SaaS directories are where software buyers compare tools before they ever reach your site, so a listing in the right ones keeps sending visitors long after launch week. They come in three kinds: review sites buyers trust, comparison directories that rank for 'X alternatives' searches, and launch directories that give a new product its first audience and a backlink.
Quick answer
The SaaS directories worth listing on are G2 and Capterra (review sites with high buyer intent, best once you have customers who will review you), SaaSHub and AlternativeTo (they rank for 'X alternatives' searches, so list against the tool you replace), Lifto, Product Hunt, Launching Next, MicroLaunch, Uneed and Fazier for a launch and a backlink, and OpenAlternative if you are open source. Start with the free listings, use one name, tagline and description everywhere, and add the review sites once you have paying users.
Before you have customers, start with the launch directories and SaaSHub: they cost nothing, list you within days, and several give a do-follow link that helps a new domain get indexed.
Once you replace a known product, list on AlternativeTo and SaaSHub against it. People searching 'X alternatives' are already looking to switch, which makes them some of the best visitors a directory can send.
Once you have paying customers, claim your G2 and Capterra profiles and ask your happiest customers for reviews. An empty review profile does little; ten honest reviews make it one of your best sales pages.
How to submit without wasting a week
Prepare one kit and reuse it: name, a tagline under 60 characters, a 160-character description, a 200 to 300 word description, logo, three to five screenshots, a short demo video, pricing and your category.
Use the same wording everywhere, so search engines and AI assistants read one consistent description of your product, and log each listing's URL and link type in a spreadsheet.
Should you pay a SaaS directory submission service?
Services that submit you to hundreds of SaaS directories at once mostly reach sites with no visitors. A burst of low-quality links does not help a new domain, and the listings rarely send a single customer.
The eleven above take an afternoon to do yourself, and you keep control of how your product is described.
Launch on Lifto
Free to submit. At most 10 launches a day, each shown as a demo, and every approved product keeps a do-follow link to its site. Submit your product.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best SaaS directories?
G2 and Capterra for buyers comparing tools, SaaSHub and AlternativeTo for people searching for alternatives to a known product, and Lifto, Product Hunt, Launching Next, MicroLaunch, Uneed and Fazier for a launch and a backlink. Which matter most depends on whether you have customers to leave reviews yet.
Are SaaS directories worth it for SEO?
A handful of relevant listings with do-follow links help a new SaaS get indexed and build its first authority, and review and comparison sites often rank for your product name. Hundreds of low-quality directories do not help. Check the rel attribute on each listing to see what it passes.
Are SaaS directory listings free?
Most offer a free basic listing: G2, Capterra, SaaSHub, AlternativeTo, Lifto and the launch directories above. Paid plans buy more visible placement, faster review or lead data, and are worth testing only once a free listing already sends visitors.
Is listing my SaaS on Lifto free?
Yes. Your first product and its listing are free, with a do-follow link from its product page. An optional one-time Launch costs $29 for 7 days at the top of the feed or $79 for 30 days, and extra submissions are $19 credits. There is no subscription.