Free Backlink Checker
Check backlinks for any website instantly. Enter a domain below and get direct links to analyze it in Ahrefs, Moz, Semrush, and other free tools.
Works with any website. No signup required. Opens links to free tools in new tabs.
How to Check Backlinks for Free
Follow these steps to analyze any website's backlink profile without paying for expensive tools.
Enter Any Domain
Type or paste any website URL in the search box above. Works for your site or any competitor.
Choose Free Tools
Click on any backlink checker to open it with your domain pre-filled. We recommend starting with Ahrefs Free.
Analyze Results
Review referring domains, domain authority, anchor text, and link quality across multiple tools.
Best Free Backlink Checkers Compared
Each free tool has different strengths. Here's what each one does best.
| Tool | Best For | Free Limit | Key Metric | Exports |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ahrefs Free | Most accurate data | Top 100 links | Domain Rating (DR) | No |
| Moz Free | Spam detection | 10/month | Domain Authority (DA) | 50 rows |
| Semrush Free | Comprehensive view | 10/day | Authority Score | No |
| Google Search Console | Your own site | Unlimited | Google's actual index | Yes |
| OpenLinkProfiler | Free exports | 200K links | Link Influence Score | Unlimited CSV |
| Majestic Free | Trust metrics | Summary only | Trust Flow / Citation Flow | No |
Pro Tip: Combine Multiple Tools
For the most complete picture, use Google Search Console for your own site (authoritative data), Ahrefs Free for competitor research (largest database), and Moz Free for spam detection (unique Spam Score metric). Our detailed comparison guide covers all 11 best free tools with accuracy testing.
What to Look For When Checking Backlinks
When you check a website's backlinks, focus on these key metrics and signals.
Referring Domains
Count of unique websites linking to you. More important than total links—100 domains with 1 link each beats 1 domain with 100 links.
Domain Authority/Rating
Overall site strength score (DA from Moz, DR from Ahrefs). Higher scores indicate more authoritative sites.
Dofollow vs Nofollow
Dofollow links pass SEO value; nofollow traditionally don't. A natural profile has 60-80% dofollow.
Spam Score
Risk indicator from Moz showing percentage of similar sites penalized. High spam score (60+) is a red flag.
Anchor Text
Text used in links. Look for natural variety—too many exact-match keyword anchors signals manipulation.
Toxic Links
Links from spammy, irrelevant, or penalized sites that could harm your rankings. Most tools flag these.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a backlink checker?
A backlink checker is an SEO tool that analyzes the inbound links pointing to a website. It shows you which websites link to you (or your competitors), the quality of those links, anchor text used, and other metrics that help evaluate a site's link profile strength.
Which free backlink checker is the most accurate?
Ahrefs Free Backlink Checker is generally the most accurate, as it draws from the largest backlink database in the industry. However, it only shows the top 100 links in the free version. For comprehensive free data, combining multiple tools (Ahrefs + Moz + Google Search Console) gives the best picture.
How do I check my website's backlinks for free?
Enter your domain in the tool above to get instant links to check it in multiple free backlink checkers. For the most complete view: 1) Set up Google Search Console (shows all links Google knows about), 2) Use Ahrefs Free for top 100 links, 3) Check Moz for Domain Authority and Spam Score.
Can I check competitor backlinks for free?
Yes, all the free backlink checkers above work for any domain, including competitors. Enter any website URL to analyze their backlink profile, see their best linking domains, and identify link building opportunities you could pursue.
Why do different backlink checkers show different numbers?
Each tool has its own web crawler that discovers links at different times and frequencies. Ahrefs, Moz, and Semrush all maintain separate databases with different coverage. This is normal—focus on trends and relative comparisons rather than exact numbers.
How often should I check my backlinks?
For most websites, monthly backlink monitoring is sufficient. If you're actively building links, weekly checks help track progress. Set up Google Search Console for ongoing monitoring, and use other tools for periodic deeper analysis.
What metrics should I look for in a backlink checker?
Key metrics include: referring domains (unique sites linking to you), domain/page authority scores, dofollow vs nofollow ratio, anchor text distribution, and spam/toxic link indicators. The number of linking domains matters more than total link count.
Is Google Search Console a backlink checker?
Yes, Google Search Console includes a Links report showing external links, top linking sites, and top linked pages—directly from Google's index. It's free, unlimited, and the most authoritative source for your own site's backlinks, though it can't analyze competitor sites.