Free Backlink Checkers: 9 Tools to Track Backlinks in 2026
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MentionAgent finds blogs, looks up contacts, writes pitches, follows up. $99/mo flat.
For your own site: Google Search Console plus Ahrefs Webmaster Tools (both free, both unlimited) cover the deepest data. For competitors: the free Ahrefs Backlink Checker shows the top 100 links per URL.
Combine 2 to 3 sources: no single index sees the whole web, so cross-reference for a complete picture.
Skip: shallow "free" tools that scrape limited data and dump it behind a signup wall.
For B2B owners running outreach, backlinks are both the goal and the measurement. They're one of Google's strongest ranking signals, and the only way to know if your link building program is working is to track which backlinks land.
The good news: free tools exist to check any website's backlinks. The catch: every tool maintains its own link index. The best workflow uses two or three sources together. Below, the 9 best free backlink checkers and how to combine them.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Free tier | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Google Search Console | Unlimited, your own site | The ground truth for Google's view of your backlinks |
| Ahrefs Webmaster Tools | Unlimited, verified sites only | Deepest free index for sites you own |
| Ahrefs Backlink Checker (free) | Top 100 backlinks per URL | Quick competitor preview |
| Semrush Backlink Checker (free) | 10 results per query, limited daily queries | Anchor text and authority spot-check |
| Moz Link Explorer (free account) | 10 queries/month, top 50 links | Domain Authority and Page Authority context |
| Ubersuggest | 3 free searches/day | Hobby use and quick checks |
| SEO Review Tools Backlink Checker | Unlimited, lightweight | Free anchor and dofollow/nofollow split |
| OpenLinkProfiler | Unlimited, last 90 days only | Recent fresh links |
| Bing Webmaster Tools | Unlimited, your own site | Bing's view, useful as a second source |
1. Google Search Console
Free, unlimited, and the most authoritative source for what Google itself sees as backlinks to your site. Go to Links → External links. You can export the full list and see top linking sites, top linked pages, and top linking text.
Best for: any site you own.
Limitations: only your own site, not competitors. The export caps at 1,000 rows per category, which is plenty for small sites and limiting for large ones.
2. Ahrefs Webmaster Tools (AWT)
Free tier of Ahrefs that requires you to verify ownership of your site. Once verified, you get full access to Ahrefs' backlink data for that site, including referring domains, anchor text, broken backlinks, and lost links over time. The free tier covers the same data as paid Ahrefs, just limited to your own properties.
Best for: the deepest free backlink data on your own sites.
Limitations: verification required, and you can only check sites you own.
3. Ahrefs Backlink Checker (free public tool)
The free public version at ahrefs.com/backlink-checker lets anyone enter a URL and see the top 100 backlinks plus the total referring domains and Domain Rating. No login required. See our full Ahrefs review for paid tier details.
Best for: a quick check on a competitor URL without signing up.
Limitations: capped at 100 results.
4. Semrush Backlink Checker (free)
The free Semrush account gives you a small daily query allowance against the same backlink database paid users get. Each query returns up to 10 backlinks for any URL or domain plus an Authority Score and toxicity preview. Compare with our Semrush review if you're considering an upgrade.
Best for: anchor text and authority spot-checks.
Limitations: 10 results per query and limited daily queries.
5. Moz Link Explorer
Free with a Moz account: 10 queries per month against Moz's link index, with top 50 backlinks per query plus Domain Authority and Page Authority. Useful when you specifically want PA/DA context. See our Moz Pro review for the paid version.
Best for: getting Moz's authority scores for a URL.
Limitations: small monthly cap.
6. Ubersuggest
Neil Patel's tool offers 3 free searches per day on the free plan. Good enough for casual checks. Lifetime plans are also available. See Ubersuggest pricing if you want to upgrade.
Best for: hobby-level use or one-off questions.
Limitations: 3 searches per day on the free tier.
7. SEO Review Tools Backlink Checker
An unlimited free web tool that returns up to 100 backlinks per query with anchor text, dofollow/nofollow breakdown, and basic authority signals. No account needed. The data isn't as deep as Ahrefs or Semrush, but the free unlimited use makes it handy for quick checks.
Best for: free anchor and link-attribute checks without an account.
Limitations: shallow index compared to commercial tools.
8. OpenLinkProfiler
Free, unlimited, focused on fresh links from the last 90 days. Useful for spotting newly placed links to a competitor or to your own site. Not the right tool for historical analysis.
Best for: spotting freshly placed links.
Limitations: only shows recent links.
9. Bing Webmaster Tools
Free, unlimited, for your own site only. Bing maintains its own crawl and link index, separate from Google's. The two indexes don't fully overlap. Adding Bing Webmaster Tools to your stack is free and surfaces backlinks that Google Search Console missed.
Best for: a second authoritative source on your own backlinks.
Limitations: only your own site, Bing-only crawl.
Why use multiple backlink checkers instead of just one?
Right. No single crawler sees the entire web. Combining 2-3 indexes and deduplicating by domain produces a more complete picture.
Each tool runs its own crawl. Their link indexes overlap but don't match. Combining sources is how you get closer to the truth.
You verified your site in Google Search Console and Ahrefs Webmaster Tools. Both are free. Why add a third source?
Right. Crawlers don't fully overlap. Adding a third index closes blind spots without adding cost.
Different crawlers see different links. Combining 2 to 3 sources is how you reduce blind spots in your backlink data.
The combined free workflow
- Verify your site in Google Search Console. Free, accurate, the ground truth for Google's view.
- Verify in Ahrefs Webmaster Tools. Adds the deepest free backlink data for any site you own.
- Verify in Bing Webmaster Tools. Adds Bing's separate index.
- Use the free Ahrefs Backlink Checker for quick competitor previews.
- Use Moz Link Explorer when you need PA/DA scores specifically.
- Set monthly check-ins. Pull new backlinks, lost backlinks, and anchor text shifts.
This stack costs nothing. It covers more ground than most $200/month single-tool subscriptions for the basic question of "what links does my site have".
When to upgrade to a paid backlink monitor
Free tools answer "what links do I have right now". They don't email you the moment a link is lost or changes attribute. If you need active alerts and a single dashboard for monitoring across sites, dedicated backlink monitoring tools take over from free checkers.
The two most common picks: Linkody at $14.90/mo for solo operators (a clean, focused monitor with daily email reports) and Monitor Backlinks at $39/mo for agencies needing white-label PDF reports (now part of SEOptimer since the 2023 acquisition). Compare them head to head in our Linkody vs Monitor Backlinks breakdown.
What about a free Respona or Ahrefs replacement?
Backlink data has a real cost: crawling and storing tens of trillions of links. That's why every "free unlimited" backlink checker either limits depth, only covers your own site, or relies on shallower indexes. No legitimate free tool can match Ahrefs or Semrush at scale.
For most small business and SaaS sites, the combined free stack above is enough. Once you're running active outreach campaigns and need full competitor link profiles, paid Ahrefs or Semrush is worth the price. See Ahrefs vs Semrush for the head-to-head.
Don't just check backlinks, build them
MentionAgent finds blogs already covering your topic and earns editorial links automatically. Then it tracks placements so you can see results in your free backlink checker the same week.
Start FreeFree backlink trackers vs. checkers
If you want to monitor a specific list of backlinks over time (for example, links you earned through outreach), most free checkers won't alert you when one disappears. Options:
- Google Search Console: shows lost links over time but no per-link alerts.
- Ahrefs Webmaster Tools: tracks new and lost links with email alerts (free).
- A simple cron + Google Sheets: for technical users, fetch each tracked URL weekly and check for the link's presence in the HTML. Free, custom, reliable.
Common mistakes when checking backlinks
- Trusting one source. No single index is complete. Always cross-reference.
- Counting backlinks instead of referring domains. 100 links from one site isn't 100 ranking signals. Referring domains matter more.
- Ignoring anchor text distribution. If a large share of your anchor text is exact-match commercial keywords, that's a footprint Google notices.
- Disavowing based on tool spam scores alone. See how to disavow backlinks for when this is appropriate (rarely).
- Stopping at the count. The number of backlinks matters less than where they come from and what they say.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best free backlink checker?
Google Search Console for your own site, plus Ahrefs Webmaster Tools for deeper free data on properties you own. For competitors, the free Ahrefs Backlink Checker, Semrush, and Moz Link Explorer all offer limited previews.
Are free backlink checkers accurate?
They show real backlinks, but each one only sees a portion of the total. Coverage depends on each tool's crawler index. Combine 2-3 sources for a more complete view.
How often should I check my backlinks?
Monthly is sensible for most sites. Weekly during active outreach campaigns. Set up email alerts for new backlinks in Search Console.
What's the difference between a backlink tracker and a backlink checker?
A checker is one-shot: enter a URL, see current backlinks. A tracker monitors a list of URLs over time and alerts you to new or lost links. Most paid tools combine both.
Can I check competitors' backlinks for free?
Yes, with limits. Free tiers of Ahrefs, Semrush, and Moz let you preview a competitor's top backlinks (typically the first 100). Full profiles need a paid plan or trial.
Why don't free backlink tools show all my backlinks?
No crawler indexes the entire web. Each tool builds its own backlink database from its own crawl, and the indexes don't fully overlap. Google Search Console reflects what Google itself has crawled, which is usually the most complete picture. Combining 2 to 3 tools is how you get closer to the real total.
Is it safe to check my own site in free backlink tools?
Yes. Checking your own site doesn't create backlinks, doesn't trigger Google penalties, and doesn't share private data with competitors. Verifying your site in Google Search Console, Ahrefs Webmaster Tools, and Bing Webmaster Tools is the standard setup for any SEO program.