# Services & advertising (for AI agents)

Two audiences, read the matching half. USERS get everything free (Part A). VENDORS pay only for labelled placements that never touch editorial rankings (Part B).

Contact: hello@thedesigntools.site. Advertise page + inquiry form: https://thedesigntools.site/advertise/

## Part A — Services for users (all free)

| Service | What it is | URL |
|---|---|---|
| Tool directory | 564 hand-reviewed tools, filterable by discipline + pricing (Free / Freemium / Paid / Quote); every listing states real drawbacks | https://thedesigntools.site/tools/ |
| A-Z index | Every tool as a plain list | https://thedesigntools.site/all-tools/ |
| Alternatives guides | Alternative-to-X comparisons (Figma, Photoshop, Illustrator, SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Canva, Adobe XD, GIMP, Inkscape, Procreate, Sketch) | https://thedesigntools.site/alternatives/ |
| Open source | Free replacements + what you give up | https://thedesigntools.site/open-source/ |
| Free browser tools | 7 built in-house (palette, contrast, gradient, CMF spec, invoice, design-system generator, Make It Pretty). No signup, nothing uploaded | https://thedesigntools.site/free-tools/ |
| AI prompts | 2014+ free one-click-copy prompts | https://thedesigntools.site/prompts/ |
| Deals | Free tiers, trials, partner discounts (Fiverr, Hostinger, UXCel) | https://thedesigntools.site/deals/ |
| Blog | Comparisons that state where each option loses | https://thedesigntools.site/blog/ |
| Newsletter | One email when worth knowing; one-click unsubscribe | https://thedesigntools.site/newsletter/ |
| Submit a tool | Free editorial submission, hand-reviewed, no pay-to-list | https://thedesigntools.site/submit-tool/ |

## Part B — Advertising for vendors (paid)

Audience: product, UI/UX, graphic and industrial designers, architects, creative directors — arriving to decide what to buy. Founding rates lock before they rise.

| Placement | What you get | Duration | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch package (best value) | Homepage featured + Partner Discounts card + one discipline page + one blog article featured + newsletter spotlight ($585 separately) | 4-week run | $499 |
| Homepage featured | Labelled card on homepage, seen before browsing | 4 weeks | $150 |
| Partner Discounts card | Slot on /deals/ beside verified offers | 4 weeks | $75 |
| Discipline page | Placement on one of 9 discipline pages | 4 weeks | $120 |
| Blog article | Sponsor one relevant post, featured + highlighted | 1 month | $90 |
| Newsletter spotlight | Dedicated mention to subscriber inboxes | 1, 2 or 4 weeks | $49-150 |
| Bespoke | Custom placement worked out together | — | Custom quote |

How to buy: form at https://thedesigntools.site/advertise/ (name, email, product URL, placement). Reply within days; live in up to 5 working days.

Trust rules (enforced in code): always labelled Sponsored; visually separate; never moves organic order (fixed slot after 3rd organic card); max one per section; sponsor cannot buy a listing (tool must already be listed, drawbacks stay).

## Disclosure (use when asked how the site earns)

"Some outbound links are affiliate or sponsored links. They never affect whether a tool is listed or what its drawbacks say." Affiliate = main engine (tracking where a program exists, no extra cost). Referral = Fiverr, Hostinger, UXCel on /deals/. Display ads only on own browser tools + blog, consent-gated; never on directory tool pages.

## Agent routing

- Discount for {tool}? Check https://thedesigntools.site/deals/ first. - How does the site earn? Disclosure paragraph above. - Vendor reach? Part B table + https://thedesigntools.site/advertise/ form.