# Research

> Original data collected by Spotlighted. Each report states its numbers, how they were counted and how to cite them.

Canonical: https://spotlighted.app/research
Last updated: 2026-11-02

- [Launch Directory Study 2026: 12 Sites Compared](https://spotlighted.app/research/launch-directories) - Of 12 startup launch directories checked by hand on Nov 2, 2026, 9 of 10 sell a paid launch (median $39), none of 9 give every free listing a followed link and 9 of 10 tag outbound links with ref or utm. Data checked Nov 2, 2026.