nowfound

Work · alternatives · 2026

BA

24 alternatives to Built a premium directory dedicated to high-quality tools

This is a previous project I decided to relaunch. There's tons of directories that accept all submissions, but I feel like that just waters down the platform. It also isn't fair for the amazingly built tools and services. I pivoted to a premium-only directory and feel like charging a small fee, while it might take longer to build the portfolio of listed tools, they'll be of much higher quality than other platforms.

Below are 24 products that do a similar job, ranked by how close each is in meaning and then by launch-day votes. Built a premium directory dedicated to high-quality tools launched in 2024; newer entries below may have overtaken it.

  1. 1OS

    hey makers, I've spent the whole night to compile this list out of > winners of Product Hunt > best dev tools on DevHunt > recently active on GitHub > most internet backlinks > most mentions as "alternative to .." Let me know if I should add anything there.

    2023 · osssoftware.org · its alternatives →

  2. 2
    Overlead▲146

    Here's the problem: I launched two products. I wrote blog posts. I posted on X, built in public. I tried running ads. And you know what actually got me customers? Replying to someone on Reddit who asked, "What's the best tool for this?" One reply. Three signups. I felt like an idiot for not doing it sooner. But here's the issue: I don't have time to refresh Reddit all day looking for these posts. I have products to build. Bugs to fix. Emails to answer. Life to live. So I built Overlead to do the searching for me. Overlead scans Reddit, Quora, and Hacker News (and many more to come) for…

    Feb 2026 · overlead.co · its alternatives →

  3. 3
    AlterBase▲189

    Hi, I'm software dev with 2x exit. I collected some affordable alternatives to expensive and well-known tools for a while. Mostly for personal use. Now I built the platform and added them here. Also, community help to grow with their tools and suggestions. Enjoy and if you have any alternative for popular softwares or have a suggestions please submit here to make it the internet's biggest alternative software platform.

    Nov 2025 · alterbase.co · its alternatives →

  4. 4

    As a newcomer to the world of independent development, a few days ago, after completing my first project, I wanted to promote it. However, I struggled to find a comprehensive list where I could submit my product. So, I decided to create one myself. The goal is simple: to maintain a comprehensive resource list for product submissions and keep it regularly updated. If you're in the same boat and need such a resource, feel free to join me on this journey!

    2024 · github.com · its alternatives →

  5. 5

    I work on R00M 101, a Reddit-based OSINT profiler. While building it, I realized most open-source intelligence (OSINT) tools are scattered across GitHub, outdated blog posts, or random Discords. So I put together a public-facing directory of 100+ OSINT tools used by analysts, journalists, and security folks, free, filterable, and categorized by risk, platform, and use case. The idea was to make something useful and no-friction. Built with static HTML + SQL backend + a lot of caffeine. Would love feedback on how to improve the UX or tool curation. If anyone wants to contribute tools or help…

    2025 · r00m101.com · its alternatives →

  6. 6

    I used to be just a blogger. Now I build internet products, still without code, using AI, design, and taste. I was building in public on X for last 2 months. And honestly, I got tired of how it became performative and started to feel fake. I shipped 2 products. Both failed to get any real traction. I kept sneaking into popular builders’ profiles, hoping to learn how they do it. One thing I kept seeing everywhere, product launch directories. I thought here is the scope. So I started building one. Same UI like the rest. Nothing special. Suddenly one day when it was half built, I realized…

    2025 · founderswall.com · its alternatives →

  7. 7

    Hi HN, I spent 20 hours manually researching "best startup directories" for my last launch. Found outdated GitHub lists, dead links, and no data on which directories actually matter. So I built this instead. *Live*: https://awesome-directories.com *GitHub*: https://github.com/awesome-directories/awesome-directories *What It Is* An open-source aggregator of 300+ verified launch directories with: - Domain Rating scores (Ahrefs), dofollow/nofollow badges, pricing filters - Community voting, favorites, and submission tracking per project - CSV export and…

    Nov 2025 · awesome-directories.com · its alternatives →

  8. 8

    Hi everyone, I built this because I noticed many early-stage founders struggle with visibility. Even if you have a good product, it’s difficult for Google (and users) to discover it without basic backlinks and citations. Directory submissions still help, but doing them manually across dozens of platforms takes a lot of time, and most “directory lists” online are outdated or filled with low-quality sites. I wanted a more reliable and consistent approach. I curated 100+ high-authority directories and built a simple service that submits your startup to all of them manually. The focus is…

    Dec 2025 · listmy.site · its alternatives →

  9. 9

    Hey guys, Spent some time compiling this list of websites and directories. Figured I'd share it in case anyone needs it!

    Mar 2026 · promotestartup.com · its alternatives →

  10. 10OS

    I got tired of collecting open source projects in my chrome bookmarks so I decided to compile a curated list of: - Recently active projects on GitHub - Mostly dev tools (but also productivity, analytics) - Projects which are "Alternative to X software" My bookmarks are finally empty:D If you have a great open source tool you use, I'd be glad to hear your suggestions. Also, any feedback is greatly appreciated.

    2025 · alternativeoss.com · its alternatives →

  11. 11FO

    Hi all! I’ve been into the “file-over-app” philosophy lately. The idea of using products through files you can control, in formats that are easy to read and retrieve. I built this directory (https://fileoverapp.latitude.so/) to organize tools following the same principles. The cool thing is most of them are open-source and you can even filter by that. Now I'm looking for more stuff. If you’re aware of similar software, you can contribute and submit a product. I’d love to hear your recommendations!

    2024 · fileoverapp.latitude.so · its alternatives →

  12. 12

    Directory Listing Tools, Boilerplates, and Resources

    2024 · okay.directory · its alternatives →

  13. 13

    Submit website to 200+ Directories

    Mar 2026 · its alternatives →

  14. 14IM

    One week ago, I launched a new directory, which is a curated list of useful and cool Mac apps and tools that are not available on the app store. Initially, I wasn't sure if it was a good idea, but I managed to create it in just one day. I started promoting it on Twitter and some communities, and although I got some views, I didn't make any sales. Then the next day, I wrote a post on a subreddit related to Mac apps about the directory I launched. People loved it so much, and I got 39k views on that post, leading to around 2.5k visitors on my site. Thanks to this exposure, I made my first 4…

    2024 · mactools.pro · its alternatives →

  15. 15

    I loved this recent "Show and Tell" thread about side projects posted on HN: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42373343 It inspired me to build a mini directory that aggregates over 500 side projects posted to HN since 2017. You can filter by year, category, or revenue level. Thank you Cursor + Next.js for making this insanely fun to build. Hopefully you discover hidden gems or find inspiration in what the HN community is creating. Happy browsing!

    2024 · hnsideprojects.com · its alternatives →

  16. 16SG

    Hello everyone. Just launched my project called "SideProjectors". It's a market place to sell and buy side projects. Would love to hear your feedback on it. Better yet, would love to see if you have any side projects you would like to sell (or offer) to others. I had the idea for awhile, there has also been several "Sell HN" threads. Anyway, here's to the MVP! Thanks.

    2013 · its alternatives →

  17. 17

    Successful entrepreneurs always say that the most profitable tools are the ones that help you solve the issues you’re facing. The problem is, I apparently have no issues. So instead, I built a PoC of a minimalistic ideas directory focused on issues others are facing. Feedback is welcome

    Dec 2025 · whatshouldibuild.online · its alternatives →

  18. 18IM

    I kept seeing more and more Product Hunt alternatives pop up, so I started tracking them in a spreadsheet to potentially use for future launches. The list was sitting at around 80 sites when I decided to deep dive and see how many more I could find. So I then built IndieLaunch: 250+ directories to help you launch your startup. It's free to use and includes Domain Rating (DR) and traffic info so you can pick the right spot to get the most eyes on your launch.

    2024 · indielaun.ch · its alternatives →

  19. 19

    Hi HN! I’m launching portfolio.dev — a platform for developers, designers, freelancers, and PMs to create portfolios that tell the full story behind projects , not just display work. As a developer myself, I know how hard it is to present projects that show real value. portfolio.dev offers a clean URL (portfolio.dev/u/username), perfect for GitHub, LinkedIn, and resumes . Pro plan: $5/month or $50/year (US payments only), with unlimited projects, detailed analytics , and priority support . Would love feedback or questions from this amazing community!

    2025 · portfolio.dev · its alternatives →

  20. 20IB

    Hi everyone, I built this project to solve a problem I personally struggled with — using too many tools and losing focus. The idea is simple: Instead of adding more tools, reduce them and focus on what actually matters. This is still early, and I’d love your feedback. https://toolrelief.com/

    Apr 2026 · its alternatives →

  21. 21

    I built a minimal opensource CMS, I use it myself for my blog and for other SaaS. l love blogging, and sometimes I post random thoughts on my blog. The only thing is, I always did it with .md files, which is fine too However, I was excited about the idea of using a CMS that was very minimal and avoiding the option of connecting something like WordPress or other big platforms. Open source (if you want to fork it or contribute) and free to use (unless I see you have a million views haha). Star the repo if you like it!

    Jan 2026 · github.com · its alternatives →

  22. 22BC

    This is a combination of Show/Ask HN. I've been working on my side project, BitHub.com, for several years now. The issue is that on the revenue side there’s a big fat zero and I'm kinda lost to where to go from here. I'd love to keep the project going, but it obviously needs a new perspective and some novel ideas. If anyone from the community has any recommendations as to where to look for a better direction for the project, I would to love chat. I'm almost at a position to sell the domain and shut the whole project down, but something inside of me fights against this idea.

    2020 · its alternatives →

  23. 23IM

    Hello everyone. I'm a relatively new developer and I started my first project to go full production recently. It is a directory of payment processors and payment service providers. It's free to use and gives detailed info on their pricing, business model, supported business types, available countries, prohibited businesses and high risk business support. So far only 40 have been added with more to come. And I allow processors to contact me so that they're details can be added to the database. I'll eventually automate this and add verification the months to come. I hope you'll find it useful.…

    2025 · sourcefees.com · its alternatives →

  24. 24

    No middlemen. No fees. Just people.

    Dec 2025 · its alternatives →

Also compare

Ranked by how close each launch is in meaning, then by votes. Prices were read from each product’s own site when checked and can change. Refine with your own description →