Which launch directories actually give dofollow links?

Most launch directories promise a backlink. We submitted LaunchWren to more than 60 of them and read the HTML of the result. Of the 49 directories below, 12 give a dofollow link on the free listing with no badge, 8 give one only if you show their badge, 8 only to top-ranked launches, and 21 give a nofollow link or no crawlable link at all. Last checked: 2026-11-09.

Method. For each directory we opened the listing page as a logged-out visitor and read the rel attribute of the link to the listed product, plus the page's robots meta tag and X-Robots-Tag header. "Our listing" means we checked our own LaunchWren listing; "live listings" means we checked other makers' public listings; "plan terms" means the site's pricing page, where we could not see a live link yet. A link counts as dofollow only when it has no nofollow, ugc or sponsored, points straight to the product (no redirect page), and sits on an indexable page. DR is the Ahrefs Domain Rating at the time of the check. Rules change: check a site before you rely on it, or use our free dofollow checker. Found a change? Email hello@launchwren.com.

Dofollow, no badge needed

• PeerPush (DR 75): Followed link, but the page is noindex until launch day.
• LobeHub (MCP servers) (DR 74): Only for MCP servers with a public GitHub repo. README links have no rel; the homepage field is not a link.
• Product Watch (DR 73): No rel on our pre-launch page. Their paid pass promises dofollow, so the free link may change at launch.
• PitchWall (DR 68): The free plan states a dofollow link. Not yet seen on our own listing.
• TryLaunch (DR 56): rel="noopener noreferrer". Leans to vibe-coded and AI products.
• Business Software (DR 49): B2B software only. Account needed.
• FiveTaco (DR 47): rel="noopener noreferrer". Little new content since Oct 2024.
• Startup Buffer (DR 44): Live listings use rel="noopener". No account needed.
• Crowdstax (DR 37): Live listings use rel="noopener". You upvote 3 products before you submit.
• What Launched Today (DR 32): rel="noopener". Free plan says "lifetime do-follow backlink".
• Internet Is Beautiful (DR 12): Editorial pick; not every suggestion is published.
• Indie Products (DR 11): Live product cards have no rel attribute.

Dofollow only with their badge on your site

• Fazier (DR 83): Needs their badge and 3 comments on other launches.
• Twelve Tools (DR 82): Needs a link back from your homepage or footer.
• Findly.tools (DR 82): The listing is unpublished without the badge.
• Neeed Directory (DR 75): Without the badge the link is nofollow.
• Uno Directory (DR 71): A plain text link back is accepted.
• Unitelist (DR 61): Checks the badge on your homepage before review.
• LaunchClash (DR 55): The badge is required before the form opens.
• Launch Scroll (DR 49): Same software and rules as LaunchClash.

Dofollow only for top-ranked launches

• Uneed (DR 76): rel="noopener nofollow" until your upvote score reaches 20.
• TinyLaunch (DR 73): Dofollow for the top 3 with their badge.
• OpenHunts (DR 73): Dofollow for the top 3 only.
• Firsto (DR 58): Free listings rel="noopener nofollow"; dofollow for the top 3 with a badge, or paid.
• Open Launch (DR 55): Dofollow only for the daily top 3 with their badge.
• Stellar Launch (DR 32): rel="noopener nofollow"; dofollow for the daily top 3.
• FridayHunt (DR 29): Dofollow for the top 3 with their badge.
• Awesome Indie (DR 29): Dofollow at 20 upvotes.

Nofollow on the free listing

• SaaSHub (DR 81): rel="nofollow" on our listing.
• HotFrog (DR 80): Business listings; website link rel="nofollow".
• Launch Llama (DR 74): No link before launch; free link is nofollow; dofollow is paid.
• StartupBase (DR 73): rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer"; dofollow is a paid queue skip.
• Discovera Launch (DR 72): rel="nofollow noopener"; dofollow is paid.
• Startup Benchmarks (DR 61): Badge required and the link stays nofollow.
• ShinyLaunch (DR 61): Badge required and the link stays nofollow.
• Today Launches (DR 60): Pricing says the free plan is nofollow; dofollow is paid.
• My Launch Stash (DR 55): Badge required and the link stays nofollow.
• SaaSPage (DR 43): rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer"; dofollow for the top 3, a badge or paid.
• WeekHack (DR 43): Free launches nofollow; Premium is dofollow.
• HuntScreens (DR 35): Dofollow is a paid add-on.
• Best of Web (Bowora) (DR 33): Nofollow even with the badge; dofollow is paid.
• ProofStories (DR 32): Free listings rel="nofollow noopener".
• InstantLaunch (DR 20): Fast Track is paid.
• Lots.directory : rel="nofollow noopener".

No crawlable link

• Wellfound (DR 87): Company pages are noindex and have no crawlable website link.
• Shipyard HQ (DR 36): Links go through a redirect with X-Robots-Tag "noindex, nofollow".
• 10words (DR 33): Links go through a click-tracking redirect.
• Owwly (DR 24): Free cards open the site with JavaScript; no a href.
• Website Hunt (DR 10): Links go through a /go/ redirect.

Where does LaunchWren stand?

Launching on LaunchWren is free. Your product page links to your site with a followed link when you show our Launched on LaunchWren badge, or when you finish in the top 3 of your week. For the wider list of 173 launch platforms with pricing and queue times, see where to launch your startup.