How to get a backlink from AlternativeTo?
AlternativeTo works as a backlink source when you have a genuine software product that belongs in a comparison directory. The useful backlink is usually the public app page’s Official Website link, not a profile signature or comment link.
Steps
- Create or sign in to an AlternativeTo account.
- Wait until the account is eligible to submit new applications. AlternativeTo’s FAQ says new users must wait one week after account creation before submitting a new app page.
- Open the user menu and choose Suggest new application. Fill in the required app details such as platforms, license, description, tags, screenshots, and the official website URL.
- Submit the application for review. AlternativeTo states that new apps are verified and approved by its team before publication.
- After approval, review the public app page and confirm the Official Website section points to the correct canonical URL.
Example: the Figma page on AlternativeTo shows an Official Website link to figma.com, demonstrating the type of external software-site citation an approved listing can provide.
Use this only for legitimate software listings. A low-effort submission made solely for a backlink is likely to be rejected and can damage the product’s reputation in a comparison directory.
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Backlink signals
Editorial estimates for comparing this provider.
DofollowFree
- Dofollow linksCan pass equityWe set this after checking whether the recommended backlink method on this provider typically outputs a dofollow link in the page HTML. If attributes vary by page type, we use the realistic default for that path and explain the nuance in the guide.
- Yes. We set this after checking whether the recommended backlink method on this provider typically outputs a dofollow link in the page HTML. If attributes vary by page type, we use the realistic default for that path and explain the nuance in the guide.
- Backlink valueEditorial estimateBacklink value is our 0-100 editorial estimate of how much authority a page you create here would actually carry. We score the page you would end up with - not the provider homepage - from how strongly the platform links to and indexes that page type, how much editorial review stands behind it, and what comparable pages are worth in practice. Most new pages anywhere are worth little; a few platforms hand a fresh page real strength straight away. It is a comparison estimate, not a measurement, and it will not match any third-party tool.
- 11/100. Backlink value is our 0-100 editorial estimate of how much authority a page you create here would actually carry. We score the page you would end up with - not the provider homepage - from how strongly the platform links to and indexes that page type, how much editorial review stands behind it, and what comparable pages are worth in practice. Most new pages anywhere are worth little; a few platforms hand a fresh page real strength straight away. It is a comparison estimate, not a measurement, and it will not match any third-party tool.
- Spam ratingLower is betterWe use spam score when we have a defensible value for the relevant domain or surface, otherwise a conservative Backlink Badger editorial estimate from platform quality and spam patterns. Treat it as an approximate comparison guide, not a guarantee of how search engines evaluate the site.
- 2/100. We use spam score when we have a defensible value for the relevant domain or surface, otherwise a conservative Backlink Badger editorial estimate from platform quality and spam patterns. Treat it as an approximate comparison guide, not a guarantee of how search engines evaluate the site.
- Acquisition difficultyLower is easierBacklink Badger assigns this 0–100 score from editorial review of signup friction, content requirements, approval gates, and account trust for the recommended path. It is an approximate comparison estimate, not a measured difficulty metric.
- 65/100. Backlink Badger assigns this 0–100 score from editorial review of signup friction, content requirements, approval gates, and account trust for the recommended path. It is an approximate comparison estimate, not a measured difficulty metric.
- Time estimateTypical setupWe estimate the minimum minutes a prepared user needs to sign up, set up, and publish or submit the backlink, including obvious waiting steps we can reasonably predict. This Backlink Badger estimate is approximate - your first attempt or extra verification may take longer.
- ~35 min. We estimate the minimum minutes a prepared user needs to sign up, set up, and publish or submit the backlink, including obvious waiting steps we can reasonably predict. This Backlink Badger estimate is approximate - your first attempt or extra verification may take longer.
- Free optionNo required spendWe mark Yes when the recommended backlink path can be completed without paying the provider for access, placement, or a required plan. If only paid tiers unlock the link, or payment is commonly required in practice, we mark No.
- Yes. We mark Yes when the recommended backlink path can be completed without paying the provider for access, placement, or a required plan. If only paid tiers unlock the link, or payment is commonly required in practice, we mark No.
- Linking domainsExternal signalWhen shown, this optional count comes from SEO research on the provider or relevant backlink surface and is rounded with a ~ prefix on the page. It is a Backlink Badger estimate for comparison and may be outdated or imprecise versus live crawlers.
- ~250,000. When shown, this optional count comes from SEO research on the provider or relevant backlink surface and is rounded with a ~ prefix on the page. It is a Backlink Badger estimate for comparison and may be outdated or imprecise versus live crawlers.
- Ranking keywordsExternal signalWhen shown, this count reflects researched ranking-keyword data for the provider domain or surface, displayed as an approximate ~ value. Treat it as a Backlink Badger comparison estimate that can drift as indexes and rankings change.
- ~320,000. When shown, this count reflects researched ranking-keyword data for the provider domain or surface, displayed as an approximate ~ value. Treat it as a Backlink Badger comparison estimate that can drift as indexes and rankings change.
- Inbound linksExternal signalWhen shown, this is an optional researched count of inbound links to the provider or relevant surface, formatted as an approximate estimate. Backlink Badger includes it only when defensible - it is not live-crawled data.
- ~250,000. When shown, this is an optional researched count of inbound links to the provider or relevant surface, formatted as an approximate estimate. Backlink Badger includes it only when defensible - it is not live-crawled data.
- Outbound linksExternal signalWhen shown, this optional count estimates outbound links from pages on the provider domain to other sites, included only when researched and defensible. It is a Backlink Badger approximate comparison figure, not a real-time crawl.
- ~600,000. When shown, this optional count estimates outbound links from pages on the provider domain to other sites, included only when researched and defensible. It is a Backlink Badger approximate comparison figure, not a real-time crawl.
Provider overview
AlternativeTo is a software discovery directory where community members suggest apps, compare alternatives, and maintain public software pages. A verified app listing can include an official website link, app-store links, social profiles, screenshots, descriptions, and category tags, making it useful for legitimate software products that want a public directory citation.
Minimum requirements to get a backlink from AlternativeTo
- AlternativeTo account
- Existing software product or app
- Product description, platform, license, tags, and official website URL
Key challenges to get a backlink from AlternativeTo
AlternativeTo is only suitable for real software, apps, services, or developer tools that fit its directory. New users must wait one week before submitting a new app, and submissions are manually verified before publication. The site uses bot protection, so the submission flow may require a normal browser session and account login. Thin or promotional-only submissions can be rejected by moderators.
Ready to get this backlink?
Submission pageOpen submission page at AlternativeToalternativeto.netWhere you place the link - have your URL and a short description readyExample backlinkOpen example at AlternativeToalternativeto.netA live example - inspect its rel attribute to verify the nofollow/dofollow claim