Get started with our 🔗PHP Link Directory Script
Build curated resource lists without WordPress — categories, thumbnails, descriptions, affiliate URLs, and outbound click tracking. You control every listing. No public submissions. Toplist Script is the self-hosted PHP CMS behind this link directory script, website directories, and review pages.
Buy Toplist ScriptYour link directory homepage — category blocks visitors browse first.
Light or dark theme. Each block opens a curated list of outbound links.
What a link directory category looks like
One category, one URL, one ranked shortlist of outbound links — with logos, short blurbs, and a Visit button. This is the live front-end, not a mockup.
A curated 🔗link directory — not a public submission dump
Publish categories of outbound links you research and rank. Each list page has its own URL, meta, and ordered entries. Visitors get a shortlist; you keep editorial control. No submission queue, no plugin maze.
Fast list pages — lean PHP, no plugin stack.
Many list URLs on one domain — grow sideways over time.
Affiliate URL on every entry — clicks tracked in admin.
Link directories from one 🛠️admin panel
Drag category blocks on the homepage. Add links as entries, set sort order, paste affiliate URLs. New categories go live without redeploying code.
Fill your directory faster with 🤖AI
Generate category ideas, discover potential websites, and draft short descriptions — then edit and publish from admin. AI needs your OpenAI API key; you can also add every entry by hand.
Category ideas
Describe your niche. AI suggests list titles and meta. You keep what fits.
Website Finder
Pull candidate URLs into a category. Accept or reject each one, fix the blurb, then save.
Build resource, affiliate and community 🔗directories
One Toplist Script install covers lightweight resource lists, affiliate roundups, and community hubs. Each topic is a category with its own URL, meta, intro, and ordered entries. Need rankings and long reviews? Same CMS — see the website directory script.
Tools & resources
4 nichesA shortlist people can open beats a 2,000-word essay. Ship the list.
| Directory type | Best for | Example list pages |
|---|---|---|
| SEO tools | Free checkers, keyword tools, auditors — split by job, not one dump of “SEO software”. |
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| Dev resources | Docs, APIs, cheatsheets, utilities. The page you bookmark and send to juniors. |
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| Design assets | Fonts, icons, stock, UI inspiration — short descriptions, clear outbound links. |
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| AI tools | Writing, image, and coding tools with blurbs and affiliate Visit buttons. |
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Affiliate lists
4 nichesYou curate the picks. Tracking URLs live on the entry. No marketplace payments built in.
| Directory type | Best for | Example list pages |
|---|---|---|
| SaaS picks | CRMs, email tools, PM apps — ranked with your affiliate URL on each Visit button. |
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| Deals pages | Promo and LTD pages by category. Update links when offers die; keep the category URL. |
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| Hosting roundups | Lighter than a full hosting comparison site — works when blurbs + affiliate links are enough. |
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| Creator stacks | Tools for YouTubers, streamers, and newsletter writers. |
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Stacks & hubs
4 nichesEditorial lists you maintain. No public “submit a link” form.
| Directory type | Best for | Example list pages |
|---|---|---|
| Startup stacks | Analytics, email, payments, legal — the “tools I use” page for founders. |
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| Freelance platforms | Hiring sites and marketplaces as described link entries. |
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| Newsletter / bio hubs | Sponsors, articles, tools grouped by topic. |
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| Community links | Discord invites, forums, template sites. You fix dead invites in admin. |
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Learning & open source
4 nichesCourses, tutorials, repos — where a vetted shortlist beats another blog post.
| Directory type | Best for | Example list pages |
|---|---|---|
| Courses | Free and paid learning links with signup affiliates where you have them. |
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| Tutorials | Best guides for one skill. Update when a link rots; keep the list page ranking. |
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| Podcast & media | Shows, tools, and sponsor pages in categorized lists. |
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| Open source | Self-hosted tools and libraries — awesome-list energy, with your own categories and meta. |
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Link directory, website directory, or 📝reviews?
One Toplist Script install, three formats. Use a link directory script for categorized shortlists. Switch to a website directory script when entries need rankings. Add website review script pages when products need their own URL.
| Capability | Link directory | Website directory | Review pages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Category pages | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Short link descriptions | Primary | Optional | Supporting |
| Ranked comparisons | Optional | Primary | Primary |
| Outbound Visit buttons | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Affiliate URLs | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Full review pages | Optional | Common | Primary |
| Ratings & pros/cons | Optional | Common | Primary |
| Public submissions | No | No | No |
Runs on standard ⚡️PHP hosting
Toplist Script uploads to your own server. Full install steps in the docs. One-time $299 license with full source — see terms.
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| PHP | 8.0 or higher (8.3+ recommended) |
| Database | MySQL 5.7+ or MariaDB with InnoDB, utf8mb4 |
| Web server | Apache with mod_rewrite, or Nginx with equivalent rewrite rules · HTTPS recommended |
| Extensions | pdo_mysql required · curl and gd for AI, thumbnails, and uploads |
| Optional | OpenAI API key for AI Generator · screenshot provider keys for protected sites |
| License | One-time $299 · lifetime · full source for sites you operate · no resale as a competing product |
Done-for-you SEO
A great toplist is only half the job.
We do the SEO until you land your first affiliate sale.
Guaranteed traffic. Guaranteed results.
Ranking takes time
SEO is slow, technical, and easy to get wrong. Keyword research, on-page, backlinks and tracking eat weeks before the first click ever converts.
The tools we track and optimize with
Our SEO Package — $1,200
We do your SEO until you get your first affiliate sales. No guesswork on your side.
- We work until your first affiliate sales land — that's the promise.
- Real traffic growth, tracked and reported in Semrush.
- Keyword research, on-page and off-page done for you.
Link directory script FAQ
What is a PHP link directory script?
Software for publishing websites and resources in organized categories. With Toplist Script, you manage categories, links, descriptions, thumbnails, order, and outbound URLs from one admin panel — the same CMS used for website directories and review pages.
Is Toplist Script a WordPress plugin?
No. It is self-hosted PHP software with full source code. You upload it to your own hosting — no WordPress, no plugin stack.
Is this a public submission directory?
No. You choose every category, entry, description, ranking, and outbound link. There is no public submission form, approval queue, or visitor registration for listings.
Link directory vs website directory vs review pages?
A link directory script uses short blurbs and Visit buttons. A website directory script adds deeper rankings, ratings, and comparisons. Review pages give individual products their own URL with screenshots and pros/cons. All three are modes of the same Toplist Script install — you pick how deep each list goes.
Can I use affiliate links?
Yes. Each entry has an Affiliate link field separate from the destination URL. When filled, Visit site uses your tracking URL. Outbound clicks are counted in admin analytics.
Can every link have its own review page?
Yes. Any entry can expand to a review at /{id}/{slug}/. Start with short lists; add reviews on entries that earn clicks.
What hosting does the script need?
PHP 8.0+ (8.3+ recommended), MySQL 5.7+ or MariaDB, and Apache with mod_rewrite or equivalent. Required extensions: pdo_mysql, plus curl and gd for AI, thumbnails, and uploads. See the hosting section on this page and the docs for the full checklist.
Is the full source code included?
Yes. You get the PHP source, templates, and assets. You may modify them for sites you own or operate. You may not resell or redistribute the script as a competing product.
How many categories and links can I add?
There is no artificial product limit on categories or entries. Practical limits depend on your hosting and how much content you maintain.
Does AI require an API key?
AI Generator features use an OpenAI API key you configure. Thumbnail capture can use optional third-party keys. You can skip AI and add everything manually.
Can I sell featured placements?
The script has no built-in payment system for listings. If you sell spots off-site, mark an entry Featured and raise its sort order.
What niches work well?
SEO tools, design assets, SaaS affiliates, startup stacks, newsletter hubs, courses, open-source lists — topics where a curated shortlist beats a public dump of submissions.
Full source code · Lifetime license · Free updates · Demo · Website directory script · Website review script