Best Directories for SaaS Backlinks (2026)

Most "best directories" lists are written once for every kind of product and never updated for SaaS specifically. That matters because SaaS founders are optimizing for something narrower than general visibility: a dofollow backlink that a search engine will actually count, from a page that will still be live in a year. Not every directory that accepts SaaS listings gives you that. This guide names the ones that do, is honest about the ones that don't, and explains the one mechanic that predicts which category a directory falls into before you submit.

The rule that predicts whether a directory link counts

There is a consistent pattern across every directory we've checked: the easier a directory is to get into, the more likely its outbound links are nofollow. A directory that accepts anything has to nofollow everything or it becomes a spam magnet. A directory that requires verification — a badge on your site, a human review, proof you actually built the thing — has earned the right to trust its own outbound links, and usually leaves them dofollow. We cover the mechanism in more depth in our dofollow backlinks list, but the short version is: verification is the signal, not popularity or domain age.

9 directories worth submitting a SaaS product to

1. Launchory

Launchory is built around the verification rule above: a free listing requires embedding the Launchory badge on your site, and once that badge verifies, your listing link goes live as a guaranteed dofollow backlink — no exceptions, no separate "sponsored" flag. If you'd rather skip the badge step, a one-time $10 premium listing gets instant approval, the same dofollow link, and 90 days of featured placement. It's the newest directory on this list and the only one purpose-built around SaaS discovery categories.

2. Product Hunt

The largest launch-day audience on the internet, and still worth using — but not for the backlink. Product Hunt's outbound product links carry no link equity; the value is the traffic spike, the maker community feedback, and the social proof of a strong launch day. Pair it with a directory listing so the traffic it sends has somewhere permanent to land.

3. SaaSHub

Widely recommended as a free dofollow directory for SaaS products. It isn't. We checked a live SaaSHub product profile on 12 August 2026 and found 17 of 20 outbound anchors carrying rel="nofollow", including the primary link to the product's own homepage. Still worth a free listing for the buyer-intent traffic and category presence — just don't count it as a referring domain.

4. AlternativeTo

A high-traffic destination for "X alternative" searches, which makes it genuinely useful for SaaS products competing against an incumbent. We have not verified the current rel attribute on its outbound links, so we're not claiming a dofollow link here — treat the listing as a discovery and citation source until you've checked it yourself with a tool like our link attribute checker.

5. G2

The default destination for SaaS buyers doing bottom-of-funnel comparison research. Review-site profile links are typically nofollow across the industry, and G2 is no exception in our experience — but the review signals and comparison-page visibility it generates are worth having independent of link equity.

6. Capterra

Same category as G2: high buyer intent, strong for reviews and category placement, not a source you should plan on for referring-domain growth. List here for the traffic and social proof, not the backlink.

7. Indie Hackers

Not a directory in the traditional sense — a community where a detailed "I built this" post routinely outperforms a formal directory listing for both traffic and genuine engagement. Because it's editorial rather than a submission form, there's no guaranteed link mechanic; the value comes from the story, not the profile.

8. BetaList

Useful specifically in the pre-launch window, before your product is public. Once you've shipped, BetaList has little left to offer — see our full BetaList alternatives roundup if you're past that stage and want directories built for an already-live product.

9. StackShare

A niche fit if your SaaS product is developer-facing or you want to publicize your own tech stack. Traffic is smaller than the directories above, but the audience is highly technical and the "used by" social proof compounds if other companies list your tool in their own stack pages.

How these directories compare

If you only have time to submit to three, the honest ranking for link equity specifically is: Launchory (verified dofollow via badge or premium), then everything else for traffic and citation value rather than backlinks. For buyer-intent traffic the ranking flips: G2 and Capterra first, Product Hunt for a single-day spike, Launchory and the rest for compounding long-tail discovery. Submitting to all nine costs an afternoon and covers both goals — just don't submit expecting a dofollow link from every one of them.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to submit to all nine directories?

No. If backlinks are the goal, a verified Launchory listing is the highest-confidence use of your time. If buyer-intent traffic is the goal, prioritize G2 and Capterra. Most SaaS founders get the best return from three to five, not all nine.

Which of these actually give a dofollow link?

Launchory is the only one on this list we can confirm gives a guaranteed dofollow link, gated on badge verification (or the paid instant-approval tier). SaaSHub's free tier is confirmed nofollow. The rest are undocumented as of this writing — verify with a link attribute checker before counting any of them toward your backlink plan.

Is a nofollow directory listing still worth doing?

Yes, for traffic, category presence, and review signals — just don't count it as a referring domain in your SEO tracking. A nofollow listing on a high-traffic review site can still send more real customers than a dofollow link on an obscure one.

How long does directory backlink building take to pay off?

Directory links are a slow compounding asset, not a ranking shortcut. Expect months, not days, before referring-domain growth shows up in your domain rating — the value is that a directory listing is permanent, unlike a launch-day traffic spike that fades within a week.

Conclusion

SaaS-specific backlink building comes down to one filter: verification predicts whether a link counts. Skip the generic "1000 directories" lists and submit to the ones that either verify you before linking or clearly earn their keep through traffic and buyer intent instead. Start with a free, badge-verified listing on Launchory — it takes a few minutes, and unlike a launch-day spike, it's still working for you next year.