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 | 100 | OpenSSF Best Practices Badge | 60 | Link type unknown | bestpractices.dev | Profiles and entities | Free | Quick | Do first | Live, conditional | Open-source a well-scoped your tool component, document its governance, tests, security process, and complete the passing-badge self-assessment. | Only genuine FLOSS projects qualify; claims are checked and must be backed by public evidence, including a public repository, license, contribution path, HTTPS, tests, and vulnerability-reporting process. | 2026-08-03 | Open OpenSSF Best Practices Badge submit page (new tab)OpenSSF Best Practices Badge details |
| 3 | 100 | Postman | 90 | Nofollow | postman.com | Profiles and entities | Free | Quick | Do first | Live, conditional | Create an your tool public workspace with sanitized API collections, examples, documentation, and a canonical homepage link on the publisher profile. | Never publish tokens, cookies, secrets, private endpoints, or user data; run the secret scan before making a workspace public. | https://learning.postman.com/v11/docs/collaborating-in-postman/using-workspaces/public-workspaces | Open Postman submit page (new tab)Postman details |
| 4 | 100 | StartupTN | 35 | Link type unknown | startuptn.in | Startup directories | Free | Quick | Do first | Live, conditional | Use the official Register flow and build a verified your tool company profile if Tamil Nadu startup rules are met. | Use the homepage registration flow because deep URLs change; public visibility and acceptance remain conditional. | 2026-08-04 | Open StartupTN submit page (new tab)StartupTN details |
| 5 | 86 | APIList.fun | 45 | Link type unknown | apilist.fun | Other opportunities | Free | Quick | High | Live, conditional | Recommend an official your tool API with its documentation URL, concise Markdown description, category, and technical details. | Submit only an active public API with accurate auth, SSL, request, and response information. | 2026-08-05 | Open APIList.fun submit page (new tab)APIList.fun details |
| 6 | 86 | APIs.guru OpenAPI Directory | 50 | Link type unknown | apis.guru | Other opportunities | Free | Quick | High | Live, conditional | When your tool exposes a stable public API, host an official OpenAPI definition at a permanent URL and submit it with accurate ownership, category, logo, and metadata. | The API must be public through clearly documented access steps, persistent, independently useful, and described by a valid machine-readable definition. APIs.guru aggregates rather than hosts the specification and automatically rechecks its source, so keep the canonical spec stable and current. | 2026-08-03 | Open APIs.guru OpenAPI Directory submit page (new tab)APIs.guru OpenAPI Directory details |
| 7 | 86 | AppDirectory.org | — | Link type unknown | appdirectory.org | Software directories | Free | Quick | High | Live, conditional | Submit your tool once with its strongest free-use case, correct category, concise copy, and product URL. | The app must be free or have a meaningful free tier; listings are curated and duplicate submissions are not allowed. | 2026-08-03 | Open AppDirectory.org submit page (new tab)AppDirectory.org details |
| 8 | 86 | Awesome-Selfhosted | 40 | Link type unknown | awesome-selfhosted.net | Software directories | Free | Quick | High | Live, conditional | Submit a mature self-hosted your tool edition using the required YAML entry and canonical website/source links. | Must be a working FOSS network app with a release at least four months old; LLM-generated contributions are prohibited. | 2026-08-05 | Open Awesome-Selfhosted submit page (new tab)Awesome-Selfhosted details |
| 9 | 86 | GeM | 70 | Link type unknown | gem.gov.in | Marketplaces and app stores | Free | Quick | High | Live, conditional | Register an authorized Indian business seller and list only real eligible your tool services with accurate catalogue details. | Requires authorized entity, Aadhaar/PAN, business PAN, incorporation and bank data; an external backlink is not guaranteed. | 2026-08-04 | Open GeM submit page (new tab)GeM details |
| 10 | 86 | Goodpods | 60 | Nofollow | goodpods.com | Other opportunities | Free | Quick | High | Live, conditional | Search for and claim a real your tool podcast, then keep its RSS-supplied website and episode metadata accurate. | Claim only a show AltFTool owns; authentic podcast content and RSS ownership are required. | 2026-08-04 | Open Goodpods submit page (new tab)Goodpods details |
| 11 | 86 | Listen Notes | 80 | Dofollow | listennotes.com | Other opportunities | Free | Quick | High | Live, conditional | Submit a real your tool podcast RSS feed whose show website and episode notes naturally reference relevant tools. | Valid human-made podcast with substantive episodes only; low-quality or link-only feeds are rejected. | 2026-08-04 | Open Listen Notes submit page (new tab)Listen Notes details |
| 12 | 86 | Open VSX Registry | 65 | Link type unknown | open-vsx.org | Marketplaces and app stores | Free | Quick | High | Live, conditional | Publish a useful your tool editor extension whose marketplace metadata links to its homepage and documentation. | Requires a genuine VSIX extension, namespace ownership and an access token; do not republish third-party work without rights. | https://open-vsx.org/ | Open Open VSX Registry submit page (new tab)Open VSX Registry details |
| 13 | 86 | OpenSourceAlternative.to | 35 | Link type unknown | opensourcealternative.to | Software directories | Free | Quick | High | Live, conditional | Submit a genuinely open-source, maintained and self-hostable your tool component as an alternative to a named proprietary tool. | Requires real open source, self-hosting and active maintenance; submission does not guarantee inclusion. | 2026-08-04 | Open OpenSourceAlternative.to submit page (new tab)OpenSourceAlternative.to details |
| 14 | 86 | Pipedream Registry | 70 | Link type unknown | pipedream.com | Marketplaces and app stores | Free | Quick | High | Live, conditional | Build your tool triggers/actions, submit them to the public registry by GitHub PR, and address review feedback. | Components must follow registry patterns; approved PRs become available in Pipedream Marketplace and workflows. | https://pipedream.com/docs/components/contributing | Open Pipedream Registry submit page (new tab)Pipedream Registry details |
| 15 | 86 | Player FM | 80 | Nofollow | player.fm | Other opportunities | Free | Quick | High | Live, conditional | Submit a genuine your tool podcast RSS feed or Apple Podcasts URL with accurate show-website and episode metadata. | Feed must be public, accessible and contain playable audio enclosures; do not submit a fake link-only feed. | 2026-08-04 | Open Player FM submit page (new tab)Player FM details |
| 16 | 86 | Pocket Casts | 70 | Link type unknown | pocketcasts.com | Other opportunities | Free | Quick | High | Live, conditional | Submit a real public your tool podcast RSS feed whose metadata and episode notes reference the official site naturally. | Requires a valid public RSS feed and genuine episodes; do not submit a shell or private feed as public. | 2026-08-05 | Open Pocket Casts submit page (new tab)Pocket Casts details |
| 17 | 86 | PRISM Break | 60 | Dofollow | prism-break.org | Software directories | Free | Quick | High | Live, conditional | Propose a qualifying open-source your tool privacy project through the official contribution process. | Strong privacy and free-software fit is required; follow maintainers' criteria and avoid promotional-only changes. | 2026-08-05 | Open PRISM Break submit page (new tab)PRISM Break details |
| 18 | 86 | PulseMCP | 45 | Link type unknown | pulsemcp.com | Other opportunities | Free | Quick | High | Live, conditional | Submit your tool MCP repository or public server URL, preferably after publishing it to the official MCP Registry. | Registry data is processed periodically; only submit a real repository, server or client. | 2026-08-04 | Open PulseMCP submit page (new tab)PulseMCP details |
| 19 | 86 | PWA Directory | 35 | Link type unknown | pwa.directory | Other opportunities | Free | Quick | High | Live, conditional | First pass PWA checks, then submit the installable HTTPS app with manifest, service worker, offline behavior, icons, and screenshots. | Requires a valid manifest, registered service worker, useful offline behavior, HTTPS, no broken links, and more than a bare website wrapper. | 2026-08-03 | Open PWA Directory submit page (new tab)PWA Directory details |
| 20 | 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 |
| 21 | 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 |
| 22 | 68 | Apify Store | 70 | Nofollow | apify.com | Marketplaces and app stores | Free | Quick | Medium | Live, conditional | Build a working your tool automation Actor, publish it to the Store and include contextual project/documentation links. | Actor must perform a real automation use case, meet Store quality/security rules and avoid unauthorized scraping or data use. | https://docs.apify.com/actors/publishing | Open Apify Store submit page (new tab)Apify Store details |
| 23 | 68 | AppImageHub | 50 | Link type unknown | appimage.github.io | Software directories | Free | Quick | Medium | Live, conditional | Package a legitimate your tool desktop app as an official AppImage, then file the requested issue or pull request for inclusion. | Requires a maintained downloadable AppImage and compliant metadata; a browser-only site is not eligible. | 2026-08-05 | Open AppImageHub submit page (new tab)AppImageHub details |
| 24 | 68 | Astro Showcase | 70 | Link type unknown | astro.build | Design galleries | Free | Quick | Medium | Live, conditional | If an your tool property genuinely uses Astro, use the Submit site action to propose it for the public showcase. | Only submit an actual Astro-built production site; acceptance is curated and not guaranteed. | 2026-08-05 | Open Astro Showcase submit page (new tab)Astro Showcase details |
| 25 | 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 |
| 26 | 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 |
| 27 | 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 |
| 28 | 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 |
| 29 | 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 |
| 30 | 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 |
| 31 | 68 | itch.io | 90 | Nofollow | itch.io | Other opportunities | Free | Quick | Medium | Live, conditional | Publish a genuine browser or desktop your tool utility with screenshots, documentation and an official-site link. | Content must be an actual downloadable or browser-run project and follow itch.io quality/content rules; not a generic directory listing. | https://itch.io/developers | Open itch.io submit page (new tab)itch.io details |
| 32 | 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 |
| 33 | 68 | Liberapay | 65 | Nofollow | liberapay.com | Profiles and entities | Free | Quick | Medium | Live, conditional | Create an your tool project team, connect verified project accounts, and describe the official website and repository contextually. | Teams are for genuine shared projects; one-contributor projects are allowed, but a single-company shell is not the intended use. | 2026-08-05 | Open Liberapay submit page (new tab)Liberapay details |
| 34 | 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 |
| 35 | 68 | PitchBook | 85 | Link type unknown | pitchbook.com | Profiles and entities | Free | Quick | Medium | Live, conditional | Search for your tool; submit an accurate profile update or request research coverage with authoritative company data and website. | Inclusion is not guaranteed and may require an account; do not exaggerate funding or company facts. | 2026-08-04 | Open PitchBook submit page (new tab)PitchBook details |
| 36 | 68 | PublicAPIs.io | 40 | Link type unknown | publicapis.io | Other opportunities | Free | Quick | Medium | Live, conditional | List a legitimate documented your tool API in the relevant developer category using the normal or Pro review queue. | API must be real and documented; paid placement should be disclosed and does not guarantee organic ranking value. | 2026-08-05 | Open PublicAPIs.io submit page (new tab)PublicAPIs.io details |
| 37 | 68 | Raycast Store | 70 | Link type unknown | raycast.com | Marketplaces and app stores | Free | Quick | Medium | Live, conditional | Build your tool actions as a Raycast extension and publish through the official GitHub PR workflow. | Extension must follow Store guidelines and generally be open-source under the required license. | https://developers.raycast.com/basics/publish-an-extension | Open Raycast Store submit page (new tab)Raycast Store details |
| 38 | 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 |
| 39 | 68 | ResearchGate | 95 | Nofollow | researchgate.net | Profiles and entities | Free | Quick | Medium | Live, conditional | An eligible active researcher can publish genuine your tool studies, code or datasets and add the official website where appropriate. | Membership is for active researchers; upload only owned research and respect publisher copyright. | 2026-08-04 | Open ResearchGate submit page (new tab)ResearchGate details |
| 40 | 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 |
| 41 | 68 | Software Heritage | 65 | Link type unknown | softwareheritage.org | Software directories | Free | Quick | Medium | Live, conditional | Archive a genuine public your tool source repository and add its resulting SWHID permalink to release and citation metadata. | Public cloneable VCS origin only; this is preservation/citation, not a promotional directory. | 2026-08-04 | Open Software Heritage submit page (new tab)Software Heritage details |
| 42 | 68 | Statamic Marketplace | 65 | Link type unknown | statamic.com | Marketplaces and app stores | Free | Quick | Medium | Live, conditional | Build a functional privacy, accessibility or security add-on, publish it on Packagist and create its Marketplace product page. | Requires a genuine Composer add-on and seller account; paid add-ons additionally need payment and bank setup. | 2026-08-05 official Statamic add-on publishing guide | Open Statamic Marketplace submit page (new tab)Statamic Marketplace details |
| 43 | 68 | Upwork | 95 | Nofollow | upwork.com | Design galleries | Free | Quick | Medium | Live, conditional | If your tool maker genuinely offers related services, add the project as a detailed portfolio item with role, outcomes, visuals, and permitted project links. | Use only an authentic accepted freelancer profile; no contact details or brand-only backlink account, and follow portfolio link rules. | Official Upwork profile and portfolio guidance checked 2026-08-07 | Open Upwork submit page (new tab)Upwork details |
| 44 | 68 | Vestbee | 50 | Link type unknown | vestbee.com | Startup directories | Free | Quick | Medium | Live, conditional | Create an accurate your tool startup profile and complete its product, team, traction and website details. | Investable-startup fit required; public indexing and an external backlink are not guaranteed. | 2026-08-04 | Open Vestbee submit page (new tab)Vestbee 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.