The 56 Best Startup Directories to Submit To in 2026 (We Tried 32)
Free backlinks and a trickle of early signups, if you pick the high-authority startup directories and skip the link farms. 56 ranked here, 32 of which we submitted to ourselves, with every link type verified first-hand.
9 min readUpdated July 11, 2026
Submitting your startup to directories is one of the cheapest backlink plays there is. Most startup submission sites are free, you do it once, and a high-authority listing keeps passing link equity (and the occasional signup) for years.
This list is different from the usual startup directory list: we actually submitted OneUp Today to 32 of these directories between May and July 2026, verified which ones really pass a dofollow link, hit the paywalled-backlink traps so you don't have to, and watched our own Ahrefs domain rating climb from 0.8 to 7.0 along the way. The 16 ranked below are the ones we would do first, with what each is genuinely good for; after that there is a table of 40 more startup listing websites ranked by authority.
A listing on a DR 60+ site passes real link equity. A DR 10 directory does almost nothing. Prioritise authority over raw volume.
Real referral traffic
Some directories send actual visitors (Product Hunt, G2). Others are backlink-only (Crunchbase). Both have value, just know which you are getting.
Audience fit
A founder audience (Indie Hackers, BetaList) converts better than a generic 'all websites' directory. Match the directory to who buys from you.
Dofollow vs nofollow
Dofollow links pass SEO authority. Many community links (Reddit, Hacker News) are nofollow but still send traffic and discovery. Use both, for different reasons.
Cost and effort
Start with free listings. Only pay to skip a queue or time a launch when timing genuinely matters.
Paywalled or conditional dofollow
Several directories advertise a backlink but nofollow the free tier: PitchWall paywalls the dofollow at $49, TinyLaunch only grants it for a top-3 launch-day finish with their badge, and AlternativeTo's official-website link is now nofollow. Verify the actual rel attribute on a live listing before paying.
What they scrape from your site
Directories auto-pull logos and descriptions from your homepage, and they get it wrong: two of our live listings showed a different product's logo until we caught it. After each acceptance, open the live listing and check the logo, the name, and the link.
At a glance
Tool
Best for
Starts at
Link
Product Hunt
Launch-day traffic + a strong backlink
Free
Dofollow
G2
High-intent B2B buyers comparing tools
Free listing
Nofollow
Capterra
Purchase-intent software buyers
Free listing
Nofollow
Crunchbase
Company credibility + a strong backlink
Free basic profile
Nofollow
AlternativeTo
Capturing 'alternative to X' searches
Free
Dofollow
Startup Fame
Maximum free link equity for a young domain
Free (Verified plan requires their badge on your site)
Dofollow
BetaList
Building an early-adopter waitlist pre-launch
Free, paid to skip the queue
Nofollow
SaaSHub
SaaS discovery + alternative-page traffic
Free
Dofollow
StartupRanking
A solid DA ~71 dofollow with zero budget
Free
Dofollow
Indie Hackers
Build-in-public reach + founder relationships
Free
Nofollow
F6S
Founder networking, deals, accelerator discovery
Free
Nofollow
PeerPush
Indie and bootstrapped tools that want peer traffic plus a clean link
Free
Dofollow
There's An AI For That
AI products that want discovery traffic
Paid (free listing removed)
Dofollow
Uneed
Actual referral visitors from an on-ICP maker audience
Free queue (paid skip: $29.99)
Nofollow
Hacker News (Show HN)
Technical launches + developer-founder traffic
Free
Nofollow
Reddit (relevant subreddits)
High-intent niche communities + real conversations
Free
Nofollow
1. Product Hunt
Free · DofollowFree
The default launch platform for new products, and a high-authority backlink that lasts well past launch day.
Strengths
Very high domain authority (DR ~90)
Big launch-day traffic spike
Lasting dofollow profile page
Trade-offs
One shot, so launch prep matters
Traffic fades after launch day
Competitive on busy days
2. G2
Free · NofollowFree listing
The review marketplace B2B buyers use to compare software before they buy.
Strengths
Very high domain authority
Audience is ready to purchase
Reviews compound over time
Trade-offs
Needs reviews to rank inside G2
B2B SaaS focused
Upsells paid placement
3. Capterra
Free · NofollowFree listing
Gartner-owned software directory that sends bottom-of-funnel buyer traffic.
Strengths
High authority and trust
Purchase-ready audience
Free to list
Trade-offs
Pay-per-click upsell
Visibility is review-driven
B2B leaning
4. Crunchbase
Free · NofollowFree basic profile
The company database press and investors check, and a quick high-authority backlink.
Strengths
Very high domain authority
Signals legitimacy to press and investors
Fast to set up
Trade-offs
Not a real traffic driver
Profile only, no product sell
Paid tiers for full features
5. AlternativeTo
Free · DofollowFree
Where people go to find alternatives to the tools they already use.
Strengths
High authority, evergreen traffic
Catches competitor-alternative intent
Community upvotes boost ranking
Trade-offs
Needs upvotes to surface
Crowded categories
Approval can take time
6. Startup Fame
Free · DofollowFree (Verified plan requires their badge on your site)
The highest-DR free dofollow backlink we found in 32 first-hand submissions (DR ~83), via the free Verified plan.
Strengths
DR ~83 dofollow on the free tier, verified on our own listing
Two bonus dofollow boosters: founder check and location
Fast: verification passed same day, publishes within a week
Trade-offs
Requires embedding their badge to stay verified
Human review before the listing goes live
Smaller referral audience than Product Hunt
7. BetaList
Free · NofollowFree, paid to skip the queue
An early-adopter directory built for pre-launch and just-launched startups.
Strengths
Targeted early-adopter audience
Good domain authority
Drives email signups
Trade-offs
Free queue can take weeks
One-time feature
Best before launch, not after
8. SaaSHub
Free · DofollowFree
A SaaS-native directory and alternatives site that keeps sending evergreen traffic.
Strengths
SaaS-focused audience
Decent authority, evergreen
Alternative pages rank
Trade-offs
Less traffic than G2 or Capterra
Needs a complete profile
Niche reach
9. StartupRanking
Free · DofollowFree
Free startup profile with a dofollow website link once approved, plus a public ranking page that sticks around.
Strengths
Dofollow website link on approved listings (we checked live profiles)
DA ~71 and a long-lived profile page
Simple Google-OAuth submission flow
Trade-offs
Approval queue, not instant
Requires a 300+ character description
Audience skews browsers, not buyers
10. Indie Hackers
Free · NofollowFree
The bootstrapped-founder community, with a product directory attached.
Strengths
Engaged founder community
Good domain authority
Relationships turn into referrals
Trade-offs
Community-first, so self-promo norms apply
Product page is secondary
Takes ongoing participation
11. F6S
Free · NofollowFree
A startup network with accelerator programs and founder deals.
Strengths
High domain authority
Founder and investor network
Access to deals and programs
Trade-offs
Noisy platform
Less direct product traffic
Profile upkeep needed
12. PeerPush
Free · DofollowFree
Indie-product launch board where the free listing's outbound link came back verified dofollow.
Strengths
Dofollow outbound link, verified on our live listing
Free standard launch queue
On-ICP indie and maker audience
Trade-offs
Free queue means a wait
Modest traffic next to the big platforms
Listing quality depends on your own copy
13. There's An AI For That
Paid · DofollowPaid (free listing removed)
The largest AI-tools directory, if your product has an AI angle.
Strengths
High domain authority
Huge AI-tool audience
Sends real referral traffic
Trade-offs
Only fits if you are an AI tool
Free submission removed in 2026, now paid ($49+)
Very crowded now
14. Uneed
Free · NofollowFree queue (paid skip: $29.99)
A traffic play, not a link play: roughly 90K visits a month and ~22K monthly referral clicks out to listed products.
Strengths
Real referral traffic out to product sites
AI prefills your whole listing from the URL
Free tier available
Trade-offs
Nofollow, so no link equity
Free queue can be months long
Upsells at every step
15. Hacker News (Show HN)
Free · NofollowFree
A technical community that can send a real traffic spike if your launch lands.
Strengths
Massive spike if it lands
Sharp, high-quality audience
Free and fast
Trade-offs
Links are nofollow
Unpredictable and harsh
No second chances on a flop
16. Reddit (relevant subreddits)
Free · NofollowFree
Not a directory: where your buyers actually ask for tools like yours.
Strengths
People describe the exact problem you solve
Where buying intent is highest
OneUp's home channel
Trade-offs
Strict self-promotion rules per subreddit
Links are nofollow
Needs genuine participation, not drops
The full list: 40 more startup directories by authority
Directory
DA
Link type
Category
Trustpilot
93
Dofollow
Review Site
SourceForge
93
Dofollow
Directory
Softonic
92
Dofollow
Directory
GetApp
91
Dofollow
Directory
Geekwire
88
Dofollow
Directory
Tech in Asia
88
Dofollow
Directory
Pitchbook
82
Dofollow
Directory
Sitejabber
74
Dofollow
Directory
Vccircle
73
Dofollow
Directory
All top startups
72
Dofollow
Directory
Finances Online
72
Dofollow
Review Site
StackShare
71
Dofollow
Directory
TrustRadius
70
Dofollow
Review Site
All Top
69
Dofollow
Directory
Clutch
69
Dofollow
Review Site
Similar Sites
68
Dofollow
Review Site
Slant.co
68
Dofollow
Review Site
Gust
68
Dofollow
Directory
EU-Startups Database
67
Dofollow
Directory
Comparably
66
Dofollow
Review Site
Acquire.com
65
Dofollow
Marketplace
Appvizer
63
Dofollow
Review Site
AppSumo
61
Dofollow
Launch Platform
Tidy Repo
59
Dofollow
Review Site
Startupxplore
59
Dofollow
Directory
AlphaDigits
57
Dofollow
Review Site
StartupBlink
56
Dofollow
Directory
Alternative.me
55
Dofollow
Directory
Tech directory
55
Dofollow
Directory
All Software Categories - GoodFirms
55
Dofollow
Directory
Tracxn
53
Dofollow
Launch Platform
SoftwareSuggest
52
Dofollow
Review Site
FoundrList
52
Dofollow
Directory
AIbase
52
Dofollow
AI Directory
Snap Munk
50
Dofollow
Directory
Feedough
50
Dofollow
Review Site
Beta Bound
49
Dofollow
Directory
Serchen
49
Dofollow
Directory
Lobsters
48
Dofollow
Launch Platform
PitchWall
48
Dofollow
Directory
Which one should you pick?
Launching this week: Product Hunt + Hacker News (Show HN)
Both give a same-day traffic spike. Product Hunt also leaves a lasting dofollow backlink.
B2B SaaS with buyers comparing tools: G2 + Capterra
This is where purchase-ready buyers shortlist software. Start collecting reviews early, they compound.
Pre-launch, building a waitlist: BetaList + Indie Hackers
Both reach early adopters who want to try new tools and give feedback.
You just want authority backlinks fast: Crunchbase + AlternativeTo + SaaSHub
High authority, free, and quick to set up. Submit once and move on.
You are an AI product: There's An AI For That
The biggest AI-tools audience, and it sends real referral traffic, not just a backlink.
All three passed a real dofollow on the free tier when we checked our own live listings in 2026. Startup Fame is DR ~83 but requires their badge on your site.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are startup directories worth it for SEO?
The high-authority ones, yes. A dofollow listing on a DR 60+ site passes real link equity and helps a young domain build trust. Low-authority directories and mass-submission services do little, or can hurt you. Quality over volume.
How many directories should I submit to?
Aim for 30 to 50 quality referring domains in your first 90 days. Submit to the top 10 in week one, then 2 to 3 niche ones a week. Beyond 50 you hit diminishing returns.
Do directory backlinks actually improve rankings?
High-authority dofollow links help, especially for a young domain with few backlinks. But avoid services that promise hundreds of submissions: those are link farms, and a flood of low-quality links can lower your domain rating.
Free or paid submissions?
Start free. Almost every directory worth listing on has a free option. Only pay to skip a queue (BetaList) or time a launch (Product Hunt) when timing genuinely matters.
Can I just post my startup to subreddits?
Carefully. Reddit is where buyers describe the exact problem you solve, but every subreddit has its own self-promotion rules and most links are nofollow. Read the rules first: here is how to share your SaaS on Reddit without getting banned.
Where do I find even more directories?
The table above covers 56. Beyond that, we maintain a free, sortable database of 115+ startup directories with domain rating and link type for each, at oneup.today/tools/startup. Filter it by dofollow and DR and work down the list.
Do free directory listings actually give dofollow backlinks?
Sometimes, and you should verify instead of trusting the marketing. Across 32 first-hand submissions in mid-2026 the free tier was genuinely dofollow on Startup Fame, StartupRanking, StackShare, PeerPush and Product Hunt, while PitchWall paywalls it at $49, TinyLaunch makes it conditional on a top-3 launch finish, and G2, Capterra, Crunchbase and AlternativeTo are nofollow. Check the link's rel attribute on a live listing before paying anyone.
Do startup directories actually move domain rating?
They did for us. OneUp Today's Ahrefs domain rating went from 0.8 to 7.0 during a five-week sprint of roughly 30 directory submissions (May to July 2026), with the high-authority dofollow listings doing the lifting. The nofollow ones still helped discovery and AI-answer citations, just not DR.
Listed everywhere but still quiet?
Directories get you backlinks. OneUp Today gets you customers: it finds people on Reddit asking for a tool like yours and drafts the outreach. Start free.
