DoFollow Backlinks for SaaS
Pure DoFollow backlinks pass real SEO authority, and they are exactly how a brand-new SaaS goes from DR 0 to DR 30+ in 90 days. Here are the 30+ sources we verify and submit to weekly.
Why DoFollow Specifically Matters
In Google's link graph, DoFollow links are the only ones that explicitly pass PageRank, the underlying authority score every page on the web has. A NoFollow backlink from a DR 90 site might still drive traffic and brand discovery, but it does not move your domain's PageRank the way a DoFollow link from a DR 50 site will.
For a new SaaS, that distinction is decisive: 30 DoFollow backlinks from DR 60-90 directories will move your Domain Rating from 0 to ~25 in 3 months. The same 30 NoFollow backlinks will move it almost zero.
The catch: most directories that say "DoFollow" are partially or fully NoFollow once Google crawls them. Below are 30+ sources where the DoFollow status has been verified in the live HTML.
High-DR SaaS Directories (Free)
Verified DoFollow on the directory listing page. Highest priority for any SaaS, in this exact order.
| Source | DR | Cost | Effort | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Product Hunt (launch listing) | 93 | Free | 60 min | DoFollow product page; one of the highest-DR DoFollow links any SaaS can earn. |
| AlternativeTo | 85 | Free | 40 min | DoFollow product page; long-tail SEO compound from "X alternatives" queries. |
| StackShare | 83 | Free | 30 min | DoFollow profile page; especially valuable for dev tools and B2B SaaS. |
| BetaList | 79 | Free / paid | 20 min | DoFollow once published. Paid tier gets you indexed faster. |
| Indie Hackers Products | 79 | Free | 15 min | DoFollow product card. Low effort, established authority. |
| There's An AI For That | 76 | Free | 15 min | DoFollow listing. Mandatory if your SaaS has any AI feature. |
| Slant | 75 | Free | 20 min | DoFollow if you appear in question results; worth adding to 3–5 questions. |
| SaaSHub | 70 | Free / paid | 20 min | DoFollow profile. One of the highest-DR SaaS-specific DoFollow links available free. |
| Toolify | 64 | Free | 15 min | DoFollow AI directory listing; fast approval, indexes well. |
| Futurepedia | 76 | Free | 20 min | DoFollow AI directory; editorial review, so submit a polished listing. |
Developer & Profile DoFollow Sources
Permanent DoFollow links from extremely high-DR domains. Setup-once, never-touch-again.
| Source | DR | Cost | Effort | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open-source awesome lists (GitHub) | 96 | Free | 15 min/PR | DoFollow inside Markdown, with DR 96 permanent backlinks per merged PR. |
| GitHub organization page | 96 | Free | 10 min | DoFollow homepage URL on every GitHub org page. |
| Dev.to author bio + posts | 87 | Free | 2–4 hours | DoFollow author URL plus contextual mentions in posts. |
| Hashnode posts | 87 | Free | 2–4 hours | DoFollow links inside posts you write. Write tutorials, not promotions. |
| GitLab / Bitbucket profile | 92 / 88 | Free | 10 min | DoFollow profile links; complement the GitHub backlink. |
| NPM / PyPI / RubyGems package page | 90+ | Free | 20 min | DoFollow homepage URL on package pages, mandatory if you have a package. |
| Open Collective | 88 | Free | 20 min | DoFollow profile link for open-source / community-funded products. |
Niche, Editorial & Earned DoFollow
Higher effort but the strongest topical relevance. Google specifically rewards DoFollow links from sites already associated with your topic.
| Source | DR | Cost | Effort | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Niche "best of" listicles | 40–80 | Free / pitch | 30 min/pitch | Most are DoFollow. Pitch the editor with a 1-paragraph reason your tool deserves inclusion. |
| Country / regional SaaS directories | 40–80 | Free / paid | 20 min | Most regional directories are DoFollow and pass strong local-search authority. |
| Industry trade-association directories | 50–80 | $0–$200/yr | 30 min | Often DoFollow and high-trust. Worth the small fee for B2B SaaS. |
| Conference sponsor / partner pages | 50–80 | Sponsor cost | varies | DoFollow most of the time, but confirm before you commit to sponsorship. |
| Podcast guest appearances | 40–80 | Free | 1 hour/show | DoFollow show-notes link on most podcast platforms; compounds with audience trust. |
| Free tools / generators on subdomain | N/A | Build cost | 5–20 hours build | Earn DoFollow editorial backlinks naturally as people share and embed. |
How to Verify a Backlink Is Actually DoFollow
1. Inspect the rendered HTML
Right-click the directory listing where your link appears → Inspect. Look at the actual <a> tag. If the rel attribute contains "nofollow", "ugc", or "sponsored", it is not pure DoFollow. If there is no rel attribute (or rel="dofollow"), it is DoFollow.
2. Use a browser extension
NoFollow Simple, NoFollow Highlighter, or LinkChecker extensions visually mark every NoFollow link on a page. Faster than inspecting one at a time.
3. Verify with Ahrefs / Semrush / Moz
Once Google has crawled the page, your backlink shows up with a "DoFollow" or "NoFollow" tag in the SEO tool of your choice. This is the only way to be sure search engines are reading the link as DoFollow.
4. Watch for redirect tricks
Some directories wrap your URL in a tracking redirect ("/go/your-site"). The link can still pass authority, but only if the intermediate redirect is a clean 301 with no NoFollow. Verify in a tool like httpstatus.io.
700+ Directories: Filter to DoFollow Only
Use the Link Type filter and sort by DR descending to build your DoFollow target list.
| # | Name | DR | Type | Pricing | Link Type | URL | Submit URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Trustpilot | 94.0 | Review Platform | Free | Nofollow | Visit | Submit |
| 2. | SourceForge | 92.0 | Software Directory | Free | Nofollow | Visit | Submit |
| 3. | Clutch | 91.0 | General Directory | Free | Nofollow | Visit | Submit |
| 4. | Hacker News | 91.0 | General Directory | Free | Nofollow | Visit | Submit |
| 5. | Product Hunt | 91.0 | Launchpad | Free | Dofollow | Visit | Submit |
| 6. | CrunchBase | 91.0 | Startup Directory | Free | Nofollow | Visit | Submit |
| 7. | G2 | 91.0 | Review Platform | Free | Dofollow | Visit | Submit |
| 8. | AI Tools Neil Patel | 91.0 | AI Directory | Free | Dofollow | Visit | Submit |
| 9. | Indie Dev Tools | 90.0 | Startup Directory | Free | Dofollow | Visit | Submit |
| 10. | DEV Community | 90.0 | Community | Free | Dofollow | Visit | Submit |
| 11. | Telegraph | 88.0 | Others | Free | Dofollow | Visit | Submit |
| 12. | Devpost | 87.0 | Software Directory | Free | Nofollow | Visit | Submit |
| 13. | FinancesOnline.com | 87.0 | Software Directory | Free | Nofollow | Visit | Submit |
| 14. | Built In | 86.0 | General Directory | Free | Nofollow | Visit | Submit |
| 15. | YourStory | 85.0 | Startup Directory | Free | Dofollow | Visit | Submit |
| 16. | GeekWire | 85.0 | Startup Directory | Free | Nofollow | Visit | Submit |
| 17. | TrustRadius | 84.0 | Review Platform | Free | Nofollow | Visit | Submit |
| 18. | HackMD | 83.0 | Others | Free | Dofollow | Visit | Submit |
| 19. | AppSumo | 83.0 | Software Directory | Free | Dofollow | Visit | Submit |
| 20. | Startup Fame | 83.0 | Startup Directory | Conditional Free | Dofollow | Visit | Submit |
Tools to Plan Your DoFollow Strategy
Domain Rating Calculator
Reverse-engineer how many DoFollow backlinks you need to hit a target DR.
DoFollow SaaS Directories
The full curated list of DoFollow SaaS-specific directories with DR data.
Free Backlinks for SaaS
The mixed (DoFollow + high-trust NoFollow) free backlink list, the broader version of this page.
Free DoFollow Directories
Directories that are both free to submit and confirmed DoFollow — the highest-ROI starting point.
High-DR SaaS Directories
Sort by Domain Rating to target the strongest DoFollow backlinks first and move your DR fastest.
SaaS Backlink Building Guide
The full SaaS link-building framework with directories at the center.
DoFollow Backlinks FAQ
Want DoFollow-Only Submissions?
Tell us at intake. We filter to DoFollow-only sources from our 700+ database and submit your SaaS in 48 hours. Every backlink verified, every DoFollow status documented.
Basic
Ideal for businesses starting their journey to enhanced online visibility.
Choose $60 package- Submission to 60+ directories
- Guaranteed DR increase from 0 to 10+
- Complete submission report
- Paid directories are not included
- Get valuable backlinks
- Generate organic traffic
- Save over 12 hours of your time
- 48-hour turnaround time
Premium
Our most comprehensive package for maximum visibility and SEO impact.
Choose $140 package- Submission to 140+ directories
- Guaranteed DR increase from 0 to 20+
- Complete submission report
- Paid directories are not included
- Get valuable backlinks
- Generate organic traffic
- Save over 28 hours of your time
- 48-hour turnaround time
Standard
Accelerate your growth and expand your online recognition.
Choose $100 package- Submission to 100+ directories
- Guaranteed DR increase from 0 to 15+
- Complete submission report
- Paid directories are not included
- Get valuable backlinks
- Generate organic traffic
- Save over 20 hours of your time
- 48-hour turnaround time
Ready to boost your SaaS?
We're here to help! For a quick response, contact us via email or our X account. We usually reply within 24 hours.
Start Your SaaS Visibility Journey Here
Our expert service takes care of every directory submission, securing more backlinks, driving organic traffic, and dramatically expanding your SaaS's online presence.