Develink review: pricing, co-citation and promo code of the French link building platform

Buying links on sites that rank in your niche, getting published on a major media outlet without paying full price, or handing your whole campaign over to a team: Develink does all three. This French link building platform brings together a catalogue of publisher sites, offers on major media outlets and an agency that runs campaigns for those short on time. It has been around for more than eight years and suits beginners as well as seasoned SEOs.

For an English-speaking brand, it is above all a gateway to the French market: French publisher sites, the national French press made affordable through co-citation, and a team that can run the whole campaign for you. Its catalogue also reaches beyond France.

This page contains affiliate links: if you create a Develink account through them, I earn a commission, and you pay the same price. With the code TOMLIONNE, you also get 10% extra credits on your first purchase.

Here is how the platform works, what a link costs and who it is for.

What is Develink?

Develink is a link building marketplace that doubles as an agency. On one side, publishers list their sites and set their prices. On the other, advertisers, whether businesses, agencies or consultants, buy sponsored articles there that point to their pages. The platform was founded by Marc Turkesteen, an SEO practitioner since 2001, and is run by a team that looks after the catalogue, the co-citations and client accounts.

What sets Develink apart from most marketplaces is this dual role. You can use it as a self-service catalogue, or rely on its specialists to build a real link strategy: choosing the pages to push, the anchors and the sites, then monitoring the links over time.

Develink for international brands

Develink’s offer is specialised in the French market, with publishers in many other countries too. For a brand that wants to rank in France, that is exactly what counts: links from French sites in your niche, and, for awareness, articles on French national media outlets that would otherwise be out of reach.

The website and the app are in French. If you do not read it, the project mode is the most comfortable route: a specialist builds the plan, picks the sites, has the content written in French and reports back on the results. In self-service, the catalogue relies on metrics that speak every language: Semrush, Majestic, keywords and the Develscore.

How Develink works

Everything runs on credits. One credit is worth one euro excluding VAT: you top up your account, and each order is paid in credits. The process stays simple.

1. You create your account for free, entering the code TOMLIONNE to get 10% extra credits on your first purchase.
2. You search for sites in the catalogue with the multi-criteria search: topic, authority, traffic, price.
3. You place your order, with your own article or leaving the writing to the publisher or to the Develink team.
4. The publisher publishes, and the link is monitored: a bot checks its indexing and its presence over time.

Credits you buy stay valid for two years. SEO link orders are placed in the « Backlink SEO » catalogue, and prestige placements in the « Major media » and « Co-citation » catalogues.

A vetted catalogue scored by the Develscore

Each site listing brings together Semrush and Majestic metrics, the top hundred keywords the site ranks for and an in-house score, the Develscore. This score combines several sources instead of relying on a single metric, which helps you spot sites that are genuinely visible rather than those showing inflated authority. A recent indicator also shows whether the site is picked up by ChatGPT, a point that matters more and more with the rise of AI search.

The team says it screens sites on entry and curates the catalogue daily. The most requested topics are home, energy, finance and mobility, but you will find publishers in most sectors, in France and internationally.

Co-citation: a major media outlet at a shared price

This is Develink’s flagship offer. A link on a major online media outlet is expensive, often more than a thousand euros. With co-citation, the article is shared between two complementary, non-competing advertisers, who split the bill. The average saving announced is 40% on the purchase price, and the team handles everything: matching the advertisers, writing with its editorial team and approval by each party.

For a small brand, it is often the only reasonable way to get a link on a national press site. For a foreign brand arriving in France, it is also a quick way to gain visibility in the French press. Current offers appear in your account, with their deadline.

Develink pricing

Sign-up is free, and there is no subscription: you pay each link at the price set by the publisher. Develink offers three ways of working.

As a guide, Develink states an average selling price of around €80, writing included, for a site of average authority with 2,000 visits a month, around €500 excluding VAT for a co-citation on a major media outlet and around €1,200 for a dedicated operation on a national press title.

Project mode: delegating your campaign

This is Develink’s other great strength. In project mode, a specialist takes charge of your link building: they analyse your market and your competitors, choose the pages to push and the anchors, select the publishers and schedule the publications. You can approve the site plan and review the content before publication if you wish.

Each link is then checked: indexing, presence over time, and reporting in Looker Studio or from Google Search Console. For a business without in-house SEO, or a foreign brand without a French team, it is the equivalent of a link building agency, with a marketplace catalogue behind it.

Develink for publishers: monetising your sites

Develink is also used to sell sponsored articles. The publisher lists their site, sets their price with and without writing, chooses the topics they accept and receives the orders. Each publication credits their account, and credits are converted into euros on invoice, usually paid within eight to fifteen days. Those who prefer to reinvest their earnings in links get 15% extra credits.

I have listed around fifty of my sites there, and the first orders came in without any effort on my part. Listing a site takes a few minutes, and the platform assigns the categories itself after review.

Who is Develink for?

Brands entering the French market

French niche sites, French national media through co-citation and a team that can run everything in project mode: Develink covers the whole link building side of a launch in France.

Businesses without in-house SEO

Project mode gives them a complete link strategy, run by specialists, without having to learn the trade.

SEOs and consultants

The self-service catalogue, the metrics gathered on each listing and the Develscore make it quick to choose sites and order independently.

Brands targeting the press

Between the major media offers and co-citation, Develink is one of the most accessible gateways to national press sites.

SEO agencies

Multi-account management, white label and the API make it possible to run several clients’ campaigns from one place.

Site publishers

Listing your sites is free, and the platform brings advertisers looking for links precisely in your niche.

Develink’s strengths

1. Self-service or delegation: the same platform serves the independent SEO and the business that wants to hand over everything.
2. Co-citation, which makes major media accessible for around 40% less.
3. A vetted catalogue, with Semrush and Majestic metrics, each site’s keywords and the Develscore.
4. Link monitoring: indexing checks, presence over time and Looker Studio reporting.
5. A reachable team by chat, email and phone, with a dedicated adviser in project mode.

Things to know

Prices are set by each publisher: they vary a lot from one site to another, and the same site can cost more or less depending on the platform. Take the time to compare listings before ordering. The full catalogue and its prices can only be viewed once logged in, so you need to create a free account to get an idea. The interface is in French, which a browser translation handles well in self-service. Finally, credits you buy are valid for two years: top up at the pace of your orders.

My tips for getting started

1. Create your account with the code TOMLIONNE and start with a small top-up to benefit from the 10% bonus.
2. Filter the catalogue by topic and look at the Develscore and each site’s keywords rather than authority alone.
3. Keep an eye on co-citation offers in your account: they go quickly and give access to major media at a reduced price.
4. Provide your own article in French, proofread by a native speaker, or leave the writing to the publisher or the Develink team.
5. If you are short on time, ask for a project mode quote: the team suggests a site plan before launching anything.

Develink vs the alternatives

To go further, browse all my tool reviews.

Develink FAQ

Is Develink free?

Sign-up is free, for advertisers and publishers alike. You only pay for the links you order.

How much does a backlink cost on Develink?

The price depends on each site. Develink gives a benchmark of around €80, writing included, for a site of average authority, and around €500 excluding VAT for a co-citation on a major media outlet.

Can I buy links on French sites with Develink?

Yes, that is its speciality: French publisher sites and French national media, with publishers in other countries too. The project mode lets a specialist handle everything if you do not speak French.

What is co-citation?

An article on a major media outlet shared between two complementary advertisers, who split the price. The average saving announced is 40%.

Is there a Develink promo code?

Yes: with the code TOMLIONNE at sign-up, you get 10% extra credits on your first purchase.

Can I sell links on Develink?

Yes. Publishers list their sites for free, set their prices and convert their earnings into euros on invoice.

Do credits expire?

Credits bought by an advertiser stay valid for two years from the day they are added to the account.

My verdict on Develink

Develink is the platform to choose when you want more than a catalogue: vetted, scored sites, access to major media at a shared price thanks to co-citation, and a team able to run the whole campaign. The independent SEO finds a complete, well-documented catalogue, the busy business a real agency service. It is a safe bet in French link building, both a marketplace and a partner, and a natural choice for a brand that wants to grow in France.

Create your account with the code TOMLIONNE, browse the catalogue and the co-citation offers, then order your first links or ask for a plan in project mode.