Advertising policy

Advertising policy

directree sells two types of paid placements: Category Sponsor (one exclusive slot per category, $99/mo) and Sitewide Sponsor (up to three slots across the homepage and every page footer, $299/mo). All other ranking, scores, and listing content are not for sale at any price.

The integrity line

Ads never affect rankings, scores, or what we write about any tool. Sponsor placements are always labelled. If a sponsor also has a listing on directree, the listing is evaluated exactly like every other tool. Payment does not change the Observed facts, AI-inferred labels, or any quality signals on any listing.

How the review process works

We use a pay-first model: your Stripe subscription reserves the slot at payment. You then submit your creative (logo, name, tagline, link, and a call to action from a fixed list) from your account page. A human at directree reviews it, normally within 24 hours, and you get an email either way.

If we cannot approve a placement, we cancel the subscription and refund in full. No partial charges, no credit, a full refund.

While a revision is in review, any previously approved creative stays displayed. Your slot is never blanked during review.

What we do not accept

The following categories are rejected outright, regardless of how the creative is worded:

Political content. Campaigns, advocacy organizations, political messaging of any leaning.

Discriminatory content. Anything that targets or demeans people based on who they are.

Violence and shocking content. Violent, graphic, or intentionally disturbing material.

Adult content. Pornographic or sexually explicit products or imagery.

Malware and deceptive software. Malware, spyware, stalkerware, or software that misrepresents what it does.

Scams and misleading claims. Get-rich-quick schemes, fake urgency, income promises, or claims a product cannot back up.

Health products and claims. Supplements, vitamins, pills, medical devices, treatments, or any health claims. directree is a software directory, not a health store.

Gambling. Casinos, betting, lotteries, and adjacent products.

Products unrelated to software, developer tools, or B2B SaaS are reviewed with extra skepticism and may be declined.

Creative rules

Sponsor creative on directree is structured, not freeform. No banner image uploads. Every placement renders inside the directree design system: your logo (square, max 256px), a company name (max 40 characters), a tagline (max 90 characters), a link, and a call to action from a fixed list. This keeps the directory consistent and reduces the moderation surface.

Removal and refunds

We may remove a live placement at any time if we discover that the product violates this policy after approval, the creative becomes misleading, or the advertiser's conduct harms directree users. When we remove a live placement mid-period, we issue a pro-rata refund for the unused days.

Decisions are final. If a creative is rejected, the advertiser may revise and resubmit once the underlying issue is fixed.

Pricing changes

Advertising prices may be adjusted with reasonable advance notice. Any price change applies only from the next renewal period, never during an active paid period. Sponsors are notified by email before any price change takes effect.