10 Best Backlink Checker Tools for Link Audits

Whether it is domain authority or trustworthiness, among all the factors or signals, search engines also heavily rely on backlinks. These inbound links are very important when it comes to high online visibility. But they are equally difficult to get as well. It takes years of consistency and smart work to transfer value (link juice) from high-authority websites to your domain. 

And that makes backlink analysis from time to time even more important. It helps in assessing where your site stands in terms of its link profile at a particular time. So, we need the best backlink checker tools for this effort. In this article, we will cover a list of the top 10 backlink analysis platforms that offer free as well as paid capabilities. 

Consider the Best Backlink Checker Tools for High Accuracy 

The best backlink checker tools, from Ahrefs, Semrush, and WebFX to many more, are discussed below. Learn what they offer and how they can be a great help in improving your backlink profile. 

But before we deal with each tool in a separate heading, have a look at the comparison table below at a glance. 

Backlink Checker Tool	No Sign-Up	Usage Limit	Backlinks Shown	Anchor Text
Ahrefs	✅	♾️	Top 20	✅
Semrush	✅	10/day	8	✅
WebFX	✅	♾️	0	No
Backlinko	✅	♾️	5	✅
SEO SpyGlass	No	♾️	10,000	✅
SEO Review Tools	✅	♾️	Top 100+	✅
Small SEO Tools	✅	♾️	Top 10	✅
The HOTH	✅	♾️	Top 100	✅
LinkMiner	No	500 backlink rows/month	0	✅
Seobility	✅	3/day	Up to 400	✅

Let’s start our discussion with Ahrefs free backlink checker tool. 

1. Ahrefs 

This is a free version of Ahrefs’ backlink checker. It will help you gauge the worth of the premium tool. In order to use it, you just need to enter a domain or a URL into the box and choose the right category from the dropdown (refer to the image below) before hitting that button. 

With the help of this tool, you can audit the top 20 of your total backlinks. Additionally, as far as Ahrefs Webmaster Tools are concerned, they still provide fuller data for your owned sites. This tool is simple, minimalistic, and useful out of all the best backlink checker tools discussed here.   

Did you notice: It is not only all about Backlink Checker. That is because, on the same page, sorted side by side, you also find the Website Authority Checker and Broken Link Checker.

Key advice: To streamline your auditing, make sure that you have complete knowledge of all types of backlinks.  

2. Semrush 

Semrush is also included on our list of the top backlinks checker tools. As of now, its free plan offers 10 searches per day. But there is a catch. This limit of 10 searches is shared by all of the free Semrush tools at the same time. That means you need to use the chosen tool sparingly. 

As you can see in the image above, it is a free tool powered by Semrush Backlink Analytics. With the help of Semrush’s free backlink checker, you can check your backlinks, find competitor backlinks, and also uncover high-value opportunities. 

What you will get in each search is pretty impressive! Consider the list below. 

• Total backlinks 
• Total number of linking websites 
• Authority score (to assess the website’s SEO strength)
• Top backlinks to your site
• Top backlinks to a competitor’s site 
• Dofollow backlink percentage 
• Nofollow link details 

From the perspective of a free tool, offering these many details in a search provides Semrush with an edge over its competition. And to help all its visitors, the landing page also boasts the following dedicated section.  

However, if you need something more than a free tool, you will have to try Semrush Backlinks. 

3. WebFX

WebFX is also widely popular among the best backlink checker tools. This is not merely backlink analysis software, but a comprehensive SEO suite. If you check the status of a URL on this platform, you will get a complete SEO report, including the nature of the backlink portfolio. Key aspects covered by the report are as follows. 

When you click on BACKLINKS, that will take you to the backlink report, indicating the backlink score. Have a look at the interface below. 

In order to use this tool, users only need to paste the URL into the search box. However, some SEO people might not like it due to the fact that the backlinks part of its report is not that comprehensive, because of covering SEO in its entirety.  

Take note: If you are working on your backlink strategies to boost online visibility, don’t forget about the local aspect of SEO. Take the help of the best local SEO tools and ensure searchers also find you locally (for area-specific local searches).

4. Backlinko

Backlinko’s Free Backlink Checker tool helps you “discover who’s linking to you and your competitors.” You just need to paste a domain or URL, as suggested in the image above. When you hit that analyze button, you get a detailed report like the one below. 

And see the arrow pointing to the button to unlock a complete look at all backlinks that matter most. In the table, you can see that it also provides both types of key dofollow and nofollow statuses. That helps unlock key insights into whether the inbound links you have are of quality or just a burden to be eliminated for a better portfolio score.  

5. SEO SpyGlass by SEO PowerSuite 

You might be hearing of its name for the first time, but SEO SpyGlass is also part of our best backlink checker tools list. It is powered by SEO PowerSuite’s crawler. It allows its users to access all backlink data for free. The offerings this particular tool provides are as follows. 

• Unlimited site checks
• One-click penalty risk update 
• Bulk analysis (up to 200 URLs)
• Historical link data 

Additionally, with this tool, a user can also find the most powerful backlinks of any site. That means now your competitors cannot hide their secrets anymore! And it doesn’t just stop there. You can even see how quickly your competitors grow their backlinks. So, you can buckle up and act fast too! 

Finally, as one of the USPs, this tool also offers unlimited access to backlink data. Comparatively, it is an edge that SEO SpyGlass has when compared to tools like Semrush, with only 10 searches a day across all its free SEO tools. 

6. SEO Review Tools 

Next, in the list of backlinks checker tools, is a free backlink checker from a platform named SEO Review Tools. This portal also provides other important free SEO tools related to broken backlinks, new backlinks, and SEO competitors. Thus, if you’re looking for backlink analysis, this is a complete suite you need to look at. 

Without any logins, you get over 100 top backlinks per check. That means even though the tool offers a simplistic interface for its visitors, it has rather robust capabilities. The following is an example of what its reports look like in brief. 

Besides, you can also analyze the most popular pieces of anchor text on your backlinks. Look at the image below. 

However, you might have to do extra work when it comes to the legibility of the text in reports. But overall, it is a pretty detailed tool as far as its free status is concerned.   

Did you know? Backlinks directly affect topical authority! That is because if your website has inbound links coming from niche-specific sites or web pages, your site is regarded as a highly reliable source within its chosen domain, field, or niche.

7. Small SEO Tools 

Small SEO Tools is another platform that offers a free version of the backlink checker. This is also part of our discussion on the best backlink checker tools. Without logging in, you can analyse the top 10 backlinks at a time, along with key metrics shown at the top of the report. The following screenshots reflect the same.  

You can see DR, referring URLs, the total count of backlinks, and other key metrics right on top of the backlink profile analysis. 

Below, you will find this table showing the top 10 backlinks with 1 link per domain. Many websites claim that you can analyze up to 100 backlinks, but that is not true. Without logging out, you can only analyze up to 10, as shown above. 

At the end of the report, you have three action buttons. You can either download the report or share it directly with the person concerned. Or, move directly to the button to your right, labeled “Make New Backlinks”. 

If you log in first and then check backlinks, then as well, your access to the backlink data is very limited, only up to 5 or 6 backlinks. The interface you get on the logged-in screen is shown below. 

If you scroll down for more backlink analysis, you get the following message. 

That means you need to get the paid version for a more detailed and analytical perspective. 

8. The HOTH

Using The HOTH’s free backlink checker tool is pretty simple. You just need to put the URL of your website in the box and then select the right category. Afterwards, hit the “View Backlinks Report” button. This piece of software is powered by Semrush, a factor that makes the platform reliable. 

The report it offers is like the one shown on the landing page itself. That allows first-time visitors to have a look at the depth of the analysis. 

In case you need a video tutorial on using the HOTH Backlink Checker, you will find a YouTube video link for that purpose on the same page by scrolling down a bit. 

9. LinkMiner by Mangools 

LinkMiner by Mangools is also one of the best backlink checker tools. It offers three features for a comprehensive link check analysis. You can not only go through all your backlinks, but also new and lost ones separately for deep insights.   

That is a one-look view of the report you get after the check is complete. This report contains all the key metrics, such as Citation Flow, Trust Flow, External Links, Facebook Shares, and Alexa Rank.

However, you cannot access this analysis instantly. The backlink data will be hidden behind the following banner as you proceed with the checker. So, to unlock the report, you just need to create a free account, as indicated by the screenshot below. 

Setting up your free account will not take more than 30 seconds. That is the promise of the platform. However, this claim is only true if everything happens smoothly without interruptions of any type. 

10. Seobility

With Seobility Backlink Checker, you can check up to 400 backlinks of any website or domain for free. However, the checks you have aren’t unlimited. You only have a very few attempts before you run out of the daily limit. You can only have 3 checks in a day. 

That is what is shown in each backlink check report. You have a look at the link rating as well as the link source, along with the link anchor and key insights.   

If you switch to its premium version, you will get a 14-day free trial. 

Also Read: 30 Local Search Ranking Signals You Need to Know!

Key Factors to Consider While Auditing Backlinks 

Only learning to use the free backlinks checker tools isn’t enough. You must also have complete knowledge of indicators key to a site’s better link health. Have a look at 5 of such crucial factors below.  

1. Domain authority & domain rating: These values offer key insights into how much authority a domain has based on the inbound link profile. 
2. Dofollow vs nofollow links: Higher dofollow links mean higher rankings, as linking sites transfer their sites’ value to the domain being referred. However, nofollow links don’t share their authority to the linking site. But still, they are important for SEO purposes. 
3. Spam score: This indicator helps you see if a site is legitimate to work with. If it shares so many features similar to those penalized by Google, the spam score helps you learn about that. You will then only create backlinks with quality websites. 
4. Referring domains vs. total backlinks: While auditing backlink check reports, make sure that you look at both referring domains and total backlinks. That is because if you have 2 referring domains and 100 backlinks, that is as bad as having 1 referring domain and 1 backlink! 
5. Anchor text: If your anchor text profile shows variety, you are on the positive side. However, using the one single keyword everywhere might trick search engines into considering it manipulative, along with other spammy features, if any. 

Also Read: 15 Important Local SEO Tools Every Business Should Use in 2027

Final Thought

So, that has been a quick discussion on the best backlink checker tools you can use for a better link profile and rankings. Try and test each option available in this read and see which one works best for you. However, if you are looking for a full-fledged capability, you might require to switch to a paid version of the software. 

Before you subscribe to any provider, make sure you go through all its privacy policies and terms of use thoroughly. So, you don’t have to learn about a key statement later with great regret.

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Search Learner Staff Jaideep SEO Content Writer

Jaideep Tanwar is an SEO Content Writer at Search Learner, specializing in researching and writing educational content on search engine optimization (SEO), ...