50 Startup Directories That Actually Send Traffic in 2026

Not all directories are created equal. Some drive thousands of visitors. Others are ghost towns.

This guide lists 50 directories that actually send traffic in 2026 — organized by type, with notes on what to expect from each.

Why directories still matter

• Backlinks: Quality directories provide SEO value
• Referral traffic: Users actively discovering new products
• Credibility: Being listed on recognized platforms builds trust
• Discovery: Get found by people searching for solutions

How we selected these directories

• Active user base (not abandoned)
• Editorial standards (not spam farms)
• Reports of actual traffic from founders
• Quality backlink profiles

For alternatives focused on Product Hunt, see our Product Hunt alternatives guide.

Launch platforms (burst traffic)

These platforms are designed for product launches. Expect spike traffic on launch day.

1. Product Hunt

URL: producthunt.com Traffic potential: High (can be 5,000+ visitors on launch day) Link type: Nofollow Best for: Tech products, apps, SaaS Tips: Prepare thoroughly, engage with community before launch, have a launch offer

2. RankInPublic

URL: rankinpublic.xyz Traffic potential: Medium-High Link type: Dofollow Best for: Startups, SaaS, indie products Tips: Weekly tournament format means ongoing visibility, not just launch day

3. BetaList

URL: betalist.com Traffic potential: Medium Link type: Dofollow Best for: Pre-launch and beta products Tips: Free listing with queue, paid for faster feature

4. Launching Next

URL: launchingnext.com Traffic potential: Low-Medium Link type: Dofollow Best for: Early-stage startups Tips: Less competitive than Product Hunt

5. DevHunt

URL: devhunt.org Traffic potential: Medium Link type: Dofollow Best for: Developer tools Tips: More developer-focused audience than Product Hunt

Review and comparison sites (conversion traffic)

These platforms send users who are actively evaluating products — high intent traffic.

6. G2

URL: g2.com Traffic potential: High Link type: Nofollow Best for: B2B software Tips: Reviews are crucial — encourage happy customers to review

7. Capterra

URL: capterra.com Traffic potential: High Link type: Nofollow Best for: Business software Tips: Part of Gartner, very authoritative

8. GetApp

URL: getapp.com Traffic potential: Medium Link type: Nofollow Best for: Business apps Tips: Sister site to Capterra

9. Software Advice

URL: softwareadvice.com Traffic potential: Medium Link type: Nofollow Best for: Enterprise software Tips: Phone-based lead generation included

10. AlternativeTo

URL: alternativeto.net Traffic potential: High Link type: Nofollow Best for: Any software with established competitors Tips: Position yourself as alternative to known products

11. Slant

URL: slant.co Traffic potential: Medium Link type: Nofollow Best for: Tools and software Tips: Community-driven recommendations

12. TrustRadius

URL: trustradius.com Traffic potential: Medium Link type: Nofollow Best for: B2B technology Tips: Focus on getting detailed reviews

General startup directories

13. AngelList (Wellfound)

URL: wellfound.com Traffic potential: Medium Link type: Nofollow Best for: Startups seeking talent or investment Tips: Also useful for recruiting

14. Crunchbase

URL: crunchbase.com Traffic potential: Low (mostly investor research) Link type: Nofollow Best for: Establishing company credibility Tips: Essential for fundraising

15. F6S

URL: f6s.com Traffic potential: Low-Medium Link type: Dofollow Best for: Startups seeking accelerators, deals Tips: Access to startup deals and programs

16. StartupBuffer

URL: startupbuffer.com Traffic potential: Low Link type: Dofollow Best for: Early promotion Tips: Quick free submission

17. StartupRanking

URL: startupranking.com Traffic potential: Low Link type: Dofollow Best for: Startup visibility Tips: Rankings based on social signals

18. SaaSHub

URL: saashub.com Traffic potential: Medium Link type: Dofollow Best for: SaaS products Tips: Good alternative listings

19. StackShare

URL: stackshare.io Traffic potential: Medium Link type: Nofollow Best for: Developer tools and infrastructure Tips: Show your tech stack, get discovered

20. Indie Hackers

URL: indiehackers.com Traffic potential: Medium-High Link type: Nofollow Best for: Bootstrapped products Tips: Community engagement matters more than listing

21. SideProjectors

URL: sideprojectors.com Traffic potential: Low Link type: Dofollow Best for: Side projects, early products Tips: Good for very early stage

22. Startup Stash

URL: startupstash.com Traffic potential: Low-Medium Link type: Dofollow Best for: Tools for startups Tips: Curated list format

23. Startups.fyi

URL: startups.fyi Traffic potential: Low Link type: Dofollow Best for: Early listing Tips: Newsletter distribution

24. Launched

URL: launched.io Traffic potential: Low Link type: Dofollow Best for: New products Tips: Simple submission

25. BetaPage

URL: betapage.co Traffic potential: Low-Medium Link type: Dofollow Best for: Beta and new products Tips: Free listing available

Niche directories

Developer tools

26. LibHunt

URL: libhunt.com Traffic potential: Medium Link type: Dofollow Best for: Open source, dev tools Tips: Language-specific subcategories

27. Awesome Lists (GitHub)

URL: github.com/topics/awesome Traffic potential: Medium-High Link type: Dofollow Best for: Developer tools Tips: Find relevant awesome lists and submit PRs

28. Console.dev

URL: console.dev Traffic potential: Medium Link type: Varies Best for: Developer tools Tips: Curated newsletter

Design tools

29. Dribbble

URL: dribbble.com Traffic potential: Medium Link type: Nofollow Best for: Design tools, creative products Tips: Showcase product visuals

30. Behance

URL: behance.net Traffic potential: Medium Link type: Nofollow Best for: Creative tools Tips: Project-based showcasing

AI and ML

31. There's An AI For That

URL: theresanaiforthat.com Traffic potential: High Link type: Dofollow Best for: AI products Tips: Category is exploding, get listed early

32. AI Tool Directory

URL: aitoolsdirectory.com Traffic potential: Medium Link type: Dofollow Best for: AI tools Tips: Growing category

33. Futurepedia

URL: futurepedia.io Traffic potential: Medium-High Link type: Dofollow Best for: AI tools Tips: Very active user base

No-code

34. NoCodeList

URL: nocodelist.co Traffic potential: Low-Medium Link type: Dofollow Best for: No-code tools Tips: Niche but targeted

35. MakerPad Directory

URL: makerpad.zapier.com Traffic potential: Medium Link type: Nofollow Best for: No-code tools Tips: Now part of Zapier

Marketing

36. GrowthHackers

URL: growthhackers.com Traffic potential: Medium Link type: Nofollow Best for: Marketing tools Tips: Community engagement important

E-commerce

37. Shopify App Store

URL: apps.shopify.com Traffic potential: High (for Shopify apps) Link type: Nofollow Best for: Shopify integrations Tips: Essential for Shopify ecosystem

Remote work

38. Remote Tools

URL: remote.tools Traffic potential: Medium Link type: Dofollow Best for: Remote work tools Tips: Growing category

Local and business directories

39. Google Business Profile

URL: business.google.com Traffic potential: Very High Link type: N/A (citation) Best for: Any business with a location Tips: Essential for local SEO

40. Yelp

URL: yelp.com Traffic potential: High Link type: Nofollow Best for: Local businesses Tips: Respond to reviews

41. Apple Business Connect

URL: businessconnect.apple.com Traffic potential: Medium Link type: N/A Best for: Local businesses Tips: Appears in Apple Maps

42. Bing Places

URL: bingplaces.com Traffic potential: Low-Medium Link type: N/A Best for: Local businesses Tips: Quick to set up

43. Yellow Pages

URL: yellowpages.com Traffic potential: Low Link type: Nofollow Best for: Traditional businesses Tips: Still has some SEO value

44. BBB (Better Business Bureau)

URL: bbb.org Traffic potential: Low Link type: Nofollow Best for: Trust building Tips: Accreditation costs money but builds trust

Aggregators

45. Product Hunt Alternatives (on ProductHunt)

URL: producthunt.com (collections) Traffic potential: Varies Link type: Nofollow Best for: Getting into curated lists Tips: Make products to get into collections

46. BuiltWith

URL: builtwith.com Traffic potential: Low Link type: Nofollow Best for: Tech products Tips: Shows tech stack detection

47. SimilarWeb

URL: similarweb.com Traffic potential: Low Link type: Nofollow Best for: Analytics visibility Tips: Claim your site for better data

48. AppSumo

URL: appsumo.com Traffic potential: Very High Link type: Dofollow Best for: SaaS with lifetime deal potential Tips: Requires partnership/application

49. NachoNacho

URL: nachonacho.com Traffic potential: Low-Medium Link type: Dofollow Best for: SaaS discounts Tips: Marketplace for SaaS deals

50. PitchWall

URL: pitchwall.co Traffic potential: Low Link type: Dofollow Best for: Startup pitches Tips: Showcase your pitch deck

Directory submission tips

Before you submit

1. Prepare your assets: Logo (multiple sizes), screenshots, descriptions (short and long)
2. Write compelling copy: Focus on benefits, not features
3. Set up tracking: Use UTM parameters to track directory traffic

UTM template

?utm_source=[directory-name]&utm_medium=directory&utm_campaign=listing

Submission priority

• Product Hunt (time your launch)
• G2/Capterra (if B2B)
• AlternativeTo
• RankInPublic
• Google Business Profile (if local)

• BetaList
• SaaSHub
• Niche directories for your category
• StackShare (if developer tool)

• Remaining relevant directories
• Local directories
• Industry-specific listings

Track your results

Common mistakes to avoid

• Mass submission to low-quality directories: Focus on quality over quantity
• Duplicate descriptions: Customize for each platform
• Ignoring reviews: Respond to all reviews, positive and negative
• One-time effort: Update listings regularly

Start getting listed today

Directory submissions compound over time. The earlier you start, the more traffic and backlinks you'll accumulate.

Start with RankInPublic: Enter the weekly tournament and get:

• A dofollow backlink from a real product directory
• Exposure to thousands of founders discovering new products
• Ongoing visibility (not just launch day)
• Real feedback from your target audience

Every week you wait is traffic your competitors are getting instead. Submit your product now.