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WhatTheAI: requirements, how to submit, and what you actually get

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An AI tools directory with a genuinely free listing and a followed link, whose form wants key features rather than a paragraph.

whattheai.tech
WhatTheAI homepage
Eligibility

Who WhatTheAI accepts

You need
An account, by Google or an emailed magic link
At least one key feature, since the form requires them
A hero screenshot under 5MB
You'll be rejected if
Anything that is not recognisably an AI tool, which is the whole directory
Anyone who needs a date, because the free queue has no published window beyond "can take a while"
AI toolsSaaS productsDeveloper tools
What you actually get
A review-style page under /tools/ with a Visit Site button carrying rel="noopener noreferrer" and no nofollow, so the link is followed. The page is built from the key features and platform list the form collects, so it reads as a small review rather than a one-line card.

How to submit to WhatTheAI

  1. Sign in
    Google, or an email magic link. There is no password option.
  2. Basic information
    Tool name, a one-line short description, a long description, an optional company, your name, and a hero screenshot.
  3. Links and pricing
    Website URL, optional documentation and GitHub URLs, and a pricing model from Free, Freemium, Paid or Contact.
  4. Details
    Categories from a searchable list, one or more key features as separate rows, supported platforms, and optional tutorials.
  5. Declare and choose
    A checkbox asking whether you are associated with the product, then Regular listing free, Featured Fast-Track at $49 or the $299 bundle.

WhatTheAI requirements

An account on the site
Tool name
the listing title
Short description
one line
Long description
prose
Your name
shown as the submitter
Hero screenshot
5MB max, uploaded
Key features
at least one, each its own row
Supported platforms
Web, Mobile, Desktop, API or CLI
Documentation and GitHub URLsoptional

Gotchas

Key Features is required and is a list of separate rows rather than a paragraph, so a pack that only holds a description has nothing to put in it.
There is a checkbox asking whether you are associated with the product or company, which is a declaration rather than a formality and is easy to leave unticked by accident.
The free queue has no published window at all: their own card says only that it can take a while, and the $49 tier is sold on skipping it.
The upsells keep coming after submission: a modal offers a $249 newsletter spotlight the moment the tool is accepted into the queue.

Let your agent submit to WhatTheAI

Connect SubmitMap to your AI over MCP and this page stops being something you read and copy. Your agent asks for the WhatTheAI 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 WhatTheAI rules above, so you find out you would be rejected before you open a tab.
Hands your agent all 9 fields this form asks for, 1 of them optional, already filled from your pack.
Tells you what paying buys here, so you pick it on purpose: regular listing is free and goes into a standard review queue they describe as one that can take a while. Featured Fast-Track is $49 once for priority review and featured placement, and an Exposure Bundle is $299, struck through from $327, adding a blog post they write and a founder interview.
Types it into WhatTheAI 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 WhatTheAI?".
Connect your agentHow this worksTools and endpointsWorks with Claude Code, Claude, Codex, Cursor, VS Code and Hermes.

WhatTheAI FAQ

How long does WhatTheAI approval take?
WhatTheAI does not publish how long approval takes.
How much does it cost to submit to WhatTheAI?
WhatTheAI has a free submission option plus paid placement (Regular listing is free and goes into a standard review queue they describe as one that can take a while. Featured Fast-Track is $49 once for priority review and featured placement, and an Exposure Bundle is $299, struck through from $327, adding a blog post they write and a founder interview.).
Does WhatTheAI give a dofollow backlink?
Yes, a listing on WhatTheAI carries a dofollow link. The site has a domain rating of 36.
Does WhatTheAI require a backlink to your site?
No, WhatTheAI does not require a link back from your site.
What gets you rejected from WhatTheAI?
Anything that is not recognisably an AI tool, which is the whole directory; Anyone who needs a date, because the free queue has no published window beyond "can take a while".