Startup directories and free launch sites
111 places to submit your startup, SaaS or AI tool, sorted by domain rating. We listed RankCert on these ourselves and recorded whether the link is dofollow, so you can start at the top and stop when the returns fall off.
Short answer
Of the 111 startup directories we checked, 65 are free to submit and 18 give a dofollow link. Submit to the free, dofollow ones with the highest domain rating first. On RankCert, listing is free: launches go on a weekly board, free launches are capped at 30 a week (later ones queue for the next open week).
List your product free- Directories listed
- 111
- Free to submit
- 65
- Median domain rating
- 42
- Dofollow confirmed
- 18
- 1
Awesome lists on GitHubgithub.comfreeFind the awesome-list for your niche and open a PR.DR 86
- 2
SourceForgesourceforge.netSoftware directory with reviews and downloads.DR 71
- 3
G2g2.comfreeBuyer intent traffic. Needs reviews to rank.DR 70
- 4
Product Huntproducthunt.comnofollowfreeSchedule 12:01am PT. Nofollow link, high referral traffic.DR 67
- 5
Capterracapterra.comfreeBest for B2B software with pricing pages.DR 66
- 6
Hacker Newsnews.ycombinator.comfreeShow HN. Tuesday to Thursday mornings ET.DR 65
- 7
Crunchbasecrunchbase.comCompany profiles that investors and journalists check.DR 64
- 8
Wellfoundwellfound.comStartup profiles and hiring, formerly AngelList Talent.DR 63
- 9
GetAppgetapp.comSoftware review marketplace from Gartner Digital Markets.DR 60
- 10
Software Advicesoftwareadvice.comSoftware review marketplace from Gartner Digital Markets.DR 59
- 11
Foundrlistfoundrlist.comStartup directory.DR 59
- 12
Startup Famestartupfa.mefreeDR 58
- 13
Fazierfazier.comdofollowfreeDofollow badge once launched.DR 58
- 14
SaaSHubsaashub.comfreeAlternatives pages rank well long term.DR 58
- 15
LaunchIgniterlaunchigniter.comProduct launch platform.DR 57
- 16
Twelve Toolstwelve.toolsfreeDR 55
- 17
Findly.toolsfindly.toolsdofollowfreeDR 55
- 18
Turbo0turbo0.comdofollowfreeDR 55
- 19
Dang.aidang.aifreeAI tool directory. Free tier takes up to 4 weeks and needs a backlink.DR 54
- 20
StartupBasestartupbase.ioStartup community and launch directory.DR 54
- 21
Toolpilottoolpilot.aiAI tool directory.DR 54
- 22
TrustRadiustrustradius.comB2B software review site.DR 53
- 23
Toolifytoolify.aifreeAI tools only.DR 53
- 24
tinyshelftinyshelf.cofreeDR 52
- 25
Good AI Toolsgoodaitools.comdofollowfreeDR 51
- 26
Indie Hackersindiehackers.comfreeProduct page plus a milestone post.DR 51
- 27
ScrollLaunchscrolllaunch.comnofollowfreeDR 50
- 28
PeerPushpeerpush.comfreeProduct directory ranked by community score. Free queue, paid launches from $39.DR 50
- 29
F6Sf6s.comStartup profiles, programs and deals.DR 50
- 30
Crozdeskcrozdesk.comBusiness software discovery site.DR 50
- 31
Uneeduneed.bestfreeDaily and weekly leaderboards.DR 50
- 32
AlternativeToalternativeto.netfreeAdd yourself as an alternative to incumbents.DR 50
- 33
SimilarLabssimilarlabs.comfreeDR 49
- 34
SaaSworthysaasworthy.comSoftware discovery and review site with category comparisons.DR 48
- 35
OpenHuntsopenhunts.comProduct launch platform.DR 48
- 36
Peerlistpeerlist.iofreeStrong for developer tools.DR 48
- 37
There is an AI for thattheresanaiforthat.compaidAI tools only. Paid fast track.DR 48
- 38
TinyLaunchtinylaunch.comfreeDR 47
- 39
Verified DRverifieddr.comdofollowfreeDR 47
- 40
Submit AI Toolssubmitaitools.orgAI tool directory.DR 47
- 41
BetaListbetalist.compaidFree queue is slow, paid is same week.DR 47
- 42
TheSaaSDirthesaasdir.comdofollowfreeDR 46
- 43
Launchpadlylaunchpadly.codofollowfreeDR 46
- 44
DanielLaunchesdaniellaunches.comfreeDR 46
- 45
Starter Beststarterbest.comfreeDR 46
- 46
The One Startuptheonestartup.comfreeDR 45
- 47
neeed.directoryneeed.directoryfreeDR 44
- 48
Toolfiotoolfio.comdofollowfreeDR 44
- 49
ShipThingshipthing.comdofollowfreeDR 44
- 50
Launchstaglaunchstag.comfreeDR 44
- 51
Tiny Startupstinystartups.comIndie startup directory and newsletter.DR 44
- 52
Alternative.mealternative.meSoftware alternatives directory.DR 44
- 53
DeepLaunch.iodeeplaunch.iofreeDR 43
- 54
SideProjectorssideprojectors.comMarketplace for showing, buying and selling side projects.DR 43
- 55
Startup Bufferstartupbuffer.comStartup directory.DR 43
- 56
ShinyLaunchshinylaunch.comdofollowfreeDR 42
- 57
KittyLaunchkittylaunch.comfreeDR 42
- 58
SaaSBisonsaasbison.comfreeDR 41
- 59
doforai.toolsdoforai.toolsfreeDR 41
- 60
Web Reviewweb-review.comfreeDR 40
- 61
JustSimple Toolsjustsimple.toolsfreeDR 40
- 62
Product Watchproductwatch.iodofollowfreeDR 40
- 63
Startup Inspirestartupinspire.comStartup directory.DR 40
- 64
EasyWithAIeasywithai.comAI tool directory.DR 40
- 65
StackSharestackshare.ioDeveloper tool stacks and comparisons.DR 40
- 66
SaaS AI Toolssaasaitools.comAI tool directory.DR 40
- 67
SaaSTool.sitesaastool.sitedofollowfreeDR 39
- 68
Futurepediafuturepedia.ioAI tool directory with editorial approval.DR 39
- 69
Dev Huntdevhunt.orgfreeWeekly board for developer tools.DR 39
- 70
Super Launchsuper-launch.appfreeDR 38
- 71
SaaS Cubessaascubes.comfreeDR 38
- 72
AI Top Toolsaitoptools.comAI tool directory.DR 38
- 73
Microlaunchmicrolaunch.netfreeDaily launch slots.DR 38
- 74
See What New AIseewhatnewai.comfreeDR 37
- 75
Launchelionlaunchelion.comfreeDR 36
- 76
Indie Showcaseindieshowcase.iofreeDR 36
- 77
TopAI.toolstopai.toolspaidAI tool directory. Paid listings from $47 one-time.DR 36
- 78
AIxploriaaixploria.comAI tool directory.DR 36
- 79
KillerStartupskillerstartups.comStartup news and directory.DR 36
- 80
AI Tools Directoryaitoolsdirectory.comAI tool directory.DR 36
- 81
SpacerrAppsspacerrapps.comdofollowfreeDR 35
- 82
AItoolnetaitoolnet.comAI tool directory.DR 35
- 83
LaunchAFlaunchaf.comfreeDR 34
- 84
FutureToolsfuturetools.ioCurated AI tool directory with a large newsletter.DR 34
- 85
Launching Nextlaunchingnext.comfreeLong-running startup directory with a paid express option.DR 34
- 86
OpenToolsopentools.aiAI tool directory.DR 34
- 87
Smol Saassmolsaas.comdofollowfreeDR 33
- 88
ToolDisktooldisk.comfreeDR 33
- 89
PitchWall (BetaPage)pitchwall.cofreeTech product directory. Free queue runs 30+ days.DR 33
- 90
Smol LaunchPadsmollaunchpad.comdofollowfreeDR 32
- 91
Startup Stashstartupstash.comCurated directory of tools and resources for startups.DR 32
- 92
Insidrinsidr.aiAI tool directory.DR 32
- 93
Mydentifymydentify.comfreeDR 31
- 94
AI Findrai-findr.comfreeDR 31
- 95
HUNT0hunt0.comnofollowfreeDR 31
- 96
Smol Huntsmolhunt.comdofollowfreeDR 30
- 97
AI Tool Huntaitoolhunt.comAI tool directory.DR 30
- 98
SaaS Geniussaasgenius.comSaaS directory with reviews.DR 30
- 99
ToolListedtoollisted.comfreeDR 29
- 100
1000 AI1000ai.bestdofollowfreeDR 28
- 101
AiIndex.toolsaiindex.toolsfreeDR 28
- 102
ListMyAIlistmyai.netAI tool directory.DR 28
- 103
1000 Tools1000tools.bestdofollowfreeDR 27
- 104
AITools.fyiaitools.fyiAI tool directory.DR 27
- 105
Yooiuyooiu.comfreeDR 24
- 106
NoCode.technocode.techNo-code tool directory.DR 24
- 107
Tools for Humanstoolsforhumans.aiAI tool directory.DR 23
- 108
Startup Resourcesstartupresources.ioDirectory of startup tools and resources.DR 23
- 109
AI Tools Clubaitoolsclub.comAI tool directory.DR 23
- 110
TopApps.aitopapps.aiAI app directory.DR 22
- 111
The AI Valleytheaivalley.comAI tool directory and newsletter.DR 18
Before submitting anywhere, check the page that will actually hold your link: is it indexed, is the link dofollow, and how many outbound links share the page? Under fifty is meaningful, over two hundred is not. Start with RankCert: free, weekly board, ranked on verified domain control.
How to judge a directory before submitting
Directory submission is the most over-recommended tactic in launch advice, largely because it is easy to write a list of two hundred URLs and call it a growth guide. Most of those links are worthless: the page holding them is either not indexed, marked nofollow, or carrying so many outbound links that any value is divided into nothing. Working through such a list is an evening spent for no return.
Domain rating is the first filter and the crudest one. It is a third-party estimate of a domain's link strength rather than anything Google publishes, and it tells you roughly how much authority the site has overall - not how much of it reaches the specific page your link will sit on. It is useful for ordering a list and useless as a decision on its own.
The checks that actually decide are on the destination page. Is the page that will hold your link in Google's index at all? Is the link dofollow, or does the site strip value from every outbound link it publishes? How many other links share the page - under fifty is meaningful, over two hundred is not. Does the directory have any editorial standard, or does it list everything submitted?
The realistic value of even a good directory is a link, a small first cohort of users, and something to point at as social proof. Almost none of them send lasting referral traffic, and judging them on that basis will save you a great deal of time. Ten well-chosen submissions beat two hundred indiscriminate ones by a wide margin.
Common questions
- How many directories should I actually submit to?
- Ten to twenty good ones. Beyond that the marginal link is coming from a page nobody indexes and the time is better spent elsewhere.
- Which startup directories are free and dofollow?
- 18 of the 111 directories above gave a dofollow link when we checked; filter the table by free and dofollow.
- Are paid directories ever worth it?
- Occasionally, when the site has genuine editorial standards and real traffic. Pay only after checking the destination page is indexed and the link is dofollow.