# saas-link-building.com

> The SaaS link building playbook: where software companies get links (best-X tools lists, X alternatives pages, comparison pages, integration directories, review sites and directories, free tools and data pages, guest posts, podcasts and expert quotes, unlinked mentions), with outreach templates, original data from 26 Google searches, and 14 SaaS link building agencies compared on prices read from their own sites. Updated October 18, 2026. Built alongside [BacklinkGPT](https://backlinkgpt.com/?utm_source=saas-link-building&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=site&utm_content=llms).

## The nine SaaS link sources

- Best-X tools lists: “Best CRM software”, “top tools for podcasters”: the lists buyers read while they shortlist. Software companies wrote 46% of the top results for 12 “best X software” searches. Link: 6 in 10 followed. Cost: Free to $500+. Who to pitch: The marketer or editor who updates the list, often at a non-competing tool. Example: Zapier’s blog ranks top 10 for “best scheduling software”, “best survey tools” and “best time tracking software”.
- X alternatives pages: Pages for people leaving a market leader: “Mailchimp alternatives”, “Loom alternatives”. 57 of 83 top results for 10 “X alternatives” searches came from software companies. Link: mostly followed. Cost: Free. Who to pitch: Other challengers to the same leader, who list several alternatives to look fair. Example: tally.so ranks #1 for “typeform alternatives”; cap.so ranks #1 for “loom alternatives”.
- Comparison pages: “Asana vs monday” pages, yours and other people’s. The page your links should point at. asana.com ranks #2 for “asana vs monday” (1,600 US searches a month) with its own page. Link: you own the page. Cost: Your writing time. Who to pitch: Nobody: you publish it, then point list and partner links at it. Example: Atlassian ranks #2 and #6 and Notion #3 for “notion vs confluence”; Klaviyo #3 for “mailchimp vs klaviyo”.
- Integration directories: App marketplaces and the partner pages of tools you connect to. Slack, Notion, Intercom, Pipedrive and Shopify listings linked out with followed links. Link: mostly followed. Cost: Build the integration. Who to pitch: The partner or ecosystem manager at the other tool. Example: Slack wants 10 active workspaces or 10 weekly active users; HubSpot wants 3 active installs.
- Review sites and directories: G2, Capterra, Product Hunt, SaaSHub and the long tail of startup directories. G2’s free profile has no call-to-action button; its badge needs 20 reviews at 4.0 stars. Link: mostly nofollow. Cost: Free; G2 Starter $299 a month. Who to pitch: Nobody: you fill in a profile and ask customers for reviews. Example: SaaSHub’s “Visit website” link on Calendly’s listing is nofollow.
- Free tools, templates and data: Calculators, generators, templates, badges and stats pages that people link to on their own. HubSpot’s marketing statistics page has links from 15,909 sites. Link: earned, followed. Cost: Build cost, then free. Who to pitch: Writers who cite tools and numbers; then nobody, it compounds. Example: CoSchedule’s Headline Analyzer: 3,985 linking sites; Shopify’s business name generator: 1,511.
- Guest posts on SaaS blogs: Articles you write for other software companies’ blogs, with a link in the body or bio. 12 SaaS blogs with live contributor guidelines: most allow one or two links to your own site. Link: 1 to 2 links, varies. Cost: Your writing time. Who to pitch: The blog’s content lead, with two or three specific topics. Example: Zapier, Mailjet, GetResponse, NetHunt CRM and HR Cloud publish contributor guidelines.
- Podcasts and expert quotes: Guest spots on SaaS podcasts and quotes in articles through journalist-request platforms. HARO is free again under Featured.com; Qwoted’s free plan allows 2 pitches a month. Link: varies by outlet. Cost: Free to paid tiers. Who to pitch: The show’s booker, or the writer behind a request. Example: The SaaS Podcast takes founders with $1M+ revenue; HARO sends up to 3 request digests a weekday.
- Unlinked mentions: Posts that already name your product without linking to it. The easiest yes there is. The writer already likes you: the ask is one sentence and a URL. Link: usually followed. Cost: Free. Who to pitch: The author of the post. Example: Reviews, “tools we use” posts and newsletters that mention your brand name.

## Who writes the lists software buyers read (Google US, October 18, 2026)

We pulled the top 10 organic results for 26 software-buying searches (12 "best X software", 10 "X alternatives", 4 "X vs Y"; about 34,660 US searches a month) and labelled who runs each of the 216 results.

- “Best X software” (102 results): software companies 47, publishers and affiliate sites 36, review platforms 6, Reddit/Quora/YouTube 12, agencies 1.
- “X alternatives” (83 results): software companies 57, publishers and affiliate sites 13, review platforms 0, Reddit/Quora/YouTube 12, agencies 1.
- “X vs Y” (31 results): software companies 13, publishers and affiliate sites 6, review platforms 3, Reddit/Quora/YouTube 4, agencies 5.
- All 26 searches (216 results): software companies 117, publishers and affiliate sites 55, review platforms 9, Reddit/Quora/YouTube 28, agencies 7.
- Of 117 ranking pages with 3+ outbound links, 73 (62%) linked out mostly followed; software companies' pages 52 of 75, publishers 18 of 37. Affiliate review networks mark product links rel="sponsored".
- Zapier's blog ranked top 10 for 8 of 26 searches and was cited in 15 of 26 Google AI Overviews; Reddit ranked for 16; YouTube was cited in 25 AI Overviews; G2 ranked for 3.
- Own pages that rank: tally.so #1 for typeform alternatives, cap.so #1 for loom alternatives, asana.com #2 for asana vs monday, atlassian.com #2 and notion.com #3 for notion vs confluence, klaviyo.com #3 for mailchimp vs klaviyo.

## Integration marketplaces (one live listing checked each)

- Slack Marketplace: link to the app maker followed ([listing](https://app.slack.com/apps/A01L99LFRD1-calendly)). To get listed: Not accepted if installed on fewer than 10 active workspaces with fewer than 10 weekly active users; support must answer within 2 business days.
- HubSpot App Marketplace: link to the app maker not checked ([listing](https://ecosystem.hubspot.com/marketplace/apps/calendly)). To get listed: At least 3 active, unique installs from accounts outside your company, with app activity in the past 30 days.
- Zapier App Directory: link to the app maker nofollow ([listing](https://zapier.com/apps/calendly/integrations)). To get listed: The app must be fully launched to the public (not invite-only or beta) and use production API endpoints. No user threshold is stated.
- Shopify App Store: link to the app maker website followed, pricing nofollow ([listing](https://apps.shopify.com/klaviyo-email-marketing)). To get listed: Must meet every Shopify App Store requirement and pass app review; no install minimum is stated.
- Notion connections: link to the app maker followed ([listing](https://www.notion.com/integrations/calendly)). To get listed: Public connections pass a Notion security review first, and only connections that install to any workspace qualify.
- Intercom App Store: link to the app maker followed ([listing](https://www.intercom.com/app-store?app_package_code=calendly)).
- Pipedrive Marketplace: link to the app maker followed ([listing](https://www.pipedrive.com/en/marketplace/app/calendly-sync/0356741bcb89ba03)). To get listed: Public apps go through an approval review that Pipedrive says may take up to 21 business days.
- Atlassian Marketplace: link to the app maker followed, to a hosted wiki ([listing](https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/1237778/calendly-for-jsm)). To get listed: Apps are reviewed against Atlassian’s approval guidelines; Atlassian aims to decide within one week.
- monday.com marketplace: link to the app maker followed ([listing](https://monday.com/marketplace/listing/10000171/calendly)).

## Product-led link assets (distinct linking sites, live backlink index)

- [HubSpot Marketing statistics](https://www.hubspot.com/marketing-statistics) (Data page): 15,909 sites.
- [HubSpot Website Grader](https://website.grader.com/) (Free tool): 5,813 sites.
- [Ahrefs Backlink Checker](https://ahrefs.com/backlink-checker) (Free tool): 4,648 sites.
- [CoSchedule Headline Analyzer](https://coschedule.com/headline-analyzer) (Free tool): 3,985 sites.
- [Zapier App directory](https://zapier.com/apps) (Integration directory): 1,688 sites.
- [Shopify Business name generator](https://www.shopify.com/tools/business-name-generator) (Free tool): 1,511 sites.
- [HubSpot Email signature generator](https://www.hubspot.com/email-signature-generator) (Free tool): 1,173 sites.
- [Notion Template gallery](https://www.notion.com/templates) (Templates): 932 sites.

## SaaS directories and review sites

Full list: https://saas-link-building.com/saas-directories

- [G2](https://sell.g2.com/plans) (Review site): Free profile; Starter $299 a month or $2,999 a year (year 2: $599 a month). Link: Not checked (bot wall). Free profiles carry no call-to-action buttons. The “Users Love Us” badge comes at 20 reviews averaging 4.0 stars.
- [Capterra](https://www.capterra.com/vendors/) (Review site): Listing requests now go to G2. Link: No link, a button. G2 agreed to buy Capterra, GetApp and Software Advice from Gartner in January 2026. “Visit website” is a button, not a link.
- [GetApp](https://www.getapp.com/) (Review site): “Get listed” goes to G2. Link: No link, a button. Same owner as Capterra. Click-outs are buttons with no link in the page.
- [Software Advice](https://www.softwareadvice.com/legal-page/product-listing-guidelines/) (Review site): Not published. Link: No link in the page HTML. Packaged software only; products in beta need at least one review in their first year.
- [TrustRadius](https://solutions.trustradius.com/claim-your-profile/) (Review site): Free profile; paid plans not priced publicly. Link: Followed. Now part of HG Insights. The “Get a Demo” link on Notion’s listing was followed.
- [SourceForge](https://sourceforge.net/software/vendors/new) (Directory): Request form shows no fee; paid tiers not priced publicly. Link: Nofollow redirect. Outbound clicks go through a /software/link redirect marked nofollow and blocked in robots.txt. Claim an existing listing before adding one.
- [Slashdot software directory](https://slashdot.org/software/) (Directory): Not published. Link: Nofollow redirect. Same network and the same redirect as SourceForge.
- [SaaSHub](https://www.saashub.com/services/submit) (Directory): Free with approval; Featured $99 a month. Link: Nofollow. Products with no listed competitors go to the bottom of the queue. No unreleased or non-English products.
- [AlternativeTo](https://alternativeto.net/faq/) (Directory): Free; optional $5 priority review. Link: Redirect or nofollow. The free queue takes “at least a few months”; paying speeds up review, not approval.
- [Product Hunt](https://www.producthunt.com/launch) (Launch site): Free. Link: Marked ugc. Personal accounts only. Launch at 12:01 am Pacific; you can’t ask people directly to upvote.
- [Show HN (Hacker News)](https://news.ycombinator.com/showhn.html) (Community): Free. Link: Followed once upvoted. Must be something people can try, not a landing page. Posts with few points had nofollow links; posts with 50+ points had followed links.
- [BetaList](https://betalist.com/support) (Launch site): Paid only (price shown after login); Boost $99 a week. Link: Via a BetaList redirect. “There is no free submission option.” Refunded automatically if rejected. Needs its own domain.
- [Uneed](https://www.uneed.best/pricing) (Launch site): Free queue (up to 5 months out); fast track $14.99; skip the line $29.99. Link: Followed at 20 upvotes. Free launches need an upvote score of 10 to stay published and 20 for a followed link; skip the line guarantees it.
- [DevHunt](https://devhunt.org/faq) (Launch site): Listing free; launch $19; boosted $49. Link: Followed on paid launch. Developer tools only. Free listings are nofollow, paid launches followed.
- [Fazier](https://fazier.com/submit) (Launch site): Free within 30 days; paid $29 to $99. Link: Followed on Premium or top 3. The free plan requires a link back to Fazier.
- [Tiny Launch](https://www.tinylaunch.com/) (Launch site): Free; Premium $39. Link: Followed on Premium or top 3. Premium skips the queue and guarantees the backlink.
- [PeerPush](https://peerpush.com/pricing) (Launch site): Free (after paid launches); Standard $39; promotion $89 to $229. Link: Followed. Free launches wait behind paid ones and stay hidden until their slot.
- [Peerlist Launchpad](https://help.peerlist.io/individual/launchpad/how-to-launch-a-project-on-peerlist-launchpad) (Launch site): No cost stated. Link: Not checked. Verified individual profiles only; launches go live on Mondays.
- [Launching Next](https://www.launchingnext.com/submit/) (Directory): Free; $99 for review within 1 business day. Link: Mixed. Reviewed daily. One sample listing was followed, another nofollow.
- [Startup Fame](https://startupfa.me/pricing) (Directory): Free with a badge on your homepage; Highlight $19 a month. Link: Followed. The free listing stays while their badge stays on your site.
- [Twelve Tools](https://twelve.tools/submit) (Directory): Free with a link back; Pro $36 one-time. Link: Followed. Reviewed within 72 hours.
- [StackShare](https://stackshare.io/) (Directory): No submit page found. Link: Followed. Developer tools. Tool pages we checked set their canonical to StackShare’s homepage.
- [Indie Hackers products](https://www.indiehackers.com/products) (Community): Not published. Link: Nofollow. A product page next to your founder profile and posts.
- [OpenAlternative](https://openalternative.co/advertise) (Directory): Submission after login; ads $147 to $597 a month. Link: Mixed. Open-source tools only.
- [There’s An AI For That](https://theresanaiforthat.com/) (AI directory): $49 review fee; no free option seen. Link: Followed. AI products only.
- [Toolify](https://www.toolify.ai/) (AI directory): $99, listed within 48 hours. Link: Followed. AI products only; no free option seen.
- [Dang.ai](https://dang.ai/pricing) (AI directory): Free with a link back (up to 4 weeks); Basic $49. Link: Short-link redirect. The listing links through a dang.ai short link whose redirect tells search engines not to index it.
- [Futurepedia](https://www.futurepedia.io/) (AI directory): No public submission page. Link: Nofollow. Only an “update a tool” form for listed products.

## SaaS blogs with contributor guidelines

- [Zapier](https://zapier.com/blog/zapier-blog-guidelines/) (Automation): 750 to 2,500 words, original, no AI-written drafts. No guest posts for app comparisons or best-apps lists. Pitch by form; 4 to 6 weeks to publish.
- [Mailjet](https://www.mailjet.com/contributor-guidelines/) (Email): Pitch first. 800 to 1,200 words, not promotional. 1 to 2 links to your own site, no links to competitors.
- [GetResponse](https://www.getresponse.com/blog/write-for-us) (Email marketing): 1,300+ words, original. Claims link to research. No competitor citations, no paid promos.
- [Moosend](https://moosend.com/contact-us/write-for-us/) (Email marketing): At most 4 guest slots a month. No reply in 4 weeks means no; published within 4 to 12 weeks.
- [NetHunt CRM](https://nethunt.com/blog/write-for-us/) (Sales): 1,000 words minimum, 1,500 ideal. One natural link to your site. Reviewed within 10 days.
- [LeadFuze](https://www.leadfuze.com/guest-post/) (Sales data): Writers affiliated with a brand only, no freelancers placing client links. Up to 2 links in the author bio, none to product pages.
- [Paymo](https://www.paymoapp.com/write-for-us/) (Project management): 1,500 to 2,000 words, exclusive. No affiliate or competitor links. Paymo doesn’t take money to publish.
- [Businessmap](https://businessmap.io/blog/guidelines-for-submitting-guest-posts-on-the-kanbanize-blog) (Project management): 1,200 to 1,800 words, no promotional pieces. A link to the author’s site.
- [HR Cloud](https://www.hrcloud.com/blog/hrcloud-blog-guidelines) (HR): 1,200 to 1,500 words written by a person. Links only in the author bio, up to 2. 30 to 60 days to publish.
- [Keka](https://www.keka.com/guest-post-guidelines) (HR and payroll): 1,000 to 2,500 words, exclusive. One contextual body link; Keka decides whether it’s followed.
- [Airbyte](https://airbyte.com/community/write-for-the-community) (Developer, data): Paid: $300 to $500 an article, topics from their list. For data and AI practitioners.
- [AppSignal](https://blog.appsignal.com/write-for-us) (Developer, monitoring): Paid for experienced Node, Ruby, Python and Elixir writers. About 1,500 words with code.

## Podcasts and expert-quote platforms

- [The SaaS Podcast](https://saasclub.io/suggest/), SaaS Club (Omer Khan): B2B SaaS and AI founders, usually the CEO, with at least $1M in annual revenue. Suggest form.
- [SaaStr Podcast](https://www.saastr.com/podcast-guest-submission/), SaaStr: Open guest submission form; wants a fresh take or something unusual done at your company.
- [saas.unbound](https://saas.group/saas-podcasts/), saas.group: “Be a guest” form on the podcast page.
- [Code Story](https://www.codestory.co/guest-intake/), Noah Labhart: Technical founders; guest intake form.
- [Finite](https://www.clarity.global/podcast/finite-by-clarity), Clarity (B2B tech marketing): For B2B tech marketers; invites prospective guests on the show page.
- [HARO](https://www.helpareporter.com/about): Journalist requests by email, up to 3 digests a weekday. Owned by Featured.com since April 2025. Free
- [Qwoted](https://www.qwoted.com/pricing/): Journalist and podcast requests with real-time alerts. Free: 2 pitches a month; Pro $149 a month for 35
- [Featured.com](https://featured.com/pricing): Requests from HARO, LinkedIn and more, with an AI drafting assistant. Free; paid plans from $29 a month billed annually
- [Connectively](https://www.connectively.us/expert): Publisher questions and bylined answers, run by the Featured team. Free: 3 answers a month; paid from $19 a month
- [MentionMatch (formerly Help a B2B Writer)](https://mentionmatch.com/): B2B writers ask for expert input by email; run by Superpath. Free
- [Source of Sources](https://www.sourceofsources.com/): Peter Shankman’s journalist queries by email, up to three a day. Free
- [PodMatch](https://podmatch.com/pricing): Matches guests with podcast hosts. Guest plans $32 or $64 a month
- [Rephonic](https://rephonic.com/pricing): Podcast database with contacts and audience estimates. $99, $149 or $299 a month
- [PodcastGuests.com](https://podcastguests.com/join/): Free newsletter of guest requests plus a paid expert directory. Free newsletter; directory from $15 a month (annual)

## Outreach templates

### Ask for a spot on a list (Best-X tools list)

To: The person who updates the list (check the byline and the “updated” date)
Subject: [Their list title]: one for the [use case] section?

Hey [Name],
Your [list title] is the one I send people to when they ask about [category]. The [specific section or tool they rate] part is spot on.
One gap: nothing on the list handles [the job your product does], which is why [type of customer] use [Your product]. [One fact: price, free plan, the integration they care about].
If it helps, I can send a two-line description, a screenshot and a free account so you can try it before you decide.
[Your name], [role] at [Your product]

### Get onto another tool’s alternatives page (X alternatives page)

To: The marketer at a non-competing challenger who published “[Leader] alternatives”
Subject: Your [Leader] alternatives page

Hey [Name],
Saw your [Leader] alternatives page. We lose the same customers to [Leader] that you do, but we serve a different slice: [your niche, e.g. teams under 10 / agencies / EU data residency].
Readers who need [that slice] currently leave your page with no answer. A short entry for [Your product] would cover them, and it doesn’t compete with what you sell.
Happy to write the entry in your format, pricing included, so it’s a copy-paste.
[Your name]

### Ask a partner to list your integration (Integration directory)

To: The partner, ecosystem or integrations manager at the other tool
Subject: [Your product] + [Their product] integration is live

Hey [Name],
Our [Their product] integration went live on [date]: [one line on what it does, e.g. new bookings create deals automatically]. [Number] of our customers already connected it.
Could we get a listing on your integrations page at [their integrations URL]? I’ve put the logo, a 40-word description, setup steps and a support contact here: [link to a doc].
We’ve published our side at [your integration page URL] and linked to you from it.
[Your name]

### Ask a happy customer for a review (Review site)

To: A customer who just renewed, upgraded or praised you in support
Subject: Two minutes for a review on [G2 / Capterra]?

Hey [Name],
Thanks for [the thing they said or did, e.g. the kind note in support last week]. Would you share that on [review site]? It takes about two minutes: [direct review link].
Honest is better than glowing: buyers trust reviews that mention what [Your product] doesn’t do yet.
[Your name]

### Pitch your free tool to a resource list (Free tool)

To: The editor of a “free [category] tools” or resources page
Subject: A free [tool type] for your [list title]

Hey [Name],
Your [list title] is a great starting point for [audience]. One free tool it doesn’t have yet: our [tool name], which [does one job] from [one input]. No signup, no email gate: [link].
If it’s useful, it fits next to [similar tool on their list].
[Your name]

### Turn a mention into a link (Unlinked mention)

To: The author of the post that names you
Subject: Thanks for mentioning [Your product]

Hey [Name],
Thanks for including [Your product] in [post title]. Glad [the thing they said about you] worked for you.
Would you mind linking our name to [exact URL] so readers can find it? That’s the page for [the use case they wrote about].
[Your name]

### Pitch a guest post to a SaaS blog (Guest post)

To: The blog’s content lead (named on the contributor guidelines page)
Subject: Guest post idea: [specific title]

Hey [Name],
I read your contributor guidelines. Three ideas for [blog name] readers, none covered on the blog yet:
1. [Title with a number or a result]: [one line on what it shows].
2. [Title]: [one line].
3. [Title]: [one line].
Each comes from work we did at [Your product], with real numbers and screenshots. Two samples: [link], [link].
[Your name], [role]

### Pitch yourself as a podcast guest (Podcast)

To: The host or booker (from the show’s guest page)
Subject: Guest idea for [Show name]: [the story in five words]

Hey [Name],
Loved the episode with [recent guest] on [topic]. A follow-up angle your listeners might want: [the story, e.g. how we got to $1M ARR with no sales team].
What I can cover: [point one], [point two], and [a number you can share on air].
I’ve been on [past show, if any]: [link]. Happy to work around your recording schedule.
[Your name], founder of [Your product]

### The one follow-up (Any of the above)

To: Same thread, 4 to 7 days later
Subject: Re: [original subject]

Hey [Name], bumping this in case it got buried. If [list / page / show] isn’t taking additions right now, just say so and I won’t follow up again.
[Your name]

## SaaS link building agencies (checked October 18, 2026, sorted by the cheapest published way in)

- [Editorial.Link](https://editorial.link/): Per link, one niche of several, based St. Petersburg, Florida (Editorial Link LLC). Price: $375 a link; 5 links for $1,750 ($350 each); 20 for $6,000 ($300 each). Premium sites such as HubSpot or Canva from $550 a link. Terms: As few as one link a month. A trial link before you sign. Lost links restored or replaced within 6 months. Links: Editorial links, listicle placements, brand mentions, digital PR, HARO-style quotes. Proof: PandaDoc: organic traffic 186,000 to 581,000 with 300 links; PeopleForce: DR 54 to 71. Ask: Which DR band your $375 buys: the pricing page says DR 50 to 90, another page says 60+. Sources: [Pricing](https://editorial.link/pricing/), [PandaDoc case](https://editorial.link/case/pandadoc/).
- [SAASY LINKS](https://saasylinks.com/): Link packages, saas only, based Remote team, hiring in India (founded 2022). Price: Links: $1,250 a month for 5 DR 50+ links, up to $5,250 for 15 DR 70+. Listicles: $2,000 a month for 5; single listicle spots from $500 linked, $350 unlinked. Terms: Month to month. Billed only for confirmed dofollow placements. Removed or nofollowed links replaced for 12 months. Links: Editorial outreach, link insertions, listicle placements, brand mentions, Reddit. Proof: HeyReach: 6.8K to 26.3K monthly organic traffic with 60 links; Modash: 25K to 205K. Ask: How fast the first links go live: the site says both 1 week and 2 to 4 weeks. Sources: [Packages](https://saasylinks.com/link-building-packages/), [Listicles](https://saasylinks.com/listicle-link-building/).
- [Above Apex](https://aboveapex.com/): Per link, saas only, based Not stated on the site. Price: $3,500 a month for 8 links from DR 55 to 85+ sites (the FAQ says $3,300). Or per link: $400 (DR up to 69), $450 (DR 70+), $520 (DR 80+), minimum $1,500 to $2,000 a month. Terms: Month to month with 20 working days’ notice. Removed links reinstated or replaced. First links live by day 10 to 15. Links: Editorial links, expert quotes, listicle placements, unlinked mentions, podcasts, link exchanges. Proof: Action1: +43,000 organic monthly visitors; Improvado: +20,000. Ask: Which package price applies: the same page lists $3,500 and $3,300 for 8 links. Sources: [SaaS link building](https://aboveapex.com/saas-link-building-agency/), [Action1 case](https://aboveapex.com/case-studies/action1-link-building-saas-campaign/).
- [SaaS Link Builder](https://www.saaslinkbuilder.com/): Link packages, saas only, based Vilnius, Lithuania. Price: Links: €1,499 a month for 5, €2,999 for 10, €5,999 for 20. Listicles: €1,999 a month for 5. Brand mentions from €1,699 for 5. Terms: You pay at the end of the month for links delivered that month. One-year guarantee on every link. No site pre-approval. Links: SaaS-to-SaaS contextual links, listicle placements, brand mentions with a link. Proof: Unnamed cybersecurity SaaS: 102k to 195k organic traffic in 12 months, 120 links. Ask: Whether you can veto a site before it goes live, since pre-approval is a no by default. Sources: [Link building plans](https://www.saaslinkbuilder.com/saas-link-building-service), [Homepage FAQ](https://www.saaslinkbuilder.com/).
- [Quoleady](https://www.quoleady.com/): Per link, saas only, based Tallinn, Estonia (Quoleady OÜ). Price: From $300 a link (DR 20 to 39), $350 (DR 40 to 69), $400 (DR 70+); +$50 for homepage or product-page links. SEO and AI packages from $3,500 a month. Terms: Pay once a link is published, prepaid monthly. Minimum monthly budget €1,500 on the pricing page ($1,000 on the link building page). Links: Guest posts, link insertions, listicle outreach, funding-news PR. Proof: Expandi: 0 to $8M ARR; airfocus funding round covered on TechCrunch. Ask: Which minimum and which guarantee apply: €1,500 or $1,000, 6 months or 1 year. Sources: [Pricing](https://www.quoleady.com/2026-pricing/), [Link building](https://www.quoleady.com/saas-link-building/).
- [MADX](https://www.madx.digital/): Retainer, saas first, based London. Price: Retainers: $3,500 a month (12-month term, 5 placements a month), $5,500, $9,500. Per placement from $195 (DR 20+) to $965 (DR 60+), minimum order $2,500 a month. Terms: 12-month term, or 3 months rolling at a higher rate. Replacement guarantee on placements. Links: Link insertions, guest posts, linked mentions, digital PR, placements in buyer guides. Proof: MoonPay: 157,588 to 433,317 monthly visitors; Nosto: 16 placements on DR 51 to 90 sites. Ask: The rolling price before you sign: the 12-month rate is the one shown by default. Sources: [Pricing](https://www.madx.digital/pricing), [Link building](https://www.madx.digital/services/saas-link-building-agency).
- [Growfusely](https://growfusely.com/): Retainer, saas first, based Ahmedabad, India. Price: Execution retainer from $3,000 a month; 90-day sprint from $4,000 a month; audit and strategy from $2,000 one-off. Terms: Pilot campaigns of 30 to 45 days; they recommend planning for 6 months; no lock-in stated. Links: Guest contributions, HARO, founder interviews, broken links, unlinked mentions, linkable assets. Proof: Whatfix: 250+ links, 5x referring domains; JetOctopus: organic traffic doubled in 10 months. Ask: How many links a month the retainer includes: no number is published. Sources: [Homepage pricing](https://growfusely.com/), [SaaS link building](https://growfusely.com/saas-link-building-agency/).
- [uSERP](https://userp.io/): Retainer, saas first, based Denver, Colorado. Price: Link building from $5,000 a month. Managed SEO and AI search from $10,000 a month. Digital PR campaigns from $15,000 one-time. Terms: First invoice on signing. Lost links replaced within six months. Term: 3 months on the start page, 6 months with a 60-day opt-out in the FAQ. Links: Unclaimed mentions, guest contributions, journalist contacts, data pages, link insertions, digital PR. Proof: monday.com: 677,000 to 1.2M monthly organic visits (with content); Hotjar: 210+ links. Ask: Which minimum term your contract uses: 3 months or 6 with a 60-day opt-out. Sources: [Start page](https://userp.io/start/), [monday.com case](https://userp.io/case-study/monday/).
- [TripleDart](https://www.tripledart.com/): Retainer, saas first, based Plano, Texas and Bengaluru. Price: “SaaS SEO starting at $5,000 a month”: links come inside an SEO plan, not sold alone. Terms: You approve every domain before it goes live; links that come down are replaced. The price box says no long-term commitment, the FAQ says a 6-month first term. Links: Guest posts, link insertions, digital PR, listicle placements, expert quotes. Proof: Scrut.io: domain rating up 31%; ZenRows: a year as their backlink agency. Ask: Whether the first term is 6 months or month to month: the page says both. Sources: [SaaS link building](https://www.tripledart.com/saas-link-building-agency).
- [Rock The Rankings](https://www.rocktherankings.com/): Retainer, saas only, based Not stated (serves North America and EU). Price: Strategy from $5,500 a month on a 90-day program ($6,000 month to month); Done-for-You from $8,650; Authority from $15,250. “Most engagements land at $10K+.” Terms: Month to month at the full rate with 30 days’ notice. No ranking or domain guarantees. Links: 6 to 16 DR 50 to 80+ links a month: digital PR, data studies, expert quotes, podcasts, comparison sites. Proof: Toast: $195k monthly organic traffic value added; MoonPay: 130+ editorial links. Ask: How many links your tier includes: one page says 6 to 16 a month, another 4 to 12. Sources: [Pricing](https://www.rocktherankings.com/pricing), [Results](https://www.rocktherankings.com/client-results).
- [DerivateX](https://derivatex.agency/): Retainer, saas only, based Bengaluru, India. Price: Retainers of $5,000, $8,000 and $12,000 a month, plus a placement budget of $1,000 to $3,000 a month by tier (2 to 8 placements). A $3,500 one-time diagnostic. Terms: Every engagement starts as a 90-day pilot; the $12,000 tier has a 6-month minimum. No spend without written sign-off. Links: Guest posts, expert quotes, link insertions, PR placements, brand mentions. Proof: Gumlet: 20% of inbound revenue from ChatGPT mentions; Verito: 159% more organic clicks. Ask: The real minimum: the link building page says $2,500 a month, the pricing page $5,000. Sources: [Pricing](https://derivatex.agency/pricing/), [Gumlet case](https://derivatex.agency/case-studies/gumlet/).
- [Linkflow](https://linkflow.ai/): Retainer, saas first, based Austin, Texas. Price: Retainer prices sit in a downloadable pricing guide. The one price on the site: a $2,500 one-off “Kickstart” roadmap. Terms: Kickstart is a one-time project paid in full upfront; no retainer minimum is stated. Links: Contextual editorial links, HARO links, guest posts, broken link building. Proof: Unnamed SaaS platform: 145 links at an average DR of 58, 295% more demo requests. Ask: The monthly price and links per month before the first call. Sources: [SaaS link building](https://linkflow.ai/saas-link-building/), [Kickstart](https://linkflow.ai/kickstart/).
- [Skale](https://skale.so/): Retainer, saas only, based Not stated (remote, EMEA). Price: No price on the site; budget is discussed on a call. Terms: An average turnaround of 4 weeks after a ramp-up of about 6 weeks. Links built in English and Spanish. Links: Guest posts, listicles and category roundups, review-site mentions. Proof: Piktochart: signups up 860% in 3 months; HappyScribe: 558 links. Ask: Price, term and links per month: none are on the site. Sources: [Link building](https://skale.so/link-building/), [Piktochart story](https://skale.so/stories/piktochart/).
- [Scalerrs](https://www.scalerrs.co/): Retainer, saas first, based France (address in its terms). Price: Every plan on the pricing page reads “Custom / month”. Terms: Billed monthly by subscription; pause or cancel at any time. Links: Niche insertions, guest posts, ABC link building, listicles, brand mentions, Reddit. Proof: Default: 300 clicks a month to $400K in SEO and AI pipeline; Qrvey: 400% more organic clicks. Ask: A number for your plan, and which sites qualify: they target DR 60+ sites with 10K+ monthly traffic. Sources: [Pricing](https://www.scalerrs.co/pricing), [Link building](https://www.scalerrs.co/service/saas-link-building-agency).

Left out: LinkBuilder.io (a generalist (SaaS is one niche of many) and a sister company of The HOTH; Startup plan $2,999 a month for 8 links); Saaslinks (a link marketplace launched in 2026 that also sells other niches); LinkDoctor and Digital Olympus (no SaaS specialty and no published prices).

## A 90-day plan

- v0.1, Week 1: Pick the pages links should point at. Choose 5 to 8 target pages: homepage, your top feature page, one comparison or alternatives page per main competitor, your integrations page. Write down where you stand: rankings for 10 category searches, referring domains, and whether ChatGPT and Google’s AI Overview name you for “best [category] software”.
- v0.2, Week 1 to 2: Claim every free listing. Fill in G2’s free profile and the review and launch sites that fit your buyer (see the directory list). List each integration you already have in the partner’s marketplace and send the partner the integration template.
- v0.3, Week 2 to 3: Build the list of lists. Search “best [category] software”, “[competitor] alternatives” and “[competitor] vs” on Google and ask ChatGPT the same. Keep every page that names two or more competitors and not you. For each: who updates it, when it was last updated, whether its links are followed, and whether it’s a vendor blog or an affiliate site.
- v0.4, Week 3 to 8: Pitch lists, alternatives pages and mentions. 5 to 10 personal pitches a day, each about that page, from your own inbox. One follow-up after 4 to 7 days. Ask every page that already names you to add the link.
- v0.5, Week 4 to 10: Ship one asset worth linking to. One free tool, template pack or data page tied to the job your buyer does before they need you. Publish the alternatives and comparison pages you are missing, with honest pricing tables.
- v0.6, Week 6 to 12: Guest posts, podcasts, quotes. Two guest post pitches and two podcast pitches a week; answer journalist requests in your category daily.
- v1.0, Day 90: Review and double down. Count links, referral signups and AI mentions per source. Put the next quarter into the two sources that produced most. Agencies and practitioners put ranking movement at three to six months, so judge rankings at the next review, not this one.

## FAQ

### What is SaaS link building?

SaaS link building is getting links to a software product’s site from the pages buyers read while they shortlist: “best X software” lists, “X alternatives” pages, integration directories, comparison pages, review sites, and the blogs and podcasts of the category. The links help the product rank, and the same pages are what AI assistants cite when someone asks which tool to buy.

### How much does a SaaS link building agency cost?

Of the 14 SaaS link building agencies we checked on October 18, 2026, the cheapest published way in was $375 for a single link (Editorial.Link). Link packages run $1,250 to about €6,000 a month for 5 to 20 links, and retainers start at $3,000 to $5,500 a month; Rock The Rankings says most of its engagements land above $10,000 a month. Three of the 14 publish no monthly price.

### Which links matter most for a SaaS company?

Links from the pages your buyers already read: category lists, alternatives pages, integration directories and comparison pages. In our check of 26 software-buying searches, software companies published 54% of the top 10 results and Google’s AI Overview appeared on all 26, so a spot on those lists counts for rankings and for AI answers.

### Are backlinks still relevant in 2026?

Yes. Google’s own documentation says it “uses links as a signal when determining the relevancy of pages and to find new pages to crawl” ([Link best practices for Google](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/links-crawlable)). What changed is where the useful links sit: on the lists, comparisons and directories that rank for buying searches.

### Do backlinks help you get cited by ChatGPT or Google’s AI Overviews?

The AI Overviews we read on October 18, 2026 cited the same kinds of pages that rank: across 26 software-buying searches, Zapier’s blog lists were a source in 15, Reddit threads in 17 and YouTube videos in 25. Getting onto those lists, and into the videos and threads about your category, is how a product gets named in the answer.

### Should I pay to be included in a “best tools” list?

Many list owners ask for a fee, and some agencies sell single listicle spots from $350 (unlinked) to $500 (linked). Google’s spam policies count buying links for ranking purposes as link spam unless the link is marked rel="sponsored" or nofollow ([Google spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies#link-spam)). Paid inclusion with a sponsored link still buys you readers and AI mentions; it just doesn’t pass ranking credit.

### Are link exchanges with other SaaS companies OK?

Listing a partner because your customers use both tools is normal, and integration pages do it all the time. Google’s spam policies list “excessive link exchanges” and partner pages that exist only for cross-linking as link spam ([Google spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies#link-spam)). The test: would the page link to them if no link came back?

### How long does SaaS link building take to work?

Links on lists and directories can go live within days. MADX, a SaaS link building agency, tells readers to expect three to six months before ranking movement is clear, and says AI visibility can move faster or slower and is more volatile.

### How many backlinks does a SaaS company need?

There is no fixed number. Look at the pages that rank for your target search, count the sites linking to them, and aim to match the top three. For a category list, being on the five to ten lists that rank on page one matters more than any total.

### Can I do SaaS link building without an agency?

Yes. Most of the work is a list of the right pages and a personal email to the person behind each one; the templates on this page cover each source. Software can take over the legwork: BacklinkGPT, for example, finds the lists that fit your product, drafts a pitch for each and sends it from your inbox after you approve, from $149 a month ([pricing](https://backlinkgpt.com/pricing?utm_source=saas-link-building&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=site&utm_content=faq)).