Field notes
How to add your software to AlternativeTo
AlternativeTo gets over 2 million visits a month and listing is free. How to add your app, which fields matter, and how to show up next to the tools you replace.
AlternativeTo is where people go when they want to replace something: "alternatives to Trello", "free alternatives to Photoshop". If your software replaces a well-known tool, it's one of the most useful free listings you can get.
Adding your software is free. You need an account, and you fill in a form describing your app. After moderation, it shows up on its own page and, more importantly, on the alternatives pages of the apps you list it against.
AlternativeTo at a glance
| Website | alternativeto.net |
| Monthly visits | About 2.1 million |
| Domain rating (DR) | 80 |
| Cost to list | Free, with an account |
| Link to your site | Official website link is dofollow; app-store and vendor links are nofollow |
| Where to add an app | alternativeto.net/manage-item |
How to add your app to AlternativeTo, step by step
- Create an account on AlternativeTo and sign in. The site uses bot protection, so expect a human check now and then.
- Open the add form at alternativeto.net/manage-item.
- Enter the basics. Name, official website, a short description and a longer one. Describe what the app does in plain words. AlternativeTo readers compare features, so skip slogans.
- Set platforms and license. Web, Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android, self-hosted and so on, plus whether it's free, freemium, paid or open source. People filter by these, so get them right.
- Add tags. Use the feature words people filter by ("Kanban", "Offline", "Markdown support").
- Choose what it's an alternative to. This is the field that sends traffic. Pick the apps your users are leaving or comparing you against. You'll appear on their alternatives pages, which is where most AlternativeTo visitors land.
- Upload a logo and screenshots, then submit for moderation.
- After it's approved, check the listing, confirm the official-website link, and ask a few happy users to "like" it. Likes affect where you appear on alternatives pages.
Tips that make a real difference
- Be an alternative to the right apps. Five well-chosen, relevant apps beat twenty loose matches.
- Keep the license honest. "Free" means free. Listing a paid app as free annoys readers and moderators.
- Keep it current. Add new features, platforms and screenshots when you ship them. Stale listings convert worse.
Other free software directories worth your time
AlternativeTo is one of 12 alternatives directories in the AgentLaunch catalog, and there are 32 more software review sites. The biggest free and freemium ones:
| Directory | Type | DR | Monthly visits | Cost to list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SourceForge | Software review | 93 | 22.5M | Free |
| G2 | Software review | 91 | 2.2M | Free |
| AlternativeTo | Software review | 80 | 2.1M | Free |
| Alternative.me | Software review | 75 | 713K | Free |
| European Alternatives | Alternatives directory | 73 | 371K | Free |
| Software Suggest | Software review | 77 | 358K | Free; paid upgrades |
| TrustRadius | Software review | 85 | 290K | Free |
| CrozDesk | Software review | 74 | 255K | Free |
| Open Alternative | Alternatives directory | 60 | 250K | Paid from $97 |
| SaaSworthy | Software review | 75 | 220K | Free; paid upgrades |
For a full comparison, see SaaSHub alternatives and SaaS listing websites.
Adding your app with AgentLaunch
AgentLaunch writes your AlternativeTo description from one product brief and fills the form through a Chrome extension in your own browser, where you're already signed in. When AlternativeTo shows a bot check, it hands that step to you and carries on after. It records your listing URL and whether the link to your site is dofollow.
Frequently asked questions
Is it free to add software to AlternativeTo?
Yes. You need a free account. There is no fee to list an app.
Does AlternativeTo give a dofollow backlink?
In our check, the official website link on an app's page was dofollow. Links to app stores and vendors were nofollow.
How long does AlternativeTo take to approve an app?
New apps go through moderation, and timing varies. Submit well before you need the listing.
How do I show up on a competitor's alternatives page?
List that competitor in the "alternative to" field when you add your app. Likes from users then affect your position on the page.
Related guides
- How to get your SaaS listed on SaaSHub (free)
- SaaSHub alternatives: software directories ranked by traffic
- Dofollow directories for startups
- Automated directory submission: what can be automated
See all 397 directories in the AgentLaunch catalog, or launch your product for $39.