Directory launch plan for developer tools
22 places worth your time, in order. Paste your site to get one built around your product.
Week 16 steps · 40 min
Get the basics in place
Established directories with their own domain. These make your product findable and give reviewers elsewhere something to verify.
Day 110 min
-
DR 57 DR4 30 Good link Free
Fill in the formabout 5 min with the extension
Open the submit page and let the extension fill it. Check the category before you send it, then mark this step done.
- SaaSHub
Buyers comparing SaaS tools in a category
DR 80 DR4 76 Strong link Free
Fill in the formabout 5 min with the extension
Open the submit page and let the extension fill it. Check the category before you send it, then mark this step done.
Day 215 min
- Crunchbase
Investors, press, sales researchers
Watch out: Not a launch traffic channel — maintain accurate company data over time
DR 91 DR4 91 Strong link Free
Create a profileabout 15 min with the extension
Claim or create your company profile and complete every field. Keep your name, logo and description identical to your other listings.
Day 35 min
- Turbo0
Software evaluators browsing directories
DR 80 DR4 53 Strong link Free
Fill in the formabout 5 min with the extension
Open the submit page and let the extension fill it. Check the category before you send it, then mark this step done.
Day 45 min
- TechDirectory
Buyers evaluating software options
DR 66 DR4 56 Good link Free
Fill in the formabout 5 min with the extension
Open the submit page and let the extension fill it. Check the category before you send it, then mark this step done.
Day 55 min
- Tool Finder
Buyers evaluating software options
DR 59 DR4 65 Strong link Paid
Fill in the formabout 5 min with the extension
Open the submit page and let the extension fill it. Check the category before you send it, then mark this step done.
Week 26 steps · 2.6 h
Go where people look for developer tools
Smaller audiences, better fit. People here are already looking for this type of product.
Day 635 min
- Stackshare
Developers researching what tools teams use
DR 78 DR4 81 Strong link Free
Write a postabout 30 min
Read the rules first, and join in for a few days if the community is new to you. Lead with what you learned rather than a sales pitch.
- SourceForge
Developers downloading open-source software
Watch out: Feels legacy — cloud-only SaaS without downloads is a weak fit
DR 92 DR4 92 Strong link Free
Fill in the formabout 5 min with the extension
Open the submit page and let the extension fill it. Check the category before you send it, then mark this step done.
Day 730 min
-
DR 63 DR4 71 Strong link Paid
Write a postabout 30 min
Read the rules first, and join in for a few days if the community is new to you. Lead with what you learned rather than a sales pitch.
Day 830 min
- DEV Community
Developers reading technical content
Watch out: Promotional posts flop — lead with tutorials, benchmarks, or open-source contributions
DR 91 DR4 91 Visibility Free
Write a postabout 30 min
Read the rules first, and join in for a few days if the community is new to you. Lead with what you learned rather than a sales pitch.
Day 930 min
- Hashnode
Developers reading technical blogs
DR 83 DR4 88 Visibility Free
Write a postabout 30 min
Read the rules first, and join in for a few days if the community is new to you. Lead with what you learned rather than a sales pitch.
Day 1030 min
- Lobsters
Developers & engineering teams
DR 75 DR4 73 Good link Free
Write a postabout 30 min
Read the rules first, and join in for a few days if the community is new to you. Lead with what you learned rather than a sales pitch.
Week 35 steps · 2.2 h
Launch in public
These reward timing. Post them close together so the attention builds, and be around to answer comments.
Day 1120 min
- Product Hunt
Early adopters, buyers, and makers on launch day
Watch out: Nofollow links — treat as launch campaign, not backlink SEO
DR 91 DR4 91 Visibility Free
Schedule a launchabout 20 min with the extension
Schedule it for 12:01 am Pacific time and prepare your gallery images in advance. Stay online all day and reply to every comment.
Day 1230 min
- Hacker News
Developers, technical founders, and YC-adjacent builders
Watch out: One shot — no re-posts within ~6 months; promotional tone gets downvoted
DR 91 DR4 91 Visibility Free
Post a Show HNabout 30 min
Show HN needs something people can try without a long sign-up. Keep the tone plain and technical, and answer criticism directly.
Day 1320 min
- BetaList
Early adopters hunting beta access
Watch out: Paid tiers skip the long free queue — mature GA products are a poor fit
DR 76 DR4 70 Strong link Paid
Schedule a launchabout 20 min with the extension
Prepare your images and first comment before launch day, and pick a day you can stay online to reply to everyone.
Day 1430 min
- Peerlist
Builders, designers, and developers
Watch out: Promotional posts often get removed — lead with discussion, demos, or help
DR 77 DR4 72 Strong link Free
Write a postabout 30 min
Read the rules first, and join in for a few days if the community is new to you. Lead with what you learned rather than a sales pitch.
Day 1530 min
- Reddit
Topic-specific communities (varies by subreddit)
Watch out: Promotional posts get removed — follow subreddit rules; build karma first
DR 95 DR4 96 Visibility Free
Write a postabout 30 min
Choose one or two subreddits where your users already are, and check each one’s self-promotion rule. Share the story, and only link if it is allowed.
Week 45 steps · 1.4 h
Collect proof
Reviews, comparisons and coverage work best once you have a few real users who can vouch for you.
Day 165 min
- AlternativeTo
Users actively replacing an existing tool
Watch out: Vague positioning underperforms — name competitors and differentiation explicitly
DR 80 DR4 81 Strong link Free
Fill in the formabout 5 min with the extension
Open the submit page and let the extension fill it. Check the category before you send it, then mark this step done.
Day 1725 min
- G2
Software buyers comparing vendors before purchase
Watch out: Empty profiles die — you need 5–10+ verified reviews to see real value
DR 91 DR4 92 Strong link Free
Claim and ask for reviewsabout 25 min
Claim your free profile, then ask three to five happy users for an honest review. Never pay for reviews or write them yourself.
Day 1825 min
- Capterra
Business software buyers with purchase intent
Watch out: Pay-per-lead model in competitive categories — validate unit economics first
DR 91 DR4 91 Strong link Free
Claim and ask for reviewsabout 25 min
Claim your free profile, then ask three to five happy users for an honest review. Never pay for reviews or write them yourself.
Day 195 min
- Alternative.me
Users actively replacing an existing tool
DR 75 DR4 74 Strong link Free
Fill in the formabout 5 min with the extension
Open the submit page and let the extension fill it. Check the category before you send it, then mark this step done.
Day 2025 min
- GetApp
SMB software buyers
Watch out: Plan review collection — empty profiles rarely generate meaningful traffic
DR 85 DR4 85 Strong link Free
Claim and ask for reviewsabout 25 min
Claim your free profile, then ask three to five happy users for an honest review. Never pay for reviews or write them yourself.
Domain Rating by Ahrefs