A DR 28 startup launchpad with a free dofollow tier, and the best category vocabulary of any Mkdirs directory we have walked.
starthub.zip
Eligibility
Who starthub.zip accepts
You need
An account (email and password, Google or GitHub)
A live product URL
A text link to starthub.zip on your homepage, for the free tier
A landscape PNG or JPEG under 1MB
You'll be rejected if
Products with no live URL
StartupsSaaS productsAI toolsDeveloper toolsMarketing tools
What you actually get
Three dofollow links from a DR 28 domain, reviewed within 72 hours, in exchange for a text link in your footer. Their categories actually fit indie software, so the listing lands somewhere a founder would browse.
How to submit to starthub.zip
1
Register at the right URL
Only /auth/register works. /auth/signup, /signup and /register all redirect silently to the login page. Email and password sit next to Google and GitHub.
2
Go straight to the form
Unlike its Mkdirs siblings, /submit opens the real form immediately rather than a pricing gate. It is step 1 of 3.
3
Fill the details
Link, name, categories, tags, a description and a markdown introduction in a SimpleMDE editor, plus one landscape image under 1MB. They link an OG image generator right under the dropzone.
4
Take the free exit
Submitting creates the listing as Plan Free / Status Pending and moves you to a step titled Payment. Choose "Go dashboard and Wait" rather than the $8 button.
5
Put their link up
Their FAQ gives the exact anchor: <a href='https://starthub.zip' title='starthub.zip'>starthub.zip</a>.
starthub.zip requirements
An account via /auth/register
Live product URL
A landscape PNG or JPEG under 1MB
Description and a markdown introduction
A starthub.zip text link on your homepage
At least one category and tag
Gotchas
Registration only exists at /auth/register. Every other guessable path redirects to login instead of 404ing, which makes the site look like it has no sign-up.
Step 2 is titled "Payment" even on the free tier and re-shows both plans. The listing is already created and Pending by then; the free route out is the quiet "Go dashboard and Wait" link, not the loud $8 button next to it.
The image field is labelled only "Image" but renders in a landscape card. They helpfully link an OG image generator under the dropzone, which is the giveaway: send a wide image, not a square logo.
The tag list contains both "Directory" and "Directories" as separate options, so pick one and expect the other to exist too.
It runs on Mkdirs, the same directory boilerplate as Toolfio, Toolnav, Postioo, Toolcurio and DodoDirectory. If you have submitted to one of those, the flow here is identical.
Let your agent submit to starthub.zip
Connect SubmitMap to your AI over MCP and this page stops being something you read and copy. Your agent asks for the starthub.zip playbook and gets the brief for this exact form, with the values already taken from your submission pack instead of placeholders you fill in by hand.
What it does for this platform
Checks your product against the 5 starthub.zip rules above, so you find out you would be rejected before you open a tab.
Hands your agent all 6 fields this form asks for, none of them optional, already filled from your pack.
Warns you that starthub.zip looks for its badge on your site, so it has to be live before you submit rather than after.
Tells you what paying buys here, so you pick it on purpose: $8 Pro publishes instantly and drops the backlink requirement.
Types it into starthub.zip in your own browser, and stops for you when the form wants a sign-in.
Records what it sent, so the dashboard can answer "did I ever submit to starthub.zip?".
Connect your agentTools and endpointsWorks with Claude Code, Claude, Codex, Cursor, VS Code and Hermes.
starthub.zip FAQ
How long does starthub.zip approval take?
starthub.zip's typical time from submission to going live is within 72 hours.
How much does it cost to submit to starthub.zip?
starthub.zip has a free submission option plus paid placement ($8 Pro publishes instantly and drops the backlink requirement).
Does starthub.zip give a dofollow backlink?
Yes, a listing on starthub.zip carries a dofollow link. The site has a domain rating of 28.
Does starthub.zip require a backlink to your site?
Yes, starthub.zip expects a link back from your site as part of listing.
What gets you rejected from starthub.zip?
Products with no live URL.