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 | 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 |
| 2 | 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 |
| 3 | 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 |
| 4 | 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 |
| 5 | 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 |
| 6 | 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 |
| 7 | 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 |
| 8 | 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 |
| 9 | 46 | Abduzeedo | 65 | Sometimes dofollow | abduzeedo.com | Design galleries | Free | Moderate | Later | Needs checking | Submit a strong branding, UI or illustration project for possible feature. | Editors choose; quality visuals required. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open Abduzeedo submit page (new tab)Abduzeedo details |
| 10 | 46 | Commerce Cream | 30 | Link type unknown | commercecream.com | Design galleries | Free | Moderate | Later | Needs checking | Submit if a commerce-style/tool landing page fits. | Mostly Shopify/ecommerce; weak fit. | 2026-07-30 | Open Commerce Cream submit page (new tab)Commerce Cream details |
| 11 | 46 | designboom | 85 | Sometimes dofollow | designboom.com | Design galleries | Free | Moderate | Later | Needs checking | Submit a design or architecture project through their DIY submission tool with images and text. | Editorial selection; product-design and tech projects need a strong design angle. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open designboom submit page (new tab)designboom details |
| 12 | 46 | Designer News | 60 | Nofollow | designernews.co | Design galleries | Free | Moderate | Later | Needs checking | Share design/tool launch if genuinely useful. | Community norms; no bare link drop. | 2026-07-30 | Open Designer News submit page (new tab)Designer News details |
| 13 | 46 | Fonts In Use | 65 | Sometimes dofollow | fontsinuse.com | Design galleries | Free | Moderate | Later | Needs checking | Document a project that uses notable typography and credit your site or studio. | Entries are edited for accuracy; self-submissions need genuine typographic interest. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open Fonts In Use submit page (new tab)Fonts In Use details |
| 14 | 46 | It's Nice That | 75 | Sometimes dofollow | itsnicethat.com | Design galleries | Free | Moderate | Later | Needs checking | Send creative work for possible editorial coverage. | Highly selective; they cover creative work, not software marketing. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open It's Nice That submit page (new tab)It's Nice That details |
| 15 | 46 | Made in Webflow | 90 | Nofollow | webflow.com | Design galleries | Free | Moderate | Later | Needs checking | Submit only if your tool page/template is built in Webflow. | Not fit for current Next.js site unless Webflow asset. | 2026-07-30 | Open Made in Webflow submit page (new tab)Made in Webflow details |
| 16 | 46 | One Page Love | 65 | Dofollow | onepagelove.com | Design galleries | Free | Moderate | Later | Needs checking | Submit a focused one-page your tool landing page. | Only if page is single-page and polished. | 2026-07-30 | Open One Page Love submit page (new tab)One Page Love details |
| 17 | 46 | The Inspiration Grid | 55 | Sometimes dofollow | theinspirationgrid.com | Design galleries | Free | Moderate | Later | Needs checking | Submit a finished creative project with images and credits. | Curated; not every submission is published. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open The Inspiration Grid submit page (new tab)The Inspiration Grid details |
| 18 | 46 | Web Designer News | 55 | Link type unknown | webdesignernews.com | Design galleries | Free | Moderate | Later | Not submitted | Submit your tool (or its blog/feed where required) under productivity, privacy or developer tools. | Human review may apply; use a natural brand title and avoid keyword stuffing. Dofollow is reported but recheck after approval. | 2026-07-30 • https://www.submission.directory/site/web-designer-news | Open Web Designer News submit page (new tab)Web Designer News details |
| 19 | 46 | Zola Themes Gallery | 60 | Link type unknown | getzola.org | Design galleries | Free | Moderate | Later | Verified live | Create a polished accessible light/dark developer-documentation theme with an optional your tool pre-deploy audit example, then submit it to the official themes repository. | Must be a genuinely reusable high-quality theme, not a logo skin; theme metadata, homepage/demo, screenshot and a thorough README are required. | 2026-08-05 | Open Zola Themes Gallery submit page (new tab)Zola Themes Gallery details |
| 20 | 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 |
| 21 | 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 |
| 22 | 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 |
| 23 | 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 |
| 24 | 43 | SiteInspire | 70 | Dofollow | siteinspire.com | Design galleries | Free + paid tier | Moderate | Later | Needs checking | Submit high-quality website design. | Selective design curation. | 2026-07-30 | Open SiteInspire submit page (new tab)SiteInspire details |
| 25 | 43 | Web Design Inspiration | 45 | Link type unknown | webdesign-inspiration.com | Design galleries | Free + paid tier | Moderate | Later | Needs checking | Submit well-designed your tool pages. | Design gallery; verify submission route. | 2026-07-30 | Open Web Design Inspiration submit page (new tab)Web Design Inspiration details |
| 26 | 42 | Mobbin | 65 | Link type unknown | mobbin.com | Design galleries | Not stated | Moderate | Later | Needs checking | Submit app/product design if they accept. | Mostly mobile/SaaS UI library; verify. | 2026-07-30 | Open Mobbin submit page (new tab)Mobbin details |
| 27 | 42 | UI Garage | 40 | Link type unknown | uigarage.net | Design galleries | Not stated | Moderate | Later | Needs checking | Submit UI screenshots if accepted. | Design referral, not core SEO. | 2026-07-30 | Open UI Garage submit page (new tab)UI Garage details |
| 28 | 40 | Prototypr | 60 | Sometimes dofollow | prototypr.io | Design galleries | Free + paid tier | Involved | Later | Needs checking | Publish/pitch design/dev article linking your tool. | Quality content only. | 2026-07-30 | Open Prototypr submit page (new tab)Prototypr details |
| 29 | 40 | WP Gallery | — | Link type unknown | wp.gallery | Design galleries | Free + paid tier | Involved | Later | Not submitted | Submit the polished your tool landing/tool UI with clean screenshots and design credits. | Editorial/design review applies; submit only polished, relevant work. Dofollow is reported but recheck after approval. | 2026-07-30 • https://www.submission.directory/site/wp-gallery | Open WP Gallery submit page (new tab)WP Gallery details |
| 30 | 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 |
| 31 | 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 |
| 32 | 36 | CSS Winner | 55 | Link type unknown | csswinner.com | Design galleries | Paid | Moderate | Later | Needs checking | Submit site for CSS award/listing. | Only if design meets award standard. | 2026-07-30 | Open CSS Winner submit page (new tab)CSS Winner details |
| 33 | 36 | The FWA | 70 | Link type unknown | thefwa.com | Design galleries | Paid | Moderate | Later | Needs checking | Submit an interactive site or WebGL experience for jury review; winners get a public award page linking to the work. | Submission fee per entry; judged on craft and innovation, most entries are not awarded. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open The FWA submit page (new tab)The FWA 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.