// alternatives — source-request platform
The best Featured.com alternative, free
Expert-quote marketplace (formerly Terkel) with free and paid tiers.
What is Featured.com?
Featured.com (formerly Terkel) is a two-sided marketplace: publishers post questions, and experts answer them for a chance to be quoted — and linked — in the resulting article. It offers a free tier plus paid plans (Premium around $99/month) that add an AI co-pilot to surface and auto-respond to opportunities across platforms. In April 2025, Featured.com acquired the HARO brand from Cision and relaunched it as a free email digest after Cision's paid "Connectively" rebrand was rejected by users — so Featured now effectively runs both formats.
Featured.com vs Exchange Backlinks
| Featured.com | Exchange Backlinks | |
|---|---|---|
| What's exchanged | Expert answers for possible article inclusion | Backlinks, directly |
| Backlink outcome | Depends on being selected and credited | Guaranteed by the match |
| Price | Free tier is limited; Premium ~$99/mo | Free, no tiers |
| Effort per link | Answer questions, wait to be picked | Agree with a matched site, place the link |
| Niche | Cross-industry topics | B2B niches only |
Where Featured.com still wins
Featured's free tier is genuinely limited — real reach needs the paid tier — but even then, you're building a public expert profile across many publications, not just accumulating links. That's worth something on its own if visibility, not just SEO, is the goal, especially for founders building a personal brand alongside their company's.
Why teams switch to Exchange Backlinks
Featured.com's meaningful results sit behind a ~$99/month plan, and even then a link isn't guaranteed — it depends on being selected. Submit your site to Exchange Backlinks and the match itself is the deal: no pitching into the void hoping to get picked, no subscription required. If you want more source-request options, see how HARO and Help a B2B Writer compare.
Frequently asked questions
Is Featured.com free?
There's a free tier, but it's limited compared to Premium (~$99/month), which adds AI-assisted response tools and broader visibility into opportunities.
Does Featured.com now own HARO?
Yes. Featured.com acquired the HARO brand from Cision in April 2025 and relaunched it as a free email digest after users rejected Cision's earlier paid "Connectively" version.
Is a backlink guaranteed if I answer a question on Featured.com?
No. Inclusion and linking depend entirely on whether the publisher's editorial team selects and credits your answer.
What's the best free Featured.com alternative for a guaranteed backlink?
Exchange Backlinks — the weekly match is the deal itself, with no editorial selection process standing between you and the link. Compare more in the free alternatives list.