Directories & comparison

Crunchbase

Company directory used by investors and partners. Little direct traffic for most small products.

Visit crunchbase.com
Cost
Free + paid options

Free company profile. Paid tiers exist; check current pricing.

Verdict
slow burn

A company profile that investors and partners look up. Little direct traffic for most small products.

Difficulty
Easy

Mostly self-serve. Sign up and post, with light checks.

Effort
Low

About 2 to 4 hours a month.

First result
1 day to create the profile

A rough range for one person working on it part-time.

Payoff
Steady

a trickle that lasts while you run it.

Best for

Startups that may raise money or want partner visibility.

Not for

Bootstrapped tools that do not need investor or partner lookup.

Pros

  • Investors and partners look companies up here
  • Free profile

Cons

  • Little customer traffic
  • Paid tiers for more

The full guide

Last verified 2026-10-30

Links checked 2026-10-30 · All links answer

01What it is and who is there

Crunchbase is a database of companies, founders, investors and funding rounds. Investors, partners and journalists look up companies there. A company profile shows its description, founders, location and any funding it has disclosed. Most small bootstrapped products get little traffic from it, but the profile is often the first page people check when they research a company.

02Cost and what you actually pay for

A basic company profile is free to create. Crunchbase also sells paid plans and data products, and those prices are set by Crunchbase. Check current pricing before you buy a plan, since the free profile covers the basics.

03Is it right for you?

It fits startups that may raise money, want partner visibility, or need a company page investors and journalists check. It fits poorly for bootstrapped tools that do not need investor lookup. It is not a customer channel for most products.

04Before you start

  • Have the company name, a one-paragraph description, the founding date, location and founders' names ready.
  • Use accurate information. Crunchbase's profile shows funding and people, and errors are visible to anyone.
  • Check whether someone has already created a profile for your company. If so, claim it rather than making a duplicate.

05Step-by-step: how to distribute here

  1. Search for your company on crunchbase.com. Claim the existing profile or create a new one.
  2. Fill in the description, categories, location and founders.
  3. Add a link to your product and your social profiles.
  4. Keep the profile current when you launch a major release or hit a milestone.
  5. If you raise funding, add it with a source.

Timing: no lead time applies. Update the profile when something changes.

06What to post or submit

Company description:

[Company] builds [product] for [customer], which [what it does]. Founded [year] in [location]. [One fact that is true and checkable, such as a launch date or customer count you can show].

07Common mistakes and do-nots

  • Do not invent funding or customer numbers. Those are easy to check and damage credibility.
  • Do not create a duplicate profile if one exists.
  • Do not add founders who are not part of the company.
  • Do not use the profile as an advertisement. It is a reference page.

08How to measure it

  • Track referral traffic from crunchbase.com in analytics.
  • Track any inbound contact that mentions the profile.
  • A realistic test: a profile is a reference, not a traffic source. Judge it by whether investors or partners find it accurate and useful.

09Time budget

  • Before: 1 to 2 hours to create or claim the profile.
  • Ongoing: under 1 hour a quarter to keep it accurate.

10Pair it with

11Sources

Sources