What is directory submission?

Listing your product on sites that catalog products, such as launch platforms and startup, SaaS and AI tool directories. Each listing is a page about your product that usually links to your site.

How many directories should I submit to?

Start with the 20 to 30 free, dofollow directories with the highest Domain Rating, then add the ones made for your kind of product. Past that, pick by fit, not by count.

Is directory submission free?

Mostly. 91% of the 137 directories we track let you list for free; some of those sell paid upgrades, such as a featured spot or a faster review.

Do directory backlinks help SEO?

Dofollow links from sites with a high Domain Rating count toward your own. Nofollow links still bring visitors and help search engines find your pages. 37% of the directories we track give every listing a dofollow link.

How long until my listings go live?

Most directories review new listings first, which takes from a day to a few weeks. Some publish at once.

Directory submission in 2026: where to list your product, and how

Directory submission means listing your product on launch platforms and product directories, each a page that links to your site. This guide covers what to prepare, where to start and what to avoid, with numbers from the 137 directories we track.

Last updated October 2026

01

What directory submission is

Directory submission is listing your product on sites that catalog products: launch platforms like Product Hunt, startup and SaaS directories, and AI tool lists. Each listing is a page about your product, usually with a link to your site.

ProductsFarm tracks 137 of them, ranked by Ahrefs Domain Rating. 91% are free to list on, 37% give every listing a dofollow link, and their median DR is 66.

02

Is it still worth it in 2026?

For a new product, yes. A listing gives you a link from an established site, a few early visitors, and one more place where search engines and AI assistants can find your product. It won't replace word of mouth, and most listings send a handful of visitors, not a flood.

The link is the lasting part. A dofollow link from a site with a high Domain Rating counts toward your own; a nofollow link still brings visitors and helps search engines find your pages. Of the 137 directories we track, 57 have a DR of 70 or more.

03

Get your listing ready first

Write it once and reuse it everywhere, so every listing says the same thing:

Your product's name, spelled the same way on every site.
A tagline under 60 characters that says what it does.
A short description of about 160 characters, and a longer one of two or three paragraphs.
A square logo of at least 256 by 256 pixels, and two or three screenshots.

Its categories, its pricing and the platforms it runs on.

An email address at your own domain: some directories ask for one to confirm the site is yours.

A sheet to note each directory, the date you submitted, its status and the listing's link.

04

Where to start

Start with the directories that are free and give every listing a dofollow link, highest Domain Rating first. 44 of the 137 on our list are both. These are the top 10:

1SourceForgeSaaS directoryDR 93
2Startup FameStartup directoryDR 85
3FazierLaunch platformDR 84
4Twelve ToolsLaunch platformDR 83
5Turbo0SaaS directoryDR 81
6SaaSHubSaaS directoryDR 80
7ToolPilotAI directoryDR 79
8PeerPushLaunch platformDR 78
9StackShareSaaS directoryDR 78
10Smol LaunchLaunch platformDR 76

Then work through our lists, starting with the one made for your kind of product:

See all 137 directories, ranked by DR

05

How to submit, step by step

Open the directory's submit page. Many ask you to sign up first.
Paste in your listing, trimmed to the form's limits. Keep the name and tagline the same as everywhere else.
Pick the closest category, add your logo and screenshots, and submit.
Confirm the email most directories send, or the listing may never reach review.
Note the date in your sheet, and check back in a week or two for the live listing and its link.
If a directory offers a dofollow link for its badge on your site, decide whether it's worth it, then add the badge.

06

Dofollow, nofollow and badges

37% of the directories we track give every listing a dofollow link. Another 17% follow the link only when you qualify: with their badge on your site, a top 3 finish or enough votes. The rest use nofollow, or we haven't confirmed their link yet.

A badge is a small image that links back to the directory. It takes a minute to add, in your footer or on a press page.

07

Mistakes to avoid

Paying for a listing without checking the site's Domain Rating first. It changes over time.
A different name or tagline on every site, so your listings don't match.
Skipping the confirmation email, so the listing never goes live.
Submitting to dozens in a day and losing track of them. Keep the sheet.
Expecting traffic from every listing. Most send a few visitors; the link is what lasts.

08

How long it takes

About 30 minutes a directory once your listing is ready, counting the sign-up, the confirmation email and the form: about 15 hours for 30 directories and 50 for 100. Directories then review on their own schedule, from a day to a few weeks.

Or have us do it

We submit your product by hand to 30, 60, 100 or 350+ directories, highest Domain Rating first, and track every listing in your dashboard. From $49, one time.

Submit for me

09

Questions

What is directory submission?: Listing your product on sites that catalog products, such as launch platforms and startup, SaaS and AI tool directories. Each listing is a page about your product that usually links to your site.
How many directories should I submit to?: Start with the 20 to 30 free, dofollow directories with the highest Domain Rating, then add the ones made for your kind of product. Past that, pick by fit, not by count.
Is directory submission free?: Mostly. 91% of the 137 directories we track let you list for free; some of those sell paid upgrades, such as a featured spot or a faster review.
Do directory backlinks help SEO?: Dofollow links from sites with a high Domain Rating count toward your own. Nofollow links still bring visitors and help search engines find your pages. 37% of the directories we track give every listing a dofollow link.
How long until my listings go live?: Most directories review new listings first, which takes from a day to a few weeks. Some publish at once.