Where to list a new business or app for real backlinks

    Most “500 directories” lists were written in 2019 and are full of sites that nofollow everything, charge for a listing, or stopped updating years ago. This is the shorter list that still does something in 2026, in the order worth working through.

    Tier 1 — entity anchors

    These are the sources search engines and language models cross-reference to decide your company exists. They are not really link building; they are identity.

    WhereWhat it gives youCost
    CrunchbaseCompany, founders, funding, programmesFree profile; paid upsell not required
    LinkedIn company pageThe canonical employer recordFree
    DealroomEuropean startup database used by investors and the EUFree claim
    TracxnAnalyst and crawler coverage, strong on EU B2BFree submission
    F6SStartup profile plus recurring perk listingsFree
    Your local company registryThe legal ground truth for an EU entityStatutory

    Once these exist, put them in the Organization schema on your homepage as sameAs. That is what connects the graph.

    Tier 2 — product and launch platforms

    High-domain pages that send real humans as well as crawlers. One good launch beats fifty low-tier submissions.

    WhereWhat it gives youCost
    Product HuntLaunch page, maker profile, lasting indexed pageFree; timing matters more than the badge
    BetaListPre-launch and early-access listingsFree
    Hacker NewsShow HN — traffic, not links; the thread itself nofollowsFree
    Indie HackersFounder audience, product pageFree
    AlternativeToAlternative listings that rank for competitor termsFree
    G2 / CapterraCategory pages that rank for "best X" queriesFree vendor listing, paid placement optional

    These are the ones that actually rank for competitor-brand searches. Being listed as an alternative to an incumbent is worth more than most guest posts.

    Tier 3 — directories that still pass value

    Niche directories with editorial standards. Slower, but the links are followed and the referral traffic converts.

    WhereWhat it gives youCost
    Quota EngineB2B software, banking and formation — reviewed by a personFree, or €149 featured
    SaaSworthy / SaaSHubSaaS catalogues with real trafficFree tier
    StackShareTool stacks and comparison pagesFree
    Startup StashCurated tools listFree submission
    EU-StartupsEuropean startup coverageEditorial pitch
    Your accelerator directoryCohort pages and portfolio listingsIncluded

    Read the last-updated date on any directory before you spend time on it. A list that has not changed since 2023 is a dead link source.

    What to skip

    • Directories that charge for "review" and guarantee placement — that is a paid link, and it should carry rel="sponsored".
    • Networks that offer 50 links for $99. The links are on pages nobody reads.
    • Reciprocal link schemes with unrelated sites. Easy to detect, easy to discount.
    • Guest posts on sites that publish anything within 24 hours. No editorial gate, no value.

    The order that saves you a week

    1. Day one: entity anchors. Company page, Crunchbase, registry. Then wire them into your Organization schema.
    2. Day two: the niche directories that require review. Submit properly, with real pricing and positioning — the same information a reader needs.
    3. Week two: launch platforms, once the product page can hold traffic. Launching before the landing page converts wastes the one spike you get.
    4. Ongoing: alternatives listings and comparisons. These compound slowly and outlast every launch spike.

    If you are listing a B2B product, submit it to Quota Engine — reviewed by a person, free by default, and a featured placement for €149 if you want the link and the position above free listings.

    Paid placements are labelled as such on the page. That is not just good manners — an unlabelled paid link is the fastest way to lose the value you paid for.