Startup directories to submit your startup

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What is a startup directory?

A website that lists products so people can browse or search them. Founders submit to directories for two reasons: the visitors who arrive from them, and the backlink to their own site, which search engines treat as a signal of credibility.

Are startup directories still worth submitting to?

The good ones are. A link from a site search engines already trust helps a new domain get taken seriously, and some directories send real traffic for years. Submitting to hundreds of low quality ones is a waste of a weekend and can look manipulative.

What does dofollow mean?

A dofollow link passes credibility from the linking site to yours. A nofollow link tells search engines not to pass it. Both can send you visitors, but only dofollow helps your own search rankings, which is why the filter above exists.

How many directories should I submit to?

Start with the free dofollow ones with the highest authority and work down. Twenty good submissions beat two hundred poor ones, and each listing needs the same name, tagline and URL as the others or the consistency is lost.

Do I have to pay to be listed?

Usually not. 737 of the directories here are free to submit. Paid listings can be worth it on high authority sites or when you need a launch on a specific date.

How long does it take to get listed?

Anything from minutes to several weeks. Directories with a human reviewing every submission are slower and usually more valuable, because the bar keeps the spam out.