Dofollow directories, fact-checked

Each of these 124 directories, launch sites and dev platforms was checked for the link a new listing actually gets, and every card cites its sources. 52 can pass a followed link. 39 pass nothing.

Last updated October 13, 2026.

All 124 directories

124 directories

Free, no strings14

A followed link with no badge, no fee and no ranking contest. Some make you wait, and one makes you verify.

dev.to, Writing or dev platform
Only links inside the body of an article are followed. The website field on your profile is ugc.
DR
91
Price
Free
Wait
Not stated
Strong evidence, 3 sources
saashub.com, SaaS directory
Verify the listing with an email on your domain or a meta tag, then reconfirm it each quarter. Unverified listings stay nofollow, and only the top button is followed.
DR
80
Price
Free
Wait
Not stated
Moderate evidence, 3 sources
tools.launchllama.co, AI directory
A published free listing gets a permanent dofollow link, after about four weeks of review.
DR
74
Price
Free
Wait
About 4 weeks
Strong evidence, 3 sources
peerpush.com, Launch platform
Free launches wait in line behind paid ones; the $39 launch goes live at once. A link back from your site only adds a small ranking boost, and nothing requires it.
DR
72
Price
Free
Wait
Behind paid launches
Moderate evidence, 4 sources
supertools.therundown.ai, AI directory
Editors pick what gets in, so acceptance is not guaranteed. An accepted listing links straight to your site.
DR
72
Price
Free
Wait
Not stated
Moderate evidence, 2 sources
pitchwall.co, Launch platform
At least 30 days of waiting. Every plan, free included, lists a "Do-follow backlink (DR 70)".
DR
68
Price
Free
Wait
30 days or more
Strong evidence, 2 sources
webdesign-inspiration.com, Design gallery
Curated, so your site has to look good.
DR
66
Price
Free
Wait
Not stated
Moderate evidence, 2 sources
microlaunch.net, Launch platform
Pick the free option after signing up. Free and paid launches were followed alike, though the site only sells the link with Launch Pro.
DR
64
Price
Free
Wait
Not stated
Strong evidence, 2 sources
dododirectory.com, SaaS directory
None. Its homepage offers a "free dofollow backlink" with no badge.
DR
58
Price
Free
Wait
Not stated
Strong evidence, 2 sources
aitoolnet.com, AI directory
The free plan lists a "Do-Follow SEO backlink", after a 30 to 60 day queue. PRO at $9.90 goes live within 24 hours.
DR
56
Price
Free
Wait
30 to 60 days
Strong evidence, 2 sources
saaspo.com, Design gallery
SaaS websites only, and curated. Submit through the site's form.
DR
56
Price
Free
Wait
Not stated
Moderate evidence, 2 sources
launchingnext.com, Launch platform
Reviewed daily, with no fixed date. The $99 option only gets you in faster.
DR
55
Price
Free
Wait
Not stated
Moderate evidence, 2 sources
pypi.org, Writing or dev platform
The Homepage link of a published package is followed.
DR
Not rated
Price
Free
Wait
Not stated
Moderate evidence, 1 source
substack.com, Writing or dev platform
Links inside a post are followed.
DR
Not rated
Price
Free
Wait
Not stated
Moderate evidence, 1 source

Free with a badge or link back9

Followed for free if your site links back to theirs. Some unpublish you when the link comes off.

fazier.com, Launch platform
Free: a Fazier badge or link on your homepage or footer, at least 120px wide. Followed on all 22 launches checked, free ones included.
DR
84
Price
Free + badge
Wait
Within 30 days
Moderate evidence, 2 sources
startupfa.me, Launch platform
Verified plan: a Startup Fame badge on your homepage, checked by a bot. The followed link lasts as long as you stay listed.
DR
84
Price
Free + badge
Wait
Not stated
Strong evidence, 2 sources
twelve.tools, SaaS directory
Free: one dofollow link in exchange for a link on your homepage or footer, reviewed within 72 hours. Pro gives three permanent links with no link back.
DR
83
Price
Free + link back
Wait
72 hours
Strong evidence, 2 sources
findly.tools, SaaS directory
A free listing in exchange for a badge. One source reports it followed; NoonLaunch could not verify it.
DR
82
Price
Free + badge
Wait
Not stated
Moderate evidence, 2 sources
turbo0.com, SaaS directory
Free: three dofollow links, with a link back required, published within 2 weeks. Basic at $29.90 makes the link back optional.
DR
81
Price
Free + link back
Wait
Within 2 weeks
Strong evidence, 2 sources
toolpilot.ai, AI directory
Free with a ToolPilot badge or logo on your site, after a queue of up to 60 days. Priority at $99 goes live within 7 days.
DR
79
Price
Free + badge
Wait
Up to 60 days
Strong evidence, 3 sources
showmebest.ai, AI directory
The pricing card lists a free "Dofollow Backlink" reviewed in 24 hours, but the free submit flow asks you to "add our partner's link to your footer" and quotes a review of 72 hours to 4 weeks.
DR
76
Price
Free + footer link
Wait
72 hours to 4 weeks
Strong evidence, 2 sources
nicklaunches.com, Launch platform
A free launch has to keep the badge to stay listed. A followed link was seen on a paid listing at about $19.
DR
74
Price
Free + badge
Wait
Not stated
Moderate evidence, 2 sources
aitoolzdir.com, AI directory
Free: a text link to aitoolzdir.com on your site, live in about 48 hours. $25 skips the link back and takes about 24 hours. Both plans promise a dofollow link.
DR
68
Price
Free + link back
Wait
About 48 hours
Strong evidence, 2 sources

Paid29

A followed link promised in writing on the pricing page. Prices are one-time unless a row says otherwise.

cssdesignawards.com, Design gallery
$50 per submission, and a jury decides. The link is followed once the site is nominated and published. Replies within 24 hours on weekdays.
DR
80
Price
$50
Wait
Not stated
Strong evidence, 3 sources
theresanaiforthat.com, AI directory
A $49 review fee for a permanent listing. The main "Use tool" link is followed in two audits; ad placements are nofollow.
DR
78
Price
$49
Wait
Not stated
Strong evidence, 3 sources
betalist.com, Launch platform
Now paid for every submission: the fee shows at the end of the form and is refunded if you're not accepted. The "Visit Site" link goes through a plain 301 redirect, which one source counts as followed.
DR
77
Price
Paid
Wait
Not stated
Moderate evidence, 2 sources
toolfame.com, SaaS directory
Basic at $14.90: three dofollow links, no badge. Free needs a permanent badge and a review of up to 180 days.
DR
76
Price
$14.90
Wait
Not stated
Moderate evidence, 2 sources
uneed.best, Launch platform
Followed or not depends on launch-day upvotes: a score of 20 in the free line, 10 with Fast-track ($14.99), guaranteed with Skip the line ($29.99).
DR
76
Price
$14.99
Wait
Not stated
Strong evidence, 2 sources
aiagentsdirectory.com, AI directory
Starter at $49: "Do-follow SEO backlink". The free plan, which needs a badge, and the $19 Fast Track are explicitly nofollow.
DR
75
Price
$49
Wait
Not stated
Strong evidence, 2 sources
launchigniter.com, Launch platform
Basic at $12: "Lifetime dofollow backlink (DR 75)", with no badge and no wait. Free launches need the week's top 3 plus a badge.
DR
75
Price
$12
Wait
Not stated
Strong evidence, 2 sources
startupfa.st, Launch platform
Premium at $19: guaranteed dofollow. Free launches need the day's top 3 plus a badge.
DR
73
Price
$19
Wait
Not stated
Strong evidence, 2 sources
startupbase.io, Launch platform
"Every paid launch includes a permanent dofollow backlink": Outrank from $15, Premium at $39. The free launch promises no backlink.
DR
73
Price
From $15
Wait
Not stated
Strong evidence, 2 sources
toolify.ai, AI directory
$99: "no less than 6 quality dofollow links", live within 48 hours with no queue.
DR
73
Price
$99
Wait
48 hours
Strong evidence, 3 sources
auraplusplus.com, Launch platform
Premium at $29: guaranteed dofollow. Free launches need the day's top 3 plus a badge.
DR
72
Price
$29
Wait
Not stated
Strong evidence, 1 source
mcp.so, MCP directory
Premium at $39: "Dofollow project link". The only URL field is "Repository URL", so the link may point at a repository rather than your site.
DR
72
Price
$39
Wait
Not stated
Moderate evidence, 1 source
open-launch.com, Launch platform
Premium at $12: "Guaranteed dofollow backlink from a DR 71 domain", launching the next day. Free launches are followed only in the day's top 3 with their badge, and the free line is full until 2027.
DR
72
Price
$12
Wait
Next day
Strong evidence, 2 sources
openhunts.com, Launch platform
Premium at $9.90: "Guaranteed dofollow backlink", no badge. Free launches are followed only in the top 3, after a queue of about 60 weeks.
DR
72
Price
$9.90
Wait
About 60 weeks if free
Strong evidence, 2 sources
tinystartups.com, Launch platform
Each spot on the sponsored board carries a DR 71 dofollow link, from £69. The link type of a free submission is not confirmed.
DR
72
Price
From £69
Wait
Not stated
Moderate evidence, 2 sources
mcpservers.org, MCP directory
Premium at $39: "Dofollow link (DR 71)", reviewed within 24 hours. The free listing, about 2 weeks, does not say what kind of link you get.
DR
71
Price
$39
Wait
24 hours
Moderate evidence, 1 source
saasfame.com, SaaS directory
Basic at $14.90: "Get 3 dofollow links", no badge, listed immediately. Free needs a badge and a review of up to 180 days, and can be refused.
DR
71
Price
$14.90
Wait
Listed immediately
Strong evidence, 2 sources
opentools.ai, AI directory
A paid subscription listing, priced at checkout. The link goes straight to your site.
DR
70
Price
Subscription
Wait
Not stated
Strong evidence, 3 sources
similarlabs.com, AI directory
A $9.99 paid listing: dofollow links in six languages, reviewed within 24 hours.
DR
70
Price
$9.99
Wait
24 hours
Moderate evidence, 1 source
uno.directory, SaaS directory
$10 once to "lock in a DR 70 dofollow". The free plan wants a link back and does not say what kind of link you get.
DR
70
Price
$10
Wait
Not stated
Moderate evidence, 1 source
huzzler.so, Launch platform
Launch Boost at $29: dofollow on an indexed page, no badge. The free listing needs a badge, waits 72 days and ships noindex.
DR
69
Price
$29
Wait
Not stated
Strong evidence, 2 sources
aitop10.tools, AI directory
Pro at $6.90: "12 high-quality Dofollow backlinks", permanent, with no link back. The free plan wants a link back and promises no dofollow.
DR
66
Price
$6.90
Wait
Not stated
Strong evidence, 2 sources
devhunt.org, Launch platform
Free listings are nofollow, 90 of 92 checked. A paid launch gets a permanent dofollow link: $19 according to the FAQ, $49 according to the About page.
DR
66
Price
$19 to $49
Wait
Not stated
Strong evidence, 2 sources
seewhatnewai.com, AI directory
$10: "Get a dofollow link" with no link exchange, in about a week. Free: dofollow in exchange for a link back, in about three months.
DR
63
Price
$10
Wait
About a week
Strong evidence, 2 sources
saasgrow.app, Launch platform
Basic at $9 (the page also shows $5): "DoFollow Backlink", with instant approval.
DR
62
Price
$9
Wait
Instant approval
Moderate evidence, 2 sources
easywithai.com, AI directory
$125: "The link to your tool will be dofollow", live within 24 hours and refunded if rejected.
DR
60
Price
$125
Wait
24 hours
Strong evidence, 2 sources
launchvault.dev, Launch platform
Premium at $9.99: "Guaranteed dofollow backlink", permanent. Free launches need the week's top 3 plus a badge.
DR
59
Price
$9.99
Wait
Not stated
Strong evidence, 2 sources
aiagentstore.ai, AI directory
Only the $99 guest article carries dofollow links. The directory listing itself is nofollow.
DR
55
Price
$99
Wait
Not stated
Strong evidence, 2 sources
startuptrusted.com, Launch platform
Pro at $11: "All your dofollow links are permanent", with no link back.
DR
54
Price
$11
Wait
Not stated
Strong evidence, 2 sources

Press4

A journalist or an editor decides whether you get a link at all.

featured.com, Press requests
Expert answers published by outlets. About 1 answer in 5 was accepted in a 12-month test, and many links land on Featured's own network.
DR
Not rated
Price
Free, Lite $29 a month
Wait
Not stated
Moderate evidence, 2 sources
mentionmatch.com, Press requests
B2B writers looking for sources. Requests rarely say whether you will get a link.
DR
Not rated
Price
Free
Wait
Not stated
Weak evidence, 2 sources
sourceofsources.com, Press requests
Journalist requests by email. In one study, 36% offered a followed link and 55% came from sites at DR 70 or more.
DR
Not rated
Price
Free
Wait
Not stated
Moderate evidence, 1 source
starterstory.com, Press requests
A free founder interview with a "high DA backlink" whose rel is not stated.
DR
Not rated
Price
Free
Wait
Not stated
Weak evidence, 1 source

Could not verify29

One source says followed, or the sources disagree. Check the rel on a live listing before you spend time on one.

provenexpert.com, Review site
A free profile is followed according to one source.
DR
91
Price
Free
Wait
Not stated
Weak evidence, 1 source
softpedia.com, SaaS directory
Followed according to one source, but it is a catalog of downloadable software, so a web app may be refused.
DR
86
Price
Free
Wait
Not stated
Weak evidence, 1 source
techinasia.com, Startup database
One source says followed, IdeaProof says nofollow, and no profile form was confirmed in 2026.
DR
83
Price
Free
Wait
Not stated
Weak evidence, 2 sources
index.dodopayments.com, SaaS directory
Followed according to one source, but the index calls itself curated, and whether it takes submissions is unclear.
DR
81
Price
Free
Wait
Not stated
Weak evidence, 2 sources
eu-startups.com, Startup database
Followed according to one source, but the database only takes European startups.
DR
79
Price
Free
Wait
Not stated
Moderate evidence, 2 sources
findstack.com, SaaS directory
Free and followed according to one source. The "Get listed" page publishes no conditions.
DR
77
Price
Free
Wait
Not stated
Weak evidence, 2 sources
goodaitools.com, AI directory
The site promises dofollow, but Stork found every sampled link nofollow. A badge and an account are required.
DR
75
Price
Free + badge
Wait
Not stated
Weak evidence, 2 sources
gust.com, Startup database
A free startup profile, followed according to one source. Whether the profile is public is not confirmed.
DR
75
Price
Free
Wait
Not stated
Weak evidence, 1 source
tinylaunch.com, Launch platform
Premium at $39: "Guaranteed high authority backlink", without the word dofollow. Free launches get a backlink only in the top 3.
DR
74
Price
$39
Wait
Not stated
Weak evidence, 3 sources
comparecamp.com, Review site
Free and followed according to one source.
DR
72
Price
Free
Wait
Not stated
Weak evidence, 1 source
foundrlist.com, Launch platform
Weekly launches, followed according to one untested list.
DR
71
Price
Free
Wait
Not stated
Weak evidence, 1 source
layers.to, Design gallery
A designer community, free and followed according to one source. Whether the link sits on a profile or a project is not confirmed.
DR
71
Price
Free
Wait
Not stated
Weak evidence, 1 source
sideprojectors.com, Launch platform
Followed according to one source. It is a marketplace for selling projects: the form asks for revenue, users and stack.
DR
71
Price
Free
Wait
Not stated
Moderate evidence, 1 source
sidebar.io, Design gallery
Editors pick five design links a day, followed according to one source.
DR
70
Price
Free
Wait
Not stated
Weak evidence, 1 source
magicbox.tools, AI directory
Followed according to one source. Free or paid depending on the source, up to $15.90.
DR
68
Price
Varies
Wait
Not stated
Weak evidence, 1 source
serchen.com, SaaS directory
Free and followed according to one source. The conditions are not published on its homepage.
DR
68
Price
Not shown
Wait
Not stated
Weak evidence, 1 source
spotsaas.com, SaaS directory
Free and followed according to one source. Profile claims are approved within 24 hours.
DR
66
Price
Free
Wait
Not stated
Weak evidence, 2 sources
startupxplore.com, Startup database
Free and followed according to one source.
DR
66
Price
Free
Wait
Not stated
Weak evidence, 1 source
topai.tools, AI directory
Fast Track at $47, with no free plan. One source says followed; Witscode, checked more recently, says nofollow.
DR
64
Price
$47
Wait
Not stated
Weak evidence, 2 sources
webguruawards.com, Design gallery
A web awards gallery, free and followed according to one source.
DR
63
Price
Free
Wait
Not stated
Weak evidence, 1 source
unmatchedstyle.com, Design gallery
A web gallery, free and followed according to one source.
DR
61
Price
Free
Wait
Not stated
Weak evidence, 1 source
startupinspire.com, Design gallery
A startup inspiration gallery, free and followed according to one source. No submit page was found.
DR
59
Price
Free
Wait
Not stated
Weak evidence, 1 source
toolfinder.com, SaaS directory
Free and followed according to one source. toolfinder.co redirects to toolfinder.com.
DR
59
Price
Free
Wait
Not stated
Weak evidence, 1 source
sumodir.com, SaaS directory
Free and followed with no badge according to one source. Its own page was not checked.
DR
57
Price
Free
Wait
Not stated
Moderate evidence, 1 source
maxibestof.one, Design gallery
A web gallery, free and followed according to one source.
DR
54
Price
Free
Wait
Not stated
Weak evidence, 1 source
saaslandingpage.com, Design gallery
Followed according to one source, but no public submission was found: the site only sells ads.
DR
54
Price
Not shown
Wait
Not stated
Weak evidence, 1 source
curated.design, Design gallery
A design gallery, free and followed according to one source.
DR
52
Price
Free
Wait
Not stated
Weak evidence, 1 source
lapa.ninja, Design gallery
A curated archive of landing pages. Submissions go by email, and the link type is unknown.
DR
Not rated
Price
Free
Wait
Not stated
Weak evidence, 1 source
minimal.gallery, Design gallery
Free, reviewed in one to two weeks, and most submissions are refused. The link type is unknown.
DR
Not rated
Price
Free
Wait
1 to 2 weeks
Weak evidence, 1 source

Pass nothing39

A new listing gets nofollow, ugc, a blocked redirect or no link at all. Two can pay off later: Hacker News and AlternativeTo.

github.com, Writing or dev platform
Links in READMEs and awesome lists are nofollow.
DR
97
Link found
nofollow
Strong evidence, 2 sources
behance.net, Design gallery
Same as Dribbble: a portfolio, and its profile links carry no SEO value.
DR
94
Link found
nofollow
Moderate evidence, 1 source
trustpilot.com, Review site
A trust badge, not a backlink.
DR
94
Link found
nofollow noopener
Moderate evidence, 1 source
dribbble.com, Design gallery
A portfolio. Profile links carry no SEO value.
DR
93
Link found
nofollow
Moderate evidence, 1 source
sourceforge.net, SaaS directory
Your URL as plain text on a free listing. Paid listings get a nofollow redirect.
DR
93
Link found
plain text, nofollow redirect
Moderate evidence, 1 source
gartner.com, Review site
Only lists software sold to mid-size and large enterprises.
DR
92
Link found
followed, but not eligible
Strong evidence, 1 source
capterra.com, Review site
No link on free profiles. The paid button has no href.
DR
91
Link found
no link
Moderate evidence, 1 source
crunchbase.com, Startup database
Still useful as an entity signal for press and investors, not for the link.
DR
91
Link found
nofollow
Moderate evidence, 1 source
g2.com, Review site
No link at all on free profiles. Paid ones go through a nofollow click tracker.
DR
91
Link found
no link, or a nofollow tracker
Moderate evidence, 1 source
news.ycombinator.com, Launch platform
nofollow on every story under 9 points. A plain, followed link from about 12 points, so it can pay off later.
DR
91
Link found
nofollow under about 9 points
Moderate evidence, 1 source
producthunt.com, Launch platform
ugc on all 20 product pages checked, and 11 of 20 launch-day pages were noindex. Launch there for the traffic, not the link.
DR
91
Link found
noreferrer noopener ugc
Moderate evidence, 2 sources
awwwards.com, Design gallery
nofollow, after a $65 submission fee. The fee buys exposure, not a link.
DR
89
Link found
noopener nofollow
Moderate evidence, 1 source
softwareadvice.com, Review site
No link on free profiles, and the paid button has no href.
DR
87
Link found
no link
Moderate evidence, 1 source
wellfound.com, Startup database
A hiring platform. Its profile link carries no SEO value.
DR
87
Link found
nofollow
Moderate evidence, 1 source
goodfirms.co, Review site
nofollow on the free and PRO plans alike.
DR
86
Link found
nofollow noopener noreferrer
Moderate evidence, 1 source
getapp.com, Review site
Same system as Capterra: no link on a free profile.
DR
85
Link found
no link
Moderate evidence, 1 source
trustradius.com, Review site
A followed link only on a paid profile sold through a demo. Profiles with no reviews are noindex.
DR
85
Link found
no link when free
Moderate evidence, 1 source
codeproject.com, Writing or dev platform
Read-only since 2024 and offline since March 2026.
DR
83
Link found
site archived
Moderate evidence, 1 source
f6s.com, Startup database
The lists that call it dofollow give no method.
DR
83
Link found
nofollow
Moderate evidence, 1 source
dang.ai, AI directory
Its free plan requires a crawlable link to dang.ai. Visitors come back through a redirect served as noindex, nofollow, and paying does not change that.
DR
82
Link found
302 redirect, noindex, nofollow
Strong evidence, 3 sources
indiehackers.com, Launch platform
Useful for the audience and the feedback, not for the link.
DR
82
Link found
nofollow noopener
Moderate evidence, 1 source
oecd.ai, AI directory
Only takes tools for trustworthy AI.
DR
82
Link found
followed, but not eligible
Moderate evidence, 1 source
alternativeto.net, SaaS directory
New listings are nofollow. Only some established apps are followed, so it can pay off later.
DR
81
Link found
nofollow noopener
Moderate evidence, 2 sources
onepagelove.com, Design gallery
nofollow, and it only takes one-page sites.
DR
79
Link found
nofollow
Moderate evidence, 1 source
softwaresuggest.com, SaaS directory
No link on a free listing, and a sponsored link on a paid one.
DR
78
Link found
sponsored nofollow
Moderate evidence, 1 source
stackshare.io, SaaS directory
No public way to add a new tool since 2024.
DR
78
Link found
closed to new tools
Moderate evidence, 1 source
peerlist.io, Launch platform
Only the weekly top 5 get a link, and it is ugc. Every other launch gets no link at all.
DR
77
Link found
ugc, top 5 only
Moderate evidence, 1 source
saasworthy.com, SaaS directory
The redirect is blocked by robots.txt, so there is no crawlable link.
DR
75
Link found
JavaScript redirect
Moderate evidence, 1 source
crozdesk.com, SaaS directory
nofollow on free and paid listings alike.
DR
74
Link found
nofollow noopener external
Moderate evidence, 1 source
futurepedia.io, AI directory
nofollow tool links, for about $497.
DR
73
Link found
nofollow
Moderate evidence, 1 source
tekpon.com, SaaS directory
Paid, at $249, and still no followed link.
DR
72
Link found
plain text, nofollow
Moderate evidence, 1 source
futuretools.io, AI directory
The redirect is blocked by robots.txt. Free, and useful for traffic only.
DR
69
Link found
/go/ redirect
Moderate evidence, 1 source
godly.website, Design gallery
Redirects to recent.design, with no submit form.
DR
64
Link found
submissions closed
Strong evidence, 1 source
aixploria.com, AI directory
Paid, and nofollow.
DR
56
Link found
nofollow
Moderate evidence, 1 source
hackernoon.com, Writing or dev platform
Article links are ugc, so they are largely ignored.
DR
Not rated
Link found
noopener noreferrer ugc
Moderate evidence, 1 source
hashnode.com, Writing or dev platform
The lists that call it dofollow did not test it.
DR
Not rated
Link found
noopener noreferrer nofollow ugc
Moderate evidence, 1 source
medium.com, Writing or dev platform
Article and bio links are nofollow.
DR
Not rated
Link found
noopener ugc nofollow
Moderate evidence, 1 source
saasgenius.com, SaaS directory
Free listings are closed, and paid ones are by quote.
DR
Not rated
Link found
submissions closed
Strong evidence, 1 source
siteinspire.com, Design gallery
A respected gallery, but its link carries no SEO value.
DR
Not rated
Link found
noopener noreferrer nofollow
Moderate evidence, 1 source

Before you submit

The conditions behind the labels, a way to check any listing yourself, and how every card was checked.

The fine print behind “free dofollow”Five conditions that hide in pricing tables, not on the lists that send you there

Win your day
Open-Launch, Startup Fast and Aura++ share one pricing template: "Dofollow Backlink only if" you finish in the top 3 of the day and display their badge. LaunchIgniter and LaunchVault run the same rule weekly. For a new product with no audience, that means nofollow.
Hit a score
On Uneed, a free launch needs an upvote score of 20 for the followed link, or 10 with the $14.99 Fast-track. Of 60 launches from October 3 to 5, 48 were followed, and all 12 nofollow ones sat at 8 points or less.
- Uneed
Pay
DevHunt's FAQ says it plainly: free listings are nofollow, paid launches get a permanent dofollow link. 90 of 92 free pages checked were nofollow, and all 97 paid pages were followed.
- DevHunt
Show their badge, forever
Startup Fame, Fazier, Twelve Tools, Turbo0, ToolPilot and ShowMeBestAI give a real followed link for free if your site links back. ToolFame and SaaSFame unpublish you when the badge comes off. That is a link exchange, and Google lists excessive link exchanges as link spam.
Source: Google's spam policies (opens in a new tab)
Wait
OpenHunts' free queue is about 60 weeks. SaaSFame reviews free listings "within 180 days". Huzzler's free page waits 72 days and ships noindex.

The rules also move. Uneed's free line closed on August 17 and reopened on September 11 with new rules, and BetaList now charges for every submission.

Uneed
BetaList

Check any listing in 10 secondsA DevTools snippet that reads the rel of every link to your site

Open a live listing on the directory you are considering, open DevTools, and paste this into the console. Set domain to the site being listed: yours, or the product whose listing you are inspecting.

DevTools console

// Paste into DevTools on a directory listing page.
const domain = "yourdomain.com";
const robots = document.querySelector('meta[name="robots"]')?.content || "none";
const rows = [...document.querySelectorAll("a[href]")]
  .filter(a => a.href.includes(domain))
  .map(a => ({
    direct: new URL(a.href).hostname.replace(/^www\./, "").endsWith(domain),
    rel: a.rel || "(empty: followed)",
    href: a.href,
  }));
console.log("robots meta:", robots);
console.table(rows.length ? rows : [{ result: "No link to your domain: it's a redirect or a JS button." }]);

How to read the result

direct is true and rel is empty, noopener or noreferrer: followed. That is the one you want.
rel contains nofollow, ugc or sponsored: not followed.
direct is false: the button goes through the directory's redirect first.
No rows at all: no crawlable link to you, only a short link or a JavaScript button.
The robots meta says noindex or nofollow: the whole page is out, whatever the link says.

The snippet cannot see an X-Robots-Tag response header, and that is how Dang.ai's redirect blocks crawlers. For a redirect, check the headers in the Network tab. Run it on two or three existing listings before you pay anyone, and once more on your own listing when it goes live.

How every card was checkedFive published link audits, the directories' own pages, three evidence levels

AI agents read each site's pricing, submit and FAQ pages in October 2026, and every card was checked against five published audits of real listings' HTML. Where no audit covers a site, the card quotes the site's own page. Three cards were re-read against their own pages on October 13, 2026: ShowMeBestAI, PeerPush and Launch Llama Tools.

DR is Ahrefs' Domain Rating as the audits under Link audits reported it, read on October 9 and 10, 2026. A card that says "NoonLaunch figure" uses NoonLaunch's September number, and "Site's own claim" means the directory's number, not checked in Ahrefs.

Evidence levels

Strong evidence. The directory says it in writing, or two independent audits agree.
Moderate evidence. One audit that tested real listings.
Weak evidence. An untested list, or sources that disagree.

Link audits

HackerNoon: the rel attribute on 20 platforms (opens in a new tab)Checks run September 17 and 18, 2026
NoonLaunch: 23 startup launch directories (opens in a new tab)Data refreshed September 6, 2026
SaaSCity: SaaS directories ranked by DR, and its per-site checks (opens in a new tab)October 7 to 10, 2026. SaaSCity runs a competing directory and says so.
Stork: where to submit your AI tool (opens in a new tab)October 2026
Witscode: AI tool directories (opens in a new tab)Checked October 1, 2026

How links count

What directories won't do for youThey split their value, and Google is not Ahrefs

They split their value

Ahrefs passes each linking domain's DR divided by the number of domains it links to (opens in a new tab). A DR 26 site linking to five sites can move your DR more than a DR 73 site linking to 5,000 (opens in a new tab), and a directory with thousands of listings is that DR 73 site.

Google is not Ahrefs

Google's spam policies (opens in a new tab) list low-quality directory links, and paid links that pass ranking credit, as link spam. A paid dofollow listing will count in your DR. Google may simply ignore it.

They only get you off zero

A few dozen clean links will do that. After it, what moves a site is something people link to because they want to, like data nobody else has published.

Found a directory that moved your DR, or a card that is wrong? Send the listing URL and it gets re-checked.

The story behind the catalog, and the plan it feeds: read the write-up.

Awiser is the builder network where founders show their skills, find collaborators, and grow their projects with an AI copilot.

All 124 directories

Free, no strings14

Free with a badge or link back9

Paid29

Press4

Could not verify29

Pass nothing39

Before you submit

01Win your day

02Hit a score

03Pay

04Show their badge, forever

05Wait

How to read the result

Evidence levels

Link audits

How links count

They split their value

Google is not Ahrefs

They only get you off zero

Win your day

Hit a score

Pay

Show their badge, forever

Wait