10 free dofollow backlink directories for startups
Most 'submit your startup' lists are 200 places that do nothing. These are the ones that actually pass link equity — verified dofollow, ranked by DR.
1.Why most directory lists are useless
Every 'submit your SaaS to 300 directories' listicle is padded with dead sites, nofollow links, and places that want you to pay for 'expedited review.' The math founders actually care about is simple: a dofollow link from a real domain is worth more than 50 listings nobody reads.
We built a launch checklist of 65 vetted spots — every one tagged with its domain rating, link type, and whether it needs a badge. The dofollow ones below are the actual wins: live, reviewed, and free to submit. You can work through the whole checklist at /launch — it's free.
Key takeaway — Ten real dofollow links beat a hundred dead submissions. Quality data on /where-to-launch.
2.The ten worth your time
OnlyFoundrs — free, instant approval, dofollow link on a permanent indexed page. Submit at /upload.
AlternativeTo — DR 63, dofollow, the biggest listing traffic driver for indie tools.
SaaSHub — DR 75+, dofollow, the comparison-traffic king. Verified-live listings rank best.
Startup Stash — DR 60+, curated directory, dofollow for accepted tools.
BetaList — high DR, dofollow on accepted submissions; pre-launch beta angle works best.
Dev.to community — DR 90+, self-published posts with your link are dofollow.
Reddit r/SideProject — DR 98, dofollow post links, needs account karma.
Stackshare — DR 70+, dofollow tool profiles.
Peerlist — DR 55+, dofollow product spots, friendly to indie makers.
Hacker News Show HN — DR 90+, dofollow submission links — the highest-traffic single shot.
Every one of these is in the launch checklist with its DR and link-type data — filter by dofollow and work the list in order at /launch.
Key takeaway — Start with the instant-approval ones today; queue the reviewed ones for the week.
3.How to tell if a link is actually dofollow
Directories lie — or their pages change. The way to verify: inspect the page, find your link, check the rel attribute. If it says rel="nofollow" or rel="sponsored", you're not getting link equity — you're getting a mention.
Skip the manual checking: paste the page URL into the free link inspector at /tools and it shows every outbound link on the page with its rel type — including whether it links back to you dofollow or not. It's the same check we run on our own listings.
Key takeaway — Verify before you celebrate. rel="dofollow" doesn't exist — the absence of nofollow/sponsored is the real signal.
Get your free dofollow link
List on OnlyFoundrs — instant, permanent, indexed, dofollow. Then work the full 65-spot checklist free at /launch.
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