How to submit your startup to Startup Buffer
TL;DR
Startup Buffer is a startup directory, online since 2015, where any founder can submit a listing for free. The free queue is slow: Startup Buffer's own contact page warns that reviews can take 1 to 2 months, and a one-off $19.95 "Publish" package moves you ahead. It suits early software and online startups that want a permanent profile and one more link to their site.
What is Startup Buffer?
Startup Buffer is a public directory of startups sorted by market, country, city and tags. Each approved startup gets a profile page with its pitch, description, screenshot and links, plus automatic "compare" and "alternatives" pages that pair it with similar products. In September 2026 the site counted about 2,150 live startup profiles (as read by the submission service Submitator), with 26 market categories such as AI, fintech and marketing.
The directory is still accepting and publishing new startups in 2026. Its audience is other founders, early adopters and people searching for alternatives to a known tool.
Who should submit to Startup Buffer?
Good fit:
- Software, SaaS, apps and online tools with a live website and a clear one-line pitch.
- Pre-seed and bootstrapped founders building a set of directory listings around a launch.
- Founders who can wait: the free review takes weeks.
Skip it:
- Local shops and service businesses without a product page. A business directory or Google Business Profile fits them better.
- Anyone who needs launch-day traffic. A single directory listing brings a trickle of visits, so treat it as a long-term asset.
How much does Startup Buffer cost?
Submitting is free. The homepage FAQ says you can submit a startup for review without paying.
Paid packages are optional and change only the speed and reach of your listing:
- Publish, $19.95 one-off: your listing jumps ahead in the review queue. SaaSHub lists the same $19.95 fee for a faster review.
- Larger packages add time on the homepage, a newsletter slot and a social post. Prices appear on the order form.
How do you share your startup on Startup Buffer?
- Open the submission form. No account is needed: later edits work through a magic link sent to the email you submit.
- Fill in screen one: startup name, website URL and a business email.
- Fill in screen two: a one-sentence pitch, a description of at least 3 to 4 sentences and a screenshot. Country, city, market, tags, video and social links are optional, and worth filling in because they create the filter pages you appear on.
- Choose free review or a paid package, then wait for the approval email. To change a published listing, use the support contact form.
Tips to get more out of Startup Buffer
- Write the pitch as a plain promise: who it is for and what it does, in under 15 words.
- Pick the right market and country. These pages are indexed by Google, while city and tag filters are not.
- Submit at least 6 weeks before your launch if you use the free queue, so the profile is live when you need it.
- Use a clean product screenshot, since it becomes the image on your profile and comparison pages.
Our verdict
Startup Buffer is a cheap, honest directory listing: free if you are patient, $19.95 if you are not. Expect a trickle of visits, plus a permanent profile, comparison pages and a link that helps searchers find you. Add it to your directory list early in the launch plan.
More options: see all startup directories and launch sites. Planning the launch around this listing? The Fe/male Switch startup game walks women founders from idea to first customers.