50+ Startup Directories to Submit Your SaaS (DR-Ranked, Updated 2026)

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)

1. **[Hacker News](https://news.ycombinator.com)** — DR 93 — Free — Post as "Show HN"
2. **[Reddit](https://reddit.com)** — DR 92 — Free — Niche subreddits only
3. **[Product Hunt](https://producthunt.com)** — DR 91 — Free — Schedule carefully
4. **[G2](https://g2.com)** — DR 90 — Free to list — Reviews needed for rank
5. **[Dev.to](https://dev.to)** — DR 90 — Free — Write a post, not a pitch
6. **[Capterra](https://capterra.com)** — DR 88 — Free basic tier
7. **[GetApp](https://getapp.com)** — DR 84 — Gartner network
8. **[AppSumo](https://appsumo.com)** — DR 83 — Lifetime-deal focused
9. **[AlternativeTo](https://alternativeto.net)** — DR 82 — Free — Submit as alt to competitors

## Tier A — DR 70-84

10. **[BetaList](https://betalist.com)** — DR 74 — Pre-launch — Free (slow) or $129 (fast)
11. **[Indie Hackers](https://indiehackers.com)** — DR 78 — Free — Milestones > pitches
12. **[Slant](https://slant.co)** — DR 76 — Best-for-X community
13. **[There's an AI For That](https://theresanaiforthat.com)** — DR 75 — AI tools only
14. **[Futurepedia](https://futurepedia.io)** — DR 73 — AI tools only
15. **[SaaSHub](https://saashub.com)** — DR 72 — Clean, growing
16. **[Startup Stash](https://startupstash.com)** — DR 71 — Resource-focused
17. **[Toolify](https://toolify.ai)** — DR 70 — AI-first

## Tier B — DR 60-69

18. **[TopAI.tools](https://topai.tools)** — DR 68
19. **[ScrollLaunch](/)** — DR 62 — Weekly rankings, permanent pages, dofollow
20. **[Uneed](https://uneed.best)** — DR 58 — Curated, paid
21. **[SideProjectors](https://sideprojectors.com)** — DR 60 — Side projects & acquisitions
22. **[Launching Next](https://launchingnext.com)** — DR 56
23. **[Softango](https://softango.com)** — DR 55
24. **Fazier** — DR 64 — Growing fast
25. **Tiny Launch** — DR 61 — Mini launches
26. **10words** — DR 63 — Short-form product listings
27. **OpenAlternative** — DR 65 — Open source

## Tier C — DR 40-59 (quick wins)

28. **BetaPage** — DR 58
29. **StartupLister** — DR 54
30. **StartupBase** — DR 52
31. **Saasworthy** — DR 57
32. **Netted** — DR 51
33. **Hunted.space** — DR 50
34. **Microlaunch** — DR 49
35. **Peerlist** — DR 53
36. **Reddit r/SaaS** — N/A (subreddit) — Rules-heavy but gold
37. **Reddit r/SideProject** — N/A
38. **Reddit r/IndieHackers** — N/A
39. **Reddit r/AlphaandBetaUsers** — N/A

## Tier D — Category-specific gold

### AI & ML
40. **[InsidrAI](https://insidr.ai)** — DR 48
41. **AITools.Directory** — DR 47
42. **Top Tools AI** — DR 45

### Design
43. **Designers Hub** — DR 46
44. **UI8 / Dribbble community posts** — DR 86 (Dribbble)

### Chrome extensions
45. **Chrome Web Store** — DR 100 (Google!) — Required if you ship an extension
46. **[Extension Deck]** — DR 44

### Developer tools
47. **Console.dev** — DR 57 — Curated newsletter
48. **Hacker News Show HN** (already listed)
49. **Lobsters** — DR 68 — Dev-only, invite-based

### No-code
50. **Nocode Planet** — DR 47
51. **Nocode.tech** — DR 52

### Email newsletter launches
52. **Beehiiv Discover** — DR 50
53. **Refind** — DR 60

## How to submit efficiently

1. **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.
2. **Submit Tier S and A personally.** These convert best if you add context.
3. **Submit Tier B and C in bulk.** 90% of the fields are the same. Aim for 3-5 per sitting.
4. **Track it.** A simple spreadsheet with "Submitted / Approved / Backlink Type / Traffic" columns. You'll use this again on product #2.
5. **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.