Links from high-authority sites count for more. These 97 directories all carry a Domain Rating of 70 or higher, the top tier in the backlinks.fyi database of 330+ sites. Submitting to this list should be your first priority in any startup link-building campaign.
97
DR 70+ Dirs
70
Free to Submit
DR 94
Top Score
Google's PageRank algorithm weights links from authoritative sites much more heavily than links from low-authority sites. One dofollow link from a high-DR directory can be worth more than many links from low-DR directories.
For early-stage startups starting with a low or zero domain rating, high-DR directory backlinks are the fastest path to visible DR improvement. As your DR rises, your other pages tend to rank better too.
Of these 97 high-DR directories, 70 are free to submit to and 81 offer dofollow links. The ones that are both free and dofollow are your best targets.
Authority Floor
DR 70 minimum
Median DR 78
Link Value
83.5% dofollow
72.2% free in this tier
Execution Cost
67% account-required
0% include CAPTCHA
These are high-authority targets, so favor completeness over speed: stronger listing copy, richer media, and category-relevant positioning all improve approval rates on competitive platforms.
SourceForge
⏱ 3-7 days
Clutch
⏱ 3-7 days
Capterra
⏱ 3-7 days
G2
⏱ 3-7 days
Crunchbase
⏱ 1-3 days
Product Hunt
⏱ Instant after launch
Devpost
⏱ Instant
AngelList / Wellfound
⏱ 1-3 days
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
Findly.tools
⏱ a few days to 1-2 weeks
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
Wired Business (ToolListed)
⏱ instant after badge/crawl verification
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
Trustpilot
⏱ Instant
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
Supertools (The Rundown AI)
⏱ 3-7 days
SaaSFame
⏱ not explicitly stated
DEV Community (dev.to)
⏱ Instant
Hacker News (Show HN)
⏱ Instant
RocketHub
⏱ 3-7 days
AppSumo
⏱ 14-30 days
HackerNoon
⏱ Unknown
BetaList
⏱ 3-7 days
Turbo0
⏱ 1-3 days
Nick Launches
⏱ weekly cycle; listing stays live for 7 days on current week's board
Softonic
⏱ 7-14 days
Smol Launch
⏱ 3-7 days
Aura++
⏱ 1-3 days
StartupBlink
⏱ 3-7 days
HackMD
⏱ Instant
CodeProject
⏱ Unknown
Openhunts
⏱ 1-3 days
Feedspot
⏱ Unknown
There's An AI For That
⏱ 3-7 days
Open Launch
⏱ Daily (launches 8:00 AM UTC; premium next day)
DeepLaunch
⏱ Within 48 hours
Indie Hackers
⏱ Instant
NextGenTools
⏱ 3-7 days
neeed.directory
⏱ 1-3 days
Futurepedia
⏱ 2-3 days
Startup Valley News
⏱ Unknown
PeerPush
⏱ 1-3 days
KillerStartups
⏱ 3-7 days
YourStory
⏱ Unknown
Pressfarm
⏱ 3-7 days
StackSocial
⏱ 7-14 days
Getlatka
⏱ 2-5 days
Tech.co
⏱ Unknown
startupfa.st
⏱ 3-7 days
SubmitAiTools
⏱ 1-3 days
Domain Rating (DR) is Ahrefs' metric for measuring the overall backlink authority of a website, on a scale of 0–100. A higher DR means a stronger, more authoritative site. When a high-DR directory links to your startup, it passes more link equity (PageRank) than a low-DR directory would. For startups building their SEO foundation, prioritizing high-DR directories gives you the fastest improvements to your own domain rating.
In the backlinks.fyi database, we define high DR as 70 or above. Directories in the DR 70-79 range are strong authority sites, and DR 80+ directories are the strongest tier. A backlink from any high-DR directory contributes to your domain's authority, especially if you are starting from a low DR.
Start with high-DR directories, but don't stop there. A diverse backlink profile that includes a range of DRs looks more natural to Google and is harder for competitors to replicate. After submitting to all high-DR directories, work through the rest of the backlinks.fyi database. Lower-DR links still contribute to your profile's diversity and can drive qualified referral traffic in their own niches.
No — not all high-DR directories are dofollow. Some large platforms like review sites use nofollow or sponsored link attributes. Of the 97 directories listed here, 81 offer dofollow links. Filter or sort by link type to prioritize the highest-value targets.