Ultimate List of Backlink Checker Tools
Introduction
In November 2011 Yahoo Site Explorer ceased to exist. This free service was quite popular among SEO specialists and web-site owners. They used it to determine link popularity of their websites as well as to study the link building strategy of competitors.As the Yahoo service was abandoned, the popularity of other backlink analysis services existed at that moment had increased. These were Open Site Explorer, Backlink Watch and Majestic SEO. On the other hand, a handful of alternative services had emerged, including Ahrefs, Web SEO Analytics, Monitor Backlinks and others.
Now there are dozens of paid and free tools for back link research. Choosing a certain practical instrument from such vast variety based on the price/quality ratio seems a difficult task to me. And while one or another SEO blog periodically publishes articles named like “5 Top Backlink Checker Tools for Your Website” or “7 Best Free Online Backlink Checker Tools You Should Know About”, it is always remain unclear, what are those criteria the authors use to determine the best services.
The list below encompasses all tools to search and analyze backlinks known to me. The list consists of four parts. The first one includes backlink explorers presented in webmaster tools of such search engines as Google, Bing and Yandex. The second part of the list covers online services. The third part lists API you can use in your own applications. The fourth part contains the collection of desktop software. Each part of the list is sorted alphabetically.
Please keep in mind that backlink checking is merely one of functions most paid services offer. So by purchasing monthly subscription you also receive access to other useful SEO tools.
You won’t find qualitative comparison of backlink tools in my list. Such comparison is a subject for in-depth research, though I plan to eventually publish it in the blog. But even those characteristics that are listed below in the brief description of each document can be used to preliminary estimate capabilities of these services. Besides, every tool can be ranked: I encourage you to vote for your favorite tools to help determining the most popular instrument among those listed below.
In the future, I plan to refresh this list by removing abandoned tools and adding new ones. If you are aware of some backlink tools not included in my list yet, please let me know in your comments.
Content
- Webmaster Tools
- Online Backlink Checkers
-
- 5. Ahrefs Backlinks Report
- 6. Ahrefs Site Explorer
- 7. Alexa
- 8. Backlink Watch
- 9. Backlinktest.com
- 10. cognitiveSEO Backlink Checker & Site Explorer
- 11. European-Business-Connect.de
- 12. Indexicon - Free Backlink Checker
- 13. linkbird
- 14. Linkody
- 15. Linkody - Backlink Checker
- 16. LinkPad
- 17. LinkResearchTools - Backlink Profiler (BLP)
- 18. LinkResearchTools - Quick Backlinks (QBL) Tool
- 19. Majestic
- 20. Monitor Backlinks - Free Backlink Checker SEO Tool
- 21. MoonSearch
- 22. Open Site Explorer
- 23. OpenLinkProfiler
- 24. RankSignals.com
- 25. Searchmetrics Suite - Backlink Check & Analysis Tool
- 26. SEMrush
- 27. SEOkicks
- 28. SEOlytics
- 29. SEOprofiler
- 30. Sheer Explorer
- 31. Site Explorer
- 32. SmallSEOTools.com
- 33. Web SEO Analytics
- 34. WebMeUp backlink tool
- Backlink Checker API's
-
- 35. Ahrefs API
- 36. Majestic API
- 37. Mozscape API
- 38. SEMrush API
- 39. SEOkicks API
- Backlink Checker Software
-
- 40. SEO SpyGlass
- 41. Traffic Travis
Webmaster Tools
1. Bing Webmaster Tools
http://www.bing.com/toolbox/webmasterAccess | free |
Free version |
|
Own web crawler | yes (Bingbot) |
2. Bing Webmaster Tools - Link Explorer
http://www.bing.com/toolbox/link-explorerAccess | free |
Free version | as many backlinks as they consider appropriate to show |
Own web crawler | yes (Bingbot) |
3. Google Webmaster Tools
http://www.google.com/webmastersAccess | free |
Free version |
|
Own web crawler | yes (Googlebot) |
4. Yandex.Webmaster
http://webmaster.yandex.ruAccess | free |
Free version |
|
Own web crawler | yes (YandexBot) |
Online Backlink Checkers
5. Ahrefs Backlinks Report
https://ahrefs.com/reportsAccess | free & paid |
Free version |
|
Paid version |
|
Own web crawler | yes (AhrefsBot) |
Related API | Ahrefs API |
Related online service | Ahrefs Site Explorer |
6. Ahrefs Site Explorer
https://ahrefs.com/site-explorerAccess | free & paid |
Free version |
|
Paid version |
|
Own web crawler | yes (AhrefsBot) |
Related API | Ahrefs API |
Related online service | Ahrefs Backlinks Report |
7. Alexa
http://www.alexa.com/plansAccess | paid |
Paid version |
|
Own web crawler | yes (ia_archiver) |
8. Backlink Watch
http://backlinkwatch.comAccess | free |
Free version | up to 1,000 backlinks per report |
Own web crawler | no |
Backlinks providers | information is not available |
9. Backlinktest.com
http://www.backlinktest.comAccess | free |
Free version | as many backlinks as there are in their index |
Own web crawler | yes (unknown) |
Notes | CAPTCHA |
10. cognitiveSEO Backlink Checker & Site Explorer
http://explorer.cognitiveseo.comAccess | free & paid |
Free version | up to 25 backlinks per report |
Paid version |
|
Own web crawler | yes - ? (James BOT – WebCrawler) |
Backlinks providers |
11. European-Business-Connect.de
http://www.european-business-connect.de/backlinkchecker.phpAccess | free |
Free version | up to 2,500 backlinks per report |
Own web crawler | yes - ? (unknown) |
Notes |
|
12. Indexicon - Free Backlink Checker
http://www.indexicon.com/free-backlink-checkerAccess | free |
Free version | up to 16,000 backlinks per report; one report per day |
Own web crawler | no |
Backlinks provider | LinkResearchTools - Quick Backlinks (QBL) Tool |
Notes | reports in CSV-format come by email within a few hours |
13. linkbird
https://www.linkbird.comAccess | paid |
Paid version |
|
Own web crawler | no |
Backlinks provider | SEOkicks API |
14. Linkody
http://www.linkody.comAccess | paid |
Paid version |
|
Own web crawler | no |
Backlinks providers | information is not available |
15. Linkody - Backlink Checker
http://www.linkody.com/en/seo-tools/free-backlink-checkerAccess | free |
Free version | a few top backlinks per domain; up to 2 domains per week |
Own web crawler | no |
Backlinks providers | information is not available |
Notes | CAPTCHA |
16. LinkPad
http://www.linkpad.ruAccess | free |
Free version | up to 5,000 backlinks per report |
Own web crawler | yes (LinkpadBot) |
Notes | the website is in Russian only |
17. LinkResearchTools - Backlink Profiler (BLP)
http://www.linkresearchtools.com/tools/blpAccess | paid |
Paid version |
|
Own web crawler | yes (unknown) |
18. LinkResearchTools - Quick Backlinks (QBL) Tool
http://www.linkresearchtools.com/tools/qblAccess | paid |
Paid version |
|
Own web crawler | yes (unknown) |
19. Majestic
https://majestic.comAccess | free & paid |
Free version |
|
Paid version |
|
Own web crawler | yes (MJ12bot) |
Related API | Majestic API |
20. Monitor Backlinks - Free Backlink Checker SEO Tool
http://monitorbacklinks.com/seo-tools/free-backlink-checkerAccess | free |
Free version |
|
Own web crawler | no |
Backlinks provider | Ahrefs API |
Notes |
|
21. MoonSearch
http://moonsearch.comAccess | free |
Free version | as many backlinks as there are in their index |
Own web crawler | yes (unknown) |
22. Open Site Explorer
https://moz.com/researchtools/oseAccess | free & paid |
Free version |
|
Paid version |
|
Own web crawler | yes (rogerbot) |
23. OpenLinkProfiler
http://www.openlinkprofiler.orgAccess | free |
Free version |
|
Own web crawler | yes (spbot) |
Related online service | SEOprofiler |
24. RankSignals.com
http://www.ranksignals.comAccess | free |
Free version | as many backlinks as there are in their index |
Own web crawler | yes (unknown) |
25. Searchmetrics Suite - Backlink Check & Analysis Tool
http://suite.searchmetrics.com/en/research/links/backlink-analysisAccess | free & paid |
Free version |
|
Paid version | from $69/month - as many backlinks as there are in their index |
Own web crawler | yes (SearchmetricsBot) |
26. SEMrush
http://www.semrush.comAccess | free & paid |
Free version | up to 10 backlinks per report |
Paid version |
|
Own web crawler | yes (SemrushBot) |
Related API | SEMrush API |
27. SEOkicks
http://en.seokicks.deAccess | free & paid |
Free version | up to 50 backlinks per report |
Paid version |
|
Own web crawler | yes (SEOkicks-Robot) |
Related API | SEOkicks API |
28. SEOlytics
http://www.seolytics.comAccess | free & paid |
Free version |
|
Paid version |
|
Own web crawler | no |
Backlinks provider | Majestic API |
29. SEOprofiler
http://www.seoprofiler.comAccess | free & paid |
Free version |
|
Paid version |
|
Own web crawler | yes (spbot) |
Related online service | OpenLinkProfiler |
Notes | a free or paid account is required |
30. Sheer Explorer
http://sheerexplorer.comAccess | free |
Free version | as many backlinks as there are in their index |
Own web crawler | yes (unknown) |
31. Site Explorer
http://siteexplorer.infoAccess | free |
Free version | as many backlinks as there are in their index |
Own web crawler | yes (SiteExplorer) |
32. SmallSEOTools.com
http://smallseotools.com/backlink-checkerAccess | free |
Free version | up to 1000 (?) backlinks per report |
Own web crawler | yes - ? (unknown) |
Notes | CAPTCHA |
33. Web SEO Analytics
http://www.webseoanalytics.comAccess | free & paid |
Free version |
|
Paid version |
|
Own web crawler | yes - ? (unknown) |
34. WebMeUp backlink tool
http://webmeup.comAccess | free & paid |
Free version |
|
Paid version |
|
Own web crawler | yes (BLEXBot) |
Backlink Checker API's
35. Ahrefs API
https://ahrefs.com/api36. Majestic API
https://majestic.com/account/api37. Mozscape API
http://moz.com/products/apiAccess | free & paid |
Free version |
|
Paid version |
|
Own web crawler | yes (rogerbot) |
Related online service | Open Site Explorer |
38. SEMrush API
http://www.semrush.com/api.htmlAccess | paid |
Paid version |
|
Own web crawler | yes (SemrushBot) |
Related online service | SEMrush |
39. SEOkicks API
http://en.seokicks.de/backlink-api.htmlAccess | paid |
Paid version |
|
Own web crawler | yes (SEOkicks-Robot) |
Related online service | SEOkicks |
Backlink Checker Software
40. SEO SpyGlass
http://www.link-assistant.com/seo-spyglassAccess | free & paid |
Free version |
|
Paid version |
|
Related online service | WebMeUp backlink tool |
Supported OS |
41. Traffic Travis
http://www.traffictravis.comAccess | free & paid |
Free version |
|
Paid version | $97.00 - up to 1,000 backlinks from Moz + extra backlinks from Exalead & Blekko per project |
Supported OS |
Credit Gose To http://linksphinx.com