Earning dofollow backlinks from high-DR directories is one of the more effective things a startup can do for long-term organic search. Unlike nofollow links, dofollow links pass PageRank, so each listing contributes to your domain's authority. Of the 330+ directories tracked by backlinks.fyi, 290offer dofollow links. Prioritizing them during your launch campaign builds a solid SEO foundation early.
290
Dofollow Dirs
194
Free to Submit
DR 93
Top Score
Every backlink is either dofollow or nofollow. Dofollow links pass PageRank — Google's measure of a page's authority — to your domain. Nofollow links do not. For an early-stage startup building its domain authority from scratch, the distinction is significant.
A few dozen high-DR dofollow backlinks will typically do more for your rankings than a far larger number of nofollow links, assuming comparable content quality. Directory submissions are one of the fastest ways to build a dofollow backlink profile because the process is standardized and repeatable; you are not waiting months for an editorial mention.
Of the 290 dofollow directories in the backlinks.fyi database, 194 are completely free to submit to. Start there.
Authority Range
DR 2–93
Median DR 52
Cost Mix
66.9% free
194 zero-cost dofollow options
Submission Friction
6.6% require backlink
21 instant-approval dofollow options
Not every dofollow listing is equally easy. Start with high-DR, free, low-friction directories to build authority quickly, then work through paid or higher-friction profiles once baseline DR growth is visible.
SourceForge
⏱ 3-7 days
Clutch
⏱ 3-7 days
Capterra
⏱ 3-7 days
G2
⏱ 3-7 days
Tired of managing submissions in a spreadsheet?
Join founders tracking their startup directory submissions, DR growth, and organic traffic automatically.
Crunchbase
⏱ 1-3 days
Devpost
⏱ Instant
FinancesOnline
⏱ 5-10 days
Software Advice
⏱ 5-10 days
MakeUseOf
⏱ 14-30 days
Built In
⏱ 5-10 days
GeekWire
⏱ 7-14 days
TrustRadius
⏱ 3-5 days
GetApp
⏱ 3-7 days
F6S
⏱ Instant
Tech in Asia
⏱ 5-10 days
Fazier
⏱ Instant
Dang
⏱ 1-3 days
SiteJabber
⏱ Instant
Inc42
⏱ 7-14 days
AlternativeTo
⏱ 1-3 days
SaaSHub
⏱ 1-3 days
Tool Pilot
⏱ 1-3 days
Changelog
⏱ 3-7 days
EU-Startups
⏱ 7-14 days
StackShare
⏱ Instant
SoftwareSuggest
⏱ 3-7 days
e27
⏱ 5-10 days
Peerlist
⏱ Instant
GoodFirms
⏱ 3-7 days
Uneed
⏱ 1-3 days
ToolFame
⏱ 1-3 days
SaaSworthy
⏱ 1-3 days
LaunchIgniter
⏱ 3-7 days
Alternative.me
⏱ 3-7 days
Gust
⏱ 3-7 days
Good AI Tools
⏱ Unknown
AI Agents Directory
⏱ Unknown
PeerSpot
⏱ 3-7 days
Webwiki
⏱ Instant
Startup Fame
⏱ Up to 7 days
StartupBase
⏱ 1-3 days
Chamber of Commerce
⏱ Unknown
CrozDesk
⏱ 3-7 days
Tiny Launch
⏱ 3-5 days
Twelve Tools
⏱ reviewed within 72 hours; free tier queue ~30 days, $36 Pro lists within 24 hours
Land-book
⏱ 7-14 days
Launch Llama Tools
⏱ 1-3 days
Toolify
⏱ 1-3 days
PRLog
⏱ Same day
Hashnode
⏱ Instant
SoftwareWorld
⏱ 3-7 days
FoundrList
⏱ 3-7 days
Tekpon
⏱ 3-7 days
Tiny Startups
⏱ 3-7 days
Side Projectors
⏱ 1-3 days
Feedough
⏱ 7-14 days
All My Faves
⏱ 5-7 days
RocketHub
⏱ 3-7 days
Slant
⏱ Instant
Future Tools
⏱ 7-14 days
AppSumo
⏱ 14-30 days
acidtools.com
⏱ 1-3 days
CrowdReviews
⏱ 3-7 days
BetaList
⏱ 3-7 days
Serchen
⏱ 5-7 days
SaaSPirate
⏱ 3-7 days
Turbo0
⏱ 1-3 days
FlowGPT
⏱ Instant
Nick Launches
⏱ weekly cycle; listing stays live for 7 days on current week's board
DevHunt
⏱ Instant
Startup Stash
⏱ 3-7 days
EarlyHunt
⏱ 1-3 days
Smol Launch
⏱ 3-7 days
Magnitt
⏱ 5-10 days
Stacker News
⏱ Instant
TechDirectory
⏱ 3-7 days
TopAI.tools
⏱ 3-7 days
Aura++
⏱ 1-3 days
StartupBlink
⏱ 3-7 days
Arctic Startup
⏱ 7-14 days
Openhunts
⏱ 1-3 days
AI Tool Trek
⏱ 1-3 days
Next Big What
⏱ 5-10 days
DeepLaunch
⏱ Within 48 hours
OpenAlternative
⏱ 3-7 days
Startup Ranking
⏱ 1-3 days
NextGenTools
⏱ 3-7 days
Startup Benchmarks
⏱ 5-7 days
Startup Inspire
⏱ 3-7 days
Unite List
⏱ 3-7 days
ToolDirs
⏱ Within 2 days
magicbox.tools
⏱ 1-3 days
PitchWall
⏱ 1-3 days
FirstLook.tools
⏱ Within 3 days
Futurepedia
⏱ 2-3 days
BetaBound
⏱ 3-5 days
TheSaaSDir
⏱ not explicitly stated
KillerStartups
⏱ 3-7 days
AIxploria
⏱ 1-3 days
OpenFuture
⏱ 3-7 days
Huzzler
⏱ 1-3 days
Pressfarm
⏱ 3-7 days
IndieHunt.io
⏱ 1-3 days
VentureRadar
⏱ 3-7 days
Startup Beat
⏱ 5-7 days
Toolfio
⏱ 1-3 days
TechPluto
⏱ 5-10 days
SaaS AI Tools
⏱ 3-7 days
toolsfine
⏱ 1-3 days
BetaPage
⏱ 3-7 days
Altern
⏱ 3-7 days
Days Launch
⏱ Unknown
My Launch Stash
⏱ Unknown
Snapmunk
⏱ 5-10 days
BuildHop
⏱ Instant
Bowora
⏱ 3-7 days
SaasHunt
⏱ 1-3 days
SaaSGrow
⏱ 1-3 days
SimilarSiteSearch
⏱ 5-10 days
InnMind
⏱ 3-7 days
AI Tools Directory
⏱ 3-7 days
backlinks.fyi
⏱ 1-2 days
AppAgg
⏱ 3-7 days
Promote Project
⏱ 3-7 days
Tapscape
⏱ 5-7 days
BotsFloor
⏱ 1-3 days
Tech Product Finder
⏱ Unknown
Cuspera
⏱ 5-10 days
Ramen.Tools
⏱ Instant
Postmake
⏱ 3-7 days
StartupTrusted
⏱ 3-7 days
Workspaces
⏱ 5-10 days
Insidr AI
⏱ 3-7 days
Netted
⏱ 14-30 days
Bens Bites News
⏱ 7-14 days
SaaSBison
⏱ not explicitly stated
DodoDirectory
⏱ 1-3 days
Tap4 AI
⏱ Within 48 hours
Public APIs
⏱ 1-3 days
Dev Tool Chest
⏱ Unknown
Sumodir
⏱ 3-7 days
BetaTesting
⏱ 3-5 days
SaaS Radar
⏱ Unknown
Neobanque
⏱ 1-3 days
Free SaaS Directory
⏱ Unknown
AppaList
⏱ 1-3 days
That AI Collection
⏱ 3-7 days
Appscribed
⏱ 3-7 days
Startups Lab
⏱ 1-3 days
Web Tools Directory
⏱ Unknown
IdeaKiln
⏱ 3-7 days
Launching Next
⏱ 7-14 days
LaunchDirectories
⏱ Instant
AppVita
⏱ 3-7 days
AllTopStartups
⏱ 3-7 days
Startup Buffer
⏱ 1-3 days
AI App Hub
⏱ Unknown
aiwith.me
⏱ 1-3 days
Saaspa.ge
⏱ 3-7 days
Shipybara
⏱ 1-3 days
NoonLaunch
⏱ 3-7 days
ListMySaaS
⏱ Instant
Startup Tracker
⏱ 1-3 days
AI Resource Hub
⏱ Unknown
Startups Watch
⏱ 3-7 days
Awesome Tools
⏱ 3-7 days
Victrays
⏱ 3-7 days
SaaS List IO
⏱ Unknown
EuroAlternative
⏱ 3-7 days
LLM Relevance
⏱ 3-7 days
AwesomeIndie
⏱ 3-7 days
Micro SaaS Hub
⏱ Unknown
TopApps
⏱ 3-7 days
ConfettiSaaS
⏱ 3-7 days
API List
⏱ 1-3 days
The Startup Pitch
⏱ 3-7 days
MakerHunt
⏱ 1-3 days
Indie Hacker Dir
⏱ Unknown
NoCodeList
⏱ 3-7 days
Toolfolio
⏱ 1-3 days
TinyLaunchpad
⏱ 3-7 days
9Sites
⏱ 1-3 days
Launching Soon
⏱ Unknown
Sidehunt
⏱ 1-3 days
Web Review
⏱ 3-7 days
AI Parabellum
⏱ 1-3 days
FiveTaco
⏱ 3-7 days
FindYourSaaS
⏱ 1-3 days
AI Valley
⏱ 3-7 days
BuildVoyage
⏱ 1-3 days
The Startup INC
⏱ 3-7 days
Launched
⏱ 1-3 days
Direct2App
⏱ 1-2 weeks
NoCodeDevs
⏱ 3-7 days
Startups.fyi
⏱ 3-7 days
BasedTools
⏱ 1 day
Startups Gallery
⏱ 3-5 days
Discover Cloud
⏱ 5-7 days
Indie Dev Tools
⏱ Unknown
AppRater
⏱ 7-14 days
Robin Good Tools
⏱ 7-14 days
Tulimoa
⏱ 3-7 days
10words
⏱ 1-3 days
Resource.fyi
⏱ Unknown
Website Hunt
⏱ 3-5 days
Prime Club
⏱ 3-7 days
TopAIHubs
⏱ Within 72 hours
Project Hatch
⏱ 5-10 days
Simple Lister
⏱ Instant
ToolScout
⏱ 3-7 days
Trendy Startups
⏱ 3-7 days
aitools.fyi
⏱ Unknown
DoMore.ai
⏱ 3-5 days
Product Canyon
⏱ 1-3 days
Invent List
⏱ 1-3 days
ProductLaunchpad
⏱ 1-3 days
BusinessHunt
⏱ Unknown
ShipYard HQ
⏱ 1-3 days
Get Worm
⏱ 3-7 days
SaaSRow
⏱ 3-5 days
Startup88
⏱ 3-7 days
Builtbyindies
⏱ 1-3 days
Owwly
⏱ 3-7 days
FindMyAITool
⏱ Unknown
AIHunt
⏱ 3-5 days
Webspot
⏱ 1-2 weeks
All Startups
⏱ 3-7 days
PayOnceApps
⏱ 3-7 days
HUNT0
⏱ 1-3 days
SEOFAI
⏱ 1-3 days
Startups FIY
⏱ 1-3 days
BestWebDesignTools
⏱ 1-3 days
Toolio
⏱ 1-3 days
Indie Tools
⏱ 1-3 days
FridayHunt
⏱ 1-3 days
Alternative.tools
⏱ 1-3 days
startuups
⏱ 1-3 days
Founder Resources
⏱ Unknown
MadGenius
⏱ 1-3 days
WebAppRater
⏱ 7-14 days
Apps Listo
⏱ 3-5 days
Apps Mamma
⏱ 3-5 days
TheSaaSDirectory
⏱ Unknown
AI Directory Org
⏱ Unknown
Toollist
⏱ 1-3 days
Tools For Creators
⏱ Unknown
PromptZone
⏱ 1-3 days
Startup Heroes
⏱ 1-3 days
ToolHub
⏱ 1-3 days
AI Search
⏱ 3-7 days
Tech Map
⏱ 3-7 days
ProfitHunt
⏱ 3-5 days
AppsThunder
⏱ 3-7 days
App Directory Online
⏱ Unknown
AZ Charged
⏱ 1-3 days
Toolcurio
⏱ 3-7 days
TheMacApps
⏱ 1-3 days
Launchy.tools
⏱ 1-3 days
SaaS Pulse
⏱ Unknown
Postioo
⏱ 1-3 days
New SaaSly
⏱ Unknown
Create a free account to track your submissions, get targeted recommendations, and measure your SEO growth accurately.
Start Tracking for Free →A dofollow backlink is a standard hyperlink that passes "link equity" (PageRank) from the linking site to your site. When a high-DR directory links to your startup with a dofollow link, Google treats that as a vote of authority for your domain. Nofollow links do not pass PageRank. For startups building their SEO foundation, prioritizing dofollow links in directory submissions gets you the most from the time you spend.
There's no magic number, but a targeted campaign of 20-30 high-DR dofollow submissions is typically enough to move your domain rating, especially if you are starting from a low DR. The impact compounds: each additional high-DR dofollow link adds authority, which improves rankings across your site.
No — DR matters significantly. A dofollow link from a DR 90 directory is worth far more than one from a DR 20 directory. Prioritize high-DR dofollow directories first, then work down the list. Also consider topical relevance: a dofollow link from a directory that covers your product's category carries more topical authority signal than a generic link.
Dofollow links pass PageRank and are the most valuable for SEO. Nofollow links (rel="nofollow") tell Google not to pass PageRank — they have indirect SEO value through referral traffic and brand visibility but don't directly boost domain authority. Sponsored links (rel="sponsored") are a newer attribute indicating a paid relationship, and Google treats them similarly to nofollow. For directory submissions, dofollow is always preferred.