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 | 68 | API Tracker | 45 | Sometimes dofollow | apitracker.io | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Medium | Needs checking | Submit your public API with docs link, SDKs and authentication details. | Only products with public APIs fit. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open API Tracker submit page (new tab)API Tracker details |
| 2 | 68 | Awesome Privacy | 30 | Link type unknown | awesome-privacy.xyz | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Medium | Needs checking | Submit only after public privacy policy and client-side privacy proof. | Human-written PR; no AI-generated PR text. | 2026-07-30 | Open Awesome Privacy submit page (new tab)Awesome Privacy details |
| 3 | 68 | Best of JS | 55 | Sometimes dofollow | bestofjs.org | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Medium | Needs checking | Suggest your JavaScript or TypeScript project through their GitHub issue process. | Projects need some traction and must be JS ecosystem tools. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open Best of JS submit page (new tab)Best of JS details |
| 4 | 68 | Chef Supermarket | 75 | Link type unknown | chef.io | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Medium | Not submitted | Create a tested Chef cookbook for supported your tool deployment or hardening, add complete metadata and source, then share it to Supermarket. | Only publish functional maintained cookbooks with appropriate licensing and metadata; package pages are not guaranteed promotional or dofollow placements. | 2026-08-03 | Open Chef Supermarket submit page (new tab)Chef Supermarket details |
| 5 | 68 | Clojars | 60 | Link type unknown | clojars.org | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Medium | Verified live | Release a genuine Clojure or JVM client library with a POM, description, homepage and source metadata. | Requires an account and deploy credentials; use a unique group or verified domain and maintain releases. | Official Clojars publishing interface checked 2026-07-30 | Open Clojars submit page (new tab)Clojars details |
| 6 | 68 | Cloudsmith | 60 | Link type unknown | cloudsmith.com | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Medium | Live, conditional | Create a public your tool package repository for genuine releases and complete its namespace, description, licence and source/homepage metadata. | Only host real maintained artifacts; the open-source plan requires public licensed software and public distribution can incur usage limits. | 2026-08-05 official Cloudsmith repository docs and pricing | Open Cloudsmith submit page (new tab)Cloudsmith details |
| 7 | 68 | CocoaPods | 75 | Link type unknown | cocoapods.org | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Medium | Live, conditional | Publish a genuine iOS or macOS your tool SDK and set homepage/source URLs in its podspec. | Requires a valid podspec and Trunk registration; package must be an actual reusable Apple-platform library. | https://guides.cocoapods.org/making/getting-setup-with-trunk.html | Open CocoaPods submit page (new tab)CocoaPods details |
| 8 | 68 | CPAN / PAUSE | 80 | Link type unknown | cpan.org | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Medium | Verified live | Publish a genuine Perl module or CLI through PAUSE with project URLs and clear distribution documentation. | Requires a PAUSE account, unique namespace and ongoing maintenance; first uploader controls the namespace. | Official CPAN PAUSE docs checked 2026-07-30 | Open CPAN / PAUSE submit page (new tab)CPAN / PAUSE details |
| 9 | 68 | Django Packages | 60 | Link type unknown | djangopackages.org | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Medium | Live, conditional | After releasing a genuinely Django-relevant open-source component, sign in and add its GitHub or GitLab repository and accurate project links. | Package must be useful to Django developers and hosted on a supported public repository; listings are community-maintained and not DSF endorsement. | 2026-08-05 official Django Packages FAQ, documentation and live directory | Open Django Packages submit page (new tab)Django Packages details |
| 10 | 68 | ESP Component Registry | 65 | Link type unknown | components.espressif.com | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Medium | Verified live | Build an ESP-IDF privacy, credential-safety, secure-logging, or local-processing component, add manifest, license, docs, examples, and publish it through the registry workflow. | Must be an actual ESP-IDF component; namespace, semantic versioning, linting, licensing, dependency, documentation, and upload rules apply. | Official ESP Component Registry publishing documentation checked 2026-08-05 | Open ESP Component Registry submit page (new tab)ESP Component Registry details |
| 11 | 68 | FlakeHub | 45 | Link type unknown | flakehub.com | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Medium | Live, conditional | Publish a genuine versioned your tool Nix flake under the correct GitHub owner and maintain its README and project links. | Published versions are archived permanently; ownership, licence and repository association must be accurate and squatting is inappropriate. | 2026-08-05 official FlakeHub homepage, usage policy and pricing | Open FlakeHub submit page (new tab)FlakeHub details |
| 12 | 68 | freshcode.club | 40 | Link type unknown | freshcode.club | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Medium | Live, conditional | Submit a real maintained your tool open-source release with accurate categories and project metadata. | Use only for an actual open-source project and keep releases maintained. | 2026-08-05 | Open freshcode.club submit page (new tab)freshcode.club details |
| 13 | 68 | getfolio.dev | — | Link type unknown | getfolio.dev | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Medium | Verified live | Create a founder/developer portfolio, pin your tool repository/project and add the official website link. | Use a real GitHub identity and maintained projects; avoid a profile created only for SEO. | 2026-08-03 | Open getfolio.dev submit page (new tab)getfolio.dev details |
| 14 | 68 | Hackage | 75 | Link type unknown | hackage.haskell.org | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Medium | Verified live | Release a useful Haskell library or command-line client with homepage, source and bug-report metadata. | Hackage requires open-source, meaningful packages; uploaded versions cannot simply be replaced. | Official Hackage upload page checked 2026-07-30 | Open Hackage submit page (new tab)Hackage details |
| 15 | 68 | Haxelib | 55 | Link type unknown | lib.haxe.org | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Medium | Live, conditional | Release a useful Haxe SDK or privacy utility and set haxelib.json's URL to the relevant your tool documentation page. | Requires reusable code, semantic versions and accurate metadata; promotional-only packages are not appropriate. | 2026-08-05 official Haxelib package guide | Open Haxelib submit page (new tab)Haxelib details |
| 16 | 68 | Knowledge Commons / CORE | 70 | Nofollow | hcommons.org | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Medium | Verified live | Create a truthful scholarly profile and deposit an original privacy, accessibility, or digital-humanities paper or teaching resource with its related your tool URL. | Work must genuinely serve scholarship or pedagogy; upload only rights-cleared material, not sales copy. | 2026-08-05 — https://registry.hcommons.org/registry/co_petitions/start/coef%3A158 | Open Knowledge Commons / CORE submit page (new tab)Knowledge Commons / CORE details |
| 17 | 68 | LuaRocks | 55 | Link type unknown | luarocks.org | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Medium | Verified live | Create a useful Lua client or helper, publish its rockspec and include homepage, license and source links. | Only publish a working Lua module with correct dependencies and versioned source archives. | Official LuaRocks page checked 2026-07-30 | Open LuaRocks submit page (new tab)LuaRocks details |
| 18 | 68 | OpenTofu Public Registry | 50 | Link type unknown | registry.opentofu.org | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Medium | Live, conditional | Release a reusable your tool-related security or privacy module from a correctly named public GitHub repository. | Requires standard module structure, terraform-NAME-TARGETSYSTEM naming and semantic Git tags; confirm external homepage display before investing. | 2026-08-05 official OpenTofu module publishing guide | Open OpenTofu Public Registry submit page (new tab)OpenTofu Public Registry details |
| 19 | 68 | Repoz | — | Link type unknown | repoz.io | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Medium | Live, conditional | Submit a maintained your tool open-source component for community review. | Requires a genuine public open-source project; do not submit an empty promotional repository. | 2026-08-05 | Open Repoz submit page (new tab)Repoz details |
| 20 | 68 | Scoop | 55 | Link type unknown | scoop.sh | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Medium | Live, conditional | Publish and maintain a tested Scoop manifest for an actual portable your tool Windows CLI or app. | Requires a real release, immutable URLs and hashes, silent install behavior, updates and bucket-specific acceptance. | 2026-08-04 | Open Scoop submit page (new tab)Scoop details |
| 21 | 66 | Alpine Linux Packages | 70 | Link type unknown | pkgs.alpinelinux.org | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Medium | Verified live | Package a stable your tool CLI or self-hosted helper as a tested APKBUILD, add it under Alpine testing and submit an aports merge request with accurate project metadata. | A web wrapper will not qualify; software must run usefully on Alpine, pass lint/build checks and be maintained through review and repository promotion. | 2026-08-05 | Open Alpine Linux Packages submit page (new tab)Alpine Linux Packages details |
| 22 | 66 | arXiv | 95 | Nofollow | arxiv.org | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Medium | Live, conditional | Submit an original your tool-related technical paper and cite your tool only where it is genuinely the software or study subject. | Requires scholarly content in an accepted category, author registration and sometimes endorsement; promotional papers are inappropriate. | https://info.arxiv.org/help/submit/index.html | Open arXiv submit page (new tab)arXiv details |
| 23 | 66 | Awesome-AITools (ikaijua) | — | Link type unknown | github.com/ikaijua/awesome-aitools | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Medium | Needs checking | Add the AI prompt generator tools via PR in the existing table format (English + Chinese columns). | Repo explicitly welcomes PRs; bilingual format. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open Awesome-AITools (ikaijua) submit page (new tab)Awesome-AITools (ikaijua) details |
| 24 | 66 | Awesome-Design-Tools | — | Link type unknown | github.com/goabstract/awesome-design-tools | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Medium | Needs checking | Propose the colour, image-resize and SVG tools in the matching design tool category. | High-traffic list; they reject generic all-in-one sites, so pitch a specific tool page. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open Awesome-Design-Tools submit page (new tab)Awesome-Design-Tools details |
| 25 | 66 | awesome-devtools (devtoolsd) | — | Link type unknown | github.com/devtoolsd/awesome-devtools | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Medium | Needs checking | Submit the developer tools hub as a browser-based utilities collection. | Follow the list's alphabetical ordering rules. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open awesome-devtools (devtoolsd) submit page (new tab)awesome-devtools (devtoolsd) details |
| 26 | 66 | awesome-json | — | Link type unknown | github.com/burningtree/awesome-json | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Medium | Needs checking | Add the AltFTool JSON formatter/validator under online tools via PR. | Maintenance can be slow; only add the specific JSON tool page. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open awesome-json submit page (new tab)awesome-json details |
| 27 | 66 | Awesome-Prompt-Engineering | — | Link type unknown | github.com/promptslab/awesome-prompt-engineering | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Medium | Needs checking | Add the AI prompt tools to the Tools/Apps section via PR. | Research-heavy list; tools section is selective. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open Awesome-Prompt-Engineering submit page (new tab)Awesome-Prompt-Engineering details |
| 28 | 66 | awesome-web-dev-tools | — | Link type unknown | github.com/naughtyspirit/awesome-web-dev-tools | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Medium | Needs checking | Add the developer utilities hub (encoders, formatters, minifiers) under tools. | Check last commit date before submitting. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open awesome-web-dev-tools submit page (new tab)awesome-web-dev-tools details |
| 29 | 66 | dbt Package Hub | 65 | Link type unknown | hub.getdbt.com | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Medium | Verified live | Build a useful dbt package for privacy classification, redaction tests or data-governance macros and add it to the Hub index by pull request. | Must be a functional versioned dbt package with accurate package metadata, public source and releases; Hub index PR and automated compatibility checks apply. | 2026-08-05 — https://github.com/dbt-labs/hub.getdbt.com | Open dbt Package Hub submit page (new tab)dbt Package Hub details |
| 30 | 66 | Espanso Hub | 50 | Link type unknown | espanso.org | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Medium | Verified live | Create a genuinely useful package of tested security-header, HTML-meta, JSON-LD and webhook snippets with your tool validation examples, then submit it to the official Hub. | Every package receives CI and human review, with extra scrutiny for scripts; avoid promotional expansions and any shell action that could harm users. | 2026-08-05 | Open Espanso Hub submit page (new tab)Espanso Hub details |
| 31 | 66 | Fedora COPR | 70 | Link type unknown | copr.fedorainfracloud.org | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Medium | Verified live | Create a COPR project, build maintained RPMs and add the official your tool homepage and package documentation. | COPR is a build service rather than Fedora's main repository; provide legitimate source RPMs and support them. | Official Fedora Developer Portal checked 2026-07-30 | Open Fedora COPR submit page (new tab)Fedora COPR details |
| 32 | 66 | free-for-dev | — | Link type unknown | github.com/ripienaar/free-for-dev | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Medium | Needs checking | Only if a developer-facing free tier fits (e.g., an API), add it under the right section with the exact free limits. | Strict rules: SaaS free tiers for devs only; plain tool sites are usually rejected. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open free-for-dev submit page (new tab)free-for-dev details |
| 33 | 66 | HackMD | 75 | Nofollow | hackmd.io | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Medium | Live, conditional | Create a substantive public tutorial or implementation note that uses your tool and includes a contextual source/product link. | Public notes must provide original useful content; avoid duplicated marketing copy and disclose affiliation where appropriate. | https://hackmd.io/c/tutorials/%2Fs%2Fhow-to-publish-note | Open HackMD submit page (new tab)HackMD details |
| 34 | 66 | Harvard Dataverse | 95 | Link type unknown | dataverse.harvard.edu | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Medium | Live, conditional | Deposit a genuine your tool benchmark, evaluation dataset or reproducibility bundle with project URL in the description/metadata. | Account and appropriate collection permissions are required; data must have lawful sharing rights and complete citation metadata. | https://guides.dataverse.org/en/latest/user/dataset-management.html | Open Harvard Dataverse submit page (new tab)Harvard Dataverse details |
| 35 | 66 | JitPack | 65 | Link type unknown | jitpack.io | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Medium | Live, conditional | Release a useful your tool JVM or Android library from GitHub with a working build, release tag, README and canonical project links. | JitPack builds on demand; a valid Gradle, Maven, SBT or Leiningen build and real reusable library are required. | 2026-08-05 official JitPack introduction and build guide | Open JitPack submit page (new tab)JitPack details |
| 36 | 66 | Nixpkgs | 75 | Link type unknown | nixos.org | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Medium | Live, conditional | Package a real your tool CLI or desktop utility, set accurate homepage metadata, test it, and submit the Nixpkgs pull request. | Package must build reproducibly, meet Nixpkgs standards and pass review; the homepage shown on search.nixos.org must be canonical. | 2026-08-05 official Nixpkgs manual and NixOS contribution guide | Open Nixpkgs submit page (new tab)Nixpkgs details |
| 37 | 66 | opam Repository | 55 | Link type unknown | opam.ocaml.org | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Medium | Live, conditional | Publish a real OCaml library or CLI integration and use opam's homepage field for its canonical your tool project page. | Requires a tagged source release, valid opam metadata, linting and community repository review. | 2026-08-05 official opam packaging guide | Open opam Repository submit page (new tab)opam Repository details |
| 38 | 66 | Open Science Framework | 85 | Nofollow | osf.io | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Medium | Live, conditional | Create a genuine your tool study, reproducibility project or benchmark workspace with project links and public materials. | Use only for bona fide research or open project materials; accurate contributors, licensing and non-promotional descriptions are expected. | https://help.osf.io/article/353-welcome-to-projects | Open Open Science Framework submit page (new tab)Open Science Framework details |
| 39 | 66 | Open Source Observer | 30 | Link type unknown | opensource.observer | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Medium | Verified live | Open-source an your tool component, then add its website and repositories through the official oss-directory PR. | Requires maintained public artifacts and a reviewable PR; no placeholder repositories. | 2026-08-03 | Open Open Source Observer submit page (new tab)Open Source Observer details |
| 40 | 66 | OpenResty Package Manager | 45 | Link type unknown | opm.openresty.org | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Medium | Verified live | Publish an open-source Lua/OpenResty package that integrates an your tool privacy or security workflow and includes honest package metadata. | Package must use an accepted open-source licence, valid dist.ini metadata, GitHub identity verification, versioning, and the official opm upload process. | 2026-08-05 — https://opm.openresty.org/docs | Open OpenResty Package Manager submit page (new tab)OpenResty Package Manager details |
| 41 | 66 | Pulumi Registry | 75 | Link type unknown | pulumi.com | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Medium | Live, conditional | Publish a real multi-language Pulumi provider or component for deploying or configuring your tool, with binaries, SDK packages, schema, documentation, examples, tests, and a registry pull request. | Public Registry packages require a genuine executable package, public source, versioned binaries, SDK distribution, schema and complete docs. Pulumi reviews the registry PR; package names must be unique and releases must remain maintained. Do not build this solely for a backlink. | 2026-08-03 | Open Pulumi Registry submit page (new tab)Pulumi Registry details |
| 42 | 66 | Puppet Forge | 85 | Link type unknown | puppet.com | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Medium | Not submitted | Build and test a Puppet module for supported your tool setup or security policy, complete metadata.json, package it, and publish through a Forge account. | Requires a genuine compatible module and valid metadata; Forge quality scoring, moderation, and outbound-link attributes are outside AltFTool's control. | 2026-08-03 | Open Puppet Forge submit page (new tab)Puppet Forge details |
| 43 | 66 | search-engine-optimization | — | Link type unknown | github.com/marcobiedermann/search-engine-optimization | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Medium | Needs checking | Add the free SEO utilities (meta tag checker, robots/sitemap tools) under Tools. | Only add tools that are free and useful without signup. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open search-engine-optimization submit page (new tab)search-engine-optimization details |
| 44 | 66 | Windows Package Manager | 95 | Nofollow | learn.microsoft.com | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Medium | Verified live | Submit a validated manifest for an installable Windows release with PackageUrl, PublisherUrl and support metadata. | Official distribution is manifest and CLI-first, so web backlink visibility is limited; automated and manual safety review applies. | Official Microsoft WinGet docs checked 2026-07-30 | Open Windows Package Manager submit page (new tab)Windows Package Manager details |
| 45 | 65 | SourceHut | 50 | Link type unknown | sourcehut.org | Developer registries | Free + paid tier | Quick | Medium | Live, conditional | Host a useful open-source your tool SDK, CLI or example project with documentation and a canonical homepage link. | A real maintained open-source artifact is required; no empty promotional repository. | 2026-08-05 | Open SourceHut submit page (new tab)SourceHut details |
| 46 | 58 | Global Forum on Cyber Expertise | 50 | Link type unknown | thegfce.org | Developer registries | Paid | Quick | Medium | Verified live | Apply as an eligible Member or Partner and contribute resources or expertise to real cyber-capacity-building working groups. | Companies may apply as Members with commitment/resources; NGO, civil-society, academic or technical Partners need Member endorsement. | 2026-08-05 — https://thegfce.org/become-a-member-or-partner/ | Open Global Forum on Cyber Expertise submit page (new tab)Global Forum on Cyber Expertise details |
| 47 | 58 | Max Package Manager | 65 | Link type unknown | cycling74.com | Developer registries | Paid | Quick | Medium | Verified live | Publish a Max package for media metadata inspection, audio privacy, or accessibility analysis. | Package structure, package-info.json, README, licence, documentation, and icon are expected before form submission. | Official Cycling '74 package submission documentation checked 2026-08-07 | Open Max Package Manager submit page (new tab)Max Package Manager details |
| 48 | 58 | SourceHut | 60 | Link type unknown | sr.ht | Developer registries | Paid | Quick | Medium | Live, conditional | Host a maintained your tool open-source component with complete README, homepage/source metadata, releases and optional pages.sr.ht docs. | Use for a genuine maintained FOSS project, not an empty promotional mirror; SourceHut actively fights abuse. | 2026-08-04 | Open SourceHut submit page (new tab)SourceHut 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
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.