Free app directories: where to list your app or game for free
Free app directories and app listing websites where you can list your app or game, what each one is good for, and how to spot directories that waste your time.
· 4 min read
Short answer: directories are permanent listings, unlike launch boards that give you one day of attention. A handful are worth your time: an app-focused directory with real visitors (TrueLaunch for apps and games), the big software directories where people compare tools (AlternativeTo, SaaSHub, Slant), and directories for your app's niche. Skip anything that charges for a listing with no audience, or promises "100 directory submissions" for a fee.
This guide is published by TrueLaunch, one of the options below. Directory rules change, so check each one's current terms.
What's the difference between a directory and a launch board?
- Launch boards (Product Hunt, Uneed, TinyLaunch) put you on a daily or weekly board. Most of the attention comes in the first days.
- Directories keep a page about your app that people find later, through search or by browsing a category. They pay off slowly but keep working.
Use both. The launch board brings your first burst of users; the directory listing keeps bringing a trickle, and gives search engines and AI assistants a description of your app that isn't written only by you. For launch boards, see Product Hunt alternatives for apps and games.
Which free app directories are worth it?
TrueLaunch (apps and games)
A free directory and launch platform made for mobile apps and games.
- How listing works: paste a Google Play or App Store link and the listing imports automatically. It's live the moment you publish: no waiting queue, no paid upgrade and no badge or backlink to add.
- What you get: a permanent page for your app, a place in its category, a launch day on the launches board and honest, structured reviews from people who try it.
AlternativeTo
People search it for "alternatives to X". If your app replaces a well-known app, this is one of the best directories to be in.
- How listing works: free; new entries are reviewed by moderators and approval can be slow.
- Tip: list the apps yours is an alternative to. That's how people find you.
SaaSHub and Slant
SaaSHub is a software comparison directory; Slant ranks options for questions like "best habit tracker for Android". Both are free to list on. They suit productivity and utility apps more than games.
Niche directories and "awesome" lists
A directory for your exact audience often beats a big general one: a list of accessibility apps, privacy-friendly apps, open-source Android apps or tools for teachers. On GitHub, curated "awesome" lists accept additions by pull request when your app genuinely fits.
How do I spot a directory that isn't worth it?
- No real visitors. If the directory's own pages don't show up in search and nobody comments or votes, a listing there does nothing.
- Pay to be listed, no audience. Paying for exposure on a site with traffic can make sense; paying just to exist on a page nobody visits doesn't.
- Bulk submission services. "We'll submit you to 500 directories" usually means low-quality sites, and sometimes links that look like spam to search engines.
- Required badges everywhere. A badge on your site for one good directory is fine. Ten badges from unknown directories clutter your site.
What should I write in a directory listing?
The same few things, adapted to each site's form:
- A one-line description that says who it's for and what it does, without hype.
- The problem it solves, in two or three sentences.
- Platforms and price: Android, iOS, web; free, freemium or paid.
- 3 to 5 screenshots that show the app doing its main job.
- The apps it's an alternative to, where the directory supports that.
Keep the description consistent across directories, but not copy-pasted word for word; small differences per audience read better. How to write an app description that converts has more on wording.
Do directory listings help SEO?
A little. A listing can give you a link and a page that ranks for your app's name, and it helps search engines and AI assistants understand what your app is. But most links from directories are small signals. The lasting value is the visitors who find you there, so pick directories people actually browse.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I list my app for free?
On app-focused directories such as TrueLaunch (free, no waiting queue, no badge required), on software directories like AlternativeTo, SaaSHub and Slant, and on niche directories for your app's audience.
Are paid directory submission services worth it?
Usually not. Bulk services submit apps to low-traffic directories that bring no users and can produce spammy links. A few well-chosen free listings do more.
Should I list a game in app directories?
Yes, in ones that cover games. General software directories suit tools better; for games, game-focused sites, TrueLaunch's game categories and player communities work best.