Free Backlinks: What They Are Worth
A free backlink from a high-quality platform can be worth as much as a paid one. The difference is that free links require your time instead of your money. The question is whether your time is better spent on a specific platform or elsewhere.
This guide organizes 50+ free backlink opportunities by how much time they take to secure. Not all free backlinks are worth pursuing. Some take 5 minutes and deliver long-term value. Others take hours and provide minimal SEO benefit. The key is knowing which is which.
For context on how we evaluate backlink quality, visit our backlink resources page.
5-Minute Backlinks
These are the easiest links to get. Each one takes about 5 minutes of setup and provides a permanent backlink. Do these first, regardless of your niche or industry.
- WebProjectList - Submit your project for a permanent dofollow backlink from a high-DR directory. Create your account and submit. The link goes live immediately.
- Crunchbase (DR 91) - Create a company profile. Dofollow backlink included.
- GitHub (DR 97) - Create a repository for your project. Dofollow link in your profile and README.
- LinkedIn Company Page (DR 98) - Every company page includes a dofollow link to your website.
- Indie Hackers (DR 73) - Free founder profile with a dofollow backlink.
- Product Hunt Maker Profile (DR 90) - Your maker profile includes a backlink. The traffic from an active profile is worth more than the link.
Set aside 30 minutes and complete all six. That is six free backlinks in under an hour, from platforms with an average DR of 90+.
30-Minute Backlinks
These require more setup - creating a detailed profile, uploading assets, or submitting content for review. Plan for 20-30 minutes each.
- G2 (DR 92) - Create a product page and start collecting reviews. The dofollow backlink is automatic. The more reviews you get, the higher you rank on G2, driving additional traffic.
- Capterra (DR 91) - Submit through Gartner Digital Markets. A single submission gets you listed on Capterra, GetApp, and Software Advice - three separate backlinks.
- SourceForge (DR 88) - Free listing for software products. 22.5 million monthly visitors. Dofollow backlink.
- Trustpilot (DR 93) - Set up your company profile. Dofollow backlink plus a powerful trust signal for potential customers.
- SaaSHub (DR 67) - Free SaaS marketplace listing with a dofollow backlink.
- BetaList (DA 65) - Free listing with a dofollow backlink. Pre-launch focused.
- AngelList / Wellfound (DR 86) - Free startup profile with a backlink. Useful for fundraising visibility.
Spread these across two weeks. Three per week is manageable alongside your other work. Each one adds a dofollow link from a high-authority platform.
Ongoing Backlinks
These are not one-time setups. They require ongoing effort - publishing content, participating in communities, or maintaining profiles. The payoff is larger because the links are contextual and editorial.
- Medium (DA 95) - Publish articles related to your product or industry. Links in articles are nofollow, but your profile links to your site and the traffic from a well-read article can be substantial.
- Dev.to (DA 90) - Free developer blogging platform. Dofollow links in articles. Particularly effective for technical products.
- Hashnode (DA 80) - Developer blogging platform with dofollow author bio links.
- Substack (DA 85) - Free newsletter platform. Dofollow links in posts. Building a newsletter audience has benefits beyond the backlink.
- YouTube (DR 100) - Create a channel for your product. Links in your channel description and video descriptions are dofollow.
- Stack Overflow (DR 95) - Answer questions related to your product's domain. Your profile includes a link, and helpful answers can drive qualified traffic for years.
Pick one or two of these and commit to a regular schedule. One article per week on Medium or Dev.to adds up to 50+ articles per year, each with a link back to your site.
AI Directory Backlinks
If your product has AI features, these directories are worth submitting to. The AI directory space is still growing, and most platforms are eager for quality listings.
- Futurepedia (DR 72) - free
- There's An AI For That (DR 70) - free
- Toolify (DR 60) - free
- AI Tool Hunt (DR 52) - free
- TopAI.tools (DR 55) - free
Submit to all five in one session. Each provides a backlink and a discovery point for AI-interested users.
What to Skip
Not all free backlinks are worth your time. Avoid these categories:
- Link farms and FFA pages - Google ignores these and they can hurt your profile.
- Automated submission tools - They submit to hundreds of low-quality directories that are either dead or flagged as spam.
- Social bookmarking sites - Most have been overrun by spam and carry no SEO value.
- Comment spam - Leaving comments on blogs just for a link is a waste of time and can get your domain penalized.
Stick to the platforms listed above. Fifty quality free backlinks will move your rankings more than 500 low-quality ones.
Your Free Backlink Workflow
Here is a realistic schedule for a founder with limited time:
- Day 1: WebProjectList + Crunchbase + GitHub + LinkedIn + Indie Hackers + Product Hunt Maker Profile (1 hour, 6 links)
- Week 1-2: G2, Capterra, SourceForge, Trustpilot, SaaSHub profiles (30 min each, spread across 10 days)
- Week 3: AI directories if applicable + BetaList + AngelList
- Ongoing: 1 article per week on Medium or Dev.to, engage in relevant communities, answer questions on Stack Overflow
Track each submission in a simple spreadsheet. Review your backlink profile quarterly to check which links are still active and remove any toxic ones.
Start with WebProjectList. It is the fastest free backlink you can get and the foundation for everything that follows.
