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 byNothing to pay— remove this filterProfiles and entities— remove this filterHigh— remove this filterClear all

1–19 of 19 opportunities

High impactimpact 86–81

  • CodePen

    codepen.io

    Build an original interactive demo of your utility, document the use case in Pen Details, and add your tool as one of the public profile links.

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

  • CodeSandbox

    codesandbox.io

    Publish a small open demo that explains one your tool algorithm or UI pattern and add the product website to the founder profile links.

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

  • daily.dev

    daily.dev

    Complete the founder's developer profile, add your tool as real project experience, and publish useful privacy or security engineering posts with contextual links.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~75NofollowFreeQuickNot submitted
    Submitdaily.dev (opens in a new tab)

  • gitconnected

    gitconnected.com

    Create the founder developer profile, add your tool as a real project, and link the live product and supporting repository where applicable.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~50NofollowFreeQuickNot submitted
    Submitgitconnected (opens in a new tab)

  • Glasp

    glasp.co

    Create a founder research profile that curates authoritative privacy, accessibility, security, and standards material, including your tool only when it directly supports the annotation.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~55NofollowFreeQuickVerified live
    SubmitGlasp (opens in a new tab)

  • Open Hub

    openhub.net

    Add or claim your genuine open-source project and complete its description, code locations, tags and official homepage.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~75NofollowFreeQuickVerified live
    SubmitOpen Hub (opens in a new tab)

  • Open Makers

    openmakers.io

    Join as your tool founder, create a product page, and document meaningful launches, milestones, and lessons learned.

    FreeQuickNot submitted
    SubmitOpen Makers (opens in a new tab)

  • Sessionize

    sessionize.com

    Create a founder expert profile and submit substantive talks about privacy-first tools, accessibility or web security.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~70FreeQuickLive, conditional
    SubmitSessionize (opens in a new tab)

  • Stacker News

    stacker.news

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

    Estimated domain authority DA ~50FreeQuickNeeds checking
    SubmitStacker News (opens in a new tab)

  • Tableau Public

    public.tableau.com

    Publish an original dashboard using public your tool benchmark or ecosystem data and add an appropriate project permalink in workbook details.

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

  • ListChallenges

    listchallenges.com

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

    Estimated domain authority DA ~55NofollowFreeModerateVerified live
    SubmitListChallenges (opens in a new tab)

  • Lobsters

    lobste.rs

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

    Estimated domain authority DA ~65NofollowFreeModerateNeeds checking
    SubmitLobsters (opens in a new tab)

  • Open Collective

    opencollective.com

    Create your genuine collective, complete its public profile, and add the official website plus repository/social links.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~85NofollowFreeModerateLive, conditional
    SubmitOpen Collective (opens in a new tab)

  • Podchaser

    podchaser.com

    Claim your genuine show, verify ownership, and complete its official website and creator details.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~75NofollowFreeModerateLive, conditional
    SubmitPodchaser (opens in a new tab)

  • The Dots

    the-dots.com

    Create the real designer/founder profile and add your original product-design or accessibility project with collaborators, role, process, and official URL.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~55FreeModerateVerified live
    SubmitThe Dots (opens in a new tab)

  • YouTube

    youtube.com

    Create tutorials for top your tool tools with links.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~100NofollowFreeModerateNot submitted
    SubmitYouTube (opens in a new tab)

  • Eventbrite

    eventbrite.com

    Host your genuine privacy/tool workshop or webinar; add your tool in the organizer website field and useful event description.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~90NofollowFree + paid tierQuickVerified live
    SubmitEventbrite (opens in a new tab)

  • Observable

    observablehq.com

    Publish an original interactive notebook showing transparent your tool benchmark, privacy, performance, or tool-usage data and cite your relevant pages.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~80NofollowFree + paid tierQuickVerified live
    SubmitObservable (opens in a new tab)

  • SpeakerHub

    speakerhub.com

    Create a truthful founder or subject-matter expert page and feature your tool in relevant bio, talks and media.

    Estimated domain authority DA ~55Free + paid tierModerateVerified live
    SubmitSpeakerHub (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.