Buyer's guide
Best directory submission services, checked by hand
Twenty services that offer to fill in directory forms for you. On October 13, 2026 we read each one's pricing page, FAQ and refund terms, saved a screenshot of its prices and wrote down what it commits to. Seventeen were taking orders. One of them is ours, and it is labeled.
Founder, SaaSCity
Updated
Read on each service's own site. Screenshots in Chrome.
- 20
- services checked on October 13, 2026
- $29 to $549
- one-time package prices
- 5 of 17
- guarantee a specific DR or DA figure
- 4
- sell the same $99, $149 and $199 packages
Contents (18)
- The short answer
- Our service
- All services at a glance
- What you buy
- Manual directory submission services
- Automated and hybrid services
- Premium and paced services
- For AI tools only
- Paused or offline
- Best for each situation
- Price per directory
- DR guarantees compared
- Red flags
- Questions to ask
- Service or DIY?
- After you pay
- Does it still help SEO?
- FAQ
The short answer
A directory submission service fills in the forms of startup directories, launch sites and AI tool lists for your product, then sends a report of what it submitted. On October 13, 2026, the 17 services taking orders charged $29 to $549 one-time, for 20 to 370 directories, delivered in anything from 24 hours to about a month.
Ours, the SaaSCity directory submission service, costs $99 for 100 directories, $179 for 150 or $299 for 370, sends a screenshot of every submission and guarantees your Domain Rating goes up: if Ahrefs doesn't show it higher, we keep submitting at no extra cost. Elsewhere, Submitator is the cheapest ($29 for 30), Submitator and SubmitSaaS are the fastest (24 to 48 hours), and ListingBott gives the most control, with every directory up for your approval.
Our service: SaaSCity directory submission
We sell a directory submission service, so this is the part of the page to read with your guard up. It sits in every table below with the same columns as the others, and the list under the facts says where other services do better.
Growth
$99
100 directories + 20 extra sites · 10 days · one-time
RecommendedStorm
$179
150 directories + 30 extra sites · 7 days · one-time
Front of the queueSuperstorm
$299
370 directories + 30 extra sites · 7 days · one-time
Limited offer
- How we submit
- One submission per directory, written for that directory's fields, high-DR sites first. No bulk blasts.
- The report
- Every directory we submitted to, the status of each submission (submitted, live, rejected or already listed) and a screenshot of it, as PDF, Excel and CSV files plus the screenshots.
- DR guarantee
- Each package guarantees your site's Domain Rating goes up, as Ahrefs shows it. No specific number is promised. If your DR isn't higher than it was on the day you paid once the package's submissions are done, we keep submitting to more directories and sites at no extra cost until it is.
- Badge component
- Optional. Paste one strip of directory badges into your footer, and every badge we find on your site adds a directory to your order, up to 50 more.
- Refunds
- In full until work starts, or if we can't complete the order. If the report is late, a full refund or a refund of the part you didn't get.
- What we need
- A product name and a working site that says what the product does. No SaaSCity listing needed.
Where other services do better
- You can't pick or approve the directories before we start. ListingBott, DirPilot and Submitator let you.
- The report gives a status and a screenshot for each submission, not a list of live listing URLs. LaunchDirectories, DirPilot and List My Site promise live links.
- We don't name a DR target or pay you back if DR stays flat: we meet the guarantee with more submissions. SubmitWell, ListingBott and BoringLaunch put money on a number.
- 7 to 10 days is slower than the 24 to 48 hours SubmitSaaS, SubmitMatic and Submitator quote.
One result we can show: bunny.directory went from DR 4 to DR 27 on Ahrefs four days after we submitted it. Sites move at their own pace, which is why the guarantee is an increase and not a number.
One-time payment · full refund until work starts · no SaaSCity listing needed
All directory submission services at a glance
Prices and counts are each service's own, read on October 13, 2026. A "+" count is the minimum the service promises. No service, ours included, can make a directory approve a listing.
What a directory submission service does, and what it can't
A directory submission service takes one brief about your product (name, URL, tagline, description, logo, screenshots and category) and enters it into the submission forms of startup directories, SaaS directories, launch platforms, AI tool lists and review sites. You get back a report: which sites it submitted to, what happened on each one and some proof, usually screenshots.
What you buy is the form-filling. By our count one directory takes about 12 minutes by hand: finding the real submit page, signing up and confirming an email, cutting your pitch to its limits, resizing the logo again and checking the site still exists. That makes 100 directories about 20 hours, a week of evenings.
Three things are outside any service's control, ours included: whether a directory approves your product, whether its link to you is dofollow and whether Google indexes the listing page. Directories decide on their own schedule, from minutes to months, and some charge for the listing a service submitted for free. ListingBott comes closest to promising an outcome, with 100 live listings and free replacements for removed ones.
Manual directory submission services
People fill in the forms. These are slower than the automated services below and usually cost more per directory; in exchange a person can get past captchas, email checks and fields a script fills in wrong. Four of them, LaunchDirectories, ScrollLaunch, DirPilot and Nick Launches, sell identical packages: 30+, 60+ and 100+ directories for $99, $149 and $199, and three of the four pages repeat the same "save 20+, 40+ and 70+ hours" lines. Compare those four on what each one writes down about its report, its deadline and refunds.
SubmitWell
Manual From $35 6 to 7 business daysThe cheapest service run by people that we found. Starter is $35 for 50 directories, Growth $59 for 100 and Pro $99 for 200, which SubmitWell itself prices at $0.70 down to $0.50 a directory. Delivery is 6 to 7 business days. It also sells the same list without the work, as a CSV with each site's DR: $15 for 50 directories or $25 for 100.
It is one of three services here that back a DR number with money. Each card says "Guaranteed DR increase", from 0 to 10+ on Starter to 0 to 30+ on Pro, and its refund policy lists that increase among the standards it refunds in full for, alongside late delivery, missing submissions and a missing report. The catch is the window: you have to ask within 30 days of purchase. The report carries submission URLs and screenshots, and you get the Gmail credentials it submitted with, so you can edit listings later.
- Packages
- $35 for 50, $59 for 100, $99 for 200
- Report
- Submission URLs and screenshots, plus the Gmail login it used
- Promise
- DR from 0 to 10+, 20+ or 30+, or a full refund
- Refund
- Full refund within 30 days of purchase if it misses its standards
- Best for
- A first launch on a small budget, with a DR target and a refund behind it
- Watch out
- At 50 cents to 70 cents a directory, ask for the list and count the startup and SaaS directories on it
SubmitWell, October 13, 2026. DirPilot
Manual From $99 5 to 14 days, then an indexing report at day 30DirPilot sends you the list of directories it plans to use before it starts, and you can swap any of them out. Its team submits by hand, writes a different description for each directory and handles the paid listings, captchas and follow-up emails. Economy ($99, 30+ directories) sticks to medium-DR free directories. Business ($149, 60+) and First ($199, 100+) add paid ones, and the page puts the listing fees it covers at $111 and $213.
What we haven't seen elsewhere is the follow-up. DirPilot checks that each listing is live, links to you and is dofollow, then reports which listing pages Google has indexed at day 30. A page Google never indexes passes nothing, so that is the most useful report in this group. When a directory rejects you, it replaces it with one of similar authority.
- Packages
- $99 for 30+, $149 for 60+, $199 for 100+
- Report
- Live links, each checked for dofollow, and which pages Google indexed by day 30
- Promise
- None on DR. Replaces a rejection with a directory of similar authority
- Refund
- Not on its pricing section; ask
- Best for
- Approving the list yourself and seeing which listings Google indexed
- Watch out
- Economy works out at $3.30 a directory, like the other three services on this price ladder
DirPilot, October 13, 2026. LaunchDirectories
Manual From $99 4 to 6 business daysLaunchDirectories began as a searchable database of startup directories with DR, traffic and link type, and its service picks from a vetted pool of 200+ of them for each product. It promises the fullest report in this guide: live links to published listings, a screenshot proving each submission and the logins for every account it creates. Every package also says it includes paid launches on select partner directories.
It quotes 4 to 6 business days, and its FAQ says there are no refunds once work has started. The page claims acceptance rates of 80 to 95% for its manual approach against 40 to 60% for automated tools, and DR gains of 15 to 25 points within 1 to 3 months for new sites. Both are its own figures.
- Packages
- $99 for 30+, $149 for 60+, $199 for 100+
- Report
- Live links to published listings, screenshots and the logins it creates
- Promise
- None. Says new sites typically gain 15 to 25 DR in 1 to 3 months
- Refund
- None once work has started
- Best for
- A report you can audit line by line, with the accounts handed over
- Watch out
- No refund after work starts, so ask for a sample report before you pay
LaunchDirectories, October 13, 2026. List My Site
Manual, 7 to 10 submissions a day From $169 10 daysOne package: $169 for 100 directory submissions, with a banner offering 60 for $99 when we checked. List My Site paces the work at 7 to 10 submissions a day, so 100 takes about 10 days, picks directories by your category and writes the copy variations per platform. A Google Sheet goes live on day one and fills in with live links and screenshots as it goes.
Its refund terms are the plainest in this group: if it misses the number of successful submissions in your plan, it refunds pro rata for each missing one. The page shows client DR snapshots and says clients go from DR 0 to 20+ within 30 to 60 days, as a result it has seen rather than a guarantee.
- Packages
- $169 for 100 (offer: $99 for 60)
- Report
- A live tracking sheet from day one, with live links and screenshots
- Promise
- None. Says clients go from DR 0 to 20+ in 30 to 60 days
- Refund
- Pro-rata refund for every promised submission it misses
- Best for
- Watching the work happen, with a refund tied to the count
- Watch out
- One package only, and the 60-for-$99 offer was marked limited
List My Site, October 13, 2026. StartupSubmit
Manual From $99 5 to 7 days (3 to 7 on Authority)StartupSubmit lists three packages, and two of them cost the same. Starter is $99 for 60+ directories. Growth is $199 for 150+ with "DR 0-20+ guaranteed". Authority is also $199, for 200+ directories, a "guaranteed DR increase to 30-40", "unlimited backlinks until target", a free Reddit post and an account manager. The page itself points Growth buyers to Authority.
It promises a screenshot for every listing and a report in 5 to 7 days. On the submissions it guarantees the count: if it falls short, it keeps working until the number is met. Search for it with care: the service runs on startupsubmit.app, and startupsubmit.com is a parked domain for sale.
- Packages
- $99 for 60+, $199 for 150+, $199 for 200+
- Report
- Submitted backlink URLs and a screenshot of every listing
- Promise
- "DR 0-20+ guaranteed" on Growth, a DR increase "to 30-40" on Authority
- Refund
- Keeps working until the promised submission count is met
- Best for
- The biggest written DR target at $199
- Watch out
- DR 30 to 40 for $199 is a big promise; ask how "unlimited backlinks until target" works and when it ends
StartupSubmit, October 13, 2026. Nick Launches
Manual From $99 Starts within 48 hours; no end date statedNick Launches is a launch directory with a submission service on the side, and its three packages match DirPilot's line for line: 30+ medium-DR free directories for $99, 60+ high-DR free and paid ones for $149 and 100+ for $199, next to the same struck prices. Submissions start within 48 hours of payment, and the report lists every submission with its link and status.
It makes most sense if you are launching on Nick Launches anyway, since a product already listed there can add a directory boost from the dashboard. We compared the two launch sites in SaaSCity vs Nick Launches.
- Packages
- $99 for 30+, $149 for 60+, $199 for 100+
- Report
- A report with every submission, its link and its status
- Promise
- None. Shows client DR gains
- Refund
- Not on the service page; ask
- Best for
- Makers already launching on Nick Launches
- Watch out
- The page gives a start time but no delivery deadline
Nick Launches, October 13, 2026. ScrollLaunch
Manual From $99 Not on its pricing pageScrollLaunch is a weekly launch board first. Its pricing page sells directory submission as an add-on on the same $99, $149 and $199 ladder for 30+, 60+ and 100+ directories, done by hand, with a report of every live link.
Its free catalog of 1,018+ directories ranked by DR is useful even if you never buy, and a Premium launch on its own board ($39) is always dofollow.
- Packages
- $99 for 30+, $149 for 60+, $199 for 100+
- Report
- A report with every live link
- Promise
- None
- Refund
- Not on its pricing page; ask
- Best for
- Founders launching on ScrollLaunch who want the submissions bundled
- Watch out
- Delivery time and refund terms are not on the pricing page
ScrollLaunch, October 13, 2026. myStartupTool
Manual From €149 Not statedOne of the older services, run from Cyprus and priced in euros: €149 for 104 directories, or €199 with 15 app-only directories added for mobile products. It guarantees manual submission, a screenshot of each submission, the login for each one and a full refund within 48 hours of purchase.
A free account opens its directory list, 183 sites that it says are updated monthly, so you can see where it submits before you pay.
- Packages
- €149 for 104, €199 for 104 plus 15 app directories
- Report
- A screenshot and the login for each submission
- Promise
- None
- Refund
- Full refund within 48 hours of purchase
- Best for
- Buyers who want a login for every account, and mobile apps
- Watch out
- No delivery time on the pricing page
myStartupTool, October 13, 2026.
Automated and hybrid services
Software does most or all of the submitting, which is why these quote 24 to 48 hours and the lowest prices per directory. Automation is quickest on simple forms, and captchas, account checks and editorial review are where it slows down, which is the case the manual services make against it. All three publish their directory list, so you can check it before you pay.
SubmitSaaS
Automation plus human review From $60 48 hoursSubmitSaaS is fast and open about its list: the homepage carries the whole table of directories it uses, with DR, type, pricing and link type, so you can check the mix before paying. Packages are $60 for 60+ directories, $100 for 100+ and $140 for 140+, all within 48 hours, by "smart automation combined with human review". Paid directories are not included.
Each card says "Increase your Domain Rating up to DR 10" (15 and 20 on the larger ones). The FAQ is straight about it: those are "potential targets based on previous results", and what it guarantees is the number of submissions, the 48-hour turnaround and a complete report. It also creates a dedicated email account for the directory mail and gives you access. We put it next to our service in SaaSCity vs SubmitSaaS.
- Packages
- $60 for 60+, $100 for 100+, $140 for 140+
- Report
- A Google Sheet with screenshots, and a dedicated inbox you can open
- Promise
- "Up to DR 10 / 15 / 20", which its FAQ calls potential targets
- Refund
- Not on the page; its FAQ guarantees the count, the 48 hours and the report
- Best for
- Speed, and a published list you can vet before paying
- Watch out
- An "up to DR 20" line is a target, and its own FAQ says so
SubmitSaaS, October 13, 2026. SubmitMatic
AI automation From $60 2 business daysSubmitMatic sells the same three packages as SubmitSaaS at the same prices, with the same "up to DR 10, 15, 20" lines and a near-identical directory table on its homepage. Its cards show $120, $200 and $280 struck through, and the copy has AI doing the work: "Our AI automatically submits your product to 140+ curated directories".
The differences are small. It quotes two business days instead of 48 hours, and it describes AI submission where SubmitSaaS describes human review. Pick between the two on their sample reports.
- Packages
- $60 for 60+, $100 for 100+, $140 for 140+
- Report
- A Google Sheet with screenshots and status updates
- Promise
- "Up to DR 10 / 15 / 20"
- Refund
- Not on the page we read
- Best for
- The SubmitSaaS package, from a fully automated pipeline
- Watch out
- Check its list for directories that need a person, such as ones that review every submission
SubmitMatic, October 13, 2026. Submitator
Browser automation; you choose the directories From $29 24 to 48 hoursSubmitator is the cheapest service here and the most hands-on. You set up your product in a dashboard, choose which directories to target from its list and watch the submissions happen. It is open about the method, custom browser automation, which is how it charges $29 for 30 directories, $49 for 60 and $79 for 100, with a $149 plan for every directory it has (160 when we checked), all within 24 to 48 hours.
Two features stand out. It handles badge-gated directories: you install one component and it places and maintains the badges those directories ask for. And every project gets a free daily DR chart, even before paying. It advertises an average gain of 15 DR in 30 days, offers a 30-day refund policy and says its plans cover nine directories that charge for their better listing.
- Packages
- $29 for 30, $49 for 60, $79 for 100, $149 for all 160
- Report
- A live dashboard, plus a report with direct links and screenshots
- Promise
- Advertises an average gain of 15 DR in 30 days
- Refund
- 30-day refund policy
- Best for
- The lowest price, and choosing every directory yourself
- Watch out
- The $149 plan is labeled an experiment, so read what it includes on the day
Submitator, October 13, 2026.
Premium and paced services
Higher prices, smaller lists or a slower schedule, sold on hand-picking, pacing or a DR or DA guarantee.
ListingBott
AI picks the sites, people submit From $299 About a month, up to 5 weeksListingBott, from John Rush, is the premium option. After an onboarding form you pick a goal, Domain Rating or awareness, and it proposes 100 listings from a database it puts at 10,000+ directories, sites and forums. You approve or decline each one, and it only lists you where you aren't listed yet. Submissions go out over about a month at a human pace, with weekly updates, and you own the listings.
Its DR guarantee is the most carefully worded one we found. The FAQ reads: "We guarantee a Domain Rating (DR) increase from 0 to 15 within 2 months after the ListingBott report", and if the work doesn't get DR to at least 15, it keeps working or refunds. Sites already at DR 15 or more get no exact figure. Removed listings are replaced for free to keep its promise of 100 live listings. The price shown is $299 against a struck $499, under a countdown that read "ends in expired". Our ListingBott comparison goes row by row.
- Packages
- $299 for 100 (shown against $499)
- Report
- Weekly updates, a full report, and an updated one after indexing
- Promise
- DR 0 to 15 within 2 months of the report, or more work or a refund
- Refund
- "Full refund if you're not satisfied"
- Best for
- Control over every directory, and a DR target with a refund for new sites
- Watch out
- About $3 a listing and a month of waiting: the slowest service here and one of the dearest per directory
ListingBott, October 13, 2026. TinyLaunch
Not stated From $279 Not statedTinyLaunch is a launch board with a submission add-on: $279 one-time for 110 directories, which its pricing page says include SourceForge, GeekWire and G2, ending in a comprehensive submission report. A Premium launch on the board itself costs $39 and comes with a guaranteed backlink.
The pricing page gives no delivery time, method or refund terms, and its only DR line is "grow your DR on autopilot", next to a customer quote about going from DR 7 to 30. At about $2.54 a directory it is one of the dearer options, so get those three things in writing before you pay.
- Packages
- $279 for 110
- Report
- A "comprehensive submission report"
- Promise
- None. Says it grows your DR "on autopilot"
- Refund
- Not on its pricing page; ask
- Best for
- Makers launching on TinyLaunch who want one bill
- Watch out
- No turnaround, method or refund terms on the pricing page
TinyLaunch, October 13, 2026. BoringLaunch
Not stated From $149 7 days, in weekly slotsBoringLaunch sells weekly slots. Basic is $149 for 50+ platforms in 7 days, Not Boring $249 for 100+, and Priority $549 for 50 to 60 high-quality platforms with work starting within 24 hours. When we checked, this week's and next week's spots on the two cheaper plans were sold out, so you reserve a later week.
Priority carries the plainest money-back DR promise we found: a full refund if your Domain Rating doesn't reach 20+ within 30 days of submission. Not Boring promises a "guaranteed SEO improvement" in 30 days without saying how it is measured. Both lists were marked as updated 38 days earlier.
- Packages
- $149 for 50+, $249 for 100+, $549 for 50 to 60
- Report
- A detailed submission report
- Promise
- $549 plan: money back if DR doesn't reach 20+ within 30 days
- Refund
- Money back on the $549 plan, tied to DR 20+
- Best for
- Cash back if DR 20 isn't reached, for those who can spend $549
- Watch out
- The cheaper plans can be booked out for weeks
BoringLaunch, October 13, 2026. Submit Juice
Manual, spread over a week From $197 5 to 7 daysSubmit Juice costs the most per directory: Classic is $197 for a curated list of 20 directories and websites, Premium $297 for 50, and another $197 takes you past 100. For that you get a custom list that can include media outlets and subreddits, submissions spread over a week and an Airtable that tracks each one and links to the live listings. Add-ons sell press-release distribution ($293) and launch graphics ($298).
Its guarantee is on Moz's Domain Authority, a different score from Ahrefs' Domain Rating: Classic says "DA 20+ Guarantee" and Premium "Expect a DA of ~20". Its terms count the service delivered "once proof of submission is provided", and its FAQ says it can guarantee submissions, not listings. Its list of 152+ directories is free.
- Packages
- $197 for 20, $297 for 50, +$197 for 100+
- Report
- An Airtable of every submission, with links to live listings
- Promise
- "DA 20+ Guarantee" on Classic, "Expect a DA of ~20" on Premium
- Refund
- Counts as delivered once proof of submission is provided
- Best for
- A small hand-picked list with media and community outreach
- Watch out
- About $10 a directory on Classic, and DA is Moz's metric, so check which score your goal is in
Submit Juice, October 13, 2026.
For AI tools only
AI products have their own directory circuit, from There's An AI For That to hundreds of small tool lists. General services cover part of it: our list, for one, mixes AI tool directories in with the SaaS ones.
Free AI Directories
Manual, AI directories only From $99 48 to 72 hours; 4 or 6 business days on the larger plansIf your product is an AI tool, this is the specialist. Free AI Directories submits by hand to AI directories only: 80 for $99 within 48 to 72 hours, 200 for $149 in 4 business days or 300 for $199 in 6. It publishes its list of 450+ AI directories for free, with DR and link type, and lists your tool in its own directory with a dofollow link at no cost.
Its FAQ takes the opposite line to the DR guarantors: "We don't make specific DR promises. Anyone guaranteeing an exact number is overselling." It guarantees the submissions and a full report, and promises to make it right or refund you if it falls short.
- Packages
- $99 for 80, $149 for 200, $199 for 300
- Report
- A spreadsheet of every directory and its status, with screenshots
- Promise
- None. Says exact-number DR guarantees are overselling
- Refund
- "Make it right or refund you" if it falls short on submissions
- Best for
- AI tools that want the AI directory circuit covered in depth
- Watch out
- AI directories only, so a product that isn't built around AI gets little from it
Free AI Directories, October 13, 2026.
Paused or offline on October 13, 2026
Three services that still come up in founder threads and older comparisons couldn't take an order on the day we checked.
GetMoreBacklinks
New orders pausedIts pricing section read "New orders are currently unavailable" on October 13, 2026, as it did when we checked in June and on October 5. The packages list $379 to $779 for 100 to 200 submissions, 14 working days and a report with proof screenshots, under a "67% OFF" label.
GetMoreBacklinks, October 13, 2026. AutoSaaSLaunch
Site not loadingA Chrome extension, $29 for life in June 2026, that filled in the forms of 18 directories from your own accounts. Its site didn't load on October 5 or on October 13, 2026: the connection closed both times.
300aidirectories
ClosedSold submission of AI tools to 300+ AI directories. On October 13, 2026 the site read "Site closed. This website is no longer available."
The best directory submission service for each situation
Short answers, from the details above.
- Largest single package
- SaaSCity Superstorm: 370 directories plus 30 extra sites for $299, with a guaranteed DR increase. See our service.
- Lowest price
- Submitator, $29 for 30 directories by automation. Run by people: SubmitWell, $35 for 50.
- Fastest
- Submitator (24 to 48 hours), SubmitSaaS (48 hours) and SubmitMatic (2 business days).
- Approving every directory
- ListingBott (approve or decline each of 100), DirPilot (swap any directory on its list) and Submitator (choose from its list).
- Indexing checked for you
- DirPilot, which reports at day 30 which listings Google has indexed.
- A DR number backed by money
- SubmitWell (refund if DR misses 10+, 20+ or 30+, asked within 30 days), ListingBott (DR 15 within 2 months for new sites, more work or a refund) and BoringLaunch Priority (DR 20+ in 30 days or $549 back).
- A DR increase at any starting DR
- SaaSCity. No number, but more submissions at no cost until Ahrefs shows your DR higher than when you paid, whether you start at 0 or at 40.
- AI tools
- Free AI Directories, 300 AI directories for $199.
- Every account handed over
- LaunchDirectories and myStartupTool send the logins, and SubmitWell the Gmail it submitted from.
- A refund tied to the count
- List My Site, which refunds pro rata for each promised submission it misses.
Price per directory
Each package's price divided by the directories it promises, as of October 13, 2026. A count sold as "60+" is taken at 60, so the "+" services may come out a little cheaper.
Cheap per directory isn't the same as good value: a list padded with dead or off-topic sites costs nothing extra and gives you nothing either. In July 2026 we checked 2,972 directory domains and cut 1,306 of them as dead, broken, link farms or not directories at all (the study).
What "guaranteed DR" means on each site
Ten of the 17 services put a Domain Rating or Domain Authority figure on their pages, and five call it a guarantee. Here is what each one says and what happens if it misses, in its own words where it has them.
Domain Rating is Ahrefs' score for the strength of a site's backlink profile, on a 100-point scale relative to every other site in its index. Google doesn't use it. Ahrefs also says a linking site splits its rating among all the domains it links to, so one listing on a directory that links to 20,000 products moves your number very little. A new site picks up its first points from a handful of linking domains with some authority, which a directory package can supply; that is why most numeric guarantees here apply to sites starting from zero. Higher up the scale each point takes more, and none of these guarantees says anything about rankings or traffic.
Read any DR guarantee for four things: the tool it is measured in (Ahrefs DR and Moz DA are different scores), the starting point, the deadline and the remedy, whether that is money back, more work or nothing. ListingBott spells out all four. Several others print a number with nothing beside it.
Ours names the tool (Ahrefs), the starting point (your DR on the day you pay) and the remedy (more submissions until it rises), and leaves out a target on purpose: we take orders from brand-new sites and from established ones, and an increase is a promise we can keep for both. If you need a specific number with money behind it, SubmitWell, ListingBott and BoringLaunch's Priority plan are the ones that write one down.
Red flags when you buy directory submissions
A DR number with nothing next to it
"DR 20 guaranteed" means little unless the page also says what happens when DR doesn't get there. Look for the remedy in writing: a refund, more work, a date.
No list, not even a sample
Counts like "200+ directories" are easy to fill with sites nobody visits. SubmitSaaS, SubmitMatic and Submitator publish their whole list, DirPilot and ListingBott show you yours before they start, and our service page shows a sample. If a service shows nothing, ask.
Generic web directories in the mix
Google's spam policies give "low-quality directory or bookmark site links" as an example of link spam. A listing on a startup directory people browse describes your product to people looking for one; a page on a general link directory is the kind of link that policy has in mind.
A report that is only a status column
Most services count the job done once the submissions are made and documented, ours included, because nobody controls approvals. That makes the report the thing you are paying for, so ask for a sample and check it has a screenshot or a link on every row.
Paused, booked out or gone
GetMoreBacklinks has had new orders paused since June, 300aidirectories now shows "Site closed" and AutoSaaSLaunch didn't load on two checks. Pay by card, keep the receipt and look for recent customer posts before paying a small service.
Promises about Google or ChatGPT
Nobody can promise a ranking, an AI Overview or a ChatGPT mention from directory listings. Listings add pages that describe your product; what search engines and AI tools do with them is up to them.
Seven questions to ask before you pay
Send these before checkout. A good service answers them in a line each.
- Which directories, exactly? Ask for the list, or a sample with DR and link type. If you're already on some directories, ask whether they skip those: ListingBott and Free AI Directories say they avoid duplicates.
- Who fills in the forms? A person, a browser script or a model. Any of the three can work, and the answer tells you how they deal with captchas, email confirmations and directories that review every submission by hand.
- What does the report show? A status per directory at the least. Better: a screenshot of each submission, the listing URL once it is live and the logins for any accounts created.
- What happens when a directory says no? DirPilot replaces rejected directories and ListingBott replaces removed listings. Others, ours included, record the rejection in the report.
- What exactly is guaranteed? Get the metric, the starting point, the deadline and the remedy in writing. A guarantee without all four is a target.
- When do I get my money back? Before work starts is the usual answer, and LaunchDirectories stops there. SubmitWell and Submitator have 30-day windows, List My Site refunds missed submissions pro rata, and we refund a late report.
- Whose email and accounts are used? Directories send confirmation mail and some create accounts. SubmitSaaS and SubmitMatic set up an inbox and give you access, SubmitWell hands over the Gmail it used, and LaunchDirectories and myStartupTool send the logins. You'll want them to edit listings later.
A directory submission service, or do it yourself?
Doing it yourself costs time instead of money. At about 12 minutes a directory, 50 directories come to about 10 hours of forms and 100 to about 20. Our $99 package for 100 directories costs less than your time if an hour of your evening is worth more than about $5.
If you go DIY, start with the sites no service does well, because they need an account you'll keep, a launch day or replies to comments: Product Hunt, Hacker News, G2, Capterra, AlternativeTo, SaaSHub, BetaList and Crunchbase. Our review of each says what it costs and whether its link is followed.
Then work down a list ranked by DR. Ours are free: the best SaaS directories, the free dofollow directories and a step-by-step guide to submitting, with a tracker to keep count. A service earns its fee on the long tail after that, the hundred or more smaller directories where the work is the same form again and again.
One listing takes two minutes: SaaSCity itself is a DR 68 directory, and a listing on it carries a dofollow link, free with our badge on your site or $19.99 with Quick Pass.
Good fit
- You'd rather spend 20 hours on the product than on forms
- You are launching now and want the long tail covered within days
- You will read the report and follow up on the big directories yourself
Skip it if
- You have more evenings than money
- Your site doesn't yet say clearly what the product does
- You expect rankings or traffic from directories alone
What happens after you pay
- Days 1 to 30: the submissions From 24 hours with Submitator to about a month with ListingBott. The report comes at the end, and some services share a live sheet from day one.
- Weeks 1 to 8: the approvals Directories review on their own schedule. Some publish at once, some take weeks, some never answer and some reply offering a paid fast track. SubmitWell's FAQ puts approvals at "instant to several weeks", and ListingBott says most listings are published and indexed within 2 months.
- Weeks 2 to 12: Ahrefs and Google catch up Ahrefs counts a new link once it crawls the page, and DR moves when enough new linking domains are counted. Google indexes listing pages when it chooses, which is what DirPilot checks at day 30. bunny.directory moved from DR 4 to 27 four days after our submissions; other sites take months.
- Then: check what worked Look up your DR with a free checker, watch referral traffic in your analytics and search site:thedirectory.com yourproduct to see which listings Google has indexed. Update the big listings when your pricing or positioning changes.
Do directory submissions still help SEO in 2026?
Some, if the directories are real. A listing on a startup or SaaS directory is a page about your product on a site search engines already crawl. It can get a new domain discovered faster, it adds a mention with your name, URL and description, and the stronger directories pass a followed link. A few still send visitors who are shopping for a tool, Product Hunt, G2 and the big AI tool lists among them.
On their own, directories won't rank a page. Google's spam policies name low-quality directory links as link spam, Domain Rating isn't a Google metric, and a hundred listings don't replace a product page that answers a search well. Treat a package as groundwork, discovery, mentions and a first set of links, and build on it with content and real coverage.
On AI search: ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google's AI Overviews draw on the open web, and directory listings are part of it. Being described the same way on many sites makes it easier for them to say what your product is. Nobody can promise a mention, and we don't.
FAQ
- What is a directory submission service?
- A service that submits your product to online directories for you: startup and SaaS directories, launch platforms, AI tool lists and review sites. You fill in one brief, it fills in each directory's form and sends a report of every submission. The 17 SaaS-focused services taking orders on October 13, 2026 charged $29 to $549 one-time.
- How much does a directory submission service cost?
- On October 13, 2026, from $29 (Submitator, 30 directories) to $549 (BoringLaunch Priority), one-time. Most sell three packages between $60 and $300, which works out at about $0.50 to $3.30 a directory, and up to about $10 for small hand-picked lists. Ours costs $99, $179 or $299 for 100, 150 or 370 directories.
- Are directory submission services worth it?
- For a founder whose time is worth more than about $5 an hour, usually yes: 100 directories by hand is about 20 hours of forms. They are worth less when the list is padded with dead or generic directories, or when you expect rankings from them. Ask for the list and a sample report before paying.
- Which directory submission service is best for SaaS?
- It depends on what you value. For a large package with a screenshot of every submission and a guaranteed DR increase, our own service at SaaSCity. For the lowest price, Submitator or SubmitWell. For speed, SubmitSaaS or Submitator. To approve every directory, ListingBott or DirPilot. For AI tools only, Free AI Directories.
- What is the cheapest directory submission service?
- Submitator, at $29 for 30 directories by browser automation. The cheapest run by people is SubmitWell at $35 for 50. Per directory, SubmitWell's $99 package for 200 directories, 50 cents each, was the lowest we found.
- Which directory submission service is the fastest?
- Submitator (24 to 48 hours), SubmitSaaS (48 hours) and SubmitMatic (2 business days), all automated or mostly automated. Manual services take 4 to 14 days, and ListingBott spreads its work over about a month on purpose.
- Is manual or automated directory submission better?
- Manual services get past captchas, email checks and editorial forms and write copy for each directory; they cost more and take days. Automated ones are fast and cheap and work best on simple forms. Either way, judge the directory list and the report, since those decide what you get.
- Can a directory submission service guarantee a DR increase?
- Several do, in different ways. SubmitWell refunds if DR doesn't reach its package target, asked within 30 days. ListingBott guarantees DR 15 within two months for sites starting at 0, or more work or a refund. BoringLaunch refunds its $549 plan if DR doesn't reach 20+ in 30 days. Ours guarantees your DR goes up, as Ahrefs measures it, without a number: if it hasn't, we keep submitting at no extra cost until it does. No service can guarantee rankings or traffic.
- Do directory submissions help with ChatGPT and AI search?
- They add pages that describe your product on sites AI tools can read, which helps those tools say what it is. No service can promise a mention in ChatGPT, Perplexity or Google's AI Overviews.
- Should I submit to Product Hunt myself?
- Yes. Product Hunt, Hacker News, G2, Capterra and similar sites need an account you'll keep, a launch day or replies to comments, and they are worth doing with care. Use a service for the long tail of smaller directories.
- Is SubmitSaaS the same as SubmitMatic?
- They sell the same packages at the same prices, $60, $100 and $140 for 60+, 100+ and 140+ directories, with the same DR lines and similar directory tables. SubmitSaaS describes automation plus human review in 48 hours; SubmitMatic describes AI submission in 2 business days. Compare their sample reports.
- Do I need a SaaSCity listing to use your service?
- No. Give us the product's name and site, and we work from the site. If the product is listed on SaaSCity, the listing is the brief.
- How long until directory submissions show results?
- Submissions take from a day to a month, depending on the service. Approvals take days to weeks, and Ahrefs and Google catch up over the weeks after. Give it one to three months before you judge referral traffic and DR.
How we checked
Every fact about another service was read on its own pricing page, FAQ or refund page, and every screenshot was taken in Chrome the same day. Ours comes from our packages and Terms. Last checked on . Prices and rules change, so check the site before you pay.
- SubmitWell: pricing and FAQ
- SubmitWell: refund policy
- DirPilot: directory submission service
- LaunchDirectories: submission service and FAQ
- List My Site: pricing and FAQ
- StartupSubmit: plans
- Nick Launches: directory submission service
- ScrollLaunch: pricing
- myStartupTool: pricing
- SubmitSaaS: pricing, directory list and FAQ
- SubmitMatic: pricing and directory list
- Submitator: plans and directory list
Hand us the forms.
100 to 370 directories, one-time, from $99. A report of every submission with a screenshot within 7 to 10 days, a guaranteed DR increase for your site and a full refund until work starts.