Effortless Backlinks vs StartupSubmit
StartupSubmit is the biggest operation in the directory submission space: a 20-person team, 250+ directories, prices from $99 to $299. Effortless Backlinks is a smaller, focused service: 25 to 100 hand-picked directories, €79 to €179.
That makes this comparison genuinely useful, because the two services represent opposite philosophies: maximum coverage versus curated quality. Here's how they stack up.
Our take
StartupSubmit sells scale: 250+ directories, fast turnaround, a big team. We sell curation: up to 100 directories from a vetted pool, submitted by hand and spaced out naturally. Directory quality drops off steeply past the well-known core, so the extra 150+ listings on their top plan add volume, not authority. Start with the directories that matter; you can always buy volume later.
Full disclosure: we run this site, so read everything here knowing where we stand. We keep the facts accurate and tell you below when StartupSubmit is the better pick.
At a glance
| Feature | Effortless Backlinks | StartupSubmit |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | €79 | $99 |
| Max directories | 100 hand-picked | 250+ |
| Delivery | Spaced over 30 days for natural link growth | 7-14 days |
| Submission method | 100% manual | Manual (20-person team) |
| Directory curation | Only directories we'd use ourselves | Everything with a submit button |
| DR guarantee | No | Yes (DR 30+ on top plan) |
| Pricing model | Flat prices, always the same | Discount framing (was/now pricing) |
| Upsells and add-ons | None | Reddit marketing, add-ons |
Pricing comparison
| Plan | Effortless Backlinks | StartupSubmit |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | €79, 25 directories | $99, 60+ directories |
| Mid | €119 for 50 or €179 for 100 directories | $199, 150+ directories |
| Top | No plan above 100 | $299, 250+ directories |
We're cheaper at entry (€79 vs $99), and our largest plan, 100 directories for €179, costs less than their top plan. StartupSubmit fits 250+ directories into $299, which we do not match. The question to ask is what directories 101 through 250 actually are. Authority concentrates in the well-known startup directories every founder wants, and each listing past those adds less. We stop at 100 because that is roughly where directory quality stops justifying the submission.
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 youWhere StartupSubmit wins
Coverage
250+ directories is the largest network in this space. If your strategy is to be listed absolutely everywhere, including small niche platforms, nobody covers more ground.
Delivery speed
7-14 days is fast for manual work at that volume, and their 20-person team is what makes it possible. If you want broad coverage placed within two weeks, they deliver it.
DR guarantee
Their $299 plan guarantees DR 30+. Most services, ours included, won't put a number on expected results. A concrete promise is worth something, and they make one.
Where Effortless Backlinks wins
Curation over coverage
We cap at 100 directories, because that's roughly where directory quality stops justifying the submission. Our list is the directories founders actually want: high-DR platforms like SourceForge (DR 92) and GeekWire (DR 86), and the startup directories your target users actually browse.
More listings feels better, but backlink value concentrates heavily at the top. 100 carefully chosen placements capture most of the authority that 250 mixed ones would.
Lower entry point
€79 for 25 directories lets you validate the approach before committing more. StartupSubmit starts at $99, and their headline offers push you toward $299. For bootstrapped founders, starting smaller and scaling up is the saner path.
Natural link pacing
We spread submissions across 30 days on purpose. 250 new backlinks appearing in a week or two is a spike; 100 appearing over a month is a growth curve. Search engines notice the difference, and only one of those patterns matches how genuinely trending products accumulate links.
No upsell maze
One service, four flat prices, one report. No Reddit marketing add-ons, no was/now discount anchoring, no ecosystem to navigate. You're buying directory submissions, so that's all we sell you.
The honest answer
StartupSubmit has earned its position: real team, real case studies, and the broadest coverage you can buy. If your budget is $299 and your strategy is maximum saturation with a DR guarantee attached, they're a legitimate way to get it.
But most founders don't need 250 directories, they need the right 100, placed properly. Authority concentrates in the top tier of directories; below that, extra listings mostly add noise. That's the service we built: the directories that matter, submitted by hand, drip-fed at a pace that reads as organic growth.
Buy saturation if saturation is your strategy. If you want the highest-value slice of the same market, 100 directories for €179, that's us.
Which should you choose?
SChoose StartupSubmit if:
You want to be listed everywhere including small niche platforms, have $299 to spend, and want a DR guarantee attached to the purchase.
EChoose Effortless Backlinks if:
You want the high-authority directories that drive most of the value, hand-placed and naturally paced, starting at €79 instead of $99.
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