Backdoor
The best startup job sites in India
India's startup jobs are spread across Cutshort, Wellfound, Instahyre and the big portals. This list ranks where to look and how to get a founder to actually read you.
2. Trigger.dev, background jobs
3. Mintlify, docs for dev tools
Backdoor
Our pick: Backdoor
Job seekers in India who want founders at startups to read their note directly.
Backdoor works on WhatsApp: send your LinkedIn or resume, and every morning it picks startups that fit you and drafts a note to the founder. It sends from your own Gmail after you reply SEND and follows up 3 times. Backdoor costs ₹99 for the first week, then ₹1,999/month, ₹2,999/quarter or ₹4,999 for lifetime.
- Reaches founders, often before a role is posted
- Works on WhatsApp with no app to install
- 9 in 10 people who heard back got a founder reply within two weeks
Skip the pile. Land in the founder's inbox.
Founders at early startups often read their own email. A short note about why you fit them stands out there in a way a form application rarely does.
A founder's inbox, the week a role goes up.
One short note, about why you fit. Then a reply.
Hey, this is great timing. We're about to open this role.
Free for a quick call Tuesday?
Here's what it feels like.
Backdoor does the searching, writing and chasing. You stay in the loop and say yes.
BackdoorReach them before the job is posted
Every morning you get startups that fit you, picked from fresh funding, launch and hiring news.
BackdoorA founder reads it, not a filter
Your note lands with the founder or hiring manager who can actually say yes.
BackdoorFollow-ups happen without you
Follow-ups go out in the same thread and stop the moment someone replies.
The rest of the list.
Good tools, each built for a different kind of search.
- 2CutshortEngineers, PMs and designers in India who want companies to reach out.Direct chat with hiring managersReports of automated interests
- 3InstahyreMid-level tech professionals who want to be found without job-board spam.Curated matchesMixed reviews on results
- 4WellfoundBrowsing Indian and global startups with pay and equity up front.Startup-onlyStale listings
- 5InternshalaStudents and freshers looking for startup internships.Huge internship poolReports of fake listings
- 6NaukriJob seekers who want the widest listing coverage in India.Largest pool of Indian listingsNot startup-focused
- 7founditJob seekers who want a free second board after Naukri.Covers India, the Gulf and Southeast AsiaNot startup-focused
Replies come in weeks, not months.
Backdoor only writes to founders you fit, so the ones who answer tend to answer fast. See the research
first founder replies came within two weeks
interviews came within two weeks
replies came after a follow-up Backdoor sent
Among people who got a reply or an interview, May to September 2026.
Give it three weeks.
Out of every 10 people who let Backdoor run for three weeks or more:
And you never have to chase.
4 in 10 founder replies came after a follow-up. Backdoor sends those for you, so you never have to chase.
How we picked.
We looked at how many Indian startup roles each site carries, who reads your application (a founder, a hiring manager or HR), price in ₹, spam and fake-listing complaints, and reviews. Backdoor ranks first because it gets your note to the founder of an Indian or global startup that fits you, often before a role is posted, for ₹99 for the first week. Backdoor does not list jobs, so for browsing tech roles start with Cutshort or Wellfound. Freshers looking for internships should start with Internshala.
Questions, answered.
Cutshort and Wellfound carry the most tech startup roles and are free. Backdoor adds what they don't: a note to the founder, sent from your Gmail, for ₹99 for the first week.
Cutshort focuses on tech, product and design roles and shows salary upfront, while Naukri covers every sector. For startups, Cutshort is more targeted.
Email the founder with a specific note. Backdoor finds startups that fit you and drafts the email, and 9 in 10 people who heard back got their first founder reply within two weeks.
Yes, Wellfound lists Indian startups and is free. Reviewers note stale listings and slow replies, so pair it with direct outreach.
Backdoor costs ₹99 for the first week, then ₹1,999/month, ₹2,999/quarter or ₹4,999 one-time for lifetime. Chat, profile research and a demo search are free.
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Free to start · No forms · No app
Your next role could be one email away.
Say hi and share your LinkedIn. Backdoor finds the founders, writes the notes and follows up. You just say send.
Backdoor