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.
The table is wider than the screen — swipe it sideways for cost, effort and the preparation notes.
| # | 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 | 84 | freeCodeCamp News | 90 | Sometimes dofollow | freecodecamp.org | Publishing platforms | Free | Moderate | High | Verified live | Create a comprehensive tutorial around a reusable privacy, file-processing, accessibility, or security technique, with your tool only as a natural example. | Follow the current contributor and Hashnode workflow; content must teach, be original, and avoid promotional intent. | https://contribute.freecodecamp.org/faq/ | Open freeCodeCamp News submit page (new tab)freeCodeCamp News details |
| 2 | 81 | CSS-Tricks | 90 | Sometimes dofollow | css-tricks.com | Guest posting sites | Free | Involved | High | Verified live | Propose a lived-experience frontend article on accessible tool interfaces, privacy-safe browser APIs, CSS, or performance. | Attach a rough draft or outline and demonstrate real expertise; the article must be useful rather than an AltFTool promotion. | https://css-tricks.com/guest-writing/ | Open CSS-Tricks submit page (new tab)CSS-Tricks details |
| 3 | 81 | Moz Blog | 90 | Sometimes dofollow | moz.com | Guest posting sites | Free | Involved | High | Needs checking | Read the blog's submission guidelines, then send a detailed pitch for an in-depth SEO tutorial or case study with original data. | Moz accepts only a small number of expert posts; recycled advice and link-driven pitches are declined. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open Moz Blog submit page (new tab)Moz Blog details |
| 4 | 81 | Search Engine Journal | 90 | Sometimes dofollow | searchenginejournal.com | Guest posting sites | Free | Involved | High | Needs checking | Apply to become a contributor with writing samples, then pitch practical, data-backed SEO or PPC pieces to the editors. | Editors reject promotional or thin articles and control all outbound links; expect heavy editing and a firm no on self-serving links. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open Search Engine Journal submit page (new tab)Search Engine Journal details |
| 5 | 81 | Search Engine Land | 90 | Sometimes dofollow | searchengineland.com | Guest posting sites | Free | Involved | High | Needs checking | Use the contributor link in the site footer to apply, then pitch original search marketing analysis or tactics from your own work. | Contributors must be practitioners, not ghostwriters; vendor pitches and links to your own product are generally not allowed in the body. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open Search Engine Land submit page (new tab)Search Engine Land details |
| 6 | 81 | Smashing Magazine | 90 | Sometimes dofollow | smashingmagazine.com | Publishing platforms | Free | Involved | High | Verified live | Pitch a practical privacy-by-design, accessibility, frontend-security, or local-first tooling article backed by real your tool lessons. | No press releases, product walkthroughs, listicles, or content marketing; AltFTool may be cited only when editorially useful. | https://www.smashingmagazine.com/write-for-us/ | Open Smashing Magazine submit page (new tab)Smashing Magazine details |
| 7 | 81 | Stack Overflow Blog | 90 | Sometimes dofollow | stackoverflow.blog | Publishing platforms | Free | Involved | High | Verified live | Pitch a rigorous developer-facing article about secure file handling, browser privacy, accessibility testing, or tool architecture. | Strict technical quality and editorial review apply; avoid product marketing and disclose conflicts or affiliations. | https://stackoverflow.blog/2020/01/27/blog-contributor-guidelines/ | Open Stack Overflow Blog submit page (new tab)Stack Overflow Blog details |
| 8 | 81 | VentureBeat | 90 | Sometimes dofollow | venturebeat.com | Guest posting sites | Free | Involved | High | Verified live | Pitch original your tool data, an AI/privacy industry argument, or a consequential product launch to the relevant desk. | Follow the contact and guest-post rules; a generic launch email or self-promotional draft will not earn placement. | https://venturebeat.com/contact/ | Open VentureBeat submit page (new tab)VentureBeat details |
| 9 | 77 | InfoWorld Expert Contributor Network | 90 | Sometimes dofollow | infoworld.com | Guest posting sites | Not stated | Involved | High | Not submitted | Have a named senior practitioner apply with evidence-backed lessons from building local-first privacy tooling, secure developer utilities, or responsible AI-adjacent systems. | The network seeks real IT leaders and practitioners, not anonymous brand copy; editorial independence and the publication's ethics policy apply, and admission is reviewed. | 2026-08-03 | Open InfoWorld Expert Contributor Network submit page (new tab)InfoWorld Expert Contributor Network details |
| 10 | 68 | Joomla Extensions Directory | 90 | Sometimes dofollow | joomla.org | Marketplaces and app stores | Free | Quick | Medium | Live, conditional | Build a functional your tool Joomla integration and submit a complete listing with an approved download route. | Actual installable extension required; GPL, trademark, update-system, security and listing checks apply. | 2026-08-05 official JED submission guide and entry checklist | Open Joomla Extensions Directory submit page (new tab)Joomla Extensions Directory details |
| 11 | 65 | Issuu | 90 | Sometimes dofollow | issuu.com | Publishing platforms | Free + paid tier | Quick | Medium | Needs checking | Upload a guide, report or catalog as a public publication and add your website to the profile and description. | You must own the rights to what you upload; links inside documents may be limited on free plans. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open Issuu submit page (new tab)Issuu details |
| 12 | 65 | Jimdo | 90 | Sometimes dofollow | jimdo.com | Profiles and entities | Free + paid tier | Quick | Medium | Not submitted | Create a truthful your tool/founder profile or content page and add the website link where allowed. | Use a real brand/founder identity; do not create thin duplicate pages. Listing link is currently reported nofollow. | 2026-07-30 • https://www.submission.directory/site/jimdo | Open Jimdo submit page (new tab)Jimdo details |
| 13 | 65 | Weebly | 90 | Sometimes dofollow | weebly.com | Profiles and entities | Free + paid tier | Quick | Medium | Not submitted | Create a truthful your tool/founder profile or content page and add the website link where allowed. | Use a real brand/founder identity; do not create thin duplicate pages. Link treatment varies by tier/page. | 2026-07-30 • https://www.submission.directory/site/weebly | Open Weebly submit page (new tab)Weebly details |
| 14 | 65 | Wix | 95 | Sometimes dofollow | wix.com | Profiles and entities | Free + paid tier | Quick | Medium | Needs checking | Create a truthful your tool/founder profile or content page and add the website link where allowed. | Use a real brand/founder identity; do not create thin duplicate pages. Listing link is currently reported nofollow. | 2026-07-30 • https://www.submission.directory/site/wix | Open Wix submit page (new tab)Wix details |
| 15 | 63 | CIO | 90 | Sometimes dofollow | cio.com | Guest posting sites | Free | Involved | Medium | Needs checking | Apply to the publication's expert contributor network if you are a senior IT practitioner and propose a regular column topic. | Acceptance is selective and vendor employees face strict rules; promotional content is not published. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open CIO submit page (new tab)CIO details |
| 16 | 60 | HackerNoon | 90 | Sometimes dofollow | hackernoon.com | Publishing platforms | Free + paid tier | Involved | Medium | Not submitted | Pitch/write article about privacy-first browser tools. | Editorial quality required; not instant. | 2026-07-30 | Open HackerNoon submit page (new tab)HackerNoon details |
| 17 | 48 | Justia Lawyer Directory | 90 | Sometimes dofollow | justia.com | Business directories | Free | Quick | Later | Needs checking | Licensed attorneys can claim a free profile and link their firm site. | Restricted to practising lawyers; info is checked against bar records. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open Justia Lawyer Directory submit page (new tab)Justia Lawyer Directory details |
| 18 | 46 | Blogger | 95 | Sometimes dofollow | blogger.com | Publishing platforms | Free | Moderate | Later | Not submitted | Create official your tool update/tutorial blog if needed. | Avoid duplicate content; canonical strategy needed. | 2026-07-30 | Open Blogger submit page (new tab)Blogger details |
| 19 | 45 | Clutch | 90 | Sometimes dofollow | clutch.co | Software directories | Free + paid tier | Quick | Later | Not submitted | Create company profile if your tool/Anslation has service angle. | Less fit for pure tool site unless company profile. | 2026-07-30 | Open Clutch submit page (new tab)Clutch details |
| 20 | 45 | WordPress.com | 95 | Sometimes dofollow | wordpress.com | Publishing platforms | Free + paid tier | Quick | Later | Not submitted | Create official tutorials/mirror with links. | Avoid thin duplicate posts. | 2026-07-30 | Open WordPress.com submit page (new tab)WordPress.com details |
| 21 | 43 | Ghost | 90 | Sometimes dofollow | ghost.org | Publishing platforms | Free + paid tier | Moderate | Later | Live, conditional | Run a genuine your tool privacy/security publication and add contextual links in original posts and About pages. | Requires sustained original publishing; self-hosted pages are on your own domain, not a third-party backlink. | 2026-08-03 | Open Ghost submit page (new tab)Ghost details |
| 22 | 43 | Harvard Business Review | 95 | Sometimes dofollow | hbr.org | Guest posting sites | Free | Involved | Later | Needs checking | Read the guidelines for authors and submit a short pitch with a clear, evidence-backed management idea. | Acceptance is very selective and links are rare; most value comes from authority rather than the link itself. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open Harvard Business Review submit page (new tab)Harvard Business Review details |
| 23 | 43 | Mailchimp Integrations | 95 | Sometimes dofollow | mailchimp.com | Marketplaces and app stores | Free | Involved | Later | Needs checking | If you build a Mailchimp integration, apply to have it listed in their directory. | Integration must be live and reviewed by their partner team. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open Mailchimp Integrations submit page (new tab)Mailchimp Integrations details |
Four steps that work for a new site, a SaaS or a side project. No paid link packages, nothing that risks a penalty.
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.
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.
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.
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
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 viewAn 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.
One-shot launches where timing and preparation decide the outcome.
Publications that accept contributed articles. Slow and editorial, but the links are earned.
Fast-growing listings specifically for AI-powered tools.
Extension, plugin and integration stores. Real review processes, real distribution.
Startup listings, beta lists and founder media.
General tool and software catalogues with real search traffic.
B2B review sites. Slow to approve, strong once live.
Package, image and docs hosting that carries real authority.
Showcases judged on craft. A good screenshot matters more than copy.
Write once, link back. Editorial standards vary widely.
Get quoted or distribute a release. Slower, higher ceiling.
Company and local listings. Unglamorous, consistently indexed.
Owned pages you control: company, founder, knowledge-panel entities.
Answer real questions. Never drop a bare link.
Brand surface and referral traffic more than link equity.
Everything that does not fit the buckets above.