Best Startup & SaaS Directories by Moz Domain Authority (2026)

Domain Authority (DA) is a search engine ranking score developed by Moz that predicts how well a website will rank on search engine result pages. Scored on a logarithmic scale from 0 to 100, it factors in linking root domains, total link count, and other signals to estimate a site's overall ranking potential.

For founders submitting to directories, DA is a useful shorthand for quality. A directory with DA 70+ has established credibility with search engines, meaning a backlink from that directory carries more weight than one from a newer, lower-authority site. Over months, building backlinks from high-DA sources compounds into meaningful improvements in your own site's search visibility.

Moz DA differs from Ahrefs Domain Rating (DR) in methodology. DR focuses purely on backlink profile strength, while DA uses a machine learning model trained on actual search results to predict ranking likelihood. The two metrics often correlate but can diverge for certain sites, so checking both gives a more complete authority picture.

Like DR, Domain Authority is a third-party estimate and not a direct Google ranking factor. Use it as a comparative tool to evaluate directories against each other, not as an absolute measure of SEO value.

High Domain Authority is a strong signal, but the best submission strategy goes beyond a single metric. Here's how to pick directories that will actually move the needle for your startup:

Dofollow vs. Nofollow Links

Some directories pass link equity through dofollow backlinks, directly boosting your search rankings. Others use nofollow links that still drive referral traffic but don't transfer SEO authority. A healthy backlink profile includes both types. See our top dofollow directories for sites that pass link juice.

Audience Relevance

A DA 90 general directory might get you a backlink, but a DA 45 directory that serves your exact target market could drive 10x more signups. Think about who browses each directory and whether they match your ideal customer profile. Our full directory list lets you filter by category to find the best audience fit.

Free vs. Paid Submissions

Many high-DA directories accept free submissions. Paid listings can offer faster approval or better placement, but only invest in paid directories where the audience genuinely matches your product. A free listing on a relevant directory beats a paid listing on an irrelevant one every time.

Submission Strategy

Quality over quantity. Start with 5-10 directories that score well on both authority and relevance, create complete profiles with compelling descriptions and screenshots, then track which listings actually drive traffic. Expand from there based on real data. If you'd rather skip the manual work, our submission service handles listings across 100+ vetted directories.

Short answer: yes, but in different ways depending on the search engine. Directory submissions build your online presence across multiple platforms, which benefits both traditional and AI-powered search.

Google Search

Google still relies heavily on backlinks as a ranking signal. When a high-DA directory links to your site, it passes link equity that strengthens your domain authority over time. This is especially valuable for competitive keywords where backlink profiles often determine who ranks on page one. Beyond direct SEO, directory listings create additional indexed pages that can rank for your brand name, increasing your overall search presence.

ChatGPT, Perplexity and AI Search Engines

AI search engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews and others pull answers from web content they consider authoritative. Being listed on well-known directories increases the chances that AI models encounter your product during training and retrieval. When someone asks an AI "what are the best tools for X?", products with strong presence across multiple reputable sources are more likely to be recommended.

Building Topical Authority

Both Google and AI systems favor brands that appear consistently across trusted sources. Each directory listing is another signal that your product exists, is legitimate, and belongs in a specific category. This "entity building" helps search engines understand what your product does and when to surface it. The more high-quality mentions you accumulate, the stronger your topical authority becomes.

What This Means for Your Strategy

Focus on directories where your product description will be detailed and accurate, as AI models use this text to understand your offering. Prioritize directories with high domain authority since both Google and AI systems weight authoritative sources more heavily. Consistent NAP (name, description, URL) across listings also helps search engines connect all your mentions to one entity. Think of directory submissions not just as link building, but as making your product discoverable across every way people search today.