Where should I launch my startup first?

Launch first on the one platform where your buyers already look. For a product people can try today that is usually Product Hunt or a Show HN post; for B2B software it is a G2 profile; for a pre-launch product it is BetaList. Add directories in small batches during the week after.

Where can I promote my startup for free?

Free options we checked on 2026-10-11 include Hacker News (Show HN), a G2 profile claim, Trustpilot's free plan, SaaSHub, Future Tools, a basic Dev Hunt listing, and Fazier if you add its badge to your site. SitePatent also has a free listing with editorial review. BetaList and There's An AI For That are paid.

How many directories should I submit to?

As a rule of thumb, start with 10 to 20 that match your product type, not all 213. Submit five to ten a day, tag every link, and after four weeks keep only the places that sent signups. A relevant profile is worth more than dozens of indiscriminate submissions.

Can I launch on several platforms on the same day?

You can, but launch platforms reward makers who answer comments all day, so most founders give one platform the launch day and use the others in the following weeks. Review sites and directories have no launch day and can be submitted at any time.

Is Product Hunt still worth it?

It is worth one planned launch if people can try the product the same day. Posts go live at 12:01 AM Pacific, you can schedule up to a month ahead, and you do not need a hunter. In our experience most of the traffic arrives in the first day or two, so pair it with profiles that last.

Do directory backlinks help SEO?

Mostly indirectly. Many directory links are nofollow or sponsored, which search engines treat as a hint not to pass ranking credit. What they reliably give you is referral visitors, brand mentions, and pages that search engines and AI assistants can cite when someone looks up your product.

What is a good Domain Rating for a directory?

Domain Rating is an Ahrefs score from 0 to 100 for backlink strength, not a measure of traffic. This guide publishes only places rated 20 or higher. The highest median among its 9 channel types is 86, for developer and open-source communities. Use it to break ties between relevant places, never as the reason to submit.

How long does directory approval take?

It ranges from instant to months. From the platforms we checked: G2 reviews profile claims within 1 to 3 business days, Fazier reviews free submissions within 30 days, and AlternativeTo priority review usually takes 1 to 2 business days while its normal queue holds several thousand apps.

Are paid directory listings worth it?

Pay when the fee buys something you can measure: a guaranteed review, a faster publish date, or placement in front of the right audience. Tag the link and compare the signups it sends with the price. Skip offers that sell only a backlink.

How do I track which directory sent me signups?

Give every place its own tagged link. Set utm_source to the place name, utm_medium to the channel type and utm_campaign to the launch name, then group signups by utm_source in your analytics. The link builder on this page creates the links for you.

Is SitePatent free to submit to?

Yes. Listing on SitePatent is free with editorial review. According to its current pricing page, optional paid plans can add verified placement, faster publishing, and dofollow links.

SitePatent

Where to promote your startup

213 places in 9 channel types, with the rules and costs checked.

Promote a startup in three to five places where its buyers already look: one launch platform, one directory for its category, one review site, and one community it can contribute to. This guide compares 9 channel types, lists the submission rules and costs of 16 major platforms, and indexes 213 places by Domain Rating.

By the SitePatent Editorial Team. Dataset audited 2026-10-11; platform rules checked 2026-10-11. How we checked

Where should you promote a startup first?

Start with the channel type your buyer already uses, not with the longest list. A relevant profile and one measured referral visit are worth more than dozens of indiscriminate submissions.

The 213 places in this guide fall into 9 channel types. The largest is business and local directories, with 53 places.
38 of the 213 places have an Ahrefs Domain Rating of 90 or higher, and 151 are rated 70 or higher.
In our experience launch platforms send most of their traffic in the first day or two. Directories and review sites send less at once and keep sending it.
Hacker News and Peerlist forbid asking for upvotes, and Product Hunt tells makers to ask for feedback, not upvotes.
Not every well-known place is free: BetaList is paid only, and There's An AI For That charges from $49.
Future Tools rejects waitlist-only products, AlternativeTo rejects closed betas, and Show HN excludes sign-up pages, so a pre-launch startup needs a different list.

You are on one of the 213: SitePatent

SaaS and website directory with a free editorial-review option.

Submit your startup

Which type of place fits your startup?

The 213 places differ less by name than by type. Each type suits a different product, asks for a different amount of work, and pays back on a different schedule.

Channel types for promoting a startup, compared by who they suit, what they deliver, effort and payoff
Channel type	Best for	What you get	Effort	When it pays off	In this guide
Launch platforms	Best forNew products that someone can try the same day	What you getA burst of early adopters, comments and feedback on launch day	EffortHigh	When it pays offPeaks in the first day or two, then fades; the launch page stays online	In this guide15 places, median DR 77
Startup directories	Best forAny startup with a live site, at any stage	What you getA permanent company profile that people and AI assistants can find	EffortLow	When it pays offSlow and steady: a trickle of visits for as long as the profile is live	In this guide19 places, median DR 66
Software review and comparison sites	Best forB2B SaaS with paying customers who will leave reviews	What you getBuyers who are already comparing tools in your category	EffortMedium	When it pays offStarts once you have a handful of real reviews, then compounds	In this guide29 places, median DR 81
AI tool directories	Best forProducts whose core feature is AI	What you getVisitors browsing for an AI tool for a specific job	EffortLow	When it pays offA spike when you are added, then a long tail from category pages	In this guide17 places, median DR 64
Developer and open-source communities	Best forDeveloper tools, APIs, libraries and technical products	What you getTechnical users, issues, stars and blunt feedback	EffortHigh	When it pays offDepends on how useful the post or repository is, not on when you post	In this guide32 places, median DR 86
Newsletters, content platforms and press	Best forProducts with a story, a number or a result worth retelling	What you getBorrowed attention from an audience someone else built	EffortHigh	When it pays offOne issue or one article at a time; a pitch is never guaranteed a slot	In this guide20 places, median DR 81
Design galleries	Best forProducts with a landing page or interface good enough to be curated	What you getDesigners and founders browsing for inspiration	EffortLow	When it pays offOnly if curators accept it; accepted pages keep sending visits	In this guide8 places, median DR 75
Agency and B2B marketplaces	Best forAgencies, studios and service businesses	What you getBuyers shortlisting vendors for a project	EffortMedium	When it pays offGrows with verified client reviews on the profile	In this guide20 places, median DR 81
Business and local directories	Best forCompanies with a registered address, local customers or a nonprofit arm	What you getConsistent name, address and phone records across the web	EffortLow	When it pays offLittle direct traffic; helps local search and brand lookups	In this guide53 places, median DR 74

Effort and payoff are our editorial judgement of how each channel type works. Counts and medians are computed from the dataset audited 2026-10-11.

How strong are these places by Domain Rating?

Developer and open-source communities have the highest median Domain Rating in this guide at 86. Across all 213 places the average is 73.8, and nothing rated below 20 is published.

Developer and open-source communities32 places, median 86
Software review and comparison sites29 places, median 81
Newsletters, content platforms and press20 places, median 81
Agency and B2B marketplaces20 places, median 81
Launch platforms15 places, median 77
Design galleries8 places, median 75
Business and local directories53 places, median 74
Startup directories19 places, median 66
AI tool directories17 places, median 64

Each dot is one of the 213 places in this guide, placed by its Ahrefs Domain Rating. The coloured bar marks the median for that channel type. A higher rating means a stronger backlink profile, not more buyers: pick the row that matches your audience first, then look right.

DR 90 to 100: 38places
DR 70 to 89: 113places
DR 50 to 69: 42places
DR 20 to 49: 20places

Where should you start, by product type?

Find the row that describes your product and work down its list in order. Most places named here have their rule and cost in the table that follows.

B2B SaaS with paying customers

A B2B SaaS should claim its review-site profiles first, because buyers on those sites are already comparing tools.

1
G2. Free to claim. Start early: a new product takes about 3 to 5 business days to verify.
2
AlternativeTo. Puts you on the "alternatives to" pages of the tools you replace.
3
SaaSHub. Free submission, verified by the product owner.
4
Product Hunt. One planned launch day once the product can be tried.

AI tool

An AI tool should budget for AI directories, because two of the best known either charge for a listing or reject most submissions.

1
Future Tools. Free, but more than 75% of submissions are rejected.
2
There's An AI For That. Paid from $49, refunded if rejected.
3
AlternativeTo. Lists you against the incumbent you replace.
4
Product Hunt. A launch day with a working demo, not a waitlist.

Developer tool or open-source project

A developer tool should lead with a Show HN post and a well-tagged repository, because developers judge the thing itself.

1
Hacker News (Show HN). Free. Needs something people can run today.
2
GitHub. Add topics to the repository: up to 20, so people browsing a topic find it.
3
Dev Hunt. Free listing, developer tools only, launches in weekly batches.
4
Dev.to. Write a tutorial that solves a real problem with the tool.

Pre-launch product or waitlist

A pre-launch product has few options: Future Tools rejects waitlist-only products, AlternativeTo rejects closed betas, and Show HN excludes sign-up pages.

1
BetaList. Built for pre-launch startups. Paid only, own domain required.
2
Peerlist Launchpad. Once the project is complete: weekly rounds that open every Monday.

Agency or service business

An agency should build one reviewed marketplace profile before spreading out, because on Clutch only verified client reviews count towards ranking.

1
Clutch. Free basic profile. Ask three recent clients for a verified review.
2
Trustpilot. Free plan with 50 review invitations a month.
3
G2. Only if you also sell a software product.

What do the major platforms cost, and what are their rules?

These 16 rows were read on each platform's own help, pricing or guidelines pages on 2026-10-11, and each row links to them. Where a platform does not publish a detail, the cell says "not stated".

Submission cost, key rule and waiting time for 16 platforms, checked 2026-10-11
Platform	Cost to list	The rule founders miss	Wait
Product HuntSource for Product Hunt Second source for Product Hunt	Cost to listNo listing fee stated	The rule founders missPost from a personal account, not a company one. You can launch your own product without a hunter. Its launch guide says to ask for feedback, not upvotes.	WaitLaunch days start at 12:01 AM Pacific. You can schedule up to 1 month ahead.
Hacker News (Show HN)Source for Hacker News (Show HN)	Cost to listFree	The rule founders missIt must be something people can try now, ideally without signing up. Blog posts, sign-up pages, landing pages and newsletters are off topic. The title starts with "Show HN". Do not ask friends to upvote or comment.	WaitPosts appear at once. Stay around to answer questions.
BetaListSource for BetaList Second source for BetaList	Cost to listPaid only. Prices appear at the end of the submit form.	The rule founders missPre-launch or recently launched tech startups on their own domain. No app-store links and no free subdomains. Refunded automatically if not selected.	WaitDepends on the plan you buy
Peerlist LaunchpadSource for Peerlist Launchpad Second source for Peerlist Launchpad	Cost to listNot stated in its guidelines	The rule founders missLaunches run in weekly rounds that open on Monday. Only individual profiles can launch, and only complete projects. Messaging members you do not know to ask for upvotes is treated as spam.	WaitNext weekly round
FazierSource for Fazier	Cost to listFree with a Fazier badge on your site, or $29 to $99	The rule founders missThe free tier requires embedding their badge and link on your website.	WaitFree: reviewed and listed within 30 days. Paid: can publish immediately.
Dev HuntSource for Dev Hunt	Cost to listFree listing with a nofollow link; $19 to pick your launch week and get a dofollow link	The rule founders missDeveloper tools only.	WaitWeekly batches
G2Source for G2	Cost to listFree to claim a profile	The rule founders missA claim goes to G2 for approval before the profile is yours. A product that is new to G2 is verified first.	WaitClaims are reviewed within 1 to 3 business days. Verifying a new product takes about 3 to 5.
SaaSHubSource for SaaSHub	Cost to listFree	The rule founders missYou submit the product and then verify that it is yours.	WaitNot stated
TrustpilotSource for Trustpilot	Cost to listFree plan	The rule founders missClaim your business profile first. The free plan includes 50 review invitations a month.	WaitNot stated
AlternativeToSource for AlternativeTo	Cost to listNo listing fee stated; optional $5 priority review	The rule founders missNo closed betas, invite-only or early-access apps. The app must support English.	WaitThe normal queue holds several thousand apps. Priority review usually takes 1 to 2 business days.
There's An AI For ThatSource for There's An AI For That	Cost to listPaid: from $49 for a listing with the Just Released section	The rule founders missEvery submission is reviewed by hand, with a full refund if it is rejected.	WaitNot stated
Future ToolsSource for Future Tools	Cost to listFree	The rule founders missMore than 75% of submissions are rejected. No waitlist-only products or custom GPTs. If it is not listed within a week, you can resubmit.	WaitNot stated
ClutchSource for Clutch Second source for Clutch	Cost to listFree basic profile; Verified is $499 a year	The rule founders missA marketplace for service providers. Only verified client reviews count towards ranking.	WaitNot stated
GitHubSource for GitHub	Cost to listFree	The rule founders missA repository can carry up to 20 topics, added by its admins, so people browsing a topic can find it.	WaitTopics appear at once
Dev.toSource for Dev.to	Cost to listFree	The rule founders missPosts must not be written mainly to promote something or to create backlinks. Teach something and mention the product inside it.	WaitPosts appear at once
Lobste.rsSource for Lobste.rs	Cost to listFree	The rule founders missYou need an invitation from a member, and self-promotion should stay under a quarter of what you post.	WaitUntil someone invites you

Prices and rules change. Confirm them on the destination site before investing time or money.

What does a four-week launch look like?

Queues decide the order. Anything with a review wait starts a week early, launch day gets one platform, and directories follow in batches.

2 weeks before
Build the launch kit once
- Write the tagline, the three descriptions and the maker comment from the templates below.
- Export the logo and four or five screenshots at the sizes in the checklist.
- Create one tagged link per place so every visit can be traced back.
1 week before
Start everything that has a queue
- Claim the G2 profile: a new product takes about 3 to 5 business days to verify.
- Submit to free queues that take weeks, such as Fazier (up to 30 days) and AlternativeTo.
- Schedule the Product Hunt launch. It can be set up to 1 month ahead.
Launch day
One launch platform, full attention
- Product Hunt days begin at 12:01 AM Pacific, so the post has the whole day.
- Post the Show HN if the product can be tried without a waitlist.
- Answer every comment the same day. Ask for feedback, never for upvotes.
Week after
Directories in small batches
- As a rule of thumb, submit to five to ten places a day from the channel types that match your buyer.
- Reword the description for each place instead of pasting the same text.
- Invite your first customers to leave a review where you claimed a profile.
Weeks 2 to 4
Measure, then cut
- Group visits and signups by utm_source in your analytics.
- Keep the places that sent signups. Stop maintaining the ones that sent nothing.
- Update the profiles that work when you ship something new.

What should you write? Four templates to copy

Replace the brackets with your own words. They follow the rules above: plain description, a way to try the product, and a request for feedback, not votes.

Tagline

Say the outcome and the audience. Leave out adjectives.

[What it does] for [who it is for]

Example: Invoice reminders for freelance designers

Show HN title and first comment

The title starts with "Show HN". The comment explains what it is and what you want to learn.

Show HN: [Product] - [what it does in plain words]

Hi HN, I built [Product] because [the problem you kept hitting].

It [does the one main thing]. You can try it at [link] without signing up.

It is built with [stack]. The part I am least sure about is [open question]. I would like to hear where it breaks for you.

Launch-day maker comment

Post it yourself as the first comment. Ask for feedback, not votes.

Hi everyone, I am [name], the maker of [Product].

I built it after [short story of the problem].

What it does today:
- [benefit one]
- [benefit two]
- [benefit three]

It is [free / price]. I will be here all day. What would stop you from using this?

Directory description

About 100 words. Reword the first sentence for every place you submit to.

[Product] helps [audience] [achieve outcome] without [the usual pain].

[One sentence on how it works.] [One sentence on what makes it different from the tool people use today.]

Pricing starts at [price], with [free plan or trial]. Founded in [year] by [name] in [place].

How do you know which place sent a signup?

Give every place its own tagged link. Set utm_source to the place name, utm_medium to the channel type and utm_campaign to the launch, then group signups by utm_source in your analytics.

Page you want visitors to land onPlace you are submitting toChannel typeCampaign name

https://yourstartup.example/?utm_source=product-hunt&utm_medium=launch&utm_campaign=launch

Suggested utm_medium value for each channel type
Channel type	utm_medium
Launch platforms	launch
Startup directories	directory
Software review and comparison sites	review-site
AI tool directories	ai-directory
Developer and open-source communities	community
Newsletters, content platforms and press	newsletter
Design galleries	gallery
Agency and B2B marketplaces	marketplace
Business and local directories	directory

Which places and tips should you skip?

Older lists still send founders to platforms that closed years ago. We removed these 7 from the dataset on 2026-10-11. Below them is advice that no longer matches the platforms' own rules.

No longer take submissions

DeliciousRead-only since 2017
Inbound.orgClosed in 2018
NetvibesRetired as a standalone service
PolyworkShut down; the domain no longer loads
NexopiaClosed
Funding CentralReturns a page-not-found error
CrewNow redirects to a Dribbble hiring page

Advice that is out of date

“BetaList has a free queue”: Its FAQ says all submissions are paid.
“You need a hunter on Product Hunt”: Anyone can post their own product, and Product Hunt advises against paying a hunter.
“Ask your network for upvotes”: Hacker News and Peerlist forbid it, and Product Hunt tells makers to ask for feedback, not upvotes.
“AI directories are free”: There's An AI For That charges from $49. Future Tools is free and rejects more than 75%.
“A waitlist page is enough to launch”: Future Tools rejects waitlist-only products, AlternativeTo rejects closed betas and invite-only apps, and Show HN excludes sign-up and landing pages.
“Domain Rating is a Google ranking factor”: It is an Ahrefs metric. Ahrefs says only that it correlates with rankings.
“Paid links must be nofollow”: Google prefers rel="sponsored" for paid placements; nofollow is still acceptable.

What do these terms mean?

Domain Rating (DR): Ahrefs' score from 0 to 100 for the strength of a website's backlink profile compared with the other sites in its database. It is based on links only and does not measure traffic, content quality or relevance. Source for Domain Rating (DR)
Dofollow and nofollow: A nofollow link carries rel="nofollow", a hint to search engines not to pass ranking credit through it. A link without that attribute is informally called dofollow. Both send real visitors.
Sponsored link: A link marked rel="sponsored". Google asks sites to use it for ads and paid placements, and still accepts nofollow for the same purpose. Source for Sponsored link
UTM parameters: Tags added to the end of a link, such as utm_source and utm_medium, that tell your analytics which place a visitor came from.
Launch platform: A site where new products compete for attention on a set day or week, such as Product Hunt. In our experience most of the traffic arrives in the first day or two.
Startup directory: A site that keeps a permanent, categorised profile of each company. It sends fewer visitors at once than a launch platform but keeps sending them.
Show HN: The Hacker News label for posts where someone shares something they made that other people can try. Its rules exclude landing pages and sign-up pages. Source for Show HN
Editorial review: A person checks a submission before it is published. It is slower than instant listing and keeps obvious spam out.

Get all 213 in one spreadsheet, free

Sortable, with the direct submit link for each place and a progress tracker so you can work through them one by one.

All 213 places in one sortable spreadsheet, with source submit links and a progress tracker. Verify each destination's current terms before submitting. No spam; unsubscribe anytime.

All 213 places, by channel type

Every place in the guide, highest Domain Rating first within each type. To search, sort or download the same rows, use the startup directory comparison.

Launch platforms

15 places

Launch platforms: 15 places with what each one is and its Domain Rating
Place	Listed under	DR
Hacker News (Show HN) Show HN is for things people can try now. Blog posts, sign-up pages and landing pages are off topic.	Product Launch & Discovery	91
Product Hunt Daily launch platform. Post from a personal account; launch days start at 12:01 AM Pacific.	Product Launch & Discovery	91
Fazier Launch platform. Free with its badge on your site, with paid tiers that publish immediately.	Product Launch & Discovery	84
Twelve Tools Tool directory. Review-based listing.	Product Launch & Discovery	83
Turbo0 Submit directly from dashboard. Good UX.	Product Launch & Discovery	81
Wired Business Business tools directory.	Product Launch & Discovery	78
BetaList Pre-launch and newly launched startups. All submissions are paid, and refunded if not selected.	Product Launch & Discovery	77
Peerlist Developer-focused. List your project or tool. Active community.	Product Launch & Discovery	77
SideProjectors Buy/sell/list side projects. Good for bootstrapped tools.	Product Launch & Discovery	71
Dev Hunt Launch platform for developer tools only, run in weekly batches. Free basic listing.	Product Launch & Discovery	66
Startup Stash Curated resource directory loved by founders.	Product Launch & Discovery	65
Shipit No gatekeeping philosophy. Good for early launches.	Product Launch & Discovery	58
WIP Builder community. Log progress + list your product.	Product Launch & Discovery	55
Startup Buffer Accepts SaaS and tools. Simple form. Quick review.	Product Launch & Discovery	44
ToolScout AI and developer tool discovery. Growing fast.	Product Launch & Discovery	29

Startup directories

19 places

Startup directories: 19 places with what each one is and its Domain Rating
Place	Listed under	DR
Xing Company (DACH) German LinkedIn. Company profile + link. DACH market.	Startup & Company Directories	94
ZDNet Tech news. Pitch business software or SaaS angle.	Startup & Company Directories	91
Wellfound Investor + talent visibility.	Startup & Company Directories	87
IndieHackers Claim product page. Share milestones. Very active community.	Startup & Company Directories	82
SD Times Software development news. Good for dev tool announcements.	Startup & Company Directories	78
StartupBlink Global startup map. Add with Chisinau location.	Startup & Company Directories	74
Startup Nation Startup community + blog. Write about your product.	Startup & Company Directories	73
Startup.info EU startup media. Claim profile. Good for press coverage.	Startup & Company Directories	72
Techaeris Tech news + reviews. Pitch for product review.	Startup & Company Directories	67
CodeTrendy Curated startup directory with free editorial review. Paid plans publish immediately and add a Verified Business badge without requiring a badge on your own homepage.	Startup & Company Directories	66
SeedTable European startup rankings. Good for EU visibility.	Startup & Company Directories	65
Startup Resources Curated tools for startups. Good for SaaS tools.	Startup & Company Directories	62
StartupRanking Alexa-style ranking for startups. Good for tracking growth.	Startup & Company Directories	62
Startup Inspire Curated startup listing. Simple form.	Startup & Company Directories	59
Startups.co Startup profiles. Good SEO footprint.	Startup & Company Directories	53
The Pitch Show DB Podcast directory of pitched startups. Visibility to investors.	Startup & Company Directories	49
Startup Tracker Tracks startup progress. List and update monthly.	Startup & Company Directories	43
The Startup Pitch Post your startup pitch. Investor visibility.	Startup & Company Directories	38
Unicorn Hunt Startup discovery. Growing community. Easy form.	Startup & Company Directories	30

Software review and comparison sites

29 places

Software review and comparison sites: 29 places with what each one is and its Domain Rating
Place	Listed under	DR
Trustpilot Consumer review platform. The free plan lets you claim a profile and invite reviewers.	Review Platforms	94
SourceForge Even closed-source tools listed. Easy form.	SaaS & Software Directories	93
Capterra Software review and comparison site. Check its listing guidelines for eligibility.	SaaS & Software Directories	91
G2 Software review site. Claiming your product profile is free; ranking depends on customer reviews.	SaaS & Software Directories	91
IDC MarketScape IT analyst reports. Get mentioned in market reports.	Industry Analyst & Research	90
SimilarWeb Claim Claim site data. Used extensively by B2B buyers researching tools.	Industry Analyst & Research	89
Yotpo Review collection platform. Good for eCommerce-adjacent tools.	Review Platforms	88
FinancesOnline SaaS review platform. Submit + request review.	SaaS & Software Directories	87
Slashdot Classic tech news. Submit for developer audience.	SaaS & Software Directories	87
Software Advice Advisor Software Advice FrontRunner badge. Same form as Capterra.	Industry Analyst & Research	87
GetApp Same backend as Capterra. One listing covers both.	SaaS & Software Directories	85
TrustRadius B2B software review site. Vendors can claim their profile for free.	SaaS & Software Directories	85
TrustMary Testimonial collection + public profile. Good for B2B.	Review Platforms	84
AppSumo Deals Revenue share. Massive email list. Must offer LTD.	SaaS & Software Directories	83
AlternativeTo Lists software as alternatives to better-known tools. No closed betas or invite-only apps.	SaaS & Software Directories	81
Sitejabber Consumer reviews. Claim your free profile.	Review Platforms	81
SaaSHub Software alternatives directory. Free to submit, then verify the product is yours.	SaaS & Software Directories	80
SpyFu Competitor Profile SEO competitive intel. Claim your domain data.	Industry Analyst & Research	80
Datanyze Tech profiling tool. Claim your company entry.	SaaS & Software Directories	78
Stackshare Dev tool stacks. List your tool + show integrations. Dev audience.	SaaS & Software Directories	78
SaaSworthy Emerging. Add your tool and gather ratings.	SaaS & Software Directories	75
Crozdesk Vendor B2B marketplace. List as vendor.	SaaS & Software Directories	74
Compare Camp SaaS comparison reviews. Pitch for inclusion.	SaaS & Software Directories	72
Featured Customers Case study + review based. Good for enterprise positioning.	SaaS & Software Directories	72
Software.com Software comparison. Claim your page. Strong domain.	SaaS & Software Directories	72
Slant Community-driven rankings. Add your tool as alternative.	SaaS & Software Directories	70
Serchen SaaS review directory. Good for older/niche tools.	SaaS & Software Directories	68
Tool Finder B2B B2B tools finder. Clean UX. Active audience.	SaaS & Software Directories	59
SitePatent SaaS and website directory with a free editorial-review option.	SaaS & Software Directories	51

AI tool directories

17 places

AI tool directories: 17 places with what each one is and its Domain Rating
Place	Listed under	DR
Hugging Face Spaces ML model/app hosting. Huge AI community. Deploy demos.	AI & Tech Tool Directories	92
There's An AI For That Large AI tool directory. Paid listing, reviewed by hand, refunded if rejected.	AI & Tech Tool Directories	78
Futurepedia Massive AI directory. Best for AI-enhanced tools.	AI & Tech Tool Directories	73
Toolify Weekly Also submit to their weekly newsletter spotlight.	AI & Tech Tool Directories	73
Supertools The Rundown AI's tools directory. Large newsletter audience.	AI & Tech Tool Directories	72
Phind Tools AI dev search engine. Get listed in their tool index.	AI & Tech Tool Directories	71
Future Tools Curated AI tool directory. Free to submit; most submissions are rejected.	AI & Tech Tool Directories	69
Yo Directory Newer tech tool directory. Submit for discovery.	AI & Tech Tool Directories	69
MicroLaunch MicroSaaS focused. Weekly featured picks. Good audience.	AI & Tech Tool Directories	64
TopAI Tools Curated. Good traffic for AI-adjacent tools.	AI & Tech Tool Directories	64
EasyWithAI Popular AI tool aggregator.	AI & Tech Tool Directories	60
Heybot Niche AI chatbot and tool directory.	AI & Tech Tool Directories	58
Altern AI AI alternatives directory. List as alternative to major tools.	AI & Tech Tool Directories	56
SaaS AI Tools SaaS tools with AI focus. Niche but relevant.	AI & Tech Tool Directories	53
Toolsaday Daily AI tools curation. Submit for featured listing.	AI & Tech Tool Directories	48
MediaProNet Curated tech and media product directory with a free editorial-review option.	AI & Tech Tool Directories	40
Mad Penguin Open source + SaaS reviews.	AI & Tech Tool Directories	36

Developer and open-source communities

32 places

Developer and open-source communities: 32 places with what each one is and its Domain Rating
Place	Listed under	DR
GitHub Host the repository and add topics so people browsing a topic can find it.	SEO & Developer Communities	97
npm Registry Node packages. If any JS tools, publish them here.	Open Source & Code Directories	93
GitLab Alternative to GitHub.	Open Source & Code Directories	92
Stack Overflow Dev-focused. Answer questions related to your tool's domain.	Forum & Q&A Communities	92
CodeCanyon (Envato) Sell PHP scripts/plugins. Huge marketplace. Revenue split.	Open Source & Code Directories	91
Dev.to Write about your tool. Developer audience. Add canonical to your site.	SEO & Developer Communities	91
Mastodon (IndieHackers) IndieWeb community.	SEO & Developer Communities	91
Search Engine Journal SEJ contributor program. Write about your tool.	SEO & Developer Communities	91
Search Engine Land Top SEO industry publication. Pitch product news.	SEO & Developer Communities	91
Tuts+ (Envato) Tutorial platform.	SEO & Developer Communities	91
Backlinko Brian Dean's SEO blog. Pitch for tools roundup mentions.	SEO & Developer Communities	90
Codeberg EU-based GitHub alternative. Growing open source community.	Open Source & Code Directories	90
Smashing Magazine Pitch a guest article about SEO/tools.	SEO & Developer Communities	90
Free Code Camp Write a tutorial about your tool/tech stack. Massive reach.	Open Source & Code Directories	89
Hacker Noon Tech publication. Write about your product/technology.	SEO & Developer Communities	88
SitePoint Web dev publication. Pitch article with tool mention.	SEO & Developer Communities	86
Laravel News Laravel ecosystem news. Pitch PHP/API tools.	SEO & Developer Communities	85
DZone Write a technical article about your tool. Dev audience.	SEO & Developer Communities	84
CodeProject Technical article + tool listing. Dev audience since 1999.	SEO & Developer Communities	83
Hashnode Developer blog platform. Link back to product. Good SEO.	SEO & Developer Communities	83
Softaculous Auto-installer directory. Submit your PHP web apps.	Open Source & Code Directories	82
Open Hub (Black Duck) Open source project tracking. Add even semi-open tools.	Open Source & Code Directories	78
Codementor Blog Write a tutorial about building/using your tool.	SEO & Developer Communities	77
BlackHatWorld SEO community. Services section. Good for SEO tool listing.	Forum & Q&A Communities	75
DigitalPoint Forums Webmaster tools and services marketplace. Long-standing community.	Forum & Q&A Communities	75
Libraries.io Package/library directory. List your PHP packages here.	Open Source & Code Directories	75
Lobste.rs Invite-only dev community. High quality. Need invite.	SEO & Developer Communities	75
Warrior Forum Internet marketing forum. Post your tools in relevant threads.	Forum & Q&A Communities	74
WebmasterWorld Webmaster SEO forum. Oldest SEO community.	Forum & Q&A Communities	74
PHP Classes PHP-specific. Submit your PHP classes/tools.	Open Source & Code Directories	73
SpacHey Indie social network. Growing dev/maker community.	Forum & Q&A Communities	72
Devrant Developer community. Share your product journey.	SEO & Developer Communities	57

Newsletters, content platforms and press

20 places

Newsletters, content platforms and press: 20 places with what each one is and its Domain Rating
Place	Listed under	DR
Substack Discovery Create a Substack about your niche.	Newsletter & Curated Lists	94
Gumroad List tools/resources. Discover tab brings organic traffic.	Content & Press	92
Entrepreneur Magazine Pitch your startup journey. Business tools coverage.	Content & Press	91
Feedly RSS aggregator. Submit your blog RSS feed. Developer audience.	Social Bookmarking	91
Inc. Magazine Pitch startup story. Good for media coverage.	Content & Press	91
VentureBeat AI/data tools coverage. Pitch angle around your niche tools.	Content & Press	91
Mix (StumbleUpon) StumbleUpon successor. Submit pages for discovery.	Social Bookmarking	89
Flipboard Content curation. Create a magazine about your niche tools.	Social Bookmarking	87
EmailOctopus Lists Email platform. Create newsletter featuring your tools.	Newsletter & Curated Lists	85
Instapaper Save articles. Large audience for discovery.	Social Bookmarking	81
Morning Brew Business newsletter. Paid. Good for B2B SaaS tools.	Newsletter & Curated Lists	81
Pearltrees Visual content organization. Create collections about your tools.	Social Bookmarking	78
Folkd Social bookmarking.	Social Bookmarking	73
Refind Curated links platform. Good for developer/tech tools.	Social Bookmarking	64
The Bootstrapped Founder Arvid Kahl's newsletter. Submit for tool mention in content.	Newsletter & Curated Lists	59
BizSugar Small business community. Submit your articles/tools.	Social Bookmarking	56
Hacker Newsletter Curates best of HN. Get your HN post featured organically.	Newsletter & Curated Lists	51
Startup Digest Curated startup newsletter. Nominate your product for feature.	Newsletter & Curated Lists	51
PitchGround Similar to AppSumo. Smaller but engaged audience.	Content & Press	47
EarlyBird Launch deals. Good for building initial customer base.	Content & Press	33

Design galleries

8 places

Design galleries: 8 places with what each one is and its Domain Rating
Place	Listed under	DR
Webflow Showcase If built with Webflow. Else pitch your design style.	Web App Galleries	92
CSS Design Awards CSS showcase.	Web App Galleries	80
One Page Love One-page website gallery. If your tool has a one-page landing.	Web App Galleries	79
SiteInspire Curated web design showcase. Very selective.	Web App Galleries	76
Land-Book Landing page gallery. Submit if your landing looks great.	Web App Galleries	73
Lapa Ninja Landing page inspiration. Submit your tool landing page.	Web App Galleries	69
Pageflows User flow gallery. Submit your onboarding flow.	Web App Galleries	66
Minimal Gallery Minimalist web design. If your site is clean, submit it.	Web App Galleries	61

Agency and B2B marketplaces

20 places

Agency and B2B marketplaces: 20 places with what each one is and its Domain Rating
Place	Listed under	DR
Clutch Marketplace for agencies and service providers. Free basic profile; verified client reviews drive ranking.	B2B & Lead Generation	91
Fiverr Create service gigs. Seller profile links crawled.	Freelance & Agency Platforms	91
Upwork Largest freelance marketplace. Profile links are crawled.	Freelance & Agency Platforms	91
Design Rush Agency listing. Paid but high ROI for B2B lead gen.	B2B & Lead Generation	90
Toptal Elite freelance network. Hard to get in but high value clients.	Freelance & Agency Platforms	90
CB Insights Tech market intelligence. Claim/update your company profile.	B2B & Lead Generation	87
GoodFirms B2B directory + reviews. Growing fast. Good SEO placement.	B2B & Lead Generation	86
PitchBook VC/investor data. Claim company profile for investor visibility.	B2B & Lead Generation	84
Hunter.io Profile Email finding tool. Claim your domain profile for visibility.	B2B & Lead Generation	82
Sortlist EU agency matching platform. Good for finding clients.	B2B & Lead Generation	81
UpCity Digital marketing agency directory. Good B2B listing.	B2B & Lead Generation	81
Codeable WordPress/PHP focused. Expert listing. High client quality.	Freelance & Agency Platforms	80
Manifest Business resource guide. Agency/SaaS profiles.	B2B & Lead Generation	80
PeoplePerHour UK-focused freelance marketplace. Good for EU clients.	Freelance & Agency Platforms	80
Tracxn Startup intelligence platform. Claim your profile.	B2B & Lead Generation	79
Lusha B2B contact platform. Register company for correct data.	B2B & Lead Generation	76
RocketReach Company database. Claim profile for accurate info.	B2B & Lead Generation	76
TopDevelopers IT companies directory. Good for agency/dev companies.	B2B & Lead Generation	74
Lemon.io Vetted developers for startups. Good hourly rates.	Freelance & Agency Platforms	72
Twine Creative + dev freelance. Niche but good quality clients.	Freelance & Agency Platforms	65

Business and local directories

53 places

Business and local directories: 53 places with what each one is and its Domain Rating
Place	Listed under	DR
Moz Community Moz community posts. Mention tools contextually.	Niche: SEO & Marketing Tools	91
BrightLocal Citations Done-for-you citation building. Proven ROI for local SEO.	Citation & NAP Directories	90
Foundation Directory Online Candid (GuideStar) grant data. List your tool for NGOs.	Grant & NGO Directories	90
YellowPages.com Free basic.	Citation & NAP Directories	89
Smart Insights Tools Digital marketing knowledge hub. Pitch tools for review.	Niche: SEO & Marketing Tools	88
BuiltWith Directory Tech stack tracking. Get your tech listed in their database.	Niche: SEO & Marketing Tools	87
Manta Small business directory. Claim profile.	General & Business Directories	86
Grants.gov US Federal grants portal. Reference point for your grant tool.	Grant & NGO Directories	85
Superpages Yellow pages online. Good for citation building.	General & Business Directories	85
Chamber of Commerce Business directory. High trust. Niche but credible.	General & Business Directories	84
MerchantCircle Business network. Claim free listing. Good local SEO.	General & Business Directories	84
Hotfrog Global directory.	General & Business Directories	82
VolunteerMatch Nonprofit platform. Claim profile + mention your tools.	Grant & NGO Directories	82
Yext PowerListings Premium but fast.	Citation & NAP Directories	82
Whitespark Citation Finder Find + build citations. Best local SEO tool.	Citation & NAP Directories	81
Brownbook Business directory. Easy submission.	Citation & NAP Directories	80
Chiefmartec Martech landscape map. Pitch inclusion in their LumaScape.	Niche: SEO & Marketing Tools	80
CitySearch Local business directory.	Citation & NAP Directories	80
EZlocal Local and web business listing. Easy form.	General & Business Directories	80
TechSoup Technology for nonprofits. Submit your tool for NGO audience.	Grant & NGO Directories	80
DexKnows Dex Media directory. Good US citation.	Citation & NAP Directories	78
ShowMeLocal Business directory. Good NAP consistency tool.	Citation & NAP Directories	78
Kompass Global B2B. Strong in EU. Good for lead gen.	General & Business Directories	77
EnrollBusiness Free business listings. NAP citation value.	Citation & NAP Directories	76
Spoke.com Company network. Claim profile. Adds to web presence.	General & Business Directories	76
n49 Canada/US directory. Good for NA citations.	Citation & NAP Directories	75
Insider Pages Local reviews directory. Claim your page.	Citation & NAP Directories	74
Infobel International business directory.	General & Business Directories	73
NGO Source International NGO database. Claim profile for visibility.	Grant & NGO Directories	73
Best of the Web Best of the Web is listed under General & Business Directories.	General & Business Directories	72
iGlobal Global B2B directory. EU presence. Good for agencies.	General & Business Directories	72
Curlie (DMOZ successor) Human-edited DMOZ replacement. High trust. Slow but worth it.	General Web Directories	70
GrantStation Grant database. Pitch your grant discovery tool to their audience.	Grant & NGO Directories	70
Jasmine Directory Curated human-reviewed.	General & Business Directories	70
Europages EU B2B directory. Strong for Eastern European companies.	General & Business Directories	69
Scrub The Web Web directory. Free submission. Indexed quickly.	General Web Directories	69
Digital Marketing Depot MarTech resource directory. List your tool as vendor.	Niche: SEO & Marketing Tools	63
SoMuch.com Meta-search + directory. Free submission.	General Web Directories	60
Express Update (InfoGroup) Update your business data in InfoGroup's database.	Citation & NAP Directories	56
Localeze (Neustar) Core US data aggregator. Feeds hundreds of local directories.	Citation & NAP Directories	56
Info Tiger Web directory + search. Free listing. Long-standing.	General Web Directories	54
Web Directory Clean paid directory. Editor-reviewed.	General Web Directories	53
Bizify UK/EU UK and EU focused. Good for European client reach.	General & Business Directories	52
Jayde.com B2B-focused web directory. Long history.	General Web Directories	51
AVIVA Directory Curated human-reviewed directory.	General Web Directories	49
GetFave Local business directory. Free claim.	Citation & NAP Directories	48
V7N Web Directory SEO-focused directory. Community-vetted.	General Web Directories	47
Marketing Automation Insider MA-focused content. Pitch tool for review article.	Niche: SEO & Marketing Tools	45
Go Guides Editor-reviewed directory.	General Web Directories	41
Startup Lift User testing + listing. Good visibility.	Niche: SEO & Marketing Tools	30
Mavicanet European multilingual web directory. Good for EU sites.	General Web Directories	29
My Business Listing Manager Manages your listings across multiple directories.	Citation & NAP Directories	25
Marketing Tools Marketing-specific tools listing. Niche audience.	Niche: SEO & Marketing Tools	20

How was this guide put together?

The list combines startup directories with adjacent promotion channels gathered from the PY_DIREX source database and was reconciled 2026-10-11. Domain Rating is a third-party authority estimate from Ahrefs, refreshed weekly, not a measure of traffic or expected results. Places rated below 20 are not published.

Submission rules and costs in the rules table were read on each platform's own help, pricing or guidelines page on 2026-10-11, and each row links to that page. 13 of the 213 places carry first-party cost evidence. For the rest this page shows only the name, category, Domain Rating and a short note from the source snapshot that has not been re-verified. Submission rules and prices change, so verify them on the destination site before investing time or money.

SitePatent publishes this guide and is itself one of the places listed, together with its sister directories. No other destination paid or asked to be included.

Changes

2026-10-11: Checked rules and costs for 16 platforms on their own pages. Removed 7 closed platforms and one that no longer takes submissions. Corrected There's An AI For That from free to paid and rewrote the notes on the checked platforms.

11 quick answers

Questions, answered.

Answers to common questions about this page.

Not here? Ask us

Launch first on the one platform where your buyers already look. For a product people can try today that is usually Product Hunt or a Show HN post; for B2B software it is a G2 profile; for a pre-launch product it is BetaList. Add directories in small batches during the week after.

Work through all 213 without copying links by hand

Get the whole list as a spreadsheet with direct submit links, evidence status and a tracker column, plus a note when the research snapshot changes.

All 213 places in one sortable spreadsheet, with source submit links and a progress tracker. Verify each destination's current terms before submitting. No spam; unsubscribe anytime.

Where should you promote a startup first?

Which type of place fits your startup?

How strong are these places by Domain Rating?

Where should you start, by product type?

B2B SaaS with paying customers

AI tool

Developer tool or open-source project

Pre-launch product or waitlist

Agency or service business

What do the major platforms cost, and what are their rules?

What does a four-week launch look like?

Build the launch kit once

Start everything that has a queue

One launch platform, full attention

Directories in small batches

Measure, then cut

What do you need before you submit anywhere?

What should you write? Four templates to copy

Tagline

Show HN title and first comment

Launch-day maker comment

Directory description

How do you know which place sent a signup?

Which places and tips should you skip?

No longer take submissions

Advice that is out of date

What do these terms mean?

Get all 213 in one spreadsheet, free

All 213 places, by channel type

Launch platforms

Startup directories

Software review and comparison sites

AI tool directories

Developer and open-source communities

Newsletters, content platforms and press

Design galleries

Agency and B2B marketplaces

Business and local directories

How was this guide put together?

Changes

Questions, answered.

Where should I launch my startup first?

Where can I promote my startup for free?

How many directories should I submit to?

Can I launch on several platforms on the same day?

Is Product Hunt still worth it?

Do directory backlinks help SEO?

What is a good Domain Rating for a directory?

How long does directory approval take?

Are paid directory listings worth it?

How do I track which directory sent me signups?

Is SitePatent free to submit to?

Work through all 213 without copying links by hand