Directory Submission Services Compared: What Each Submits and Charges
A directory submission service fills in the forms on a list of startup, SaaS and AI directories for you, for one payment. We priced seven of them at their own sites on 14 October 2026 and read what each one promises.
About 100 directories cost $59 to $299 depending on the service. The price buys hours, not authority. Pay for proof that listings went live, and treat any DR promise as a ceiling, not a forecast.
Cheapest per directory: SubmitWell ($59 for 100) and Submitator ($79 for 100). Table
Strongest live-listing promise: ListingBott, which replaces removed listings to keep 100 live. Proof
Skip if: you only need the 10 to 20 directories your buyers use. Those are mostly free. Do it yourself
MentionAgent priced seven services on 14 October 2026: $0.59 to $2.99 per directory at the 100-directory tier, a fivefold spread. Six of the seven put a DR figure on the sales page; three call it a guarantee.
Seven directory submission services compared
Each price is the package closest to 100 directories, read on the service's own page on 14 October 2026. Prices marked as launch or founder discounts can change without notice.
| Service | Price for about 100 | DR figure on the page | What the report shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| SubmitWell | $59 for 100 ($0.59 each) | "Guaranteed DR increase", 0 to 20+ | Submission URLs, screenshots |
| Submitator | $79 for 100 ($0.79 each) | "+15 avg DR / 30 days" | Approved and pending, in a dashboard |
| SubmitSaaS | $100 for 100+ ($1.00 each) | "Up to DR 15", called potential targets | Submissions; no list of approvals |
| StartupSubmit | $199 for 200+ (about $1.00 each) | "Guaranteed DR Increase to 30-40" | A screenshot for every listing |
| PeerPush | $249 for 100 ($2.49 each) | None on its package page | Submission proofs, in its dashboard |
| LaunchDirectories | $249 for 100+ ($2.49 each) | "+25 Avg. DR Increase" (site stat) | Live links and screenshots |
| ListingBott | $299 for 100 ($2.99 each) | DR 0 to 15 guaranteed | 100 live listings, removed ones replaced |
An eighth, GetMoreBacklinks, showed "New orders are currently unavailable" on 14 October 2026, with packages listed from $379 for 100 submissions, so it is left out of the table.
Each service in brief
- SubmitWell: $35 (50), $59 (100), $99 (200). By hand, 6 to 7 business days, money-back guarantee. Sells the list alone for $15 or $25.
- Submitator: $29 (30), $49 (60), $79 (100), $149 for all ("160 today"). Automated, 24 to 48 hours, you pick the directories, 30-day refund. The $79 plan adds "Re-submission if removed".
- SubmitSaaS: $60 (60+), $100 (100+), $140 (140+), in 48 hours. "Smart automation combined with human review"; its directory list is on its homepage.
- StartupSubmit: $99 (60+), $199 (200+, Authority, shown $300 off), $399 (150+, Growth). The DR 30-40 guarantee is on Authority only.
- PeerPush and LaunchDirectories: the same 30, 60 and 100-directory tiers, both $199 and $249 for the top two; the smallest is $149 at PeerPush, $99 at LaunchDirectories. PeerPush is also a launch platform ($39 paid launch).
- ListingBott: $299 (shown down from $499) for 100 listings over a month, or $99 a month for 20. Full review.
What the DR promises actually say
Domain Rating is Ahrefs' score of a site's backlink profile, not a Google metric. The fine print, in the services' own words:
- SubmitSaaS: its DR levels "are potential targets based on previous results". What it does guarantee is "the number of directory submissions included in your package, our 48-hour turnaround, and a complete submission report".
- ListingBott: guarantees DR "from 0 to 15", says it "can't predict an exact outcome" above DR 15, and that for DR 40+ "significant DR growth from just 100 listings is less likely".
- Submitator: advertises "+15 avg DR / 30 days" on its homepage, and its FAQ includes the question "Why don't you guarantee DR growth?"
- StartupSubmit: the Authority plan lists "Unlimited Backlinks until Target" and says "We keep working until your plan is met".
The guaranteed figures describe sites starting low: DR 0 to 15, 0 to 20+, up to 30-40. If your site is already past them, they say nothing about your result: buy for the listings. See how long it takes to grow domain authority.
Submitted is not live
Every directory runs its own review, so 100 submissions can mean far fewer listings. SubmitWell says "Final acceptance depends on each directory editorial process". SubmitSaaS is blunter:
Others report the outcome. LaunchDirectories says its report includes "live links to published listings"; Submitator's dashboard shows "which directories approved, which are pending"; ListingBott re-reports after two months and replaces removed listings. Ask any service before paying: will the report show the live URL of each listing, and what happens to one that never appears?
Manual or automated
SubmitWell answers "Do you use bots to submit?" with "No". Submitator says it charges less "because our robots do it better, faster, and 24/7". ListingBott's page describes both humans and a bot. Google's spam policies list "Using automated programs or services to create links to your site" and "Low-quality directory or bookmark site links" as link spam examples.
What matters is the list: pick a service that shows it first; SubmitSaaS publishes it, and Submitator and ListingBott let you approve it.
Paid directories cost extra
Some directories charge for a faster review or a dofollow link. SubmitSaaS says "Paid directories are not included"; ListingBott says "Premium directories or paid options on third-party directories are not included". Submitator is the exception we found: it lists nine paid tiers it covers, such as $39 for TryLaunch AI's Pro listing and $19 for StartupInspire's Standard. Our AI directory submission check found 4 of 20 AI directories quoting a price on the submit page.
Doing it yourself
The services' own estimates of the time they save on about 100 directories run from 15-20 hours (SubmitWell) and 40+ hours (Submitator) to about 70 hours (PeerPush). That is the real product.
If you only need the directories your buyers use, the list is short and mostly free: start with SaaS directories and software listing sites, both with DR checked, then a Product Hunt launch. For local businesses the equivalent job is citation building, and our check of general web directories covers what is left of the old kind.
After the directories
Any competitor can buy the same listings; links from articles about your topic are harder to copy. MentionAgent finds blog posts already covering your topic, finds the editor's email, writes a pitch about that post and sends it from an inbox set up for you, from $99/mo with no per-link fees. Nothing is promised per month: each link depends on a blogger saying yes. Start with your first 10 backlinks and getting into SaaS roundups.
Listings make you findable. Articles make you credible.
MentionAgent pitches the bloggers who already write about your topic and brings you their replies. From $99/mo, no per-link fees.
See how MentionAgent worksFrequently asked questions
What is a directory submission service?
A service that fills in the submission forms on a list of online directories for you, for a one-off fee. You give your product details once; it creates the accounts, submits to each directory and sends a report. The directories still decide whether to publish each listing.
How much does a directory submission service cost?
Across seven services we priced on 14 October 2026, about 100 directories cost from $59 (SubmitWell) to $299 (ListingBott), or $0.59 to $2.99 a directory. Smaller packages start at $29 for 30 directories (Submitator). Paid listings on the directories themselves are usually extra.
Can a directory submission service guarantee a DR increase?
Three of the seven say so: SubmitWell, StartupSubmit and ListingBott. Read the limits. ListingBott's guarantee runs from DR 0 to 15 and makes no prediction above DR 15. SubmitSaaS calls its DR figures potential targets based on previous results. DR is Ahrefs' score, not a Google ranking.
Are directory submission services safe for SEO?
It depends on the directories. Google's spam policies list low-quality directory or bookmark site links, and using automated programs or services to create links to your site, as examples of link spam. Pick a service that shows you the list first, and remove any directory a buyer in your market would never browse.
Is it better to submit to directories yourself?
If you only want the 10 to 20 directories that matter for your category, yes: most are free and take an afternoon. The services' own estimates for doing 100 by hand run from 15-20 hours (SubmitWell) to about 70 hours (PeerPush), which is what you pay them to skip.