Effortless Backlinks vs RankInPublic
RankInPublic wraps directory submissions inside a bigger platform: free SEO tools, product tournaments, rankings, and content. Effortless Backlinks is the opposite: a focused, manual-only submission service with three flat prices on the homepage.
Which philosophy serves you better depends on what you're actually buying. Here's the comparison.
Our take
The platform extras are real, but you're here to buy directory submissions, and on that purchase the comparison is lopsided: we publish our prices (€79/€119/€179) and our timeline (30 days); RankInPublic requires you to enter their checkout flow to learn what the service costs and doesn't state a delivery timeline. You shouldn't have to start buying something to find out its price. On the core service, transparent beats gamified.
Full disclosure: we run this site, so read everything here knowing where we stand. We keep the facts accurate and tell you below when RankInPublic is the better pick.
At a glance
| Feature | Effortless Backlinks | RankInPublic |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | €79, listed on our site | Not public (visible at checkout only) |
| Max directories | 100 | 140+ |
| Delivery | Spaced over 30 days for natural link growth | Not specified |
| Submission method | 100% manual | Manual |
| Free SEO tools | No | Yes (4 tools) |
| Product tournaments | No | Yes (1v1 matchups) |
| Customer reviews on site | Yes (verified via Senja) | Yes (Twitter testimonials) |
| Know the price before checkout | Yes | No |
Pricing comparison
| Plan | Effortless Backlinks | RankInPublic |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | €79, 25 directories | Not listed (estimated ~$99) |
| Mid | €119, 50 directories | Not listed (estimated ~$149) |
| Top | €179, 100 directories | Not listed (estimated ~$199) |
RankInPublic doesn't publish pricing; you have to start their Stripe checkout to see numbers, so the figures above are estimates from publicly available data. That's a deliberate conversion tactic, and it means you can't comparison-shop them without committing time to a purchase flow. Our prices are in this table and on our homepage, and they're the same for everyone.
Prices last verified April 2026.
Want someone to handle this for you? See how Effortless Backlinks takes care of directory submissions and link building so you can focus on your product.
See how Effortless Backlinks handles this for you →Where RankInPublic wins
Free SEO tools
Four free tools (Competitor Finder, Authority Checker, SEO Checker, Idea Validator) that are genuinely useful for founders sizing up their SEO position, whether or not you buy anything.
Product tournaments
Their 1v1 matchup system is a unique discovery channel: products compete head-to-head, which creates social sharing no other directory service offers. If community-driven discovery appeals to you, nobody else has this.
More directories on the list
They claim 140+ directories to our 100. If maximum list length matters to you, theirs is longer.
Where Effortless Backlinks wins
Transparent pricing
€79, €119, €179, printed on our homepage and in this table. No checkout flow required, no anchoring, no surprises. Founders comparison-shopping between services deserve to see prices without entering a purchase funnel, and how a company sells to you before you pay is usually how it treats you after.
A committed timeline
We state 30 days and explain why: submissions are spaced deliberately so your link growth looks natural. RankInPublic doesn't specify a delivery window, which makes it hard to plan a launch or a campaign around their service.
You buy the service, not the platform
Tournaments, rankings, and tools are engagement features for the platform; they don't make the underlying directory submissions better. If what you need is high-quality listings and a report proving them, that's the entire product we sell, with no platform to navigate around it.
The honest answer
RankInPublic has built an impressive top of funnel: useful free tools, a clever tournament mechanic, and strong content. As a place to discover products and check your SEO stats, it's well made.
As a directory submission purchase, it asks you to accept two unknowns we think you shouldn't have to: the price (hidden until checkout) and the timeline (unstated). The core service you'd actually be buying is comparable manual submission work, so the differences that remain are the buying experience and the certainty around it.
We'll take that comparison every time: published prices, a stated 30-day timeline with a reason behind it, and a report at the end. If the tools and tournaments appeal to you, use them, they're free. Buy the submissions where you can see what they cost.
Which should you choose?
RChoose RankInPublic if:
You want free SEO tools and find the product tournament discovery channel appealing, and you don't mind entering a checkout flow to learn the price.
EChoose Effortless Backlinks if:
You want to know the price (€79-€179) and the timeline (30 days) before you commit, and you're buying directory submissions rather than a platform.