Krzysztof
    Krzysztof•Updated June 2025

    (guy who created LaunchDirectories)

    The 10 Highest Authority Directories to List Your Product

    When launching a product, choosing the right directories can make or break your initial traction. These 10 platforms represent the highest-authority sites where indie hackers and founders actively submit and discover new tools.

    Each platform has a domain rating between 60-95, meaning Google considers them highly authoritative. Backlinks from these directories boost your search rankings while exposing your product to engaged communities actively looking for solutions. Smart founders prioritize these over low-quality submission sites that waste time and provide no value.

    Every directory on this list has proven track records of driving real traffic and conversions for indie products. They combine strong SEO value with active user bases who actually discover and try new tools. Whether you're launching your first product or scaling an existing one, these platforms should be your priority for maximum impact.

    Directory Rankings

    1

    Reddit

    Reddit is brutal but worth it. I've seen founders get 50K+ visitors from a single well-timed post in r/SideProject or r/entrepreneur. The trick? Don't sell anything. Share your journey, ask for feedback, or post something genuinely helpful. I once shared a failed startup story and got more leads than any paid campaign. The community will destroy you if you're being promotional, but they'll champion you if you're being real. Focus on subreddits where your target users hang out, not just startup ones.
    DR 95 • 1.7B visits • Free • Nofollow
    Visit Directory
    2

    TechCrunch

    Getting covered by TechCrunch is like winning the startup lottery. Most indie hackers will never make it here unless they've raised serious money or built something genuinely revolutionary. But here's the thing - their paid content options exist, and sometimes that's your only shot. I know founders who've paid for sponsored content and seen immediate investor interest. The organic route needs a compelling story: hitting $1M ARR, solving a massive problem, or having impressive growth metrics. Don't waste time pitching a standard SaaS tool.
    DR 94 • 35M visits • Paid • Nofollow
    Visit Directory
    3

    Product Hunt

    Product Hunt is where every founder thinks they'll 'make it,' but most launches fizzle out. I've launched 3 products here - one hit #1, two barely got noticed. The difference? Community prep. Start building relationships 2-3 weeks before launch, not the day of. The 12:01 AM PST thing is real - set alarms. Even if you don't hit the top 5, you'll get solid early feedback and a permanent page that ranks well in Google. The traffic spike lasts about 48 hours, so have your onboarding dialed in.
    DR 92 • 4.2M visits • Free • Dofollow
    Visit Directory
    4

    Hacker News

    Hacker News is where the real techies hang out - engineers from big tech, successful founders, and VCs who actually know what they're talking about. Getting to the front page is pure gold but incredibly hard. I've had posts get 500+ upvotes and others die at 2. The secret sauce? Either solve a technical problem everyone has, share genuine insights from building something, or ask a question that sparks debate. Don't bother with fluff content. The comments can be brutal but they're usually right. Even small discussions here beat most other traffic sources.
    DR 88 • 7.2M visits • Free • Nofollow
    Visit Directory
    5

    AngelList

    AngelList is essential if you're fundraising, but it's also useful for recruiting and getting on investors' radars even when you're not actively raising. I've gotten inbound interest just from having a solid profile. The key is being specific about your traction - actual numbers, not vague growth statements. Update it regularly with new metrics and milestones. Even bootstrap founders should have a presence here because investors browse for interesting companies. The job board side (Wellfound) is solid for startup hiring too.
    DR 85 • 2.1M visits • Free + Paid • Dofollow
    Visit Directory
    6

    AlternativeTo

    AlternativeTo is a hidden gem for SaaS founders. People go there specifically looking for alternatives to existing tools, so the traffic is incredibly targeted. I get consistent signups every month from my listing there, and it ranks super well in Google for '[competitor] alternative' searches. The trick is positioning yourself correctly - don't try to be an alternative to everything. Pick 2-3 similar tools and focus on what makes you different. Users leave real reviews, which helps with social proof too.
    DR 80 • 8.5M visits • Free • Nofollow
    Visit Directory
    7

    Indie Hackers

    Indie Hackers is home base for bootstrap founders. This is where you'll find the most honest conversations about building profitable businesses without VC money. Share your revenue milestones, ask for advice on growth tactics, or just vent about the struggles. The community actually helps each other instead of just networking. I've made genuine founder friends here and gotten solid business advice. Post your monthly updates, share what's working, and be transparent about your numbers. The forum discussions often turn into customer discovery goldmines.
    DR 75 • 1.1M visits • Free • Dofollow
    Visit Directory
    8

    About.me

    About.me is basically a professional homepage that ranks really well in Google when someone searches your name. As a founder, this is crucial when investors, journalists, or potential partners look you up. Mine shows up #2 when you Google my name. Keep it simple - what you're building, your background, and how to reach you. It's especially useful if you have a common name that gets buried in search results. Takes 30 minutes to set up and gives you a clean, professional presence online.
    DR 70 • 2.8M visits • Free • Nofollow
    Visit Directory
    9

    BetaList

    BetaList is perfect for pre-launch and early-stage products. The audience is genuinely interested in trying new tools, not just browsing. I submitted my SaaS 2 weeks before launch and got 800 email signups plus incredibly detailed feedback from beta users. They're picky about what they accept, so make sure your product is actually ready for testing. The traffic isn't massive, but it's high-quality early adopters who'll give you real feedback and become your first advocates if you build something they love.
    DR 65 • 180K visits • Free • Dofollow
    Visit Directory
    10

    SaaSHub

    SaaSHub is another solid option for B2B SaaS tools. It's like AlternativeTo but specifically for software-as-a-service products. The users here are decision-makers researching solutions for their companies, so the leads tend to be more qualified. I get 2-3 demo requests per month from my listing. Make sure your pricing and feature descriptions are accurate because people use this for actual software evaluation. It's not flashy, but it brings consistent, targeted traffic from people with budgets.
    DR 62 • 1.2M visits • Free • Nofollow
    Visit Directory

    Sources: Domain Rating scores from Ahrefs third-party tools (2025), traffic estimates from SimilarWeb, manual verification of directory submission processes. Disclaimer: Rankings may change as platforms update their policies.

    The Reality Check

    Reddit

    Highest authority (but hardest to crack)

    4 out of 10

    Give you dofollow links

    All free

    No money needed, just good content

    Why These Matter

    These are the directories that actually move the needle for SEO. Higher domain authority = stronger backlinks = better Google rankings. Skip the low-quality directories and focus your time here.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is Domain Rating and why does it matter for startup SEO?

    Domain Rating (DR) is Ahrefs' proprietary metric that measures website authority on a scale from 0 to 100, based on the quantity and quality of backlinks pointing to a domain. For startups, DR is crucial because it directly correlates with how much "link juice" or SEO value a backlink from that site will pass to your domain.

    Research shows that a single link from a DR 90+ site can improve your domain authority more than 50 links from DR 20-30 sites. Google's algorithm heavily weights links from high-authority domains, making these directories essential for competitive SEO strategies.

    How do these directories compare to paid options like HARO or digital PR?

    These directories offer several advantages over paid link-building strategies: they're completely free, have faster approval times (days vs months), and provide immediate brand exposure beyond just SEO value. While HARO can result in higher DR links (90-95), the success rate is typically under 5%, and it requires significant time investment.

    Directory submissions have a 70-90% approval rate when done correctly, making them a reliable foundation for your link-building strategy. Many successful startups use directories as their primary SEO strategy in the early stages.

    What's the optimal submission strategy for maximum SEO impact?

    Submit to these directories in order of priority (highest DR first), spacing submissions 1-2 weeks apart to appear natural to search engines. Ensure your startup has a complete website with clear value proposition, team page, and contact information before submitting.

    Include detailed descriptions using relevant keywords, but avoid keyword stuffing. Upload high-quality logos and screenshots. Most importantly, engage with the community aspects of these platforms—comment on other products, share insights, and build genuine relationships.

    How quickly can I expect to see results in search rankings?

    Link indexing typically occurs within 1-4 weeks after approval, but measurable SEO improvements usually appear after 2-6 months. The timeline depends on your current domain authority, competition level, and how well you optimize your submissions.

    Early indicators include: increased crawl frequency from search engines (visible in Google Search Console), improved rankings for branded searches, and gradual improvements in long-tail keyword rankings. Companies with new domains see faster improvements than established sites.

    Do nofollow links from high-DR sites still provide SEO value?

    Yes, absolutely. While nofollow links don't pass direct PageRank, they provide significant indirect benefits: referral traffic, brand mentions, and signals to Google about your site's credibility. Google's algorithm considers the overall link profile, including nofollow links from trusted sources.

    Additionally, many high-authority sites like Reddit, Twitter, and some directories have moved to "sponsored" or "ugc" link attributes, which Google treats more favorably than traditional nofollow. The key is building a natural mix of link types from authoritative sources.

    Can submitting to these directories hurt my SEO if done incorrectly?

    The directories listed here are all legitimate, high-quality platforms that won't harm your SEO when used properly. However, poor submission practices can reduce effectiveness: using duplicate content across submissions, keyword stuffing, or submitting incomplete/low-quality profiles.

    Avoid submitting to low-quality directories (DR below 30), link farms, or directories that require reciprocal links. Google penalizes manipulative link-building, but these authoritative directories are considered natural, beneficial links when submissions provide genuine value to their communities.

    Need More Places to Submit?

    This is just the top 10 by domain rating. There are plenty more directories that could be perfect for your specific startup.

    Browse All DirectoriesCompletely free