Directory submission services: prices and promises compared

How much does a directory submission service cost?

Published one-time prices ranged from about 1 to about 3.30 per directory, in USD or EUR, on 31 October 2026. Larger packages cost less per directory, as you would expect. We sell Simple Backlinks, so its row is included for comparison and you should weigh it with that in mind. Each price is copied from the seller's own page, and all of them can change.

What does a submission actually count as?

A submission is a completed form, and it is not yet a listing or a link. Directories decide what they publish, and SubmitSaaS says approval can take days, weeks or even months. So a package of 100 submissions can produce far fewer live pages, and a low price per submission can hide a high price per live listing.

This is the first thing to compare. Ask whether the seller counts forms sent, listings published or links confirmed, and when that count is measured. Our directory listing audit shows how to check the results yourself.

Should you trust a Domain Rating promise?

Treat it as a promise about a third-party score. Domain Rating is an Ahrefs metric and does not tell you whether a directory sends buyers or helps your pages rank. A service can raise the score with many low-value links and leave your search traffic unchanged. On 31 October, ListingBott offered a guarantee and SubmitSaaS described its figures as targets that depend on your starting point.

If a score matters to you, read the exact remedy, the starting score, the measurement date and the refund terms. Our guide on how to evaluate backlinks for your SaaS covers what to look at instead.

Is a directory submission service safe?

It depends on where it submits. Google's spam policies describe link spam as links created mainly to manipulate rankings, and low-quality directory links are among the examples. The policy does not condemn every directory. The risk sits in bulk lists of sites with no audience, and in pitching the service as a ranking shortcut.

Ask for the directory list before you pay, or at least a sample. Read our guide on whether SaaS directory submissions are worth it after launch before you commit, and compare directories with other backlink channels.

What should you ask before you buy?

These questions separate most offers more quickly than the price does.

• What exactly is counted: forms sent, listings published or links confirmed?
• Can I see the directory list, and when was each entry last checked? We found directories that had gone offline when we checked.
• Are paid directories included, and who pays the fees?
• Are submissions automated or done by hand, and does each directory allow assisted submission?
• Which email address and account are used, and do I get access to edit my listings?
• What proof will I receive, and is any live-link check dated?
• What is the refund if a promised result does not appear?

When should you do it yourself?

Do it yourself when you only need a handful of directories that fit your product. Ten well-chosen listings with accurate descriptions can matter more than a long list, and you keep full control of each profile. A service makes more sense once you have decided directories are worth testing and the form filling is the bottleneck.

Either way, measure referral visits and sign-ups by listing. A submission count alone won't show whether any of it helped.

How we compared

We read each seller's public page on 31 October 2026 and did not buy any of these services, so this compares published prices and promises, not delivery. We picked services that appeared in our research and published clear package prices, and left out one whose page showed conflicting prices. Per-directory figures are the package price divided by the stated number, and a package marked 100+ may cover more. We have not converted currencies.