AltF Backlinks

Free backlink sites list: 1,854 places to get a link

A maintained list of 1,854 legitimate backlink sites: directories, profile creation sites, guest posting sites, launch platforms, registries and marketplaces. 1,532 are free or have a free tier, 44 usually give a dofollow link, and 772 have an estimated DA of 70 or more. Every row shows authority, link type, cost and effort, and links straight to the submit page.

1,854
Opportunities: 1,532
Free or freemium: 772
Est. DA 70+: 200
Quick wins

All filters2

Filtered byPaid Sometimes dofollow Clear all

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 this	Est. DA — sort by this	Link	Domain	Type	Cost	Effort — sort by this	Priority	Status	What to prepare	Rules / caveat	Checked	Actions
1	74	CSS Weekly	45	Sometimes dofollow	css-weekly.com	Design galleries	Paid	Moderate	High	Verified live	Sponsor an your tool frontend, accessibility, CSS, or developer utility with a useful demo and audience-specific copy.	Official page advertises a permanent dofollow link, but paid links should be marked rel=sponsored for search-policy compliance; prioritize audience value.	https://css-weekly.com/advertise	Open CSS Weekly submit page (new tab)CSS Weekly details
2	71	Codrops	75	Sometimes dofollow	tympanus.net	Design galleries	Paid	Involved	High	Verified live	Pitch a crafted, original interactive tutorial or demo about client-side privacy visualization, inclusive motion, or accessible creative tooling, with source and a working demo.	Codrops seeks fresh ideas and high-quality work for web professionals; the editorial and visual craft bar is high. Use a real author identity and pitch original teaching value, not a promotional guest post.	2026-08-03	Open Codrops submit page (new tab)Codrops details
3	56	Changelog Media	70	Sometimes dofollow	changelog.com	Publishing platforms	Paid	Moderate	Medium	Verified live	Run a clearly disclosed campaign for your tool’s developer and security tools across relevant Changelog podcasts or newsletters.	Free news submissions explicitly reject commercial products and services, so use sponsorship; treat links as ads, not PageRank.	https://changelog.com/news/submit	Open Changelog Media submit page (new tab)Changelog Media details
4	56	Format	75	Sometimes dofollow	format.com	Other opportunities	Paid	Moderate	Medium	Not submitted	Create a founder or product-design portfolio with an original your tool case study and add the canonical site as an external menu link.	This is a paid portfolio platform; the case study should demonstrate real work and should not exist only to manufacture a link.	2026-08-03	Open Format submit page (new tab)Format details
5	56	Toolify	55	Sometimes dofollow	toolify.ai	AI tool directories	Paid	Moderate	Medium	Not submitted	Submit AI tools/features with multilingual description.	Claims dofollow/backlink; check cost before paying.	2026-07-30	Open Toolify submit page (new tab)Toolify details
6	53	SitePoint	85	Sometimes dofollow	sitepoint.com	Guest posting sites	Paid	Involved	Medium	Verified live	Submit a deep technical tutorial showing a generalizable web, security, or privacy technique used while building your tool.	Must be original and educational, not promotional; current rules require human-authored work with less than 50% AI involvement.	https://www.sitepoint.com/write-for-us/	Open SitePoint submit page (new tab)SitePoint details
7	38	Cloud Security Alliance	80	Sometimes dofollow	cloudsecurityalliance.org	Startup directories	Paid	Quick	Later	Live, conditional	Consider only after your tool becomes a substantive cloud or AI security vendor and can participate in CSA programs.	Commercial membership, not a backlink purchase; directory placement does not equal certification or product endorsement.	2026-08-05 official Startup Membership Agreement	Open Cloud Security Alliance submit page (new tab)Cloud Security Alliance details
8	38	Microns	40	Sometimes dofollow	microns.io	Marketplaces and app stores	Paid	Quick	Later	Needs checking	List a small online business or side project for sale.	Paid listing fee; small projects fit best.	Added 2026-11-01	Open Microns submit page (new tab)Microns details
9	38	There's An AI For That	60	Sometimes dofollow	theresanaiforthat.com	AI tool directories	Paid	Quick	Later	Not submitted	Submit only AI-specific your tool modules.	Paid only; conflicts if platform not AI-first.	2026-07-30	Open There's An AI For That submit page (new tab)There's An AI For That details
10	36	Awwwards	85	Sometimes dofollow	awwwards.com	Design galleries	Paid	Moderate	Later	Needs checking	Submit your tool web design if premium/polished.	High authority; paid and design quality gate.	2026-07-30	Open Awwwards submit page (new tab)Awwwards details
11	36	Captivate	60	Sometimes dofollow	captivate.fm	Publishing platforms	Paid	Moderate	Later	Needs checking	Host a podcast with its included website and add links to your site in episode notes.	It is a paid service with a free trial.	Added 2026-11-01	Open Captivate submit page (new tab)Captivate details
12	36	CSS Design Awards	70	Sometimes dofollow	cssdesignawards.com	Design galleries	Paid	Moderate	Later	Needs checking	Submit site for CSS/design award.	Only after homepage/tool UX polished.	2026-07-30	Open CSS Design Awards submit page (new tab)CSS Design Awards details
13	36	Fabrik	55	Sometimes dofollow	fabrik.io	Other opportunities	Paid	Moderate	Later	Live, conditional	Publish real your tool film, design, illustration or product case studies and connect them to the appropriate project pages.	Strong creative-work fit only; no credit card for trial, but a lasting public portfolio requires a paid plan.	2026-08-04	Open Fabrik submit page (new tab)Fabrik details
14	36	Krop	55	Sometimes dofollow	krop.com	Other opportunities	Paid	Moderate	Later	Live, conditional	Build a real founder or your tool creative portfolio and link relevant case studies to the corresponding live tools.	Designed for creative professionals; paid ongoing hosting and authentic portfolio work are required.	2026-08-04	Open Krop submit page (new tab)Krop details
15	36	Libsyn	80	Sometimes dofollow	libsyn.com	Publishing platforms	Paid	Moderate	Later	Needs checking	Host your podcast and use the included show site and notes to link to your website.	It is a paid hosting service.	Added 2026-11-01	Open Libsyn submit page (new tab)Libsyn details
16	36	Mynewsdesk	75	Sometimes dofollow	mynewsdesk.com	PR and source platforms	Paid	Moderate	Later	Needs checking	Publish press releases, images and news in a hosted newsroom that links to your site.	It is a paid service and releases must be genuine news.	Added 2026-11-01	Open Mynewsdesk submit page (new tab)Mynewsdesk details
17	36	pr.co	60	Sometimes dofollow	pr.co	PR and source platforms	Paid	Moderate	Later	Needs checking	Host a branded newsroom with your press releases and media kit, linking back to your site.	It is paid; releases should be real announcements.	Added 2026-11-01	Open pr.co submit page (new tab)pr.co details
18	36	Prowly	65	Sometimes dofollow	prowly.com	PR and source platforms	Paid	Moderate	Later	Needs checking	Use the paid PR tool to host a public newsroom and send releases to relevant journalists.	Mass irrelevant pitching harms deliverability and breaks the terms.	Added 2026-11-01	Open Prowly submit page (new tab)Prowly details
19	36	ReleaseWire	65	Sometimes dofollow	releasewire.com	PR and source platforms	Paid	Moderate	Later	Needs checking	Publish a newsworthy announcement through the paid distribution service with a link to your site.	Releases are reviewed for news value and links may be nofollow on syndication partners.	Added 2026-11-01	Open ReleaseWire submit page (new tab)ReleaseWire details
20	36	Transistor	65	Sometimes dofollow	transistor.fm	Publishing platforms	Paid	Moderate	Later	Needs checking	Host a podcast and use the built-in website and show notes to link to your product.	It is a paid service with a free trial.	Added 2026-11-01	Open Transistor submit page (new tab)Transistor 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.

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.
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.
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.
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

Backlink sites by category

Product launch sites85

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 directories151

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 sites113

Startup listings, beta lists and founder media.

Software directory submission sites210

General tool and software catalogues with real search traffic.

Software review sites29

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

Developer platforms for backlinks127

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 sites183

Write once, link back. Editorial standards vary widely.

PR and press release sites40

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 sites58

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. 200 of the 1,854 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?

1,532 of the 1,854 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. 1,524 of the 1,854 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.

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