Best Backlink Services: Complete Review & Pricing Guide

Backlink services promise better rankings, more traffic, and higher domain authority. But with prices ranging from $5 to $5,000 per link and quality varying dramatically, how do you know which services actually deliver results?

The stakes are high. According to industry research, the average price SEOs are willing to pay for a single high-quality backlink is $508.95. That's a serious investment—one that can either accelerate your growth or drain your budget with zero return.

This comprehensive review breaks down the best backlink services available, from foundational directory submissions to premium editorial placements. You'll discover exact pricing, quality indicators, red flags to avoid, and most importantly—which services match your current stage and budget. Whether you're a startup founder building initial authority or an established business scaling your SEO, this guide delivers the insights you need to invest wisely.

Understanding Backlink Services

Backlink services help businesses acquire links from other websites to improve search engine rankings. The industry has evolved significantly, with Google's algorithms becoming increasingly sophisticated at detecting manipulation while rewarding genuinely valuable links.

Here's what matters: quality backlinks remain a critical ranking factor, but the definition of "quality" has shifted. Gone are the days when any link from a high-domain-authority site would boost rankings. Today, relevance, editorial standards, and natural link profiles matter more than ever.

The market splits into three distinct categories:

White Hat Services follow Google's guidelines completely, earning links through legitimate outreach, quality content creation, and relationship building. These services prioritize sustainable, long-term results over quick wins.

Black Hat Services use manipulative tactics that violate Google's terms—private blog networks (PBNs), link farms, automated spam. These might show temporary gains but inevitably lead to penalties.

Grey Hat Services operate in murky territory with techniques that aren't explicitly banned but carry varying degrees of risk. Results can be unpredictable, and algorithm updates often target these tactics.

For sustainable growth, white hat remains the only viable long-term strategy.

The Real Cost of Quality Backlinks

Understanding current market rates helps you evaluate whether a service offers fair value or is overcharging (or suspiciously underpricing).

Based on recent industry data, the cost of a single backlink averages around $370, though this varies significantly based on acquisition method and quality. Breaking down by service type:

• Niche edits (adding links to existing content) average around $361 per link
• Guest posts with content creation range from $77 to over $1,000 per placement
• Editorial outreach from quality publications typically costs $800-$1,500 each
• Monthly retainer campaigns range from $1,500 to $25,000 depending on scope and goals

Perhaps most importantly, link building costs continue to increase as competition for quality placements intensifies. This makes strategic investment now even more valuable.

Directory Submissions: The Smart Foundation for Startups

Before investing thousands in advanced link building, smart founders establish their foundational backlink profile through strategic directory submissions. This approach offers the best cost-to-value ratio for businesses in their first 6-12 months.

Why Directory Submissions Matter

Directory submissions provide several advantages that make them ideal as a first link building investment:

Rapid Authority Building - When your domain is brand new, getting those first 20-50 backlinks from quality directories signals to Google that you're a legitimate business. These early signals help you get indexed faster and start building domain authority from day one.

Cost-Effective Scale - Unlike guest posting (which can take weeks per placement) or editorial outreach (requiring extensive relationship building), directory submissions can establish your initial backlink profile within days rather than months. The time and cost efficiency is unmatched.

Dofollow Link Value - Quality startup directories provide dofollow backlinks, meaning they pass authority directly to your site. While a single directory link won't transform your rankings, accumulating 50-100 quality directory backlinks creates a solid foundation for future link building.

Real Referral Traffic - Beyond SEO value, directories drive actual visitors. Startup founders and early adopters actively browse platforms like Product Hunt, BetaList, and specialized industry directories searching for new solutions. Getting listed means getting discovered by your target audience.

Faster Indexing - Submitting your website to high-quality directories ensures that search engine crawlers discover and index your site more quickly, which is especially important for new websites or pages needing traction.

Launch Directories: Manual Submission Excellence

At Launch Directories, we've built our service around what actually matters for startups: quality over quantity, manual submissions for higher acceptance rates, and a curated database of directories that provide genuine SEO value.

Curated Database Access - Our platform provides access to 100+ vetted startup directories, including major platforms like Product Hunt, BetaList, and specialized niche directories relevant to your industry. We've already done the research to identify which directories have high domain authority, active communities, and quality editorial standards.

Manual Submission Service - Our team handles each submission personally, ensuring proper categorization, compelling descriptions, and maximum acceptance rates. This hands-on approach dramatically outperforms automated tools. While auto-submission services might promise convenience, their acceptance rates suffer significantly because directories can spot and often reject automated submissions.

Strategic Timing - We coordinate submissions strategically rather than dumping everything at once. This creates a more natural backlink profile that search engines favor, avoiding red flags associated with sudden link spikes.

Transparent Reporting - After completion, you receive a detailed report with direct links to all live listings, submission status for each directory, and screenshots as proof of placement.

Real Results from Directory Submissions

Setting realistic expectations matters. Here's what founders typically experience:

Weeks 1-2: Submissions completed, backlinks begin appearing in Google Search Console. Minimal ranking impact as Google needs time to crawl and index the new links.

Weeks 3-6: 60-80% of submissions approved and live. Domain authority starts increasing (typically 1-5 points depending on starting position). Some referral traffic begins flowing from high-traffic directories.

Months 2-4: Full SEO impact becomes measurable. Improved rankings for branded searches and easier indexing of new content published on your site. Some long-tail keywords may start ranking without additional effort.

Months 4-6: Combined with quality content creation, directory backlinks contribute to improved rankings for competitive keywords. Your site establishes foundational authority, making more advanced link building tactics more effective.

Directory submissions aren't a magic bullet—they're the foundation. Think of them as laying concrete before building your house. You wouldn't skip this step, but you also wouldn't expect the foundation alone to be your finished home.

DIY vs Professional Submission Services

Founders face a crucial decision: handle submissions yourself or invest in professional services?

DIY Approach Costs:

• 40-80 hours of tedious form-filling and account creation
• Learning which directories matter vs which waste time
• Following up on pending submissions
• Tracking which submissions were accepted

At a standard professional rate of $50-75/hour, DIY directory submissions cost $2,000-6,000 in opportunity cost—time you could spend on product development, sales, or customer acquisition.

Professional Service Benefits:

• $200 total investment for 100+ directory submissions
• Completion in 3-6 days
• Higher acceptance rates from experienced submitters who know exactly what each directory requires
• No learning curve or time investment from you

For most funded startups and businesses valuing their time appropriately, professional services offer clear ROI.

Dofollow vs Nofollow: Building a Balanced Profile

Many founders obsess over dofollow links while dismissing nofollow links entirely. This misses crucial nuances in how Google evaluates backlinks.

Dofollow links pass PageRank and directly contribute to your domain authority. These are the links that move the SEO needle most directly. When a high-authority directory links to your startup with a dofollow link, they're vouching for your credibility in a way search engines recognize.

Nofollow links include a rel="nofollow" attribute telling search engines not to pass authority. However, Google's algorithm treats nofollow links as "hints" rather than absolute directives, meaning they may still consider them for ranking purposes based on context and relevance.

More importantly, nofollow links provide value beyond direct SEO metrics:

• Drive referral traffic from users actually browsing directories
• Build brand visibility and awareness in your industry
• Create a natural, diverse backlink profile (100% dofollow looks suspicious)
• Can lead to organic dofollow opportunities when visitors naturally link to your content

A healthy backlink profile includes both types. At Launch Directories, we focus primarily on directories providing dofollow links but include select high-traffic nofollow platforms where referral traffic and visibility justify inclusion.

When to Transition Beyond Directory Submissions

Directory submissions work brilliantly for establishing initial authority, but they're step one of your long-term SEO strategy. As your startup matures, your link building approach should evolve.

Signs You're Ready for Advanced Link Building

You've Covered Relevant Directories - Once you've submitted to the 50-100 most relevant directories for your industry, additional submissions offer diminishing returns. It's time to expand your strategy.

Your Domain Authority Reached 20-30 - With foundational authority established, you're positioned to pursue higher-quality backlinks that require existing credibility to obtain.

You Have Linkable Content Assets - You've published comprehensive guides, original research, useful tools, or in-depth case studies. Without compelling content, advanced outreach efforts struggle to convert.

Your Budget Allows Consistent Investment - You can allocate $1,500-5,000+ monthly for ongoing link building campaigns. This signals readiness for more expensive but higher-impact tactics.

Alternative Services Worth Considering

Once you've built your directory foundation and are ready to scale, two services consistently deliver quality results without excessive cost:

FATJOE: Reliable Blogger Outreach

FATJOE specializes in blogger outreach at scale, making them ideal for companies wanting consistent placements without premium editorial prices. Founded by SEO expert Joe Taylor in 2012, they've built an extensive network of bloggers and completed campaigns for over 5,000 clients.

Strengths:

• Productized service model offers predictable delivery timelines
• Transparent processes with clear reporting
• Pricing accessible for growing businesses ($300-600 per placement typically)
• Established blogger relationships improve acceptance rates

Best For: Growing businesses with $2,000-5,000 monthly budgets wanting consistent blogger outreach volume.

Stellar SEO: Flexible Scaling Options

Stellar SEO provides flexible, scalable link building with transparent per-link pricing ranging from $297-600 per backlink, with volume discounts for larger orders.

Strengths:

• Multiple service options (guest posts, niche edits, blogger outreach)
• White-label solutions for agencies managing multiple clients
• Volume discounts make scaling cost-effective
• Proven quality evaluation process

Best For: SEO agencies needing white-label services, or businesses wanting to carefully control monthly investment while accessing quality placements.

Both services require significantly higher investment than directory submissions and work best once you have solid content assets and existing domain authority.

Services and Tactics to Avoid

Understanding what doesn't work is as important as knowing what does. Here are backlink traps that waste money or risk penalties:

Fiverr and Cheap Bulk Link Packages

The promise of "100 high-quality backlinks for $5-20" remains tempting for budget-conscious founders. The reality? These services deliver spam that provides zero ranking benefit and may actively harm your site.

What you actually get:

• Links from link farms and low-quality blog networks
• Zero editorial value or topical relevance
• Potential Google penalties when their networks are discovered
• Wasted money with no ranking improvement whatsoever

Critical Rule: If you can purchase 100+ backlinks instantly with one click, you're buying spam that won't help your site. No exceptions. Quality link building requires real outreach, relationship building, and content creation—work that cannot be delivered for $5-20.

Private Blog Networks (PBNs)

PBNs consist of websites created specifically to host backlinks, with no real audience or value. While they showed some effectiveness years ago, Google's algorithm has become sophisticated enough to detect them consistently.

The problems:

• Google's algorithm now filters out most PBN backlinks automatically
• Networks get discovered and deindexed regularly, making all your investment worthless overnight
• Your site becomes vulnerable to future algorithm updates targeting PBN users
• One penalty can undo years of legitimate SEO work

Press Release Distribution for Links

Press releases once worked well for link building, but that era has ended. Modern press release distribution services provide almost exclusively nofollow links with minimal SEO value.

Current reality:

• Most PR distribution sites use nofollow links exclusively
• Google's algorithm recognizes and largely ignores PR link patterns
• Minimal actual media pickup or press coverage
• Poor ROI specifically for link building purposes

Press releases still have legitimate value for actual news distribution and brand awareness, but shouldn't be purchased as a link building tactic.

Choosing the Right Service for Your Growth Stage

Your optimal backlink strategy depends heavily on your current position and available resources:

New Websites (0-6 months old)

Priority: Establish foundational authority and proper indexing.

Best Strategy:Directory submissions as your primary tactic. Focus on getting 50-100 quality directory backlinks through a service like Launch Directories. This builds initial authority without significant ongoing cash investment.

Budget: $300-800 one-time for professional directory submissions, or 40-80 hours if DIY.

Expected Outcomes: Initial domain authority (DR 10-25), improved indexing speed, some referral traffic, foundation for future link building.

Growing Sites (6-24 months)

Priority: Build content assets and scale link acquisition.

Best Strategy: Maintain selective directory submissions for new product launches while adding blogger outreach and guest posting. Create linkable content (comprehensive guides, original research, useful tools) that naturally attracts links.

Budget: $1,500-3,000 monthly for sustainable growth in moderate competition niches.

Expected Outcomes: Steady authority growth (DR increases of 5-10 annually), improved rankings for long-tail keywords, increasing organic traffic month-over-month.

Established Sites (2+ years)

Priority: Target strategic high-authority placements and industry-specific links.

Best Strategy: Focus on editorial placements, digital PR, and industry publication outreach. Build relationships with journalists and influencers in your space. In high-difficulty niches, substantial monthly budgets are needed to stay competitive.

Budget: $5,000-15,000+ monthly depending on competition level and revenue goals.

Expected Outcomes: Top-3 rankings for competitive terms, thought leadership positioning, significant brand authority in your industry.

Budget Allocation: Industry Standards

Agencies allocate about 32% of their total SEO budget to link building, while in-house teams invest even more at around 36% on average. This reflects both the importance and cost of quality link acquisition.

Here's realistic budget guidance by company stage:

Bootstrap Budget ($300-1,000 one-time)

Recommended Allocation:

• Directory submissions: $99-199 through Launch Directories
• Basic website content: $200-500

Best For: Pre-revenue startups validating business models, solopreneurs testing ideas.

Expected Results: Initial domain authority (DR 10-20), improved indexing, some referral traffic from directories.

Startup Budget ($1,500-3,000/month)

Recommended Allocation:

• Directory submissions: $199 (one-time at launch)
• Blogger outreach: $800-1,500
• Content creation: $500-1,000

Best For: Funded startups with proven product-market fit, profitable small businesses.

Expected Results: Steady authority growth, improved rankings for long-tail keywords, increasing organic traffic.

Growth Stage ($3,000-8,000/month)

Recommended Allocation:

• Strategic directory additions: $200-300
• Guest posting & niche edits: $1,500-3,000
• Content creation: $1,000-2,000
• Digital PR: $1,000-3,000

Best For: Series A+ companies, established SaaS businesses, companies in moderately competitive niches.

Expected Results: Authority growth of 10-15 DR points annually, first-page rankings for competitive keywords.

Enterprise Budget ($8,000-25,000+/month)

Recommended Allocation:

• Premium editorial placements: $3,000-10,000
• Strategic PR campaigns: $2,000-8,000
• Comprehensive content: $2,000-5,000
• Ongoing relationships: $1,000-3,000

Best For: Large companies where SEO drives significant revenue, enterprises in highly competitive industries.

Expected Results: Top-3 rankings for competitive terms, thought leadership positioning, dominant brand authority.

Quality Indicators: Evaluating Services Before Buying

Before committing to any backlink service, assess these critical factors:

Green Flags (Signs of Quality)

Transparent Methodology - Legitimate services openly explain their approach, detailing their outreach process, content standards, and quality control without hiding behind "proprietary secrets."

Sample Placements Provided - Quality services show actual examples of where links will be placed before purchase. They're proud of their network and happy to demonstrate value.

Realistic Timelines - Honest services set appropriate expectations. Success rates from quality outreach campaigns typically range from 2-3% across campaigns and industries, meaning link acquisition takes time. Services promising immediate bulk delivery use questionable methods.

Editorial Standards Visible - Look for evidence of actual content creation, editing processes, and site vetting. Quality services care about the content surrounding your link, not just placing the link itself.

Verifiable Client Results - Established services have testimonials, case studies, and track records you can investigate independently.

Red Flags (Run Away Fast)

Guaranteed Rankings - No legitimate service can guarantee specific ranking positions. Google's algorithm is too complex and competitive landscapes too variable for such promises.

Instant Delivery Promises - Real link building requires time for outreach, relationship building, and content creation. Services promising hundreds of links immediately use automated spam or low-quality networks.

Vague About Methods - Reluctance to explain their process or evasive answers about techniques usually hide black hat tactics.

Suspiciously Low Prices - Quality backlinks require real work. Prices dramatically below market rates ($50-100 when competitors charge $300-500) indicate corners being cut somewhere.

Zero Communication - Services that don't ask questions about your business, target keywords, or goals aren't building strategic campaigns—they're running template operations.

Measuring ROI: What Success Looks Like

Too many businesses invest in backlinks without tracking whether they're working. Here's what to monitor:

Primary Metrics (Must Track)

Domain Rating/Authority Growth - Monitor monthly using Ahrefs or Moz. Quality link building should show steady increases over 3-6 months. Aim for 5-15 point increases annually depending on starting position.

Keyword Ranking Improvements - Track your target keywords weekly. Quality backlinks should correlate with gradual position improvements over 2-4 months as Google crawls and values your new links.

Organic Traffic Increases - The ultimate goal is more qualified visitors. Monitor organic sessions monthly, with particular attention to pages that received new backlinks.

Conversion Rate from Organic - More traffic means nothing if it doesn't convert. Track whether your organic traffic converts at acceptable rates compared to other channels.

Secondary Metrics (Good to Track)

Link Retention Rate - Quality links should stay live long-term. Check quarterly whether your acquired backlinks remain active. High turnover suggests low-quality placements.

Referral Traffic - While not the primary goal, quality backlinks should generate some referral traffic. Zero referral traffic from dozens of links suggests low-quality or irrelevant placements.

Brand Search Volume - As visibility improves through better rankings, more people should search for your brand directly. Monitor branded search trends quarterly.

Warning Signs (Problems to Address)

• Links disappearing within weeks or months (indicates low-quality sources)
• Rankings dropping after link acquisition (possible penalty signal)
• Zero referral traffic from acquired backlinks (irrelevant or low-traffic sources)
• No improvement in keyword positions after 4-6 months (ineffective links or wrong strategy)
• Sudden spikes in spammy backlinks you didn't build (negative SEO or compromised service)

Taking Action: Your Strategic Roadmap

Ready to build quality backlinks without wasting money or risking penalties? Follow this framework:

Step 1: Assess Your Current State

• Check your current domain rating using Ahrefs or Moz
• Analyze your existing backlink profile for quality and gaps
• Identify your top 10 target keywords and their difficulty
• Determine your realistic monthly budget based on revenue and goals

Step 2: Start with Foundations

For New Sites (0-6 months): Begin with directory submissions through Launch Directories. Get 50-100 quality directory backlinks established before pursuing more expensive tactics. This creates the foundation everything else builds upon.

Our manual submission service handles everything:

• Comprehensive onboarding to capture your startup details
• Strategic selection from our curated database of 100+ directories
• Personal submission by experienced team members
• Follow-up and status tracking
• Detailed reporting with proof of placement

For Established Sites: Audit your existing directory presence, fill obvious gaps, then transition to more advanced strategies based on your content assets and budget.

Step 3: Create Linkable Assets

Before investing heavily in outreach, ensure you have content worth linking to:

• Comprehensive guides solving real problems in your niche
• Original research or data studies providing unique insights
• Useful free tools that provide genuine value
• In-depth case studies demonstrating results

Without quality content, even expensive outreach services struggle to place your links on quality sites.

Step 4: Test and Scale Gradually

• Start with limited commitments (1-3 months for ongoing services)
• Monitor results closely using your established metrics
• Double down on tactics showing positive ROI
• Cut underperforming approaches quickly to avoid wasted budget
• Gradually increase investment as you see demonstrable results

Step 5: Build Consistently Over Time

SEO rewards consistency more than one-time efforts. A modest but sustained $1,000/month investment over 12 months typically outperforms a single $12,000 spend. Budget for ongoing link building as a permanent part of your marketing mix, adjusting tactics based on results.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to see results from backlink services?

Expect 2-4 months before seeing significant ranking improvements from quality backlink services. Directory submissions typically show initial impact within 30-45 days as search engines index new backlinks, with full results visible within 60-90 days. More advanced tactics like guest posting and editorial placements may take 3-6 months to demonstrate measurable ranking gains. Any service promising immediate ranking improvements is likely using risky shortcuts that may cause long-term harm.

What's the difference between directory submissions and other backlink services?

Directory submissions focus specifically on getting your business listed in curated startup and business directories, creating foundational backlinks quickly and affordably ($300-800 one-time). Services like blogger outreach, guest posting, and digital PR pursue individual placements through relationship building and custom content creation, requiring significantly higher ongoing investment ($1,500-5,000+ monthly). Directory submissions work best for new sites building initial authority, while other services suit growing businesses with established content and larger budgets.

Are cheap backlink services on Fiverr worth trying?

Absolutely not. Services offering 100+ backlinks for $5-20 deliver spam that provides zero ranking benefit and risks Google penalties. These services typically use link farms, private blog networks, or automated spam that search engines easily detect and devalue. Quality link building requires genuine outreach, relationship building, and content creation—work that simply cannot be delivered at these prices. Instead, invest in legitimate directory submissions for foundational links or save up for proper white hat services that deliver sustainable results.

Should startups invest in backlink services or focus on product first?

Startups should begin building backlinks once they have a live product and basic website content, typically within the first 1-3 months of launch. Start with affordable directory submissions ($300-800 through Launch Directories) to establish foundational authority while focusing primary resources on product development and customer acquisition. This modest initial investment improves how quickly your site gets indexed and how early content ranks. Transition to more expensive ongoing services ($1,500-5,000/month) only after achieving product-market fit and having quality content assets to link to.

How do I know if a backlink service uses white hat methods?

Ask specific questions about their process: Where do links come from? How do they earn placements? Can they show sample sites? White hat services willingly explain their outreach process, content creation standards, and editorial review procedures in detail. They proactively show real examples and discuss their relationship-building strategies. Vague answers, reluctance to share methodology, or evasive responses about "proprietary techniques" typically indicate questionable practices. Additionally, services achieving success rates above 5-7% are likely paying for links rather than earning them through legitimate outreach.

Conclusion: Build Authority Strategically

The backlink services landscape offers more legitimate options than ever, but success requires strategic investment matched to your current growth stage and goals.

For startups and new businesses in their first year, directory submissions through Launch Directories provide the most cost-effective foundation. At $300-800 for 100+ quality directory placements, this modest investment establishes credibility with search engines, improves indexing speed, and creates the authority base for all future link building. Our manual submission approach ensures higher acceptance rates than automated tools, while our curated database focuses your effort on directories that actually matter.

As your business grows beyond foundational needs, evolve your strategy to include blogger outreach, guest posting, and eventually premium editorial placements. Scale investment alongside revenue, but maintain the fundamentals: white hat methods, relevant placements, and realistic timelines.

Avoid the temptation of cheap, volume-based services promising instant results. Whether it's $5 Fiverr gigs, PBN networks, or press release schemes, these shortcuts inevitably lead to wasted budgets or algorithm penalties. The services worth your investment share common traits: transparent methodology, quality focus over volume, relevant placements, and honest expectations about timelines.

Remember that link building represents long-term investment in your site's authority. There are no overnight wins—only strategic accumulation of quality backlinks that compound over months and years. Choose partners who understand this reality and prioritize sustainable growth over quick fixes.

Ready to establish your foundational backlink profile the right way? Launch Directories' manual submission service gets your startup listed on 100+ curated directories within one week, building the authority you need to compete while you focus on product development and customer acquisition. Start building strategically today.