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 filters1
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 101 | 43 | Startin.LV Startup Database | 35 | Link type unknown | startin.lv | Startup directories | Free + paid tier | Moderate | Later | Verified live | Apply only if the operating company is genuinely incorporated in Latvia and fits the database's scalable-startup criteria. | Conditional eligibility: Latvia-based incorporation and an innovative, scalable model; entries are manually considered rather than automatically published. | 2026-08-03 • https://startin.lv/startup-database/ | Open Startin.LV Startup Database submit page (new tab)Startin.LV Startup Database details |
| 102 | 43 | Startup Ranking | 55 | Link type unknown | startupranking.com | Startup directories | Free + paid tier | Moderate | Later | Needs checking | Create startup profile if submissions open. | Verify active before effort. | 2026-07-30 | Open Startup Ranking submit page (new tab)Startup Ranking details |
| 103 | 43 | Startup Sauce | — | Link type unknown | startupsauce.com | Startup directories | Free + paid tier | Moderate | Later | Needs checking | Use for directory list and submit if product directory exists. | Main value may be research/community. | 2026-07-30 | Open Startup Sauce submit page (new tab)Startup Sauce details |
| 104 | 43 | startup.ch | 45 | Link type unknown | startup.ch | Startup directories | Free + paid tier | Moderate | Later | Verified live | Apply for a profile only if your tool is operated by a scalable high-tech startup incorporated and headquartered in Switzerland. | Strict regional eligibility applies; the application requests company and team details and publication remains subject to review. | 2026-08-03 • https://www.startup.ch/index.cfm?page=137908 | Open startup.ch submit page (new tab)startup.ch details |
| 105 | 43 | Startups.gallery | 35 | Link type unknown | startups.gallery | Startup directories | Free + paid tier | Moderate | Later | Needs checking | Submit curated early-stage company listing. | Selective; verify submit path. | 2026-07-30 | Open Startups.gallery submit page (new tab)Startups.gallery details |
| 106 | 43 | StartupTalky | 55 | Sometimes dofollow | startuptalky.com | Startup directories | Free + paid tier | Moderate | Later | Needs checking | Submit your startup story with founding background, product and traction details. | Editorial review applies; some featured options are paid. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open StartupTalky submit page (new tab)StartupTalky details |
| 107 | 43 | Tech.eu | 65 | Sometimes dofollow | tech.eu | Startup directories | Free + paid tier | Moderate | Later | Needs checking | Email funding or acquisition news with key facts and a press kit. | Coverage focuses on European funding rounds and exits. | Added 2026-11-01 | Open Tech.eu submit page (new tab)Tech.eu details |
| 108 | 43 | The Startup Pitch | — | Link type unknown | thestartuppitch.com | Startup directories | Free | Involved | Later | Needs checking | Create concise startup pitch linking your tool. | Older site; verify active review queue. | 2026-07-30 | Open The Startup Pitch submit page (new tab)The Startup Pitch details |
| 109 | 43 | The Startup Project | — | Link type unknown | startupproject.org | Startup directories | Free + paid tier | Moderate | Later | Not submitted | Submit your tool founder, website, stage, traction and product details for a permanent public profile. | A backlink to the listing is required to maintain the profile; publication is reviewed and not guaranteed. | https://startupproject.org/submit-startup/ | Open The Startup Project submit page (new tab)The Startup Project details |
| 110 | 43 | TrustMRR | — | Link type unknown | trustmrr.com | Startup directories | Free + paid tier | Moderate | Later | Needs checking | Add startup if revenue/Stripe verification is appropriate. | Only if comfortable verifying metrics. | 2026-07-30 | Open TrustMRR submit page (new tab)TrustMRR details |
| 111 | 42 | Startup Fame | — | Link type unknown | startupfame.com | Startup directories | Not stated | Moderate | Later | Needs checking | Submit startup/tool profile if accepted. | Verify form. | 2026-07-30 | Open Startup Fame submit page (new tab)Startup Fame details |
| 112 | 42 | Startup Fast | — | Link type unknown | startupfa.st | Startup directories | Not stated | Moderate | Later | Needs checking | Submit startup profile/listing. | Verify active submit path. | 2026-07-30 | Open Startup Fast submit page (new tab)Startup Fast details |
| 113 | 40 | AllTopStartups | 50 | Sometimes dofollow | alltopstartups.com | Startup directories | Free + paid tier | Involved | Later | Needs checking | Submit/pitch startup listing or story. | Editorial quality; no link-drop. | 2026-07-30 | Open AllTopStartups submit page (new tab)AllTopStartups details |
| 114 | 40 | FoundersDatabase | — | Link type unknown | foundersdatabase.com | Startup directories | Free + paid tier | Involved | Later | Needs checking | Submit your tool with homepage URL, privacy-first positioning, logo, screenshots and accurate pricing. | Accurate tool details required; editorial approval controls publication. Listing link is currently reported nofollow. | 2026-07-30 • https://www.submission.directory/site/foundersdatabase | Open FoundersDatabase submit page (new tab)FoundersDatabase details |
| 115 | 40 | StartupNation | 65 | Sometimes dofollow | startupnation.com | Startup directories | Free + paid tier | Involved | Later | Needs checking | Create profile/comment or pitch startup article. | Useful content required. | 2026-07-30 | Open StartupNation submit page (new tab)StartupNation details |
| 116 | 40 | Webrazzi | 70 | Sometimes dofollow | webrazzi.com | Startup directories | Free + paid tier | Involved | Later | Needs checking | Submit startup for coverage/listing. | Regional/media; pitch quality matters. | 2026-07-30 | Open Webrazzi submit page (new tab)Webrazzi details |
| 117 | 38 | Cloud Security Alliance | 80 | Sometimes dofollow | cloudsecurityalliance.org | Startup directories | Paid | Quick | Later | Live, conditional | Consider only after your tool becomes a substantive cloud or AI security vendor and can participate in CSA programs. | Commercial membership, not a backlink purchase; directory placement does not equal certification or product endorsement. | 2026-08-05 official Startup Membership Agreement | Open Cloud Security Alliance submit page (new tab)Cloud Security Alliance details |
| 118 | 36 | BetaTesting | 45 | Link type unknown | betatesting.com | Startup directories | Paid | Moderate | Later | Needs checking | Recruit beta testers for new your tool feature. | Not pure backlink; useful launch validation. | 2026-07-30 | Open BetaTesting submit page (new tab)BetaTesting details |
| 119 | 36 | Startup Guys | 30 | Link type unknown | startupguys.net | Startup directories | Paid | Moderate | Later | Needs checking | Submit startup if paid/editorial terms acceptable. | Paid per list source; verify ROI. | 2026-07-30 | Open Startup Guys submit page (new tab)Startup Guys details |
| 120 | 36 | StartupSubmit | — | Link type unknown | startupsubmit.app | Startup directories | Paid | Moderate | Later | Needs checking | Use only if you want paid done-for-you directory submissions. | Quality varies; manual review still preferred. | 2026-07-30 | Open StartupSubmit submit page (new tab)StartupSubmit 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.