150+ Places to Launch Your Startup in 2026
You built the thing. Now people need to find it.
Launching on startup directories is one of the highest-ROI growth tactics available — free backlinks, targeted traffic, and social proof from day one. The problem? Most "ultimate directory lists" floating around are 60% dead links and haven't been updated since 2023.
We maintain a live database of 156+ verified directories, checked monthly. This post is the full list, organized by category so you can find the ones that matter for your product.
🚀 General Directories (32 listings)
The big-tent platforms. Every startup should submit to these regardless of niche.
FreeVery High traffic
The gold standard. Daily leaderboard with massive early-adopter audience.
Free / $129 priorityHigh traffic
Curated directory with large newsletter. Free submissions take 2-4 weeks.
FreeLow traffic
45K+ listings. Easy submission, good for SEO backlinks.
FreeLow traffic
Friendlier Product Hunt alternative. Low barrier to entry.
Free / $20 featuredMedium traffic
Curated, clean design. Good for SaaS and dev tools.
FreeLow traffic
Simple directory with category browsing.
Free / $49 featuredMedium traffic
Curated directory of resources and tools for startups.
FreeLow traffic
Press and launch resource hub.
Free / Paid optionsLow traffic
One of the oldest startup directories.
Free / PaidMedium traffic
Beta product directory with community feedback.
FreeLow traffic
Connects beta testers with new products.
FreeMedium traffic
Ranks startups by country and category.
FreeLow traffic
Simple startup directory.
FreeLow traffic
Launch platform with upvoting.
FreeLow traffic
Curated directory of profitable startups.
FreeLow traffic
Startup ecosystem news and directory.
FreeHigh traffic
'Alternatives to X' site. Huge organic search traffic.
FreeLow traffic
Growing tools directory.
FreeLow traffic
Directory of tools for makers.
FreeLow traffic
Startup pitch directory.
FreeLow traffic
Startup and tool listings.
FreeLow traffic
Tool discovery platform.
Free tierVery High traffic
Essential business directory. Investors check this.
FreeVery High traffic
Startup jobs and funding platform. Key for credibility.
FreeMedium traffic
Startup deals, accelerators, and funding.
FreeLow traffic
Daily startup features.
FreeMedium traffic
SaaS company database with revenue data.
FreeLow traffic
Simple startup listing platform.
🤖 AI Directories (18 listings)
If your product uses AI, these are essential. The AI tools directory space exploded in 2024-2025 and is still growing.
Free / Paid featuredVery High traffic
The largest AI tool directory. Essential for AI launches.
Free / $99 featuredHigh traffic
5K+ AI tool listings. Strong social media presence.
FreeVery High traffic
If you have a custom GPT, list it here. Massive built-in audience.
FreeHigh traffic
Backed by 500K+ newsletter subscribers.
FreeMedium traffic
Strong AI community and newsletter.
Free / $39 featuredMedium traffic
Organized by task type. Good descriptions.
Free / $49 featuredMedium traffic
AI-powered SaaS focus. Crossover SaaS buyer audience.
FreeMedium traffic
Daily AI tool updates with newsletter.
FreeMedium traffic
Growing, organized by use case.
FreeMedium traffic
AI tools with editorial guides.
Free / PaidHigh traffic
AI tools ranked by traffic and category.
FreeMedium traffic
Curated AI tools by category.
FreeLow traffic
AI tool discovery with reviews.
FreeLow traffic
Encyclopedia-style AI directory.
FreeLow traffic
AI tools with user ratings.
FreeLow traffic
Cutting-edge AI and tech tools.
💼 B2B & SaaS Directories (18 listings)
Where buyers compare software. High-intent traffic — people here are ready to purchase.
FreeVery High traffic
The 800-lb gorilla of software reviews. High domain authority.
Free / PPCVery High traffic
Gartner-owned. Massive buyer traffic.
FreeHigh traffic
Sister site to Capterra. Enterprise buyers.
FreeHigh traffic
In-depth B2B software reviews.
Free / PPCHigh traffic
Gartner-owned. Phone-based lead matching.
FreeHigh traffic
Legacy but still relevant for developer tools.
FreeMedium traffic
SaaS alternatives and reviews.
FreeMedium traffic
Tech stack discovery. Great for dev tools.
FreeLow traffic
Cloud and SaaS service listings.
Free / PaidMedium traffic
Software and service provider directory.
FreeHigh traffic
B2B service provider reviews.
FreeLow traffic
Software comparison and reviews.
FreeMedium traffic
Enterprise technology reviews.
FreeLow traffic
SaaS product showcase.
FreeLow traffic
SaaS ratings and reviews.
FreeMedium traffic
Enterprise software selection.
FreeLow traffic
Software discovery by category.
FreeLow traffic
Product management tools directory.
👨💻 Developer Directories (17 listings)
Technical audience. If you're building for developers, these are your people.
FreeVery High traffic
Y Combinator's community. Can drive massive traffic.
FreeVery High traffic
If you have a GitHub integration, essential.
FreeHigh traffic
Developer community. Write a launch post.
FreeMedium traffic
Product Hunt for developer tools.
FreeMedium traffic
Developer blogging + product showcase.
FreeHigh traffic
Developer news aggregator.
FreeMedium traffic
Curated developer tool newsletter.
FreeMedium traffic
Developer podcast and news. Submit your tool.
FreeMedium traffic
Hackathon platform. Good for dev tool visibility.
FreeVery High traffic
If you have an npm package, obvious must-list.
FreeHigh traffic
JetBrains IDE plugins.
$5 one-timeVery High traffic
Browser extension? List it here.
Free (PR)High traffic
Awesome list of free developer tools. Submit via GitHub PR.
FreeMedium traffic
Library and tool discovery.
Free (PR)Very High traffic
Curated lists in every niche. Find yours and submit a PR.
🎨 Design Directories (12 listings)
For products with beautiful interfaces or design-focused features.
Free / ProVery High traffic
Showcase your product's design.
FreeVery High traffic
Adobe's design portfolio platform.
Free / $65-$345High traffic
Website design awards. Great for design credibility.
Free / $75Medium traffic
Web design recognition.
FreeMedium traffic
Favourite Website Awards. Innovation-focused.
FreeMedium traffic
One-page website showcase.
FreeMedium traffic
Landing page design gallery.
FreeLow traffic
Landing page design inspiration.
FreeMedium traffic
Web design gallery.
FreeHigh traffic
If built with Webflow, get featured.
FreeMedium traffic
InVision's design inspiration feed.
FreeMedium traffic
Curated design links newsletter.
🏘️ Indie & Bootstrap Directories (13 listings)
For solo founders, bootstrapped products, and side projects.
FreeHigh traffic
The bootstrapper community. Revenue transparency culture.
FreeLow traffic
Buy, sell, or showcase side projects.
Free / PaidLow traffic
Maker community with accountability.
FreeMedium traffic
No-code tools and resources.
FreeLow traffic
No-code tool directory.
FreeMedium traffic
Professional profiles for builders. Product showcase.
FreeLow traffic
Indie maker product showcase.
FreeLow traffic
Small startup showcase.
FreeLow traffic
Tools for remote work.
FreeHigh traffic
Weekly product roundup.
Revenue shareHigh traffic
Lifetime deal marketplace. Great for launch revenue.
PaidMedium traffic
If your product serves digital nomads.
📰 Newsletters & Content Platforms (7 listings)
Get featured in curated newsletters that reach thousands of early adopters.
Paid ads / Free editorialVery High traffic
1M+ subscriber tech newsletter.
FreeHigh traffic
Best of Hacker News, weekly.
FreeMedium traffic
Design and tech newsletter.
FreeMedium traffic
Curated startup events and resources.
FreeHigh traffic
Tech publication. Write about your launch.
Invite-onlyMedium traffic
High-quality tech link aggregator.
FreeMedium traffic
Legacy tech news. Still drives traffic.
🌍 Regional Directories (14 listings)
Target specific geographic markets.
Free / PaidMedium traffic
European startup coverage.
Free / PaidMedium traffic
European tech journalism (FT-backed).
FreeMedium traffic
European tech ecosystem coverage.
FreeMedium traffic
Canadian startup news.
FreeHigh traffic
Pacific Northwest tech news.
Free submissionVery High traffic
The biggest. Hard to get featured but worth trying.
FreeLow traffic
Asian tech startup coverage.
FreeMedium traffic
Chinese tech ecosystem in English.
FreeLow traffic
Latin American startup directory.
FreeLow traffic
African tech coverage.
FreeLow traffic
African startup ecosystem.
FreeLow traffic
Middle East and North Africa tech.
Free / PaidHigh traffic
Business and tech newsletter (HubSpot-owned).
📱 Mobile App Directories (5 listings)
Specifically for mobile apps and platforms.
FreeMedium traffic
App store optimization tools.
FreeLow traffic
App review platform.
Free / PaidLow traffic
Pre-launch app marketing.
🏘️ Reddit Communities (14 listings)
Reddit is free, high-traffic, and the audience is brutally honest (in a good way).
FreeVery High traffic
1M+ members. General startup launches.
FreeHigh traffic
200K+ members. Side project showcases.
FreeVery High traffic
2M+ members. Business launches.
FreeMedium traffic
100K+ members. SaaS product launches.
FreeMedium traffic
50K+ members. Beta testing feedback.
FreeMedium traffic
100K+ members. Indie developer projects.
FreeVery High traffic
17M+ members. Unique web projects.
FreeMedium traffic
50K+ members. Show off what you built.
FreeLow traffic
20K+ members. Web application launches.
FreeHigh traffic
500K+ members. Small business tools.
FreeMedium traffic
100K+ members. Building in public.
FreeMedium traffic
50K+ members. Open-source projects.
FreeLow traffic
10K+ members. Brutally honest feedback.
FreeMedium traffic
50K+ members. Niche web projects.
Web3 & Crypto (3 listings)
FreeHigh traffic
Dapp tracking and discovery.
FreeMedium traffic
Alchemy's curated dapp directory.
FreeHigh traffic
DeFi protocol tracking.
Tips for Maximum Impact
1. Batch Your Submissions
Don't spread submissions over weeks. Launch on 20-30 directories within the same 48-hour window to create a launch wave — the compounding effect of multiple platforms driving traffic simultaneously.
2. Customize Every Submission
Copy-pasting the same description everywhere is lazy and it shows. Tailor your pitch to each platform's audience. A description for Product Hunt should be different from one for G2.
3. Prioritize by Traffic Tier
Start with Very High and High traffic directories. These drive real visitors. Low-traffic directories are still worth it for SEO backlinks, but do them last.
4. Track Everything
Knowing where you submitted, when, and the result is critical. Use a spreadsheet, Notion board, or — shameless plug — BlastDir to track all your submissions in one place.
5. Follow Up
Many directories take 1-4 weeks to review submissions. Set reminders to check status. If rejected, read their guidelines and resubmit.
6. Leverage the Backlinks
Every directory listing is a backlink. Once live, link to your directory profiles from your website's press/featured page. This creates a virtuous cycle for SEO.
Stop Reading, Start Launching
You now have 156+ verified places to launch your startup. The difference between a successful launch and a quiet one is usually just distribution effort.
BlastDir makes this easier — we maintain this database in real-time, provide submission templates for each platform, and let you track every submission from one dashboard. No more spreadsheets, no more dead links.
Get started for free →