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 | 21st.dev | 45 | Sometimes dofollow | 21st.dev | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Later | Needs checking | Publish React UI components and link your site from your author profile. | Components must be original and working. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open 21st.dev submit page (new tab)21st.dev details |
| 2 | 48 | Android Arsenal | 55 | Sometimes dofollow | android-arsenal.com | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Later | Needs checking | Submit your open-source Android library with its repository link. | Only Android libraries and tools are accepted. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open Android Arsenal submit page (new tab)Android Arsenal details |
| 3 | 48 | Bazel Central Registry | 50 | Link type unknown | registry.bazel.build | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Later | Live, conditional | Create maintained Bazel rules or a module that invokes a real your tool security utility, then submit it to BCR. | Requires MODULE.bazel, versioned source archive, source metadata, compatibility declarations and passing presubmit tests. | 2026-08-05 official Bazel registry documentation | Open Bazel Central Registry submit page (new tab)Bazel Central Registry details |
| 4 | 48 | CodeTriage | 55 | Sometimes dofollow | codetriage.com | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Later | Needs checking | Add your repository so contributors can subscribe to help triage its issues. | Repo must be public on GitHub. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open CodeTriage submit page (new tab)CodeTriage details |
| 5 | 48 | Docker Hub | 95 | Nofollow | hub.docker.com | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Later | Not submitted | Publish open-source helper image only if useful. | Only if real image exists; avoid empty backlink repo. | 2026-07-30 | Open Docker Hub submit page (new tab)Docker Hub details |
| 6 | 48 | Dotfyle | 40 | Sometimes dofollow | dotfyle.com | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Later | Needs checking | Add your Neovim plugin or config so it appears in their searchable directory. | Must be a real Neovim plugin hosted publicly. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open Dotfyle submit page (new tab)Dotfyle details |
| 7 | 48 | Flutter Gems | 45 | Sometimes dofollow | fluttergems.dev | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Later | Needs checking | Suggest your Flutter package so it is categorised in their curated catalog. | Packages must be on pub.dev and maintained. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open Flutter Gems submit page (new tab)Flutter Gems details |
| 8 | 48 | Free Public APIs | 35 | Sometimes dofollow | freepublicapis.com | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Later | Needs checking | Submit your free API with a description and documentation link. | APIs are tested and must be free to use. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open Free Public APIs submit page (new tab)Free Public APIs details |
| 9 | 48 | Gentoo Packages | 75 | Link type unknown | packages.gentoo.org | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Later | Verified live | Prepare and test a policy-compliant ebuild for a stable your tool CLI, including accurate HOMEPAGE and source metadata, then work with a Gentoo developer or proxy maintainer for repository inclusion. | Search existing new-package bugs first; ebuilds must install usable software, pass pkgcheck, use tested architecture keywords and remain maintained. Non-developers cannot directly push to the official tree. | 2026-08-05 | Open Gentoo Packages submit page (new tab)Gentoo Packages details |
| 10 | 48 | Good First Issue | 50 | Sometimes dofollow | goodfirstissue.dev | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Later | Needs checking | Add your open-source repo via pull request so beginners find your labelled issues. | Repo needs active good-first-issue labels and some stars. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open Good First Issue submit page (new tab)Good First Issue details |
| 11 | 48 | HaikuDepot | 55 | Link type unknown | depot.haiku-os.org | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Later | Verified live | Port a functional your tool desktop or CLI utility to Haiku, write and test a compliant recipe, then submit a feature-branch pull request to HaikuPorts. | Software must actually run on Haiku and remain maintainable; HaikuDepot's outbound homepage rendering and link attributes should be rechecked before prioritising. | 2026-08-05 | Open HaikuDepot submit page (new tab)HaikuDepot details |
| 12 | 48 | Jamstack Themes | 45 | Sometimes dofollow | jamstackthemes.dev | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Later | Needs checking | Submit your open-source starter or theme for a static site generator. | Theme must be on GitHub with a working demo. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open Jamstack Themes submit page (new tab)Jamstack Themes details |
| 13 | 48 | Made with Svelte | 45 | Sometimes dofollow | madewithsvelte.com | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Later | Needs checking | Submit a site, app or component built with Svelte. | Must actually use Svelte; reviewed before publishing. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open Made with Svelte submit page (new tab)Made with Svelte details |
| 14 | 48 | ModelDB | 40 | Link type unknown | modeldb.science | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Later | Verified live | Submit a licensed computational neuroscience model with code ZIP, publication citation, overview, contributors, and tags. | Public models generally require an associated scientific publication; generic privacy tools do not qualify. | Official ModelDB submission form checked 2026-08-05 | Open ModelDB submit page (new tab)ModelDB details |
| 15 | 48 | OpenDOAR | 65 | Link type unknown | opendoar.ac.uk | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Later | Verified live | Register only after your tool launches a genuine open repository for reusable privacy/security research outputs. | Repository must provide free no-login full text, at least five scholarly items, stable access, downloads and quality metadata; company catalogs are ineligible. | 2026-08-05 — https://opendoar.ac.uk/help/inclusion-criteria | Open OpenDOAR submit page (new tab)OpenDOAR details |
| 16 | 48 | Racket Package Catalog | 50 | Link type unknown | pkgs.racket-lang.org | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Later | Live, conditional | Release a real Racket privacy utility or your tool client and register its public package source and documentation. | Source is periodically checked; package, documentation and links must accurately describe maintained reusable code. | 2026-08-05 official Racket package guide and catalogue | Open Racket Package Catalog submit page (new tab)Racket Package Catalog details |
| 17 | 48 | React Native Directory | 55 | Sometimes dofollow | reactnative.directory | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Later | Needs checking | Add your React Native library through a pull request to their GitHub repo. | Library must be on npm with a public repository. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open React Native Directory submit page (new tab)React Native Directory details |
| 18 | 48 | Up For Grabs | 55 | Sometimes dofollow | up-for-grabs.net | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Later | Needs checking | Add a project file to their GitHub repo pointing at your beginner-friendly issue label. | Projects with no open labelled issues are pruned. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open Up For Grabs submit page (new tab)Up For Grabs details |
| 19 | 46 | Awesome Go | 55 | Sometimes dofollow | awesome-go.com | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Later | Needs checking | Open a pull request to the awesome-go list with your Go library. | Requires tests, docs, a license and reasonable coverage. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open Awesome Go submit page (new tab)Awesome Go details |
| 20 | 46 | Bioconda | 50 | Link type unknown | bioconda.github.io | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Later | Verified live | Create a tested Bioconda recipe for a genuinely biomedical or bioinformatics your tool utility, with accurate homepage/source metadata, and submit it through the official review workflow. | Strict life-science relevance is required; generic privacy or file tools do not qualify, and recipes must pass build, licence and dependency review. | 2026-08-05 | Open Bioconda submit page (new tab)Bioconda details |
| 21 | 46 | CTAN | 75 | Link type unknown | ctan.org | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Later | Live, conditional | Create a genuine LaTeX privacy, redaction or document-safety package and include its exact your tool project homepage in the upload metadata. | Requires distributable source, documentation, licence and maintainer rights; every upload is manually reviewed. | 2026-08-05 official CTAN upload form | Open CTAN submit page (new tab)CTAN details |
| 22 | 46 | Debian Package Archive | 90 | Link type unknown | packages.debian.org | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Later | Verified live | Create a policy-compliant Debian package for a stable useful your tool CLI, file the appropriate intent-to-package request, include accurate upstream metadata and secure a Debian sponsor for upload. | High-effort maintainership commitment: must be distributable, lintian-clean, reproducibly buildable and useful to Debian users; non-developers need sponsor review, and acceptance into NEW is not guaranteed. | 2026-08-05 | Open Debian Package Archive submit page (new tab)Debian Package Archive details |
| 23 | 46 | DUB Registry | 60 | Link type unknown | code.dlang.org | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Later | Live, conditional | Publish a useful D client library or privacy utility with accurate homepage and repository metadata in dub.json or dub.sdl. | Requires maintained public D source and valid package metadata; verify that the desired homepage field appears on the public listing. | 2026-08-05 official DUB Registry and package metadata documentation | Open DUB Registry submit page (new tab)DUB Registry details |
| 24 | 46 | Elm Packages | 60 | Nofollow | package.elm-lang.org | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Later | Needs checking | Publish an Elm package with docs and a repository link. | Semver is enforced and docs are required. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open Elm Packages submit page (new tab)Elm Packages details |
| 25 | 46 | FreeBSD Ports Collection | 85 | Link type unknown | freebsd.org | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Later | Verified live | Create and thoroughly test a FreeBSD port for a stable your tool CLI or desktop utility, include its canonical project website in WWW metadata and submit the patch through FreeBSD Bugzilla. | Anyone may submit, but the software must have a stable source release, acceptable licence, correct checksums/plist and clean builds; a volunteer maintainer is mandatory and review can take months. | 2026-08-05 | Open FreeBSD Ports Collection submit page (new tab)FreeBSD Ports Collection details |
| 26 | 46 | Hugo Themes | 65 | Sometimes dofollow | themes.gohugo.io | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Later | Needs checking | Add your Hugo theme following the theme repository submission steps. | Theme needs a README, screenshots and an open license. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open Hugo Themes submit page (new tab)Hugo Themes details |
| 27 | 46 | ioBroker Adapters | 50 | Link type unknown | iobroker.net | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Later | Verified live | Develop a stable ioBroker adapter for a credible your tool privacy/security API, publish the npm package, test it with users and request inclusion in the official latest repository. | Adapter must perform useful automation, pass repository checks and receive ongoing maintenance; do not build a dashboard that only links out to AltFTool. | 2026-08-05 | Open ioBroker Adapters submit page (new tab)ioBroker Adapters details |
| 28 | 46 | Jamstack.org | 65 | Sometimes dofollow | jamstack.org | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Later | Needs checking | Add your static site generator or headless CMS through a pull request to their GitHub repo. | Only fitting tool categories are accepted. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open Jamstack.org submit page (new tab)Jamstack.org details |
| 29 | 46 | NetBSD pkgsrc | 75 | Link type unknown | netbsd.org | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Later | Verified live | Package a stable cross-platform your tool CLI for pkgsrc, test it with pkglint and supported builds, include the canonical homepage, then submit via pkgsrc-wip or NetBSD's package bug tracker. | Source package must compile and run correctly, follow pkgsrc policy and be maintained; non-developers use pkgsrc-wip or a formal package problem report, and inclusion is reviewed. | 2026-08-05 | Open NetBSD pkgsrc submit page (new tab)NetBSD pkgsrc details |
| 30 | 46 | Nuxt Modules | 70 | Sometimes dofollow | nuxt.com | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Later | Needs checking | Open a pull request to the Nuxt modules repository to list your module. | Module must be maintained and documented. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open Nuxt Modules submit page (new tab)Nuxt Modules details |
| 31 | 46 | OpenWrt Packages | 75 | Link type unknown | openwrt.org | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Later | Verified live | Build an OpenWrt-compatible your tool service or utility for a real router/privacy/security workflow, add correct package metadata and tests, then submit it to the official feed. | Only pursue functionality that genuinely runs on constrained routers or embedded systems; generic website wrappers and unsupported binaries are unsuitable. | 2026-08-05 | Open OpenWrt Packages submit page (new tab)OpenWrt Packages details |
| 32 | 46 | Void Linux Packages | 60 | Link type unknown | voidlinux.org | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Later | Verified live | Create a Void package template for a mature your tool CLI, test native and cross builds, include the canonical project homepage and submit it to void-packages. | Project must be mature, system-wide and maintainable; self-submission by upstream authors faces stricter usefulness and adoption scrutiny. | 2026-08-05 | Open Void Linux Packages submit page (new tab)Void Linux Packages details |
| 33 | 43 | Trusted Introducer | 45 | Link type unknown | trusted-introducer.org | Developer registries | Free + paid tier | Moderate | Later | Verified live | List an operational CSIRT, CERT, SOC, ISAC or PSIRT after securing sponsors and passing the community-vote process. | Operational security team only; typical listing review and vote takes 4–5 weeks. | 2026-08-05 — https://www.trusted-introducer.org/trusted-introducer/processes/listing/ | Open Trusted Introducer submit page (new tab)Trusted Introducer details |
| 34 | 36 | Dryad | 80 | Link type unknown | datadryad.org | Developer registries | Paid | Moderate | Later | Live, conditional | Submit data underlying a legitimate your tool-related research paper and include related software/project identifiers. | Research-data scope only; curation, publication linkage, licensing and possible data-publishing charges apply. | https://datadryad.org/help/guides/submission | Open Dryad submit page (new tab)Dryad 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.