Glossary
Free vs paid directory listings: which are worth it?
Free directory listings cost nothing but may require a badge, a long queue or come with a nofollow link. Paid listings skip queues, add featured placement or a followed link, at one-time or recurring prices. Of 352 directories we checked, 294 had a free route and 51 were paid only.
Side by side
| Free | Paid | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Time, sometimes a badge | One-time or recurring fee |
| Speed | Often queued | Usually fast |
| Placement | By date or category | Often featured for a period |
| Link | Often nofollow or badge-gated | Often followed (should be sponsored) |
| Count in our catalog | 294 | 51 paid only, 79 free with paid extras |
When to pay
Pay when the directory's visitors are your buyers and the price is below what one customer is worth. Skip paying when the only benefit is a dofollow link; that's buying a link, and a link from a small directory does little anyway.
Example
A founder lists free on 35 directories and pays for 2: a niche marketplace in her industry and a large AI directory's fast-track before a conference. The two paid ones bring a third of her directory customers.
FAQ
Are free directory listings worth it?
Yes, on directories with real traffic.
Do paid listings rank better in Google?
Not by themselves; they may rank better inside the directory.
Which directories are free and dofollow?
178 of those we checked; see our free and dofollow lists.