
Qokedas
65
398
Synphony
65
399
TryNearby
65
400
Verdict Machine
65
401
Aster
64
402
Avea Robotics
64
403
Chromie
64
404
Dayjob
64
405
DeepReach Inc.
64
406
Enact
64
407
Exosat
64
408
Hopper
64
409
Prism
64
410
Soria
64
411
TovenAI
64
412
Travo
64
413
Verdant
64
414
Voltair
64
415
Waddle Labs
64
416
AbInitio Bio
63
417
Auxos
63
418
Belvedir
63
419
Bizmark
63
420
Rote
63
421
Standard Signal
63
422
Tarifflo Inc.
63
423
Tensr
63
424
Cova
62
425
Dialogus
62
426
Induction Labs
62
427
InLoop Robotics
62
428
Locke
62
429
PLAN0 AI
62
430
StableBrowse
62
431
AquaShield
61
432
Dream
61
433
Salem Robotics Inc
61
434
Synapse Semiconductor
61
435
CueBench
60
436
Deep Interactions
60
437
Earendil Robotics
60
438
GodHands
60
439
Mantis
60
440
Netter
60
441
Spectre Intelligence
60
442
Vestris
60
443
Zibra Labs
60
444
Atlas Discovery
59
445
General Instinct
59
446
Hilstart
59
447
Manifold
59
448
Ornadyne
59
449
PokerClubHub
59
450
SubVysion
59
451
Tolmo
59
452
ClaimGlide
58
453
Crosslayer Labs
58
454
Walter
58
455
Atomarine
57
456
Bidflow
57
457
Korso
57
458
Ndea
57
459
ProjectX
57
460
Surtr Defense Systems
57
461
Floracene
56
462
Memoir
56
463
Standard Machines
56
464
Akkari
55
465
Dispatch
55
466
Dreamscale Labs
55
467
Frontier Computing
55
468
General Aviation
55
469
Madrone
55
470
PRINCEPS
55
471
Proprio Robotics
55
472
Sinter
55
473
Advanced Metal Research
54
474
Foaster
54
475
Hyper
54
476
Intelligence Factory
54
477
Plena Health
54
478
Eos AI
53
479
Rudus
53
480
Baud
52
481
Dawn Industries
52
482
Florin
52
483
WonderTx
52
484
Cohesion
51
485
EdotEnv
51
486
Praxis Robotics
51
487
Alt-X
49
488
Zenbu
48
489
Illume Labs
47
490
KelAI
47
491
ReasonBlocks
47
492
Lambda Robotics
46
493
Hop Aero
44
494
Andustry
43

Method

Sample. 500 active Y Combinator companies with a public website, taken from the most recent batches in the public yc-oss/api mirror of YC's company directory. Recency is deliberate: the question is what a site built recently looks like, not what a 2012 company has since fixed. 6 did not return a usable homepage and are excluded rather than scored zero, which would have distorted the distribution.

Measurement. Each homepage was fetched once on 2026-09-12 and scored by CheckIt, which runs 35 deterministic checks across seven weighted dimensions summing to 100 points. No third-party APIs, no field data, no rendering — every check reads the HTML, the response headers, and a small number of well-known URLs such as robots.txt and sitemap.xml.

Limitations. This measures the homepage only, at one moment, without executing JavaScript — so a site that renders its content client-side will score worse here than a browser would suggest, which is itself part of what the SEO checks are detecting. A score here is a measurement of one page's technical fundamentals on one day — not a judgment of the company, the product, or the team behind it. Several of the lowest-scoring sites in this table belong to companies doing extremely well.

Reproducing it. The runner is scripts/yc-audit-study.ts in this site's repository, and the checks are the same ones any visitor gets from CheckIt.

Corrections and removal. If your company appears here and the result is wrong, or you would rather not be listed, tell us and we will re-run it or remove the entry. No justification needed. Get in touch.

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