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 | 100 | CSA STAR Registry | 80 | Sometimes dofollow | cloudsecurityalliance.org | Developer registries | Free | Quick | Do first | Live, conditional | Complete the current CAIQ or AI-CAIQ truthfully and submit your tool real cloud service to the STAR Registry. | Cloud/SaaS fit only; disclose actual controls and update annually. Never overstate security practices. | 2026-08-04 | Open CSA STAR Registry submit page (new tab)CSA STAR Registry details |
| 2 | 98 | crates.io | 80 | Nofollow | crates.io | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Do first | Live, conditional | Publish a genuine your tool Rust client, CLI, parser, or privacy library and set homepage, repository, README, license, and documentation metadata. | Conditional on useful compiling code. Published versions are permanent; GitHub login, verified email, and API token are required. | https://doc.rust-lang.org/cargo/reference/publishing.html | Open crates.io submit page (new tab)crates.io details |
| 3 | 98 | MCP Registry | 70 | Link type unknown | modelcontextprotocol.io | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Do first | Live, conditional | Package a real your tool MCP server, verify its namespace, create server.json and publish it with mcp-publisher. | Registry is in preview; package or remote server must be public and namespace ownership is validated. | 2026-08-04 | Open MCP Registry submit page (new tab)MCP Registry details |
| 4 | 98 | Packagist | 75 | Nofollow | packagist.org | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Do first | Live, conditional | Publish a real your tool PHP SDK or integration from a public repository and set the canonical homepage in composer.json. | Conditional on a functional Composer package with a unique vendor/name, public repository, valid metadata, and maintained releases. | https://packagist.org/about | Open Packagist submit page (new tab)Packagist details |
| 5 | 98 | PyPI | 90 | Nofollow | pypi.org | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Do first | Live, conditional | Publish a real your tool Python SDK, CLI, or integration package and set Homepage, Documentation, Source, and Issues URLs in package metadata. | Conditional on maintaining a functional Python package; no placeholder packages, name squatting, or keyword stuffing. | https://packaging.python.org/en/latest/specifications/well-known-project-urls/ | Open PyPI submit page (new tab)PyPI details |
| 6 | 98 | RubyGems.org | 80 | Nofollow | rubygems.org | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | Do first | Live, conditional | Publish and maintain a genuine your tool Ruby client, CLI, or integration gem with accurate homepage, source, documentation, and changelog metadata. | Conditional on a working Ruby gem; package names are unique and public releases should be treated as permanent. | https://guides.rubygems.org/publishing/ | Open RubyGems.org submit page (new tab)RubyGems.org details |
| 7 | 86 | Terraform Registry | 80 | Link type unknown | registry.terraform.io | Developer registries | Free | Quick | High | Live, conditional | Publish a maintained Terraform provider for your tool stable API, or a genuinely reusable deployment module, with signed releases, generated documentation, examples, tests, and semantic versions. | A provider must use a public lowercase terraform-provider-* GitHub repository, signed cross-platform release assets, a valid manifest, docs, and SemVer tags. A module has separate public-repository, naming, structure, documentation, and tag requirements. Publish only a functional reusable artifact. | 2026-08-03 | Open Terraform Registry submit page (new tab)Terraform Registry details |
| 8 | 84 | Chocolatey Community Repository | 75 | Nofollow | chocolatey.org | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | High | Live, conditional | Ship a real your tool CLI or desktop utility as a tested package with homepage, project and support metadata. | Requires distributable software, legal rights, repeatable install/uninstall, tests, malware scan and moderation. | 2026-08-04 | Open Chocolatey Community Repository submit page (new tab)Chocolatey Community Repository details |
| 9 | 84 | Docker Hub | 90 | Nofollow | docker.com | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | High | Live, conditional | Publish a maintained your tool CLI or server image with source, documentation, descriptions and canonical homepage links. | Ship a scanned, reproducible and maintained image; public presence is not Docker verification and fair-use limits apply. | 2026-08-05 official Docker Hub repository and usage documentation | Open Docker Hub submit page (new tab)Docker Hub details |
| 10 | 84 | Google Open Source Insights | 60 | Link type unknown | deps.dev | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | High | Live, conditional | Publish a useful your tool package to a supported registry with accurate source and homepage metadata so Open Source Insights can index it. | No promotional manual submission; only genuine public packages in supported ecosystems are indexed and the homepage link depends on package metadata. | 2026-08-05 official deps.dev About and documentation | Open Google Open Source Insights submit page (new tab)Google Open Source Insights details |
| 11 | 84 | OpenSourceFest | — | Link type unknown | opensourcefest.org | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | High | Live, conditional | Submit a maintained your tool open-source project through Submit a Project. | Editors review license, activity and quality; proprietary web-only tools do not qualify. | 2026-08-05 | Open OpenSourceFest submit page (new tab)OpenSourceFest details |
| 12 | 84 | OpenSSF Scorecard | 40 | Link type unknown | scorecard.dev | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | High | Live, conditional | Run Scorecard on a public your tool component, enable published results, remediate checks, and link the public viewer from repository documentation. | Public repository and admin rights are required; scores are heuristic and website exposure is indirect through accurate repository metadata. | 2026-08-05 official Scorecard site and OpenSSF repository | Open OpenSSF Scorecard submit page (new tab)OpenSSF Scorecard details |
| 13 | 84 | protocols.io | 75 | Link type unknown | protocols.io | Developer registries | Free | Moderate | High | Live, conditional | Publish a reproducible your tool testing, privacy-analysis or accessibility-evaluation method and cite relevant project resources. | Submissions must contribute genuine experimental or computational research methods; non-scientific promotion may be removed. | 2026-08-04 | Open protocols.io submit page (new tab)protocols.io details |
| 14 | 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 |
| 15 | 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 |
| 16 | 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 |
| 17 | 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 |
| 18 | 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 |
| 19 | 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 |
| 20 | 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 |
| 21 | 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 |
| 22 | 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 |
| 23 | 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 |
| 24 | 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 |
| 25 | 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 |
| 26 | 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 |
| 27 | 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 |
| 28 | 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 |
| 29 | 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 |
| 30 | 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 |
| 31 | 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 |
| 32 | 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 |
| 33 | 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 |
| 34 | 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 |
| 35 | 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 |
| 36 | 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 |
| 37 | 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.