A maintained list of 1,854 legitimate backlink sites: directories, profile creation sites, guest posting sites, launch platforms, registries and marketplaces. 1,532 are free or have a free tier, 44 usually give a dofollow link, and 772 have an estimated DA of 70 or more. Every row shows authority, link type, cost and effort, and links straight to the submit page.
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 | 95 | FeaturedCustomers | 60 | Sometimes dofollow | featuredcustomers.com | Profiles and entities | Free + paid tier | Moderate | Do first | Live, conditional | Add the company, verify ownership, and supply genuine customer references, case studies, and brand assets. | Designed for B2B software and services; customer references must be genuine and the vendor must pass verification. | 2026-08-03 | Open FeaturedCustomers submit page (new tab)FeaturedCustomers details |
| 3 | 78 | Podnews | 70 | Sometimes dofollow | podnews.net | PR and source platforms | Free + paid tier | Involved | High | Live, conditional | Email a genuinely newsworthy your tool podcast or audio-tool launch story with concise facts, human artwork, and release timing. | No paid guest posts or link insertions; coverage is selective and only relevant to podcasting or on-demand audio. | 2026-08-05 | Open Podnews submit page (new tab)Podnews details |
| 4 | 68 | Joomla Extensions Directory | 90 | Sometimes dofollow | joomla.org | Marketplaces and app stores | Free | Quick | Medium | Live, conditional | Build a functional your tool Joomla integration and submit a complete listing with an approved download route. | Actual installable extension required; GPL, trademark, update-system, security and listing checks apply. | 2026-08-05 official JED submission guide and entry checklist | Open Joomla Extensions Directory submit page (new tab)Joomla Extensions Directory details |
| 5 | 63 | Buzzsprout | 85 | Sometimes dofollow | buzzsprout.com | Other opportunities | Free + paid tier | Moderate | Medium | Live, conditional | Launch a real your tool educational podcast, complete its public site, and cite relevant tools and sources in useful show notes. | Choose one primary host; publish original episodes and do not duplicate feeds solely to manufacture links. | 2026-08-05 | Open Buzzsprout submit page (new tab)Buzzsprout details |
| 6 | 63 | Cargo | 75 | Sometimes dofollow | cargo.site | Other opportunities | Free + paid tier | Moderate | Medium | Live, conditional | Create an authentic your tool or founder design portfolio with substantive case studies and contextual links to shipped tools. | Use only real design/product work; public pages may be indexed, but do not create a thin backlink microsite. | 2026-08-04 | Open Cargo submit page (new tab)Cargo details |
| 7 | 43 | Ghost | 90 | Sometimes dofollow | ghost.org | Publishing platforms | Free + paid tier | Moderate | Later | Live, conditional | Run a genuine your tool privacy/security publication and add contextual links in original posts and About pages. | Requires sustained original publishing; self-hosted pages are on your own domain, not a third-party backlink. | 2026-08-03 | Open Ghost submit page (new tab)Ghost details |
| 8 | 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 |
| 9 | 36 | Fabrik | 55 | Sometimes dofollow | fabrik.io | Other opportunities | Paid | Moderate | Later | Live, conditional | Publish real your tool film, design, illustration or product case studies and connect them to the appropriate project pages. | Strong creative-work fit only; no credit card for trial, but a lasting public portfolio requires a paid plan. | 2026-08-04 | Open Fabrik submit page (new tab)Fabrik details |
| 10 | 36 | Krop | 55 | Sometimes dofollow | krop.com | Other opportunities | Paid | Moderate | Later | Live, conditional | Build a real founder or your tool creative portfolio and link relevant case studies to the corresponding live tools. | Designed for creative professionals; paid ongoing hosting and authentic portfolio work are required. | 2026-08-04 | Open Krop submit page (new tab)Krop details |
Four steps that work for a new site, a SaaS or a side project. No paid link packages, nothing that risks a penalty.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.