Search Engines and Directories List

How to Use this List

This page is a list of search engines and directories. It started out as a part of a tutorial for novice webmasters on getting listed on search engines and directories. However, since it seems to have taken on a life of its own, I have given it its own little section of my site.

I'll be adding more search engines and directories as I find them, so you might want to bookmark this page.

Please note that some of the search engines and directories in the tables restrict submissions to certain areas or topics. I have listed these restrictions in the tables where I am aware of them. Please read the search engine or directory's submission page before submitting your site.

To go directly to the search or submit page for each search engine or directory, click on the blue arrow in the table.

Since the list is rather long, I've divided it up into sections. This one contains the best of the large commercial sites. If you only have time to submit your site to one of these, I would chose Inktomi. Otherwise, submitting to every site on this page will get you a majority of the search engine and directory users. Please use the links at the upper left of this page to get to the rest of the list.

The Top Sites

Name	Language	Coverage	Search Page	Submit Page
				Search Engine	Directory
AllTheWeb (aka FAST)	English	World			None
AltaVista	English	World			?
AOL (NetFind)	English	World		Use Canada.Com	Use DMOZ
Ask Jeeves	English	?		?	None
Direct Hit	English	World		None
DMOZ (aka Open Directory)	English	World		None
Excite	English	World			?
Go.com (aka Infoseek)	English	World		?	?
Google	English	World			?
GoTo	English	World		Use Canada.Com	None
HotBot	English	World			?
Inktomi	English	World	Reseller	Use HotBot	None
iWon	English	World		Use Canada.Com	None
Lycos	English	World			?
MSN	English	World		Use Canada.Com	?
Netscape Netcenter	English	World		None	None
Snap!	English	World		None
WebCrawler	English	World			?
Yahoo!	English	World		Use Canada.Com	Category

Notes:

Resellers provide the database for many of the popular search engines and directories, but do not directly provide these services. There are currently three of these (that I know of): Inktomi, Thunderstone, and DMOZ. You only need to submit once to each of these to be listed on all of their clients.
 
Meta search engines submit your search words to multiple public search engines, then combine the results. Since they do not maintain their own database, you cannot submit directly to a meta search engine.
 
Most directories require you to find the correct category, then click on a submit link from within that category. Start with the main category listings on the site's search page and work your way down.

Here's the basic criteria for inclusion on this list:

• It must be a search engine or directory.
• It must list web pages. I may someday include specialty search engines designed to find FTP sites, MP3s, etc. if there is enough demand.
• It must be available to the public.
• It must not charge for admission to the site or for listing on the site. Sites with paid submissions which also have free submissions will be accepted.
• Regional and topical search engines are fine, so long as they are public.
• Sites that require membership are also acceptable, so long as membership is free and available to anyone.
• It must allow any web site to be listed. Again, restrictions to a region or topic are acceptable. Restrictions to a single service provider are not.