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 filters2
Filtered bySoftware directories— remove this filterPaid— remove this filterClear all

1–8 of 8 opportunities

The table is wider than the screen — swipe it sideways for cost, effort and the preparation notes.

Submission opportunities with impact score, cost, effort, priority, status and preparation notes. Scroll horizontally for all columns.
#Impact (sorted)Site — sort by thisEst. DA — sort by thisLinkDomainTypeCostEffort — sort by thisPriorityStatusWhat to prepareRules / caveatCheckedActions
188W3C Web Accessibility Evaluation Tools List95Link type unknownw3.orgSoftware directoriesPaidModerateDo firstVerified liveSubmit one released evaluator such as WCAG Quick Auditor with accurate standards, scope, license, release date, and accessibility-statement details.Must actually evaluate digital accessibility or simulate user experience; remediation tools, checklists, assistive technology, and best-practice pages are excluded. W3C reviews submissions in roughly 2–4 weeks and listing never implies endorsement.2026-08-03Open W3C Web Accessibility Evaluation Tools List submit page (new tab)W3C Web Accessibility Evaluation Tools List details
285Black Hat Arsenal80Link type unknownblackhat.comSoftware directoriesPaidInvolvedDo firstNot submittedPrepare a focused open-source defensive tool with English documentation, reproducible demos, and a technical presenter, then submit to the next relevant Arsenal Call for Tools.Arsenal is selected by a review board and demonstrations must focus on the submitted open-source tool. Product pitches, upsells, unrelated company branding, and closed-source marketing demos are prohibited. Europe 2026 submissions closed 2026-07-19.2026-08-03Open Black Hat Arsenal submit page (new tab)Black Hat Arsenal details
374OWASP Foundation Projects85Link type unknownowasp.orgSoftware directoriesPaidModerateHighLive, conditionalOffer a standalone, vendor-neutral security tool or documentation project with open governance and a committed leader, then submit the official new-project request.OWASP projects must be genuinely open source and maintained as community projects; approval is required, official source hosting is mandated, and the project page must be created within the stated onboarding period. Do not submit a branded sales funnel.2026-08-03Open OWASP Foundation Projects submit page (new tab)OWASP Foundation Projects details
471SaaSGenius—Link type unknownsaasgenius.comSoftware directoriesPaidInvolvedHighVerified liveSubmit your tool as a production SaaS and request a reviewed product profile.No B2C-only, alpha/beta, standalone mobile-only, or products without US customers.https://www.saasgenius.com/get-listed/Open SaaSGenius submit page (new tab)SaaSGenius details
556Journal of Open Research Software55Link type unknownopenresearchsoftware.metajnl.comSoftware directoriesPaidModerateMediumVerified liveOpen-source a reusable research-focused your tool component, archive it with a persistent identifier, and submit a software metapaper with project/code links.Software must be openly licensed, public, usable, documented, archived and relevant to research; metapaper and software undergo peer review.2026-08-05 — https://openresearchsoftware.metajnl.com/about/submissionsOpen Journal of Open Research Software submit page (new tab)Journal of Open Research Software details
653Journal of Statistical Software70Link type unknownjstatsoft.orgSoftware directoriesPaidInvolvedMediumVerified liveDevelop an open statistical/privacy-analysis component, then submit a reproducible English LaTeX software paper linking its code and your tool project page.Only statistical-computing software with publishable scholarly value; authors must supply software/replication material and handle strict formatting and peer review.2026-08-05 — https://www.jstatsoft.org/authorsOpen Journal of Statistical Software submit page (new tab)Journal of Statistical Software details
753RO-Crate Community Blog40Link type unknownresearchobject.orgSoftware directoriesPaidInvolvedMediumVerified liveBuild a genuine RO-Crate validator or privacy linter and submit a technical developer article using the official blog template.Article must concern practical RO-Crate use or tooling; editorial acceptance is required and product-only promotion is unsuitable.Official RO-Crate blog contribution announcement checked 2026-08-05Open RO-Crate Community Blog submit page (new tab)RO-Crate Community Blog details
836SubmitSaaS—Link type unknownsubmitsaas.comSoftware directoriesPaidModerateLaterNeeds checkingUse only if outsourcing manual directory submissions.Vet quality; avoid low-quality guaranteed-link spam.2026-07-30Open SubmitSaaS submit page (new tab)SubmitSaaS details

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.