Which directories have shut down or switched to paid in 2026?
As of 2026-10-20, LinkPing's probes found 6 of 410 tracked directories offline and 22 requiring payment before a listing is possible. LinkPing records the current state of each site, not yet when it changed, so we cannot say which of these switched during 2026.
Updated Markdown version
| Directory | Status | Price note |
|---|---|---|
| cliptics.com | Offline / shut down | |
| producthub.com | Offline / shut down | |
| startus.cc | Offline / shut down | |
| The Largest Directory of Generative AI T | Offline / shut down | |
| Under construction | Offline / shut down | |
| websitescrawl.com | Offline / shut down | |
| ai-search.io | Paid only | $299 USD one-time |
| ai2people.com | Paid only | Tool Listing €199 (48h, no queue, homepage visibility); NSFW Tool Listing €299 |
| AI Center | Paid only | Basic $15 one-time (reviewed within 3 business days); Standard $45 (24h approval, 3-day homepage feature, newsletter); Premium $65 (2h approval, 7-day homepage, SEO backlink blog post) |
| AI Journey | Paid only | Basic $29 one-time (published within 7 business days); Advanced $99 one-time (2 business days, homepage listing 90 days, newsletter feature, '9 valuable do-follow links') |
| AI Parabellum | Paid only | Basic Listing $39 one-time (was $99); Featured Listing $89 one-time (was $199); listed within 24h; full refund if not approved |
| AIStage | Paid only | Basic Submit $9.90 one-time (was $19.90); Featured Submit $19.90 (was $39.90); Unlimited Submit $59.90/mo (was $119.90/mo); crypto accepted |
| Ai Tool Hub | Paid only | $19.9 one-time; listed on gptdemo.net + aitoolhub.net with '24 high-quality dofollow backlinks'; 24-48h processing |
| aitools.fyi | Paid only | A submission fee is required (amount not readable in fetch — 'Submission Fee (required, amount loading)'); featured placement via /advertise |
| aiwith.me | Paid only | One-time submit $19.9 (was $26.9, listed within 48h); Unlimited submit $29.9/mo (was $39.9, 24h); Submit + 30-day premium ads $99; sponsors $39.9/mo. All tiers state dofollow outbound link. |
| awesomeaitools.com | Paid only | One-time payment (amount not shown on the page); includes 1 month featured highlighting |
| BetaList | Paid only | Paid submission only (per context) |
| Open Pedia AI | Paid only | /submit/ page: $69 one-time via Buy Me a Coffee 'Pay Now' (listed within 24h, do-follow backlinks); /pricing/ page: Basic $99, Standard $299, Featured $300 + $0.50/click (min 500 clicks) |
| poweredbyai.app | Paid only | Pro $11.99 (permanent listing, dofollow, instant approval, newsletter); Elite $69.99. /pricing shows no free plan. |
| StartupHub.ai | Paid only | $5/month or $40/year to keep the profile published (cancel anytime); Pro plans from $30/mo |
| SubmitDirs | Paid only | Listing plan $9.90 (was $14.90) 'List your product right now, no waiting'; Pro $199 (was $249) = manual submission to 105 directories. |
| AI Collection | Paid only | $19 to publish (includes do-follow link); promotion plans from $10 |
| There's An AI For That | Paid only | $49 one-time basic listing; community also reports a $349 tier |
| tooldirectory.ai | Paid only | Lifetime listing $150 one-time; Premium submission subscription $9.99/mo; Featured listing $200 one-time; add-ons: Alternatives page $150, Sponsored post $300, Newsletter $200 |
| Tool Finder | Paid only | Tool Listing $29 one-time (limited-time offer); Vendor Pro $79/yr (includes listing); Advertise $299/mo (3-month minimum) |
| Tool listing for you and your business | Paid only | Value Listing $9.99 (up to 5 days); Priority Listing $59.99 (48h); Premium Listing $269.99 (48h) |
| Toolsfine | Paid only | Paid Submit $16 one-time via Stripe; review within 3 business days |
| YesChat.ai: Cutting-Edge AI Models for C | Paid only | Basic Listing $99 (no guaranteed traffic); Premium Listing $168 (guarantees 1,000 visitors in 30 days, 4 dofollow backlinks); listed within 20 minutes of payment, permanent |
How to spot a changed directory
- The submit page returns an error, redirects to a different product, or the homepage no longer loads.
- A free option is replaced by a paid launch slot, or the free tier loses its link.
- The "recently added" section on the site is stale for months.
Data pending. LinkPing does not yet have enough submission records to publish a dated list of directories that closed or changed price, and we will not estimate it. LinkPing is measuring this; results will be published in the monthly Directory Index at /data once the sample is large enough to be meaningful.
Related directories
Related questions
- Are paid directory listings worth it? Which ones pay back?
- How many directories died in the last 12 months?
- Which directories should I submit my SaaS to in 2026?
Source: LinkPing directory library snapshot 2026-10-20. Figures update when the snapshot is refreshed.
Frequently asked questions
Why do directories shut down?
Many are side projects that lose traffic or maintenance. Others move to paid listings to cover costs.
How do I know a directory is still live before submitting?
Check its listing page on LinkPing, where the last verification date is shown, then load the submit page yourself.