How to get backlinks from SaaS directories — the complete list
SaaS directories like G2, SaaSHub, and AlternativeTo are the fastest source of legitimate backlinks for a new product — most founders stop at five when 30–50 are achievable.
SaaS directories are the fastest legal backlink source available to a new product. Submit your listing, get a dofollow link from a domain with DR 40–90, and repeat across 30–50 directories. Done systematically in the first month after launch, a directory campaign can generate a backlink profile that takes competitors a year to match organically.
The problem is most founders submit to the obvious five (Product Hunt, SaaSHub, G2, Capterra, AlternativeTo) and stop there. The tail of legitimate, high-quality directories is much longer.
Quick answer: Submit to all Tier 1 directories (G2 DR 91, Capterra DR 90, AlternativeTo DR 84, SaaSHub DR 72) in week one, then work through 20–30 Tier 2 and 3 directories over the following three weeks. Done systematically, a new SaaS product can accumulate 30–50 dofollow backlinks from DR 40+ domains within the first month — a backlink profile that takes competitors a year to build organically.
Tier 1 — The high-authority essentials (submit first)
These are the highest-DR, highest-traffic directories. Submit to all of them before anything else. Most are free or have a free tier.
Product Hunt (DR ~93): Launch day is a separate strategy — but make sure you're listed. producthunt.com
G2 (DR ~91): The dominant B2B software review platform. Free to claim your page; reviews require outreach to customers. g2.com
Capterra (DR ~90): Especially strong for SMB-facing SaaS. Owned by Gartner. capterra.com
SaaSHub (DR ~72): Straightforward listing, dofollow backlink, indexed quickly. saashub.com
AlternativeTo (DR ~84): Strong for appearing in "[Competitor] alternatives" searches. alternativeto.net
Slant (DR ~72): Community-maintained recommendation lists. slant.co
LaunchBuff (DR ~72): Free listing with dofollow backlink, plus a fortnightly tournament for community exposure. launchbuff.com/submit
Tier 2 — Strong niche directories and launch platforms
These have lower DR but meaningful traffic and legitimate link profiles. Worth submitting to in week two.
BetaList (DR ~66): Pre-launch and launch-stage products. Slow approval but indexed well. betalist.com
Uneed (DR ~61): Weekly product discovery. Has a community voting mechanism. uneed.best
MicroLaunch (DR ~55): Focused on indie-built and solo-founder products. microlaunch.net
Peerlist (DR ~63): Professional network with product discovery features. Especially good for developer-facing tools. peerlist.io
Launchbison (DR ~45): Bootstrapper-focused weekly directory with badge system. launchbison.com
DevHunt (DR ~48): Developer tool-focused. Relevant if your product has a developer audience. devhunt.org
TinyWins (DR ~40): Curated list of useful small tools and products. tinywins.co
Pitchwall (DR ~42): Startup pitching and discovery. Free listing. pitchwall.co
Tier 3 — Community and niche platforms
Lower authority individually but valuable in aggregate. Some have community traffic worth targeting directly.
Indie Hackers (DR ~79): Primarily for the community, but a published post with a link to your product is a legitimate mention. indiehackers.com
Hacker News (via Show HN): Not technically a directory, but a Show HN post that performs well drives backlinks from blogs that write about the discussion. news.ycombinator.com
BetaPage (DR ~55): Early-stage product discovery. betapage.co
ProductHunt Ship (within PH): Pre-launch subscriber collection alongside your PH listing.
Lobste.rs: Technical community, relevant for developer tools. Less volume, very targeted.
F6S (DR ~74): Startup platform with product listings section. f6s.com
SoftwareWorld (DR ~58): Review site similar to G2/Capterra but niche-focused. softwareworld.co
How to submit efficiently without spending a week on it
Prepare a submission kit before you start. You'll reuse the same information across all directories:
- Product name and URL
- One-sentence tagline (under 70 characters)
- Short description (150 words)
- Long description (500 words)
- Category tags (5–10)
- Logo (square PNG, 400×400 minimum, transparent background)
- Screenshots (3–5 at 1280×800 or similar)
- Founder name and email
Having this ready in a single folder cuts submission time to 5–10 minutes per directory instead of 20–30.
Set a schedule: Tier 1 in week one, Tier 2 in week two, Tier 3 across weeks three and four. Don't rush to submit everywhere at once — a natural submission cadence over several weeks looks more organic to Google's link velocity analysis than 40 backlinks appearing simultaneously.
What link quality should you expect?
Directory links are generally dofollow (the good ones) or nofollow. Nofollow links still have value — they contribute to a natural-looking backlink profile and some nofollow links do pass authority via Google's partial credit system. But prioritise directories that offer dofollow links.
Check any directory before submitting: if you can't find any other product listings with a dofollow link in their profile, it's probably nofollow. A quick Ahrefs link check on a sample listing URL will tell you.
Over three months of consistent directory submissions, a typical SaaS product can accumulate 30–50 legitimate backlinks from domains with DR 40+. This is a meaningful foundation — enough to begin ranking for long-tail keywords and to give new content a ranking boost.
Built something? Submit your product to LaunchBuff → — free listing + fortnightly tournament.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are directory backlinks still valuable for SEO in 2026?
Yes, for quality directories. Google devalued bulk directory submissions from low-quality, spammy link farms years ago. But legitimate SaaS directories with real traffic, real user bases, and editorial standards provide genuine backlinks that Google counts. The key filter: does the directory have real users and real content, or is it clearly built for link farming? If real users are visiting the directory to discover tools, the link is valuable.
How long does it take for directory backlinks to affect rankings?
Typically two to four months. Google needs to crawl the directory, index your listing, process the link, and recalibrate your domain authority. Directory submissions are a medium-term investment, not an overnight boost. Start them as early as possible so the authority accrues before you need it for ranking specific content.
Should I pay for featured or priority listings on directories?
For the highest-authority directories (G2, Capterra), paid plans primarily offer review generation tools and advertising, not better backlinks. For mid-tier directories, paid tiers sometimes include dofollow links while free tiers are nofollow. Evaluate on a directory-by-directory basis. A $20–50 premium listing on a DR 60+ directory with a dofollow link is usually worth it.
Is there a risk of getting penalised for too many directory submissions?
Not from legitimate directories. Google's concern is "link schemes" — coordinated networks of sites trading links artificially. A real SaaS product being listed on 40 legitimate directories is normal and expected. The pattern looks organic because it is organic — real products get discovered and listed in directories. Submit freely to legitimate directories.
Seb Mallory
Founder of LaunchBuff. Writing about product launches, distribution, and what actually works for indie founders getting their first traction.
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