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
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 | 86 | Alfred Gallery | 50 | Link type unknown | alfred.app | Design galleries | Free | Quick | High | Verified live | Build a privacy-safe macOS Alfred workflow that opens or runs useful your tool actions, publish it on the forum, gather feedback, and seek Gallery inclusion. | Gallery submission is invitation-based after community testing; no auto-updater, downloaded executables, unsigned binaries, or unsafe behavior. | Official Alfred Gallery submission requirements checked 2026-08-07 | Open Alfred Gallery submit page (new tab)Alfred Gallery details |
| 2 | 86 | Frontend Mentor | 65 | Nofollow | frontendmentor.io | Design galleries | Free | Quick | High | Verified live | Complete a relevant accessibility or privacy-themed challenge, submit its real live URL and public repository, and add your tool only as maker context or a case-study link. | The submission must solve an actual challenge; a live URL and public repository are required, so never upload secrets or private code. | Official Frontend Mentor submission and plan guidance checked 2026-08-07 | Open Frontend Mentor submit page (new tab)Frontend Mentor details |
| 3 | 68 | Astro Showcase | 70 | Link type unknown | astro.build | Design galleries | Free | Quick | Medium | Live, conditional | If an your tool property genuinely uses Astro, use the Submit site action to propose it for the public showcase. | Only submit an actual Astro-built production site; acceptance is curated and not guaranteed. | 2026-08-05 | Open Astro Showcase submit page (new tab)Astro Showcase details |
| 4 | 68 | Dark Mode Design | 50 | Sometimes dofollow | darkmodedesign.com | Design galleries | Free | Quick | Medium | Needs checking | Submit your site if it has a polished dark design. | Curated; only well-designed dark sites are featured. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open Dark Mode Design submit page (new tab)Dark Mode Design details |
| 5 | 68 | devChallenges | 50 | Link type unknown | devchallenges.io | Design galleries | Free | Quick | Medium | Verified live | Build a genuine free challenge solution, publish the deployed project and repository, and use the finished privacy or accessibility implementation as a portfolio case study. | Only submit work that answers a listed challenge; do not upload AltFTool as an unrelated product, and remember solutions remain public. | Official devChallenges platform and plan information checked 2026-08-07 | Open devChallenges submit page (new tab)devChallenges details |
| 6 | 68 | Devpost | 85 | Nofollow | devpost.com | Design galleries | Free | Quick | Medium | Verified live | Enter a relevant live hackathon with a working your tool project, complete its story and demo, and include the project website where allowed. | Only submit to genuinely relevant events, follow each hackathon's eligibility and judging rules, and do not recycle an unrelated promotion. | Official Devpost submission help checked 2026-07-30 | Open Devpost submit page (new tab)Devpost details |
| 7 | 68 | Upwork | 95 | Nofollow | upwork.com | Design galleries | Free | Quick | Medium | Live, conditional | If your tool maker genuinely offers related services, add the project as a detailed portfolio item with role, outcomes, visuals, and permitted project links. | Use only an authentic accepted freelancer profile; no contact details or brand-only backlink account, and follow portfolio link rules. | Official Upwork profile and portfolio guidance checked 2026-08-07 | Open Upwork submit page (new tab)Upwork details |
| 8 | 65 | Freelancer.com | 90 | Nofollow | freelancer.com | Design galleries | Free + paid tier | Quick | Medium | Live, conditional | Use an authentic maker profile to publish an your tool portfolio piece containing original images, article, code, video, or audio samples. | Use only when the person genuinely offers services; publish owned work and avoid profile keyword stuffing. | Official Freelancer.com portfolio and profile guidance checked 2026-08-07 | Open Freelancer.com submit page (new tab)Freelancer.com details |
| 9 | 65 | OpenProcessing | 60 | Link type unknown | openprocessing.org | Design galleries | Free + paid tier | Quick | Medium | Needs checking | Post p5.js or Processing sketches publicly and fill in your profile with a link to your site or the full experiment. | Sketches should be your own work; some features need a paid plan. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open OpenProcessing submit page (new tab)OpenProcessing details |
| 10 | 48 | Best Website Gallery | 50 | Sometimes dofollow | bestwebsite.gallery | Design galleries | Free | Quick | Later | Needs checking | Submit your site URL for the curated design gallery. | Only standout designs are selected. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open Best Website Gallery submit page (new tab)Best Website Gallery details |
| 11 | 48 | Bestfolios | 50 | Sometimes dofollow | bestfolios.com | Design galleries | Free | Quick | Later | Needs checking | Submit your design portfolio or resume for the curated gallery. | Only high-quality design portfolios are accepted. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open Bestfolios submit page (new tab)Bestfolios details |
| 12 | 48 | Brutalist Websites | 55 | Sometimes dofollow | brutalistwebsites.com | Design galleries | Free | Quick | Later | Needs checking | Submit your site if it follows a raw, brutalist style. | Strictly curated to the brutalist aesthetic. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open Brutalist Websites submit page (new tab)Brutalist Websites details |
| 13 | 48 | DeviantArt | 95 | Nofollow | deviantart.com | Design galleries | Free | Quick | Later | Live, conditional | Publish original your tool UI/illustration work, then add the official website in the profile bio. | Only use for genuine visual work or design process content; generic product promotion is inappropriate. | 2026-08-03 | Open DeviantArt submit page (new tab)DeviantArt details |
| 14 | 48 | Pouet | 50 | Link type unknown | pouet.net | Design galleries | Free | Quick | Later | Needs checking | Add a released demo or intro (including JavaScript and browser productions) with download and live links. | Productions should be released, usually at a demoparty; the community is blunt about weak entries. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open Pouet submit page (new tab)Pouet details |
| 15 | 48 | SaaS Interface | 40 | Sometimes dofollow | saasinterface.com | Design galleries | Free | Quick | Later | Needs checking | Submit your SaaS product so its UI screens can be added to the gallery. | Curated for well-designed SaaS interfaces. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open SaaS Interface submit page (new tab)SaaS Interface details |
| 16 | 48 | Shadertoy | 65 | Link type unknown | shadertoy.com | Design galleries | Free | Quick | Later | Needs checking | Publish GLSL shaders publicly and mention the full project in the shader description. | Shaders must compile and be your own work; the audience is shader programmers, so plain promotion is ignored. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open Shadertoy submit page (new tab)Shadertoy details |
| 17 | 48 | The Coding Train Showcase | — | Link type unknown | thecodingtrain.com | Design galleries | Free | Quick | Later | Needs checking | Submit a project you made from one of their challenges or tutorials to the community showcase on that page, with a link to your version. | The project must relate to the specific challenge or tutorial you submit it under. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open The Coding Train Showcase submit page (new tab)The Coding Train Showcase details |
| 18 | 45 | Dribbble | 90 | Nofollow | dribbble.com | Design galleries | Free + paid tier | Quick | Later | Not submitted | Share selected UI shots/tool pages with profile link. | Needs quality visuals; no spam shots. | 2026-07-30 | Open Dribbble submit page (new tab)Dribbble details |
| 19 | 45 | Orpetron | 45 | Sometimes dofollow | orpetron.com | Design galleries | Free + paid tier | Quick | Later | Needs checking | Submit your website for their daily design awards. | Juried; paid fast-track may exist. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open Orpetron submit page (new tab)Orpetron details |
| 20 | 45 | Rawkode Academy | — | Link type unknown | rawkode.academy | Design galleries | Free + paid tier | Quick | Later | Live, conditional | Pitch a maintained open-source your tool component for a technical live demo and Q&A. | Requires a real open-source project and maintainer availability; not a directory link drop. | 2026-08-03 | Open Rawkode Academy submit page (new tab)Rawkode Academy details |
| 21 | 45 | Tailwind Awesome | 45 | Sometimes dofollow | tailwindawesome.com | Design galleries | Free + paid tier | Quick | Later | Needs checking | Submit your Tailwind template, UI kit or site to the curated showcase. | Must be built with Tailwind; paid listings are available. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open Tailwind Awesome submit page (new tab)Tailwind Awesome 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 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.
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.