Sortlist alternatives, matched to why you're switching
By Jean Luc Poitier, SEO and growth marketing strategist · Clutch Reviews · Updated September 28, 2026 · Grounded in 100 recent Sortlist Trustpilot reviews
Disclosure: this site reviews Clutch and earns a commission if you sign up for it through our links. Clutch is one option below, and we say where it isn't the right fix.
Why agencies look past Sortlist
Sortlist shows a 3.0 on Trustpilot from 842 reviews, and Trustpilot notes that it hasn't replied to negative reviews. Of its 100 most recent (December 2023 to August 2026), 62 came through a review link Sortlist shares and average 4.71. The other 38 are organic, meaning they arrived without that link, and they average 2.26. Clutch's 135 organic reviews (May 2023 to September 2026) average 3.49, so on this like-for-like measure Clutch is ahead by more than a star. Clutch's own recent reviews are harsher, though: its 27 organic reviews from the past 12 months average 2.89 (see our Clutch Trustpilot breakdown).
The critical organic reviews describe paying for opportunities where the buyer never replied, leads priced at hundreds of euros on top of the subscription, refunds paid only as platform credit, and charges for meetings that never happened. One reviewer says Sortlist puts companies in its "Top 10" and "Top 20" lists only if they pay.
“Poorly qualified leads priced at hundreds of euros, on top of, unsurprisingly, a subscription-based model with a fixed fee.”Nicolas L., Sortlist review on Trustpilot, July 2026
“I paid expecting genuine business opportunities, but the lead I received never responded despite several follow-ups and calls.”Liam, Sortlist review on Trustpilot, August 2026
“they promote and offer a full 100% refund policy for leads, but in the end it turns out they do not refund the payments just refund the amount to your wallet and you can only use it for 12 months.”Tom, Sortlist review on Trustpilot, June 2026
“Be very careful- they charge you for Meetings that then never happen, sometimes up to 800 euro per no show and then ghost you”Maxim K., Sortlist review on Trustpilot, May 2026
Sortlist's own pricing shows how the costs stack. Sortlist+ is €129 a month paid annually or €189 a month paid monthly, and Sortlist adds: "In both cases, an annual commitment is required." Opportunities cost credits on top, starting at 20 credits, and Sortlist says one can cost up to €650. Refunds for opportunities go back to your credit balance and must be requested within 90 days of applying.
Match a Sortlist alternative to your reason for leaving
| Compared on | Best alternative | Check before switching |
|---|---|---|
| Leads cost hundreds of euros on top of a subscription | Clutch: free Basic profile, or Verified at $499 a year | Verified is billed upfront for 12 months with no early exit; Pay Per Lead costs extra, from $25 a lead with a $1,000 monthly minimum |
| Paid places in Top 10 lists | Clutch | Sponsored firms still appear first by default; Clutch says sponsorship doesn't change a firm's Clutch Rank score |
| Refunds only as credit, and charges for no-shows | A flat-fee plan: Clutch Verified ($499 a year) or GoodFirms PRO ($588 a year) | Clutch Verified has no early cancellation in its first 12 months, and GoodFirms' terms include no refund clause |
| Paid opportunities where the buyer never replied | GoodFirms, which has no pay-per-lead product | GoodFirms says it accepts about 23% of applicants; its older reviews describe profiles created without consent |
| You'd rather bid on specific projects | DesignRush | Memberships from $200 a month with a one-year minimum; bids aren't refunded, and an unresponsive client turns a bid into credits |
| You want a free, Europe-based IT directory | TechBehemoths | Reviewers describe paid Featured and Top 10 programs with unpublished prices; review checks not published; every visible Trustpilot review is five stars |
Figures checked against each company's published pages and review-platform listings as of 2026-09-28. “Not published” means the company does not publish that figure.
The 4 best Sortlist alternatives
Clutch
Higher organic ratings, a flat-fee badgeOn like-for-like Trustpilot figures Clutch is well ahead: its 135 organic reviews average 3.49, against 2.26 for Sortlist's 38. Clutch says a human editor reads every review before it goes live and that it rejected 10% of submissions in 2025 for signs of falsified information; Sortlist says clients confirm reviews by clicking a button in an email, and agencies can import reviews from Google, Trustpilot, or Facebook. Verified costs $499 a year with no per-lead charges, and Pay Per Lead is optional (bids from $25, $1,000 monthly minimum). Clutch says sponsorship doesn't change a firm's Clutch Rank score, though sponsors appear first by default. Verified and sponsorship both run 12 months with no early cancellation, sponsorship prices aren't published, and Clutch's own organic reviewers complain about paid plans that brought few or poor leads.
Full Clutch vs Sortlist comparison →GoodFirms
No per-lead chargesGoodFirms has no pay-per-lead product, so you don't pay for opportunities that go quiet. The listing is free if you're accepted (GoodFirms says about 23% of applicants are), PRO is $49 a month billed annually ($588 a year), and sponsorship is listed from $300 a month. Its 34 organic Trustpilot reviews average 3.68, well above Sortlist's 2.26. The one-star reviews, from 2020 to 2023, describe profiles created without consent and support that stopped answering.
Clutch vs GoodFirms compared →DesignRush
Bid on project leadsDesignRush has a free listing and a Marketplace where agencies bid for leads: bids for projects worth $5,000 to $10,000 start at $50, and the 2 to 5 highest bidders win each lead. Memberships start at $200 a month with a one-year minimum secured upfront. DesignRush doesn't refund bids either (an unresponsive client turns the bid into credits), so it shares Sortlist's credit problem. Its 13 organic Trustpilot reviews average 3.69.
Clutch vs DesignRush compared →TechBehemoths
Europe-based, free to listTechBehemoths is a Berlin-based directory of IT companies, made by Mobiteam GmbH, with free quote requests for buyers. Its FAQ calls it "a 100% free platform", yet Trustpilot reviewers describe paid Featured and Top 10 programs, the kind of paid ranking one Sortlist reviewer objects to. TechBehemoths doesn't publish what those programs cost or how it verifies reviews. Its Trustpilot score is 4.9 from 86 reviews, but every visible review is five stars and the company asks customers to review it, so the score says little about how agencies fare there.
When to stay with Sortlist
Stay if your buyers are in the Benelux, France, or Spain, where Sortlist focuses its marketing, and if its opportunities already turn into clients for you, as they do for some agencies:
“During that time we have tried a wide variety of marketing channels to gain new customers and I can honestly say that Sortlist has been the most effective.”Nick R., Sortlist review on Trustpilot, January 2025
Buyers post a brief and get a shortlist, which suits agencies that want project requests more than browsing traffic. Profiles are free and open to freelancers, and annual Sortlist+ plans include €500 of visibility credits, valid for 30 days.
Clutch is the stronger choice on what reviewers report: 3.49 from 135 organic Trustpilot reviews against Sortlist's 2.26 from 38. Its Verified plan is a flat $499 a year with no per-lead charges, and the Basic profile is free. Clutch gets its own complaints about paid plans and 12-month contracts, so read what each Clutch plan includes before you commit.
How we sourced this: on September 27, 2026 we pulled Sortlist's 100 most recent Trustpilot reviews and the 200 Clutch reviews Trustpilot shows without a login. Trustpilot's page data tags each review "Organic" when the reviewer posted it on their own and "BasicLink" (or "AFS") when it came through a review link or invitation from the company, and we averaged the two groups separately. The other alternatives' figures use the same method: all 35 GoodFirms reviews, DesignRush's 100 most recent, and 85 TechBehemoths reviews. Prices and terms come from each company's own pages, checked September 27 and 28, 2026. Quotes are verbatim, including the reviewers' spelling.
Sortlist alternatives FAQ
What are the best Sortlist alternatives?+
Clutch, which rates higher on like-for-like Trustpilot figures (3.49 from 135 organic reviews against Sortlist's 2.26 from 38) and charges a flat $499 a year for Verified. GoodFirms if you don't want to pay per opportunity, DesignRush if you'd rather bid on specific projects, and TechBehemoths if you want a free, Europe-based IT directory and can accept unpublished prices for its paid programs.
What do Sortlist reviews say?+
Sortlist has a 3.0 on Trustpilot from 842 reviews. Of the 100 most recent, 62 came through Sortlist's own review link and average 4.71; the 38 organic reviews average 2.26. The critical ones describe paid opportunities where the buyer never replied, leads costing hundreds of euros on top of a subscription, refunds paid only as credit, charges for meetings that never happened, and paid places in Top 10 lists.
Is Clutch better than Sortlist?+
On organic Trustpilot reviews, yes: Clutch averages 3.49 across 135, Sortlist 2.26 across 38. Clutch's Verified plan is a flat $499 a year, while Sortlist+ costs €129 a month billed annually and opportunities cost extra. Sortlist is the better fit if your buyers are in the Benelux, France, or Spain, where it says it focuses its marketing.
Does Sortlist publish pricing?+
Yes. Sortlist+ costs €129 a month paid annually or €189 a month paid monthly, with an annual commitment either way. Opportunities cost credits on top, starting at 20 credits, and Sortlist says one can cost up to €650. Refunds for opportunities go back as credits and must be requested within 90 days of applying.