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 | 86 | CodePen | 90 | Nofollow | codepen.io | Profiles and entities | Free | Quick | High | Verified live | Build an original interactive demo of an your tool utility, document the use case in Pen Details, and add your tool as one of the public profile links. | Public Pens are searchable and MIT-licensed; publish original useful code, not a blank redirect or copied landing page. | https://blog.codepen.io/docs/getting-around/your-profile/ | Open CodePen submit page (new tab)CodePen details |
| 2 | 86 | CodeSandbox | 90 | Nofollow | codesandbox.io | Profiles and entities | Free | Quick | High | Not submitted | Publish a small open demo that explains one your tool algorithm or UI pattern and add the product website to the founder profile links. | The sandbox must run and provide reusable technical value; public projects and profile links are UGC and may be nofollowed. | 2026-08-03 | Open CodeSandbox submit page (new tab)CodeSandbox details |
| 3 | 86 | daily.dev | 75 | Nofollow | daily.dev | Profiles and entities | Free | Quick | High | Not submitted | Complete the founder's developer profile, add your tool as real project experience, and publish useful privacy or security engineering posts with contextual links. | Participate as a genuine community member; avoid promotional link dumps, and do not assume any particular search-link attribute. | 2026-08-03 | Open daily.dev submit page (new tab)daily.dev details |
| 4 | 86 | gitconnected | 50 | Nofollow | gitconnected.com | Profiles and entities | Free | Quick | High | Not submitted | Create the founder developer profile, add your tool as a real project, and link the live product and supporting repository where applicable. | Use a real individual profile with accurate work history; this is not a generic company-directory listing. | 2026-08-03 | Open gitconnected submit page (new tab)gitconnected details |
| 5 | 86 | Glasp | 55 | Nofollow | glasp.co | Profiles and entities | Free | Quick | High | Verified live | Create a founder research profile that curates authoritative privacy, accessibility, security, and standards material, including your tool only when it directly supports the annotation. | Free-user highlights are public by default; never add confidential data or secrets, and maintain balanced curation instead of a self-link collection. | Official Glasp pricing and highlighting guidance checked 2026-08-07 | Open Glasp submit page (new tab)Glasp details |
| 6 | 86 | Open Hub | 75 | Nofollow | openhub.net | Profiles and entities | Free | Quick | High | Verified live | Add or claim a genuine open-source your tool project and complete its description, code locations, tags and official homepage. | FOSS projects only; connect real public source history and avoid duplicate or abandoned shell projects. | Official live Open Hub project directory checked 2026-07-30 | Open Open Hub submit page (new tab)Open Hub details |
| 7 | 86 | Open Makers | — | Link type unknown | openmakers.io | Profiles and entities | Free | Quick | High | Not submitted | Join as your tool founder, create a product page, and document meaningful launches, milestones, and lessons learned. | Sign up as an individual maker, not as a product; product-only and spam accounts may be deleted, and X sign-in is required. | 2026-08-03 | Open Open Makers submit page (new tab)Open Makers details |
| 8 | 86 | Sessionize | 70 | Link type unknown | sessionize.com | Profiles and entities | Free | Quick | High | Live, conditional | Create a founder expert profile and submit substantive talks about privacy-first tools, accessibility or web security. | Directory visibility should reflect real expertise and sessions; free event mode excludes promotional or commercial events. | 2026-08-05 | Open Sessionize submit page (new tab)Sessionize details |
| 9 | 86 | Stacker News | 50 | Link type unknown | stacker.news | Profiles and entities | Free | Quick | High | Needs checking | Create a genuine founder profile and share a useful build story or tutorial with a relevant link. | Follow community self-promotion rules; contribute before linking; no repetitive posts. Listing link is currently reported nofollow. | 2026-07-30 • https://www.submission.directory/site/stacker-news | Open Stacker News submit page (new tab)Stacker News details |
| 10 | 86 | Tableau Public | 90 | Nofollow | public.tableau.com | Profiles and entities | Free | Quick | High | Verified live | Publish an original dashboard using public your tool benchmark or ecosystem data and add an appropriate project permalink in workbook details. | Everything published is publicly accessible and may be downloadable; never include secrets, private analytics, user-level records, or confidential data. | https://help.tableau.com/current/pro/desktop/en-gb/publish_workbooks_tableaupublic.htm | Open Tableau Public submit page (new tab)Tableau Public details |
| 11 | 84 | ListChallenges | 55 | Nofollow | listchallenges.com | Profiles and entities | Free | Moderate | High | Verified live | Create a genuine founder profile and share a useful build story or tutorial with a relevant link. | Follow community self-promotion rules; contribute before linking; no repetitive posts. Dofollow is reported but recheck after approval. | 2026-07-30 • https://www.submission.directory/site/listchallenges | Open ListChallenges submit page (new tab)ListChallenges details |
| 12 | 84 | Lobsters | 65 | Nofollow | lobste.rs | Profiles and entities | Free | Moderate | High | Needs checking | Create a genuine founder profile and share a useful build story or tutorial with a relevant link. | Follow community self-promotion rules; contribute before linking; no repetitive posts. Dofollow is reported but recheck after approval. | 2026-07-30 • https://www.submission.directory/site/lobsters | Open Lobsters submit page (new tab)Lobsters details |
| 13 | 84 | Open Collective | 85 | Nofollow | opencollective.com | Profiles and entities | Free | Moderate | High | Live, conditional | Create a genuine your tool collective, complete its public profile, and add the official website plus repository/social links. | Use only for a real community or open-source project; keep team, purpose and financial details accurate. | 2026-08-05 | Open Open Collective submit page (new tab)Open Collective details |
| 14 | 84 | Podchaser | 75 | Nofollow | podchaser.com | Profiles and entities | Free | Moderate | High | Live, conditional | Claim a genuine your tool show, verify ownership, and complete its official website and creator details. | Ownership verification by feed email or token is required; never create a fake podcast for links. | 2026-08-04 | Open Podchaser submit page (new tab)Podchaser details |
| 15 | 84 | The Dots | 55 | Link type unknown | the-dots.com | Profiles and entities | Free | Moderate | High | Verified live | Create the real designer/founder profile and add an original your tool product-design or accessibility project with collaborators, role, process, and official URL. | Publish only work the profile owner actually created and credit collaborators accurately; do not fabricate a team or engagement. Projects are community UGC and may be curated or moderated. External links, search visibility, timing, and rel/follow treatment are not guaranteed. | 2026-08-03 | Open The Dots submit page (new tab)The Dots details |
| 16 | 84 | YouTube | 100 | Nofollow | youtube.com | Profiles and entities | Free | Moderate | High | Not submitted | Create tutorials for top your tool tools with links. | Needs useful videos; links mostly referral/brand. | 2026-07-30 | Open YouTube submit page (new tab)YouTube details |
| 17 | 83 | Eventbrite | 90 | Nofollow | eventbrite.com | Profiles and entities | Free + paid tier | Quick | High | Verified live | Host a genuine your tool privacy/tool workshop or webinar; add your tool in the organizer website field and useful event description. | Do not create fake events or thin SEO pages; publish only a real scheduled event with attendee value. | https://www.eventbrite.com/help/en-us/articles/161196/how-to-set-up-your-organizer-profile-page/ | Open Eventbrite submit page (new tab)Eventbrite details |
| 18 | 83 | Observable | 80 | Nofollow | observablehq.com | Profiles and entities | Free + paid tier | Quick | High | Verified live | Publish an original interactive notebook showing transparent your tool benchmark, privacy, performance, or tool-usage data and cite the relevant your tool pages. | Use only public/non-sensitive data; public notebooks and referenced files are indexable, reusable, and must have accurate sources and licensing. | https://observablehq.com/documentation/collaboration/sharing | Open Observable submit page (new tab)Observable details |
| 19 | 81 | SpeakerHub | 55 | Link type unknown | speakerhub.com | Profiles and entities | Free + paid tier | Moderate | High | Verified live | Create a truthful founder or subject-matter expert page and feature your tool in relevant bio, talks and media. | Use genuine expertise and authentic testimonials; avoid fabricated credentials, reviews or mass outreach. | 2026-08-05 | Open SpeakerHub submit page (new tab)SpeakerHub details |
| 20 | 76 | ESC India | 40 | Link type unknown | escindia.in | Profiles and entities | Paid | Quick | High | Live, conditional | Apply as an eligible Indian software or ITeS exporter with company, GST, IEC/DGFT and RCMC evidence as requested. | Exporter eligibility and documentation apply; official member pages exist but an external website link is not guaranteed. | 2026-08-04 | Open ESC India submit page (new tab)ESC India details |
| 21 | 76 | Global Cyber Alliance | 60 | Link type unknown | globalcyberalliance.org | Profiles and entities | Paid | Quick | High | Live, conditional | Propose a concrete funded or in-kind your tool anti-scam, privacy or cyber-safety collaboration through Become a Partner. | A formal agreement and real contribution are required; partner-page publication is not self-serve or guaranteed. | 2026-08-04 | Open Global Cyber Alliance submit page (new tab)Global Cyber Alliance details |
| 22 | 76 | WIP | 50 | Link type unknown | wip.co | Profiles and entities | Paid | Quick | High | Not submitted | Join as the founder, create one your tool project page, and share genuine shipped improvements with links only when useful. | Profiles and projects are public by default; the community expects real shipped work, not promotional link dumping or future-only todos. | 2026-08-03 | Open WIP submit page (new tab)WIP details |
| 23 | 74 | IDSA | 50 | Link type unknown | idsalliance.org | Profiles and entities | Paid | Moderate | High | Live, conditional | Choose an appropriate corporate, partner or vendor tier and apply with your tool genuine identity-security work. | Identity/security relevance and approval required; the official benefit includes an IDSA website listing. | 2026-08-04 | Open IDSA submit page (new tab)IDSA details |
| 24 | 74 | Kantara Initiative | 55 | Link type unknown | kantarainitiative.org | Profiles and entities | Paid | Moderate | High | Live, conditional | Use the organization signup path and participate in relevant identity, privacy or assurance working groups. | Community and standards participation are expected; membership should not be purchased solely for a backlink. | 2026-08-04 | Open Kantara Initiative submit page (new tab)Kantara Initiative details |
| 25 | 74 | Open Source Collective | 40 | Link type unknown | oscollective.org | Profiles and entities | Paid | Moderate | High | Live, conditional | Apply for fiscal hosting only for a legitimate open-source your tool project or community with active development, public impact, and preferably two project administrators. | OSC reviews legitimacy, open-source alignment, and its hosting terms. It does not host an individual spanning unrelated projects; project finances become transparent and formal agreements require host approval. | 2026-08-03 | Open Open Source Collective submit page (new tab)Open Source Collective details |
| 26 | 74 | OpenID Foundation | 80 | Link type unknown | openid.net | Profiles and entities | Paid | Moderate | High | Live, conditional | Join as a small organization if your tool genuinely implements or contributes to OpenID, OAuth or related identity standards. | Standards participation and truthful brand use are expected; company name/logo visibility should not be the sole reason to join. | 2026-08-04 | Open OpenID Foundation submit page (new tab)OpenID Foundation 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.