AltF Backlinks

Free backlink sites list: 1,964 places to get a link

A maintained list of 1,964 legitimate backlink sites: directories, profile creation sites, guest posting sites, launch platforms, registries and marketplaces. 1,628 are free or have a free tier, 44 usually give a dofollow link, and 781 have an estimated DA of 70 or more. Every row shows authority, link type, cost and effort, and links straight to the submit page.

1,964
Opportunities
1,628
Free or freemium
781
Est. DA 70+
208
Quick wins
All filters3
Filtered byProfiles and entities— remove this filterFree— remove this filterMedium— remove this filterClear all

1–25 of 25 opportunities

Usefulimpact 68–63

  • Commudle

    commudle.com

    Create a real developer profile, publish your original engineering tutorial or project, and join only relevant privacy or developer communities.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~40FreeQuickVerified live
    SubmitCommudle (opens in a new tab)

  • Flickr

    flickr.com

    Create your truthful /founder profile or content page and add the website link where allowed.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~95NofollowFreeQuickNot submitted
    SubmitFlickr (opens in a new tab)

  • GitLab

    gitlab.com

    Mirror open-source embed SDK or examples with homepage link.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~90NofollowFreeQuickNot submitted
    SubmitGitLab (opens in a new tab)

  • Goodreads

    goodreads.com

    Create your truthful /founder profile or content page and add the website link where allowed.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~90NofollowFreeQuickVerified live
    SubmitGoodreads (opens in a new tab)

  • Gravatar

    gravatar.com

    Create brand/founder profile with verified links.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~90NofollowFreeQuickNeeds checking
    SubmitGravatar (opens in a new tab)

  • HubPages

    hubpages.com

    Create your truthful /founder profile or content page and add the website link where allowed.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~85NofollowFreeQuickVerified live
    SubmitHubPages (opens in a new tab)

  • HundrED

    hundred.org

    Apply with a privacy/digital-safety education program that demonstrates real K-12 impact and scalability.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~60FreeQuickVerified live
    SubmitHundrED (opens in a new tab)

  • Liberapay

    liberapay.com

    Create your project team, connect verified project accounts, and describe the official website and repository contextually.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~65NofollowFreeQuickLive, conditional
    SubmitLiberapay (opens in a new tab)

  • Patreon

    patreon.com

    Create your truthful /founder profile or content page and add the website link where allowed.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~95NofollowFreeQuickNeeds checking
    SubmitPatreon (opens in a new tab)

  • PitchBook

    pitchbook.com

    Search for your tool; submit an accurate profile update or request research coverage with authoritative company data and website.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~85FreeQuickLive, conditional
    SubmitPitchBook (opens in a new tab)

  • ResearchGate

    researchgate.net

    An eligible active researcher can publish genuine your tool studies, code or datasets and add the official website where appropriate.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~95NofollowFreeQuickLive, conditional
    SubmitResearchGate (opens in a new tab)

  • Sketchfab

    sketchfab.com

    Publish an original educational 3D asset connected to your real tutorial, with accurate credits and a contextual project link in the description.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~90NofollowFreeQuickVerified live
    SubmitSketchfab (opens in a new tab)

  • SlideShare

    slideshare.net

    Create your truthful /founder profile or content page and add the website link where allowed.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~95NofollowFreeQuickNeeds checking
    SubmitSlideShare (opens in a new tab)

  • Stack Exchange

    stackexchange.com

    Build a real founder profile and answer narrowly relevant questions, linking to your resource only when it directly substantiates the answer.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~90NofollowFreeQuickNot submitted
    SubmitStack Exchange (opens in a new tab)

  • Stack Overflow

    stackoverflow.com

    Create your truthful /founder profile or content page and add the website link where allowed.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~95NofollowFreeQuickNot submitted
    SubmitStack Overflow (opens in a new tab)

  • Techendo

    techendo.com

    Create a genuine founder profile and share a useful build story or tutorial with a relevant link.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~30FreeQuickNeeds checking
    SubmitTechendo (opens in a new tab)

  • Wattpad

    wattpad.com

    Create your truthful /founder profile or content page and add the website link where allowed.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~90NofollowFreeQuickNeeds checking
    SubmitWattpad (opens in a new tab)

  • devRant

    devrant.com

    Participate as a real developer with original lessons and honest build stories; reference your tool only if a specific discussion genuinely calls for the working example.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~60NofollowFreeModerateVerified live
    SubmitdevRant (opens in a new tab)

  • Discourse Meta

    discourse.org

    Use a real developer profile and contribute tested solutions on Discourse integrations, accessibility, or privacy only when the team has genuine implementation experience.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~80NofollowFreeModerateVerified live
    SubmitDiscourse Meta (opens in a new tab)

  • LiveJournal

    livejournal.com

    Create your truthful /founder profile or content page and add the website link where allowed.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~90NofollowFreeModerateNot submitted
    SubmitLiveJournal (opens in a new tab)

  • Slashdot

    slashdot.org

    Create your truthful /founder profile or content page and add the website link where allowed.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~90NofollowFreeModerateNot submitted
    SubmitSlashdot (opens in a new tab)

  • Spiceworks Community

    spiceworks.com

    Join with a transparent identity and answer relevant IT/privacy questions from direct experience; mention your resource only when it materially completes a specific answer.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~85NofollowFreeModerateVerified live
    SubmitSpiceworks Community (opens in a new tab)

  • Telegraph

    telegra.ph

    Create your truthful /founder profile or content page and add the website link where allowed.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~85NofollowFreeModerateVerified live
    SubmitTelegraph (opens in a new tab)

  • Podorax

    podorax.com

    Create a truthful guest profile, add expertise and collaboration preferences, then respond to relevant interview requests.

    FreeInvolvedLive, conditional
    SubmitPodorax (opens in a new tab)

  • Wikidata

    wikidata.org

    If your organisation or product meets notability rules, create an item with official website and sourced statements.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~95NofollowFreeInvolvedNeeds checking
    SubmitWikidata (opens in a new tab)

How to build backlinks with this list

Four steps that work for a new site, a SaaS or a side project. No paid link packages, nothing that risks a penalty.

  1. Get the basics right first

    Before submitting anywhere, have a one-line description, a 150-word description, a square logo and two or three screenshots ready. Every form asks for some mix of these.

  2. Claim profiles and free listings

    Start with the free, quick rows: profile creation sites and free directories. They are one form each and build the entity signals search engines use to understand who you are.

  3. Go after a few strong links

    Then pick a handful of high DA and dofollow sites that fit your niche, and write proper guest posts or launch posts for them. Ten relevant links beat a hundred random ones.

  4. Track and keep it clean

    Note where you submitted and when. Recheck after a month, update stale descriptions, and never pay for bulk link packages: they put the whole site at risk.

Behind the list

A link opportunity is not a link.

Every row here starts as a line in a sheet, gets normalised into one of 16 groups, scored for cost, effort and impact, and written up with the steps to actually submit. The floor below represents that pipeline.

Open the sheet view

An illustration of the AltF Backlinks floor: opportunities sourced at the back, vetted for cost and effort by the engineering pod, written up for outreach by the design pod, then tracked to placement along a line.

Backlink sites by category

Product launch sites87

One-shot launches where timing and preparation decide the outcome.

Guest posting sites55

Publications that accept contributed articles. Slow and editorial, but the links are earned.

AI tool directories200

Fast-growing listings specifically for AI-powered tools.

App stores and marketplaces273

Extension, plugin and integration stores. Real review processes, real distribution.

Startup directory submission sites120

Startup listings, beta lists and founder media.

Software directory submission sites215

General tool and software catalogues with real search traffic.

Software review sites29

B2B review sites. Slow to approve, strong once live.

Developer platforms for backlinks139

Package, image and docs hosting that carries real authority.

Web design galleries for backlinks87

Showcases judged on craft. A good screenshot matters more than copy.

Web 2.0 and publishing sites214

Write once, link back. Editorial standards vary widely.

PR and press release sites41

Get quoted or distribute a release. Slower, higher ceiling.

Business directory submission sites109

Company and local listings. Unglamorous, consistently indexed.

Profile creation sites163

Owned pages you control: company, founder, knowledge-panel entities.

Forum and community backlink sites61

Answer real questions. Never drop a bare link.

Social bookmarking sites18

Brand surface and referral traffic more than link equity.

More backlink opportunities153

Everything that does not fit the buckets above.

Common questions

Do backlinks still matter for ranking in 2026?
Links remain one signal among many, and low-quality bulk links do more harm than good. What still works is being listed where your buyers actually look — directories with real traffic, registries your peers use, and launch platforms with engaged audiences. Every entry in this list is a place a human might plausibly find you, which is why they are worth submitting to regardless of link equity.
Which submissions should I do first?
Start with the quick wins filter: free, low effort, and not in the lowest priority band. 208 of the 1,964 entries qualify, and those are the ones where a single form submission gets you a live listing the same week. Launch platforms are worth saving until your product is genuinely ready, because you only get one good attempt at each.
How is the impact score calculated?
It starts from a hand-assigned priority band (do first, high, medium, later), then adjusts for cost and effort. A free, quick opportunity scores above a paid, involved one in the same band, because it is the one you can realistically finish today. The score is a queueing aid, not a measure of domain authority.
Are these links free?
1,628 of the 1,964 entries are free to submit to or offer a free tier that includes a listing. Cost is shown on every row, and the "nothing to pay" filter narrows the list to exactly those.
Which backlink sites are dofollow?
44 entries are known to give a followed link on a normal listing, and more give one only in some placements. The link type is shown on every row and can be filtered. Sites change their link policy without notice, so treat the label as a starting point and check the live page after you are listed. A nofollow link from a busy site still sends visitors and helps search engines discover you.
What does the DA number mean?
It is our estimate of the site's domain authority, a third-party style 0-100 score of how strong a domain's link profile is, rounded to the nearest 5. 1,580 of the 1,964 sites have one. It is useful for comparing sites, not a Google metric, so relevance to your niche still matters more.
How do I get backlinks for a new website?
1. Get the basics right first: Before submitting anywhere, have a one-line description, a 150-word description, a square logo and two or three screenshots ready. Every form asks for some mix of these. 2. Claim profiles and free listings: Start with the free, quick rows: profile creation sites and free directories. They are one form each and build the entity signals search engines use to understand who you are. 3. Go after a few strong links: Then pick a handful of high DA and dofollow sites that fit your niche, and write proper guest posts or launch posts for them. Ten relevant links beat a hundred random ones. 4. Track and keep it clean: Note where you submitted and when. Recheck after a month, update stale descriptions, and never pay for bulk link packages: they put the whole site at risk.
Will submitting everywhere hurt my site?
Submitting to spam directories can. That is why this list is curated rather than scraped, and why entries carry a status showing whether they have been verified as live. Skip anything that promises hundreds of links for a fee, and prefer places where a real person reviews submissions.