Directory submissions are the most underrated SEO move for a new SaaS in 2026. A single afternoon of focused submissions can earn you 25-40 dofollow backlinks across sites with Domain Ratings between 50 and 93. Do that over two weeks and you've built a backlink profile that takes competitors years to match organically.
We keep this list updated quarterly based on what's actually working for founders launching on ScrollLaunch. Every entry below is categorized and ranked by DR so you can prioritize ruthlessly.
Tip: Don't submit everywhere. Pick 15-20 from this list that match your category and submit thoughtfully. A lazy "launched on 100 directories" post will get you mostly nofollow spam links that hurt rather than help.
Tier S — DR 85+ (don't skip these)
- Hacker News — DR 93 — Free — Post as "Show HN"
- Reddit — DR 92 — Free — Niche subreddits only
- Product Hunt — DR 91 — Free — Schedule carefully
- G2 — DR 90 — Free to list — Reviews needed for rank
- Dev.to — DR 90 — Free — Write a post, not a pitch
- Capterra — DR 88 — Free basic tier
- GetApp — DR 84 — Gartner network
- AppSumo — DR 83 — Lifetime-deal focused
- AlternativeTo — DR 82 — Free — Submit as alt to competitors
Tier A — DR 70-84
- BetaList — DR 74 — Pre-launch — Free (slow) or $129 (fast)
- Indie Hackers — DR 78 — Free — Milestones > pitches
- Slant — DR 76 — Best-for-X community
- There's an AI For That — DR 75 — AI tools only
- Futurepedia — DR 73 — AI tools only
- SaaSHub — DR 72 — Clean, growing
- Startup Stash — DR 71 — Resource-focused
- Toolify — DR 70 — AI-first
Tier B — DR 60-69
- TopAI.tools — DR 68
- ScrollLaunch — DR 62 — Weekly rankings, permanent pages, dofollow
- Uneed — DR 58 — Curated, paid
- SideProjectors — DR 60 — Side projects & acquisitions
- Launching Next — DR 56
- Softango — DR 55
- Fazier — DR 64 — Growing fast
- Tiny Launch — DR 61 — Mini launches
- 10words — DR 63 — Short-form product listings
- OpenAlternative — DR 65 — Open source
Tier C — DR 40-59 (quick wins)
- BetaPage — DR 58
- StartupLister — DR 54
- StartupBase — DR 52
- Saasworthy — DR 57
- Netted — DR 51
- Hunted.space — DR 50
- Microlaunch — DR 49
- Peerlist — DR 53
- Reddit r/SaaS — N/A (subreddit) — Rules-heavy but gold
- Reddit r/SideProject — N/A
- Reddit r/IndieHackers — N/A
- Reddit r/AlphaandBetaUsers — N/A
Tier D — Category-specific gold
AI & ML
- InsidrAI — DR 48
- AITools.Directory — DR 47
- Top Tools AI — DR 45
Design
- Designers Hub — DR 46
- UI8 / Dribbble community posts — DR 86 (Dribbble)
Chrome extensions
- Chrome Web Store — DR 100 (Google!) — Required if you ship an extension
- [Extension Deck] — DR 44
Developer tools
- Console.dev — DR 57 — Curated newsletter
- Hacker News Show HN (already listed)
- Lobsters — DR 68 — Dev-only, invite-based
No-code
- Nocode Planet — DR 47
- Nocode.tech — DR 52
Email newsletter launches
- Beehiiv Discover — DR 50
- Refind — DR 60
How to submit efficiently
- Batch your assets first. Logo (square 512×512), 60-char headline, 300-char description, 3 screenshots, category, pricing model. Five Google Doc rows save hours.
- Submit Tier S and A personally. These convert best if you add context.
- Submit Tier B and C in bulk. 90% of the fields are the same. Aim for 3-5 per sitting.
- Track it. A simple spreadsheet with "Submitted / Approved / Backlink Type / Traffic" columns. You'll use this again on product #2.
- Follow up. A polite nudge after 7 days on manual-review sites doubles approval rates.
Anti-patterns to avoid
- Don't submit to directories below DR 30. They're mostly spam.
- Don't use the same exact blurb everywhere. Google notices.
- Don't include a "launched on 100 sites!" post. It reads as desperate and the Google E-E-A-T signal is negative.
- Don't pay for "directory submission services." They blast spam directories and can trigger manual actions.
What's worth paying for
- BetaList fast-track ($129) if you need pre-launch validation this month.
- ScrollLaunch Premium Listing ($49) for verified badge + priority placement across the site.
- Uneed paid tier if design-led audiences are your market.
- Dribbble subscription if you're a design-first product.
Skip everything else with a price tag until you have 1000 weekly active users.
FAQ
Which directories should I submit to first?
Start with the 9 Tier S sites, then add the 8 Tier A sites that match your category. That's 17 high-DR backlinks in the first week.
How many backlinks is enough?
Aim for 25-40 contextual, dofollow backlinks in the first 30 days post-launch. Beyond that, focus shifts to content marketing and guest posts.
Are directory backlinks still worth it in 2026?
Yes, but only high-DR, contextual ones. Google has gotten very good at devaluing low-quality directory spam while still rewarding relevant category hubs and trusted listing sites like the ones in this post.
How do I know if a backlink is dofollow?
Right-click the link on your profile page, "Inspect," and look for rel="nofollow" or rel="sponsored". No rel attribute = dofollow.
Should I pay someone to submit me?
No. The submission process is the discovery process — you learn how buyers Google your category. Outsourcing this hurts your positioning long term.
