Freemium SaaS directories, in short
Freemium is the most common model here: get listed for nothing, then pay to skip the queue, remove a badge requirement, or turn a nofollow link into a dofollow one. The free tier is usually worth taking first to see what the traffic looks like.
Freemium directories, defined
A freemium directory lets you list for nothing and charges for something extra: skipping the review queue, a position near the top of a category, removing a badge requirement from your own site, or converting a nofollow link to dofollow. It is the most common model on this list by a wide margin.
The upgrade is usually framed as speed, but what you are really buying is placement. On a directory where browsing stops after the first two rows, that distinction decides whether the listing does anything at all.
By the numbers
These 39 directories have a median rating of DR 62. The strongest is AppSumo at DR 83, the weakest at DR 24. 32 pass a dofollow link.
That is 4 points above the median for the full list of 175 directories, which sits at DR 58. By band that is 3 rated 80 or above, 18 rated 60 to 79, 11 rated 40 to 59 and 7 rated below 40. 18 of them have no traffic estimate at all, which usually means too little to measure rather than none.
What a listing actually gets you
A listing on a maintained SaaS directory gives you a comparison page you do not control but do benefit from, and those pages rank for exactly the queries a buyer types near the end of their decision. It also gives you a citation that review sites, analyst pages and language models pick up when they assemble software shortlists.
The secondary value is diagnostic. Directories that let visitors compare you against competitors will show you, often for the first time, how your pricing actually reads next to theirs. Several founders change their pricing page after seeing it in that context.
Submitting without wasting the evening
Have the boring things ready before you submit: a pricing page with real numbers, a trial or demo that works without a sales call, and a one-line description that survives being read out of context. Most SaaS directories copy your meta description straight into the listing, so fix that first and half the work is already done. Prepare a square logo on a transparent background and one screenshot of the product doing its job, not a dashboard full of placeholder data.
Common mistakes
Upgrading before the free listing has had time to produce a number. Paying for a dofollow link on a directory nobody visits, which is buying the least valuable half of the offer. And missing that the free tier requires a badge, then getting delisted for not adding it.
Where to start
By audience size, the biggest here are Dang.ai, PitchWall and NextGen Tools, led by 194K visits a month. 10 approve quickly, Findly.tools, Startup Fast and Dofollow Tools among them.
Questions people ask
How many are there, and what do they cost?
39 directories match on this page. 0 take a submission for nothing, 39 run a free tier with paid upgrades, and 0 charge for every listing.
Which should I submit to first?
By rating, AppSumo (DR 83), Dang.ai (DR 82) and Findly.tools (DR 81). By audience, Dang.ai is the largest at 194K visits a month. Relevance beats both: a directory that actually covers what you built will do more than a stronger one that does not.
What does the paid tier normally add?
Most commonly: skipping the review queue, removing a badge requirement, a position near the top of a category, and turning a nofollow link dofollow. Which of those you get varies per site, so check before paying.
Should I pay straight away?
Rarely. The free tier tells you what the audience is worth to you, and that number is the only sensible basis for deciding what the upgrade is worth.
Is freemium better than free?
It gives you more options, which is not the same as being better. A free-only directory with real traffic beats a freemium one without it, every time.
What is a SaaS directory?
An index of subscription software, organised so a buyer can compare several options against each other. Most include pricing, categories and integrations; the better ones add verified reviews and keep the entries current.
Are SaaS directories worth it for B2B?
Usually more than for consumer tools. B2B buyers research through comparison pages, and a directory listing puts you in that comparison at the point where the decision is being made rather than at the top of the funnel.
Do I need reviews before submitting?
No, but a listing with no reviews on a directory that shows them will sit below ones that have them. If the directory supports reviews, line up three or four customers to leave one in the week after your listing goes live.
Every figure quoted above is read off the table on this page, so it moves as the list does. Domain rating and traffic are third-party estimates captured in September 2026: useful for ordering a shortlist, not precise figures.