There are really only four ways to get a token listed on an exchange or hire a market maker: hire an agency to do it for you, work with an individual broker who has personal contacts, do it yourself, or use a marketplace like AnyPartners. Each has a real, different trade-off - here's how they actually compare.
Listing agencies
Agencies like Listing.Help manage the process end to end on your behalf: they prepare your application, run internal checks that mirror what exchanges look for, choose which exchanges to approach, and handle the back-and-forth communication for you. For a large share of exchanges, agencies are paid a commission by the exchange rather than charging the project directly, so the service itself can be effectively free depending on which exchange you're targeting and what package you need - though costs can still apply depending on the exchange, your project's stage, and the level of support required.
The trade-off: you're handing the process to one agency and trusting their judgment on which exchanges to approach and how to position you. You get less visibility into alternatives, and no serious agency can guarantee approval anywhere, especially at top-tier exchanges with their own independent review process.
Individual brokers
Some founders work with individual consultants or "connectors" who claim personal relationships with exchange BD teams. This can genuinely work if the person is real and well-connected - but there's no standard fee structure, no accountability if the introduction goes nowhere, and no way to verify the relationship is real before you've already paid or shared sensitive information. This is also exactly the format most listing scams imitate, because it relies entirely on trust with no paper trail.
Doing it yourself (DIY)
Cold-emailing or DM'ing exchange BD contacts directly costs nothing upfront, but it's slow and opaque. Every exchange lists different tier requirements and documentation, pricing is rarely public, and getting a straight answer often takes weeks of back-and-forth with whoever responds. You're also the most exposed to impersonation: anyone can claim to be a listing manager in your DMs, and there's no way to independently confirm it without going through the exchange's own official channels — which is often the DM you're already in.
AnyPartners
AnyPartners is always free for founders - but structurally it's different from an agency: instead of one agency managing the relationship for you, you browse every verified provider's terms and pricing yourself, compare them side by side, and apply directly. You do the applying; the platform gives you comparable, verified options and a tracked deal flow instead of doing outreach on your behalf.
Agency | Broker | DIY | AnyPartners | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Who does the outreach | The agency, for you | The broker, for you | You | You, with structured options in front of you |
Cost to founder | Often free, varies by provider | Unpredictable, informal | Free (but costly in time) | Always free |
Compare providers upfront | Limited - one agency's recommendation | No | Manual, slow | Yes, quick and side by side |
Verification of who you're dealing with | Agency's own reputation | None | None | KYB-verified providers |
Tracked process | Depends on agency | No | No | Yes, dashboard-tracked |
Which one is right for you
If you want someone else to fully manage the relationship and you trust a specific agency's judgment, that's a legitimate choice. If you already have a real, verified personal connection, that can move fast. If you have time and patience, DIY works, slowly. If you want to see real, comparable options upfront and stay in control of who you apply to, that's what AnyPartners is built for.