Guide

211 SaaS Directories to Submit Your Product in 2026 (Free and Dofollow, Ranked by DR)

211 live SaaS directories ranked by DR and re-checked on 6 Oct 2026: 91 free, 24 free with a dofollow link we verified, and how rarely AI cites them.

Tarang AgarwalApril 3, 2026Updated October 6, 202629 min read
211 SaaS directories to submit your product to in 2026, ranked by domain rating, with the free and dofollow ones listed.

Here are 211 live SaaS directories to submit your product to, ranked by domain rating (DR) and re-checked on 6 October 2026. 91 have a free way to submit, and 24 of those gave a dofollow link when we checked a real listing. Since the last check, 14 directories shut down, parked their domain or stopped responding, and they are gone from the list.

ChatGPT and Gemini rarely cite any of them. In the AI Software Index, 9,978 buyer questions asked on ChatGPT and Gemini in August 2026 across 126 software categories, only 10 of the 234 directories we tracked ever ranked among a category's eight most-cited sources, and only five of those are review directories: GetApp, G2, Capterra, TrustRadius and Software Advice, each in no more than three categories. A spot check on the real ChatGPT on 26 September 2026 agreed: across 30 buyer questions and 118 cited links, not one pointed to a directory listing.

To do this in GetIntel, see Get listed where AI looks.

Directories are still useful even though ChatGPT and Gemini rarely cite them. They are where reviews, brand mentions and consistent product facts accumulate, which is what gets a brand named in an answer even when the directory is not the link. They are also still some of the easiest backlinks a new product can earn. All 211 are listed below by DR, with the free ones and the free dofollow ones broken out.

Disclosure: GetIntel sells AI visibility tracking and runs the free directory finder. The list comes from GetIntel's own directory database, with DR from Ahrefs, checked on 6 October 2026.

Which SaaS directories do ChatGPT and Gemini actually cite?

Very few, and mostly not as directories. Of the 10 directory domains that ever made a category's top eight cited sources in the AI Software Index, the five biggest are cited for something other than their listings: Reddit (46 of 126 categories) for its threads, Zapier (15) for its blog roundups, Gartner (12) for research, and Slack and Notion for their own products. The review directories barely register: GetApp in three categories, G2 in two, and Capterra, TrustRadius and Software Advice in one each. Our 30-question ChatGPT spot check found the same pattern in miniature: the only hits were a Zapier roundup and two Slack pricing pages.

So separate being cited from being useful. ChatGPT and Gemini mostly cite vendor sites, comparison articles and Reddit threads, but those pages are written from what is visible across the web, and directories are a large part of that. A complete G2 profile with reviews, the same one-line description on every listing, and a presence where buyers compare tools are what make a brand easy to name. List for mentions, reviews and trust; do not list expecting the directory to be the link. The listings playbook covers how to find the sources AI does cite in your category.

DomainTop ChatGPT/Gemini source in (of 126 categories)Cited for
reddit.com46Threads and discussions
zapier.com15Blog roundups
gartner.com12Research
getapp.com3Review listings
slack.com3Its own product
notion.so3Its own product
g2.com2Review listings
capterra.com1Review listings
trustradius.com1Review listings
softwareadvice.com1Review listings

AI Software Index, August 2026: 9,978 answers from ChatGPT and Gemini. A domain counts when it is among a category's eight most-cited sources. Perplexity, Claude and Google AI Overviews were not measured.

All 211 SaaS directories, ranked by DR

Every live directory in GetIntel's database, sorted by domain rating as Ahrefs reported it on 6 October 2026. "Not checked" means we could not confirm that field: several large review sites block automated checks, so we leave the field open rather than guess. Link types we re-tested on 6 October 2026 reflect that check; the rest carry the label from our March review, which is why only the directories in the dofollow section below are ones we saw give a followed link ourselves. The last column shows how many of the index's 126 categories list the domain among ChatGPT and Gemini's top eight cited sources; blank means none. Want it as a spreadsheet? Download the list.

#DirectoryDRSubmissionLinkTop ChatGPT/Gemini source in (of 126 categories)
1SourceForge93Not checkedNofollow
2Gartner Digital Markets92Not checkedNot checked12
3Capterra91FreeNot checked1
4Clutch.co91FreeDofollow
5Crunchbase91FreeDofollow
6G291FreeNot checked2
7Hacker News (Show HN)91FreeMixed
8Neil Patel AI Tools91FreeNot checked
9Product Hunt91FreeNofollow
10Software Advice87FreeNot checked1
11Wellfound (ex AngelList Talent)87FreeDofollow
12GoodFirms86FreeNofollow
13GetApp85FreeNot checked3
14TrustRadius85FreeNot checked1
15YourStory85FreeDofollow
16Startup Fame84Free (backlink required)Dofollow
17AppSumo83Not checkedDofollow
18F6S83FreeNot checked
19Fazier83Free (backlink required)Dofollow
20Twelve Tools83FreemiumDofollow
21Dang82Free (backlink required)Dofollow
22AlternativeTo81FreeNofollow
23Findly Tools81Not checkedNofollow
24Hotfrog81FreeDofollow
25Indiehackers81FreeNofollow
26Turbo81Not checkedDofollow
27SaaSHub80FreeNofollow
28EU-Startups79Not checkedDofollow
29Tool Pilot79Free (backlink required)Dofollow
30Software Suggest78FreeNofollow
31StackShare78FreeNot checked
32Betalist77FreeDofollow
33Peerlist77Not checkedDofollow
34There's An AI For That77PaidMixed
35daily.dev76FreeDofollow
36Spoke.com76FreeNofollow
37Tool Fame76Not checkedDofollow
38Uneed76Not checkedMixed
39Alternative.me75Not checkedDofollow
40Launch Igniter75Not checkedDofollow
41SaaS Worthy75Not checkedDofollow
42Crozdesk74Not checkedNofollow
43StartupBase74FreeDofollow
44Webwiki74FreeNot checked
45Whats the Big Data74PaidNot checked
46Peer push73Not checkedDofollow
47Startup Fast73Free (backlink required)Dofollow
48Toolify. ai73PaidMixed
49Dynamic Business72Not checkedNofollow
50Futurepedia72PaidDofollow
51Tekpon72Not checkedNofollow
52AIStage71Free (backlink required)Not checked
53Killer Startups71Not checkedNot checked
54SaaS Fame71Not checkedDofollow
55SideProjectors71FreeNot checked
56Supertools71FreeDofollow
57Tiny Startups71FreeDofollow
58OpenTools70PaidDofollow
59What Launched Today70Not checkedDofollow
60Future Tools69FreeDofollow
61Slant69FreeNofollow
62AI Toolz Dir68Free (backlink required)Dofollow
63MagicBox.Tools68FreeDofollow
64Pitch Wall68FreemiumDofollow
65Indie Page67Not checkedDofollow
66Serchen67Not checkedMixed
67Huzzler66FreemiumDofollow
68LibHunt66FreeDofollow
69Spot SaaS66FreeDofollow
70Dev hunt65Not checkedDofollow
71MicroConf Connect65FreeDofollow
72Startup Stash65Not checkedDofollow
73Awesome Open Source64FreeNot checked
74TopAI.tools64PaidNofollow
75Toolfio63Free (backlink required)Dofollow
76Days Launch62Not checkedDofollow
77SaaSGenius62FreeNofollow
78Super Launch62Not checkedNofollow
79AI Tool Trek61Free (backlink required)Dofollow
80Daily Pings61Not checkedDofollow
81DokeyAI61Free (backlink required)Dofollow
82OpenAlternative61FreeDofollow
83SaaS Hunt61Not checkedDofollow
84Startup Ranking61Not checkedDofollow
85Easy With AI60FreeNot checked
86RunaCapital ROSS Index60FreeDofollow
87Tool Finder59PaidDofollow
88Webdesigner News59FreemiumDofollow
89Tiny Launch58FreeDofollow
90Woy AI58PaidNofollow
91AIToolnet57PaidNofollow
92Remote Tools57FreeDofollow
93Submiy My Saas57Not checkedDofollow
94AITopTools56PaidDofollow
95Buzzmatic56Free (backlink required)Mixed
96Firsto56Not checkedNofollow
97saaspo56Not checkedDofollow
98Seek tool55Free (backlink required)Mixed
99WIP55Not checkedDofollow
100Ideakiln54Not checkedMixed
101Launching Next54FreeDofollow
102Startup Slab54FreemiumDofollow
103BetaPage53FreemiumDofollow
104GPTs Hunter53PaidDofollow
105Hunted Space53Not checkedDofollow
106SaaS AI Tools53FreeDofollow
107Saas Landing Page53FreeNofollow
108TechPluto53FreemiumMixed
109Altern52PaidDofollow
110Curated Design52FreemiumDofollow
111Ctrlalt.cc51FreemiumNot checked
112eBool51Not checkedNot checked
113No Code Founders51Not checkedNot checked
114AI Tool Directory50PaidDofollow
115AI Tools Directory50FreeNot checked
116Micro SaaS Examples50Not checkedNofollow
117Proof Stories49Not checkedNofollow
118Insidr.ai48FreeDofollow
119Nocode Devs48Not checkedDofollow
120Postmake48PaidDofollow
121SaaS Wheel48Not checkedMixed
122Tools.design48Not checkedDofollow
123Indie Tool47Not checkedDofollow
124Startup guys47PaidDofollow
125Devhub46Not checkedDofollow
126Public API46Not checkedDofollow
127TipSeason45FreeNot checked
128Appscribed44PaidDofollow
129Dev tool44Free (backlink required)Mixed
130MarsX44FreeDofollow
131That AI Collection44PaidDofollow
132AI Tools FYI43PaidDofollow
133SaaS Page43Not checkedMixed
134Startup Buffer43FreemiumNot checked
135Wavel43Free (backlink required)Not checked
136Based Tools42Free (backlink required)Mixed
137SaaS Tools Dir42Not checkedMixed
138Startup Tracker42Not checkedDofollow
139Dev Resources41Not checkedDofollow
140Foundr41Free (backlink required)Dofollow
141Startup listing41Not checkedDofollow
142Make.rs40Not checkedMixed
143Startups.watch40Not checkedDofollow
1441000 Tools39PaidDofollow
145Victrays39FreeDofollow
146Nocode List37Not checkedNot checked
147Tool Folio37Not checkedDofollow
148WhatTheAI37FreeDofollow
149AI Tool Details36Free (backlink required)Not checked
150AIBest.Tools35PaidMixed
151Rank Your AI35PaidNot checked
152Toolio35Not checkedDofollow
153AI Educator Tools34FreeNot checked
154AI Tools One34PaidMixed
155Startup Spotlight34Not checkedDofollow
156The Next AI Tool34FreeDofollow
157AI Center33PaidDofollow
158AI Search33PaidNot checked
159Any FP33FreeNot checked
160The Startup INC33PaidDofollow
161AI Trendz32PaidDofollow
162Find Affiliates32PaidDofollow
163RobinGood32Not checkedNot checked
164Startups FYI32Not checkedDofollow
165Startups Gallery32Not checkedMixed
16610 Words31FreeDofollow
167Resource FYI31Not checkedDofollow
168Digital Samaritan30Not checkedDofollow
169Look AI Tools30Free (backlink required)Dofollow
170Website Hunt30Not checkedDofollow
171What AI Can Do Today30PaidNot checked
172AI Depot29FreeDofollow
173ToolScout29FreeNofollow
174ToolAI28FreeMixed
175Top Seo Tools28Not checkedNot checked
176DoMore27PaidNofollow
177Startup Dope27Not checkedDofollow
178Indie Logs26Not checkedDofollow
179IndieMaker26Not checkedNot checked
180Paggu26Not checkedDofollow
181AI Lib25FreeDofollow
182Saasy Board25Not checkedDofollow
183Startup8825Not checkedNofollow
184ToolHub24Not checkedDofollow
185AI Startup Tools22FreeDofollow
186Ongiri22Not checkedDofollow
187AI Tools Arena21PaidDofollow
188Euro Alternative21Not checkedDofollow
189HR list software21Not checkedDofollow
190Pay once apps21Not checkedNot checked
191SaaS Surf21Not checkedNofollow
192AIToolBoard20PaidDofollow
193Open Graph Examples20Not checkedDofollow
194SEOfai20PaidMixed
195Growth Junkie19PaidDofollow
196Lachief19FreeDofollow
197taalk18FreemiumMixed
198GPTAcademy17PaidNot checked
199Tool Battles17Not checkedNot checked
200AI Dude15PaidDofollow
201Freaky SEO15Not checkedDofollow
202YAATD15PaidNot checked
203Affiliate for Creators14Not checkedDofollow
204AI Marketing Directory14FreeDofollow
205Apps and Websites14Not checkedDofollow
206AI To Grow13FreeDofollow
207BroUseAI12PaidDofollow
208Startup Heroes12Not checkedNofollow
209Indie Affiliate11Not checkedDofollow
210Prime Indies11Not checkedNot checked
211Find Dev Tools1Not checkedNot checked

Platforms worth a profile, but not directories

Seven sites from earlier versions of this list are communities, publishing sites or app marketplaces rather than directories, so they are no longer counted in the 211. They are still worth a profile, and Reddit and Zapier are among the sources ChatGPT and Gemini cite most often.

PlatformDRSubmissionLinkTop ChatGPT/Gemini source in (of 126 categories)
LinkedIn Products99FreeNot checked
Reddit95FreeNofollow46
Notion Integrations92FreeDofollow3
Slack App Directory92FreeNot checked3
Dev.to91Not checkedDofollow
Zapier App Directory91FreeDofollow15
Hacker Noon88Not checkedDofollow

Which SaaS directories are free? (91 free options)

The 91 directories in the list with a confirmed free way to submit, by DR. "Free (backlink required)" means the directory asks you to link back to it first; "Freemium" means a free listing exists alongside paid upgrades.

DirectoryDRSubmissionLink
Capterra91FreeNot checked
Clutch.co91FreeDofollow
Crunchbase91FreeDofollow
G291FreeNot checked
Hacker News (Show HN)91FreeMixed
Neil Patel AI Tools91FreeNot checked
Product Hunt91FreeNofollow
Software Advice87FreeNot checked
Wellfound (ex AngelList Talent)87FreeDofollow
GoodFirms86FreeNofollow
GetApp85FreeNot checked
TrustRadius85FreeNot checked
YourStory85FreeDofollow
Startup Fame84Free (backlink required)Dofollow
F6S83FreeNot checked
Fazier83Free (backlink required)Dofollow
Twelve Tools83FreemiumDofollow
Dang82Free (backlink required)Dofollow
AlternativeTo81FreeNofollow
Hotfrog81FreeDofollow
Indiehackers81FreeNofollow
SaaSHub80FreeNofollow
Tool Pilot79Free (backlink required)Dofollow
Software Suggest78FreeNofollow
StackShare78FreeNot checked
Betalist77FreeDofollow
daily.dev76FreeDofollow
Spoke.com76FreeNofollow
StartupBase74FreeDofollow
Webwiki74FreeNot checked
Startup Fast73Free (backlink required)Dofollow
AIStage71Free (backlink required)Not checked
SideProjectors71FreeNot checked
Supertools71FreeDofollow
Tiny Startups71FreeDofollow
Future Tools69FreeDofollow
Slant69FreeNofollow
AI Toolz Dir68Free (backlink required)Dofollow
MagicBox.Tools68FreeDofollow
Pitch Wall68FreemiumDofollow
Huzzler66FreemiumDofollow
LibHunt66FreeDofollow
Spot SaaS66FreeDofollow
MicroConf Connect65FreeDofollow
Awesome Open Source64FreeNot checked
Toolfio63Free (backlink required)Dofollow
SaaSGenius62FreeNofollow
AI Tool Trek61Free (backlink required)Dofollow
DokeyAI61Free (backlink required)Dofollow
OpenAlternative61FreeDofollow
Easy With AI60FreeNot checked
RunaCapital ROSS Index60FreeDofollow
Webdesigner News59FreemiumDofollow
Tiny Launch58FreeDofollow
Remote Tools57FreeDofollow
Buzzmatic56Free (backlink required)Mixed
Seek tool55Free (backlink required)Mixed
Launching Next54FreeDofollow
Startup Slab54FreemiumDofollow
BetaPage53FreemiumDofollow
SaaS AI Tools53FreeDofollow
Saas Landing Page53FreeNofollow
TechPluto53FreemiumMixed
Curated Design52FreemiumDofollow
Ctrlalt.cc51FreemiumNot checked
AI Tools Directory50FreeNot checked
Insidr.ai48FreeDofollow
TipSeason45FreeNot checked
Dev tool44Free (backlink required)Mixed
MarsX44FreeDofollow
Startup Buffer43FreemiumNot checked
Wavel43Free (backlink required)Not checked
Based Tools42Free (backlink required)Mixed
Foundr41Free (backlink required)Dofollow
Victrays39FreeDofollow
WhatTheAI37FreeDofollow
AI Tool Details36Free (backlink required)Not checked
AI Educator Tools34FreeNot checked
The Next AI Tool34FreeDofollow
Any FP33FreeNot checked
10 Words31FreeDofollow
Look AI Tools30Free (backlink required)Dofollow
AI Depot29FreeDofollow
ToolScout29FreeNofollow
ToolAI28FreeMixed
AI Lib25FreeDofollow
AI Startup Tools22FreeDofollow
Lachief19FreeDofollow
taalk18FreemiumMixed
AI Marketing Directory14FreeDofollow
AI To Grow13FreeDofollow

24 of the free directories gave a dofollow link when we checked them on 6 October 2026. For each one we opened existing listings and read the rel attribute on their outbound links, or the directory's own submission page stated a dofollow link; a directory counts as dofollow when fewer than one in five of those links carried nofollow, ugc or sponsored.

DirectoryDRSubmission
Startup Fame84Free (backlink required)
Fazier83Free (backlink required)
Twelve Tools83Freemium
Dang82Free (backlink required)
StartupBase74Free
Startup Fast73Free (backlink required)
Supertools71Free
Tiny Startups71Free
Future Tools69Free
AI Toolz Dir68Free (backlink required)
MagicBox.Tools68Free
Huzzler66Freemium
Spot SaaS66Free
Toolfio63Free (backlink required)
AI Tool Trek61Free (backlink required)
DokeyAI61Free (backlink required)
RunaCapital ROSS Index60Free
Tiny Launch58Free
Startup Slab54Freemium
SaaS AI Tools53Free
Curated Design52Freemium
WhatTheAI37Free
The Next AI Tool34Free
AI Lib25Free

Two of the best-known names do not belong here. Product Hunt marks the product link ugc and AlternativeTo marks it nofollow, so their value is the audience and the brand mention, not link equity. A dofollow label can also change without notice, so check your own listing once it is live.

Tier 1: Submit these first

Tier 1 directories are the non-negotiables. If you haven't listed on all of them, stop reading and go do it now. The DA lift and traffic from this tier alone justifies the effort. See how directory submissions helped us go from DR 0 to 45 in 30 days: the week 2 section covers exactly which Tier 1 directories moved the needle most.

1. Product Hunt (DR 91)

The launch platform for consumer and developer tools, but SaaS products thrive here too. A strong launch day can drive a real burst of signups, though results vary widely. The product link itself is marked ugc (we checked a listing on 6 October 2026), so the value is the launch-day audience and the brand mention rather than link equity.

Best for: B2C, developer tools, productivity SaaS, early-stage products Free: Yes Time to list: 30 minutes (plus launch preparation) Pro tip: Don't just "list" on Product Hunt, plan a proper launch.

2. G2 (DR 91)

The enterprise software review platform. G2's category pages rank for high-intent commercial keywords ("best [category] software", "[software type] reviews"). Getting listed and accumulating reviews is a long-term SEO play.

Best for: B2B SaaS with any customer base Free: Yes (paid tiers for boosted visibility) Time to list: 1-2 hours Pro tip: Ask your first 10 customers to leave reviews immediately after listing.

3. Capterra (DR 91)

Owned by Gartner, Capterra dominates "software" search terms. Free listings exist but pay-per-click placement drives most visibility. Still worth listing free for the backlink and review collection.

Best for: Business software, HR, finance, project management SaaS Free: Yes (basic listing) Time to list: 1-2 hours

4. GetApp (DR 85)

Part of the Capterra/Gartner family. Slightly more SMB-focused than Capterra. Backlink quality is excellent. Submit here if you're already on Capterra: the listing process is nearly identical.

Best for: SMB-focused SaaS Free: Yes

5. Software Advice (DR 87)

The third Gartner-owned platform. Same network, slightly different audience. Getting on all three Gartner properties (Capterra, GetApp, Software Advice) is a single concentrated effort worth doing.

Best for: Business software across categories Free: Yes

6. Crunchbase (DR 91)

Crunchbase is not a traditional software directory, but your profile is cited in press coverage, due diligence reports, and investor materials. The backlink is excellent, and the credibility signal is real.

Best for: Every SaaS company, period Free: Yes (basic profile) Time to list: 45 minutes

7. Wellfound, formerly AngelList (DR 87)

Originally a job and investment platform, now used by founders for product visibility. Strong community of startup founders and early adopters. Good for B2B products targeting the startup ecosystem.

Best for: Developer tools, SaaS targeting startups Free: Yes

8. AlternativeTo (DR 81)

High-traffic site where users search for alternatives to tools they're already using. List your product as an alternative to established players in your category. Buyer intent is extremely high here.

Best for: Any SaaS competing with established tools Free: Yes Pro tip: List yourself as an alternative to 5-10 competitors. Traffic from "alternatives to [competitor]" searches converts well.

9. Slant (DR 69)

Community-driven recommendation site. Users ask "what's the best tool for X" and vote on responses. Getting your product into relevant Slant threads drives targeted traffic over time.

Best for: Developer tools, productivity, niche B2B Free: Yes

10. SaaSHub (DR 80)

Dedicated SaaS discovery platform with good organic rankings for "[category] software" terms. Actively maintained with real user reviews.

Best for: Any SaaS product Free: Yes

11. Stackshare (DR 78)

Tech stack discovery platform. Developers and engineering teams use it to see what tools companies are using. If your product integrates with popular tools, Stackshare is a must.

Best for: Developer tools, API products, technical SaaS Free: Yes

12. BetaList (DR 77)

Curated directory of products in beta. Even if you're post-launch, submitting during early stages gets you in front of early adopters who actively try new software.

Best for: Pre-launch and early-stage products Free: Yes (paid for faster listing)

13. Indie Hackers (DR 81)

Community forum for bootstrapped founders. Creating a product page and being active in the community drives more value than a passive listing. The audience is founders, useful if you sell to startups.

Best for: Products targeting developers and founders Free: Yes

14. Hacker News Show HN (DR 91)

Hacker News is not a directory, but submitting a "Show HN" post on launch or major update is free publicity to one of the most influential technical communities. A top Show HN post can drive a large, short burst of traffic.

Best for: Developer tools, technical products Free: Yes Note: This is earned, not listed. Your product needs to be genuinely interesting.

15. F6S (DR 83)

Startup platform used by accelerators and investors. Good backlink and visibility with the startup ecosystem.

Best for: Early-stage SaaS Free: Yes


Tier 2: High value, worth the effort

These directories won't single-handedly move your DR, but collectively they contribute real link equity and some direct traffic. Prioritize the ones most relevant to your category.

General SaaS directories

DirectoryDRNotes
SoftwareWorld73Good for business software categories
Crozdesk74Aggregates reviews across platforms
TrustRadius85Enterprise focus, high-quality reviews
Sourceforge93Open-source heritage but lists SaaS now
Finances Online87Popular for finance, HR, project tools
Software Suggest78Strong in APAC markets
Featuredcustomers72Case study and social proof focused
GoodFirms86Agency + software directory hybrid
Serchen67Cloud services directory
Clutch91B2B services, but SaaS listed too
Appvizer52European-focused SaaS directory

Niche Vertical Directories (Pick by Category)

Marketing & Sales SaaS:

  • ChiefMartec (DR 80): Scott Brinker's MarTech landscape (submit to get included)
  • Sales Hacker (DR 75): Now Pavilion; tools section gets traffic

Productivity & Collaboration:

  • Notion Integrations (DR 92): If you integrate with Notion
  • Zapier App Directory (DR 91): The best of Tier 2; requires Zapier integration

Developer Tools:

  • DevHunt (DR 65): Developer tool launches
  • LibHunt (DR 66): Language-specific libraries and tools

Tier 3: Quick wins, done in bulk

At this tier, the link equity contribution per directory is minimal. However, the cumulative effect of 30-50 Tier 3 listings adds a layer of topical relevance and brand mentions that Google does notice.

The key insight: do Tier 3 directories in bulk or not at all. Spending 20 minutes per directory at this level is not worth your time. This is where automation helps.

The GetIntel directory finder shortlists the directories that fit your category, so you only fill in the forms worth filling in.

Examples of quality Tier 3 directories:

  • StartupBuffer (DR 43): Startup showcase with small but engaged audience
  • Startup Stash (DR 65): Curated tools and resources for founders
  • Betapage (DR 53): Startup early access community
  • Startupbase.io (DR 74): Simple startup directory
  • Startup Collections (DR 19): Curated startup lists

What to Skip (And Why)

Plenty of directories are not worth your time. Avoid:

Link farms masquerading as directories: If a site has DR 15, no organic traffic, and charges $50/month for a "featured listing," it's a link farm. These can actually hurt your profile if Google penalizes the domain.

Directories without editorial standards: If you can submit anything and it auto-publishes in 5 minutes with no review, the backlink is worth nothing. Quality directories have some barrier to entry.

Irrelevant niche directories: Submitting your B2B analytics SaaS to a WordPress plugins directory because it's free is noise. Topical relevance matters.

Paid-only directories with no traffic: Some directories charge $200-500 for a "permanent listing" with no organic traffic. You're paying for a backlink that provides no referral traffic and minimal SEO value.


How to Write a Listing That Actually Converts

Most founders write directory listings like this:

"[Product] is an AI-powered platform that helps teams collaborate and drive synergies through intelligent automation."

That converts nobody. Here's what actually works:

The Formula That Works

Name + One-Line Problem + Who It's For + Key Differentiator

Example: "GetIntel is an AI visibility tool for solo SaaS founders who need to know what ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity say about them. It scores your buyer questions by topic across every engine and turns every citation gap it finds into a ranked task list, built specifically for founders without a marketing team."

Category Selection

Every directory lets you pick a category. Most founders pick the obvious one. Instead, look at which subcategories have less competition and still describe your product. "AI Marketing Tools" beats "Marketing Software" in directories because it's more specific and less competitive.

Tags and Keywords

Fill out every tag field. Use the exact phrases your buyers search for, not the jargon you use internally. "Lead enrichment" is better than "contact data augmentation."

Screenshots

Listings with screenshots give buyers something to judge; upload 3-4 screenshots showing your actual product in use, not marketing slides.


The 30-Day Directory Submission Plan

Week 1: Tier 1 (15 directories) Write your master listing copy (name, one-liner, description 100 words, description 500 words, categories, tags, screenshots). Submit to all 15 Tier 1 directories using that copy.

Week 2: Tier 2 (25 directories) Focus on the 10-15 Tier 2 directories most relevant to your vertical. Customize descriptions slightly for each category niche.

Week 3: Tier 3 (50+ directories) Use the directory finder to pick them, then a VA to batch-submit to 50+ Tier 3 directories. The copy stays the same; it's pure execution.

Week 4: Review and track Check which Tier 1 listings are live. Follow up on any pending moderation. Set up Google Alerts for your product name to track new mentions, and start AI brand monitoring alongside it. Watch whether answers start naming you, not whether they link a directory: in our data they almost never do.

How we built this list

The list started as the 234 directories in the database behind GetIntel's directory finder. On 6 October 2026 we re-checked all of them. Domain ratings come from Ahrefs that day. We removed 14 directories that had shut down, parked their domain or failed to load on two separate checks (one now redirects to an unrelated site), one duplicate (AngelList, which redirects to Wellfound) and Curlie, a general web directory rather than a SaaS one, and moved seven platforms that are not directories to their own table. Submission types come from each directory's own submission page. Link types come from opening existing listings and reading the rel attribute on their outbound links; where a site blocked automated checks, the field says "Not checked". The other directories mentioned in the tier sections were re-checked the same way, and six that had closed or now point elsewhere were removed. We excluded sites that showed signs of spam or sold a backlink with no user value. Citation data comes from two sources: the AI Software Index (9,978 ChatGPT and Gemini answers, August 2026), which is the main evidence, and a spot check of 30 buyer questions on the real ChatGPT interface on 26 September 2026, run through ScrapingBee's ChatGPT endpoint. The spot check is one engine on one day, so read it as a confirmation, not a study. Perplexity was not measured and may cite review sites more often.

For the tactics that do move AI answers, see how to get recommended in AI search, and for monitoring whether it works, AI brand monitoring.

Tags:saas directoriesfree saas directoriesdirectory submissionai citationslink building

Written by Tarang Agarwal

Tarang Agarwal is the founder of GetIntel. He writes about AI visibility, generative engine optimization, and growth for SaaS founders, marketing teams, and the agencies who run AI-search visibility as a service line.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

91 of the 211 directories in our list have a confirmed free way to submit, including Product Hunt, G2, Capterra, GetApp, Software Advice, Crunchbase, AlternativeTo and SaaSHub. Some free directories ask for a backlink first. The full free list, sorted by domain rating, is on this page, along with the 24 free ones that gave a dofollow link when we checked them on 6 October 2026.

Only indirectly: ChatGPT and Gemini rarely cite directories as sources: in 9,978 answers across 126 software categories, only five review directories ever ranked among a category's eight most-cited sources, each in three categories or fewer. But directories are where reviews, mentions and consistent product facts build up, and those help AI name a brand even when the directory is not the link.

The highest-authority free ones are G2, Capterra, Product Hunt and Crunchbase (all DR 91), then Wellfound and Software Advice (DR 87), GetApp (DR 85) and F6S (DR 83), DR checked on 6 October 2026. Authority is not the same as a followed link: Product Hunt marks product links ugc and AlternativeTo and SourceForge use nofollow. For link equity, use the list of free directories we confirmed give a dofollow link.

Start with the Tier 1 directories, the high-authority free ones such as Product Hunt, G2, Capterra and Crunchbase, then add the Tier 2 directories that fit your category. Tier 3 is only worth doing in bulk. For most SaaS products, 30 to 60 well-chosen listings cover the backlinks, reviews and brand mentions that matter; beyond that the returns drop quickly, and ChatGPT and Gemini rarely cite directory listings either way.

Usually, for the backlink and the launch-day exposure. Product Hunt has a domain rating of 91 (checked 6 October 2026) and a free listing, though the product link is marked ugc, and a launch puts you in front of early adopters and other founders. Treat it as a launch and mention channel: in our AI Software Index data, Product Hunt was not among the top cited sources in any of 126 software categories.

For most directories, free listings are sufficient for SEO purposes. The backlink value comes from being listed, not from paying for featured placement. Exceptions: AppSumo (if the deal economics work), G2 boosted reviews (if you need category visibility fast), and industry-specific directories where paid placement drives real buyer traffic.

Lead with who it's for and what problem it solves, not what it "does." Use the formula: Product name + one-line problem + who it's for + key differentiator. Fill every tag and category field with buyer-facing keywords. Upload 3-4 real product screenshots. Avoid jargon and buzzwords like "synergy," "AI-powered platform," and "innovative solution."

Put this into action

Daily topic scores across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews, plus a ranked task list your coding agent can work through. Built for founders, teams, and agencies.