# Getting Your SaaS Listed on AlternativeTo

> How SaaS companies can get listed on AlternativeTo and similar alternative-finding sites, including creating a complete listing, choosing alternatives, encouraging likes and reviews and measuring results.

Source: https://comppound.com/blog/getting-your-saas-listed-on-alternativeto (published 2026-09-09)

AlternativeTo is a crowd-sourced website where people look for alternatives to software they already know. A user might search for alternatives to a well-known project management tool, a design application or a password manager, and find a list of other products that other users have suggested, along with likes, comments and reviews. For SaaS companies competing with established brands, a listing on AlternativeTo can bring visitors who are actively looking to switch from the tool they currently use.

Several other alternative-finding sites follow similar patterns, combining user-submitted listings, community voting and comparison features. The steps in this guide apply broadly to them as well. This article explains why alternative sites matter, how to create a strong listing, how to choose the right alternatives to appear next to, how to encourage genuine engagement, how to support the listing with your own content and how to measure results.

As an example, we will follow the marketing lead at a company that sells a privacy-focused team chat application. It competes with much larger, well-known chat tools, and many of its customers came to it because they wanted an alternative to one of those tools.

## Why alternative sites matter

The first reason is high-intent visitors. People browsing alternatives are actively looking to replace a tool. They know what they want the product to do, they have a reason to look elsewhere, and they are often close to trying something new. That makes them among the most valuable visitors a SaaS company can receive.

The second reason is search visibility. Alternative listings often rank in search results for queries such as alternatives to a particular tool. A strong listing on an alternative site can put your product in front of searchers even when your own website does not rank for those queries.

The third reason is social proof. Likes, comments, reviews and rankings on alternative sites influence what visitors choose. A product that many users recommend as an alternative carries weight with people comparing options.

The fourth reason is AI visibility. Alternative sites are part of the broader web content that AI tools may draw on when people ask for software recommendations. Accurate, well-supported listings contribute to how AI systems understand and describe your product.

## Check the site's rules first

Each site has its own guidelines for submitting software, editing listings and engaging with users. Review the current rules before submitting anything. Some sites allow software makers to submit and manage their own listings, while others rely more on community submissions. Most prohibit manipulative tactics such as fake accounts, coordinated voting and spam. Breaking the rules can lead to a listing being removed or flagged, which is far worse than having no listing at all.

## Create a complete, accurate listing

### Write a clear description

State plainly what your product does and who it is for. Use your standard product description so that the way you describe the product is consistent across your website, directories and review sites. Consistency helps visitors and AI systems understand your product correctly. For the chat application, the description explains that it is a team chat app with end-to-end encryption, designed for companies that want messaging without sharing data with advertising platforms.

### Choose accurate categories and tags

Select categories and tags that reflect what the product genuinely does. Accurate categorization helps the product appear in the right lists and searches. Avoid stuffing irrelevant tags, which can confuse users and may break the site's rules.

### Specify platforms and licensing

Alternative sites often let users filter by platform, such as web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android, and by license type, such as free, freemium, paid or open source. Fill these in accurately, since many users filter heavily. A user who wants a free alternative that runs on Linux will never see your listing if those details are missing.

### Add screenshots and media

Include clear, current screenshots that show the product in use. Visitors want to see what they would be switching to. A short video can help if the site supports it.

### List key features

Many sites allow features or attributes to be listed. Include the features that matter most to people switching from the tools you are being compared with. For the chat application, that includes end-to-end encryption, self-hosting options and import from popular chat tools.

### Link to your website

Make sure the listing links to the right page on your website, ideally a page relevant to people switching from another tool rather than a generic homepage.

## Choose the right alternatives to appear next to

On alternative sites, your product appears as an alternative to other products. Being listed against the right tools matters. Focus on the well-known products that your customers actually switched from or compared you with. Your sales conversations, onboarding surveys and customer interviews will tell you which tools those are.

Being listed as an alternative to irrelevant products, such as a chat app listed as an alternative to a project management tool, rarely helps and may irritate users. Be accurate about where your product genuinely fits.

## Encourage genuine engagement

Likes, reviews and comments influence how prominently products appear and how visitors perceive them. Encourage genuine engagement from real users. Mention your listing to satisfied customers, for example in a newsletter or after a positive support interaction, and invite them to share their experience if they wish. Make it easy by providing a direct link.

Never create fake accounts, post fake reviews, offer incentives that violate the site's rules or coordinate voting. These tactics are usually detected, can result in removal and damage trust with the very users you want to reach.

## Respond to comments and reviews

Pay attention to comments and reviews on your listing. Thank users for positive feedback. Respond to criticism calmly and helpfully, acknowledging problems and explaining what you are doing about them. A thoughtful response to a critical comment can reassure other visitors that the company listens. Disclose that you work for the company when responding, so readers know who is speaking.

## Keep the listing current

Update the listing when your product changes, such as when you add platforms, change pricing or launch significant features. Replace outdated screenshots. An accurate, up-to-date listing builds trust; an outdated one can mislead visitors and generate frustrated comments.

## Support the listing with your own content

Alternative site visitors often visit your website before deciding. Make sure what they find there supports their decision. Create pages specifically for people switching from the tools you are commonly compared with, such as a page explaining how your chat application compares with a particular well-known tool and how to migrate. These pages can also rank in search for alternative and comparison queries, complementing your listing. Building comparison and alternatives pages around real buyer searches is a core part of our [SEO growth service](/services/seo-growth).

Provide a smooth path to try the product, such as a free trial or free plan, and make migration easy, since switching costs are one of the biggest barriers for people moving from an established tool.

## Understand what switchers are looking for

People browsing alternative sites usually have a specific reason for leaving their current tool, and the more clearly your listing and website address that reason, the more likely they are to try your product. Common reasons include price increases, missing features, privacy or security concerns, poor support, performance problems and a change in the incumbent's direction that alienated part of its user base. Read the comments on the listings of the tools you are compared with. Users often explain exactly why they are looking elsewhere.

For the chat application, comments on the listings of larger chat tools frequently mention concerns about data being used for advertising and frustration with price increases for small teams. The company makes sure its listing description and its switching pages address both directly: messages are encrypted end to end, the company does not sell data, and pricing for small teams is clear and predictable. Speaking directly to the reasons people leave makes the listing far more persuasive than a generic list of features.

## List on other relevant directories too

AlternativeTo is one of many places where buyers look for software. Software review sites, category directories, product launch communities and niche lists for particular audiences can all bring relevant visitors. Prioritize the sites your target buyers actually use, keep descriptions consistent across them and maintain each listing over time.

## Measure the results

Track referral traffic from alternative sites in your analytics, along with signups and conversions from that traffic. Compare the quality of these visitors with other sources, such as their activation and retention. Ask new customers how they found you, including alternative sites as an option. Monitor your listing's position, likes and reviews over time.

For the chat application, referral traffic from its alternative listings is modest in volume but converts unusually well, because visitors arrive already looking for exactly what the product offers: a privacy-focused alternative to the tools they are leaving.

## Avoid the common mistakes

The mistakes with alternative site listings are predictable. Companies submit incomplete listings with vague descriptions. They choose irrelevant categories or alternatives. They leave platform and license details blank. They let screenshots go out of date. They manipulate votes or reviews and get removed. They ignore critical comments. And they send listing visitors to a generic homepage that does nothing to help switchers.

## Bringing it together

Listing your SaaS product on AlternativeTo and similar sites can bring high-intent visitors who are actively looking to switch, improve search visibility for alternative queries, add social proof and contribute to AI visibility. Review the site's rules, create a complete and accurate listing with a clear description, correct categories, platform and license details, screenshots and key features, and appear alongside the tools your customers actually switch from. Encourage genuine engagement, respond to feedback, keep the listing current, support it with switching-focused pages on your own site and measure the results. For the privacy-focused chat application, a well-maintained listing becomes a steady source of teams who have already decided to leave their current tool and are looking for exactly what it offers.

## Keep reading

- [Getting Listed in Integration Marketplaces](/blog/getting-listed-in-integration-marketplaces)

## Frequently asked questions

### Is AlternativeTo useful for SaaS companies?

It can bring high-intent visitors searching for alternatives to well-known tools.

### How do I improve my ranking on alternative sites?

Complete your listing, associate it with relevant alternatives and encourage genuine likes and reviews from real users.

### Should I create my own alternatives pages too?

Yes. Your own alternatives and comparison pages complement listings on alternative sites.

## About Comppound

Comppound runs SEO and AI search for B2B SaaS companies: a person sets the plan and reviews samples and every high-risk page, and AI speeds up production.

- [See SEO Growth](https://comppound.com/services/seo-growth): Buyers compare before they book a demo. Are your pages there when they do?
- [Book a call](https://comppound.com/contact): Most of this works better when buyers can find you first