Directory Submissions: Lessons from Launching to 100+ SaaS Directories

Building isn’t the hard part of launching a SaaS —it’s getting people to notice. SaaS directories can help with SEO and initial traction, but it is a mixed bag. Working your way through a big list of these sites can be a grind. You can find some nice ones that amplify your reach, while others are not worth the headache.

Here’s what I learned from submitting Instapoll, my latest project, to over 100 directories.

Assets You’ll Need

Before diving into submissions, make sure you’ve got these ready so submissions go faster:

• Tagline: Short and snappy
• Logo: Square format preferred
• Icon: Probably same as your favicon
• Screenshots: 2-4 showing your app in action
• Demo video: Post it on YouTube

Also if you have the ability to create a discount code for your app some sites like that.

Finding SaaS Directories

I sourced the sites I submitted to from this Bluesky post which had 350 sites listed. I only spent time looking into those with a 30+ Domain Authority score that had a free option and seemed well suited to my project.

Most sites that are free to submit to come with a waiting time and review period of anywhere from a week to a few years, then give you an offer to skip the line for a fee, ranging from $20 to $100+ and sometimes including other perks.

Ultimately, you can spend hours trying out different sites, encountering good and bad. Some sites have errors that prevented submission or bait and switch fees, or unreasonable wait times. Others though are free, have nice UX and get you listed fairly quickly even when not paying to skip the wait.

Below are some sites that you may not have heard of before and worked well for me.

First, a special call out to some great SaaS directory sites that come from people in the #buildinpublic community:

• uneed.best - Similar to Product Hunt with a clean submission process and reasonable skip-the-line pricing.
• dailypings.com - Like Hacker News but focused on #buildinpublic projects.
• simplelister.com - A free and easy platform for featuring your #buildinpublic project. Community-driven with the opportunity to gain upvotes for your submission.
• tinyluan.ch - Another up and coming Product Hunt alternative.

And here’s a bunch more:

• saashub.com - Lightning-fast approval process (under 1 hour).
• alternative.me - Quick approval and great for finding related tools.
• devpost.com - Instant submission and listing.
• launched.io - Promising platform with approval in less than 24 hours.
• promoteproject.com - Easy submission process with immediate success.
• betalist.com - Great exposure but expect a 1-month wait for approval.
• startupranking.com - Community-focused directory for startups.
• sideprojectors.com - Hub for side projects and creative endeavors.
• resource.fyi - Resourceful platform, submissions are reviewed manually.

Hope this helps!

If you want to follow along with my #buildinpublic adventures, you can follow me on X, Bluesky and at johnnybuilds.com

In fact, I'm looking for people to vote on what I should build next. If you have a second, please go to instapoll.run/johnny-builds/what-should-i-build-next and cast a vote (only takes a second!)