Linkody vs Monitor Backlinks: Which Backlink Monitor Wins in 2026?
Tracking links is half the job. Building them is the other half.
MentionAgent finds blogs, looks up contacts, writes pitches, follows up. $99/mo flat.
Linkody for solo operators on a budget ($14.90/mo, dedicated monitor). Monitor Backlinks (now SEOptimer, $39/mo) for agencies that need white-label PDF reports and lead-gen audit forms.
Cheaper: Linkody, by ~$24/mo at the entry tier.
Better for client work: Monitor Backlinks (SEOptimer), every plan includes white-label PDFs.
Quick comparison
| Feature | Linkody | Monitor Backlinks (SEOptimer) |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $14.90/mo | $39/mo |
| Free trial | 30 days, no credit card | Free trial available |
| Owned by | Linkody (independent) | SEOptimer (acquired 2023) |
| Domains tracked (entry) | 2 | 3 |
| Monitored links (entry) | 500 | Lookups capped at 50 |
| White-label PDF reports | Limited | Yes, on every plan |
| Embeddable audit form | No | Yes, on higher tier |
| Site auditor included | No | Yes |
| Keyword tracking included | No | Yes |
| Disavow file builder | Yes | Yes |
| Outreach features | No | No |
| Best for | Solo operators & small teams | SEO agencies with client reporting |
What is Linkody?
Linkody is an independent backlink monitor founded in 2012. It does one thing: track the backlinks pointing to your domains, alert you when links are added or lost, and give you SEO metrics on linking domains. Five tiers from $14.90/mo to $153.90/mo, all with the same feature set. The differences are domain count, monitored link count, and seats. See our Linkody review and Linkody pricing.
Key strengths:
- Cheapest dedicated backlink monitor on the market ($14.90/mo entry tier)
- Simple, focused interface with no learning curve
- 30-day free trial with no credit card required
- Disavow file builder included on every plan
- Email reports daily or weekly out of the box
Key weaknesses:
- Smaller backlink index than Ahrefs or Semrush
- No keyword research, content tools, or rank tracking
- Monitored-link cap on lower tiers can bind on larger sites
What is Monitor Backlinks (now SEOptimer)?
Monitor Backlinks launched in 2012 and was acquired by SEOptimer in August 2023. The standalone product was rolled into SEOptimer’s broader white-label SEO platform. Backlink monitoring still works, but you get it inside a bundle with site auditing, keyword tracking, and white-label PDF reporting, with pricing positioned for agencies. See our Monitor Backlinks review and pricing.
Key strengths:
- White-label PDF reports on every plan
- Embeddable audit form for agency lead-gen (higher tier)
- Site auditor and keyword tracking bundled in
- Established brand with extensive G2 and Capterra history
Key weaknesses:
- No longer a focused, standalone product
- Backlink lookups are capped (50 on entry, 150 on higher tier)
- Nearly 3× the price of Linkody if you only want monitoring
- Brand confusion since the acquisition (the original domain redirects)
Pricing comparison
| Plan | Linkody | Monitor Backlinks (SEOptimer) |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | $14.90/mo (Webmaster, 2 domains, 500 links) | $39/mo (White Label, 3 sites, 50 lookups) |
| Mid | $24.90/mo (Advanced, 5 domains, 2,000 links) | $59/mo (White Label & Embedding, 10 sites) |
| Pro | $49.90/mo (Pro, 20 domains, 5,000 links, 3 users) | Higher SEOptimer tiers |
| Agency | $99.90–$153.90/mo | Custom enterprise tiers |
| Annual discount | ~25% (3 months free) | ~25% (3 months free) |
Feature-by-feature
| Feature | Linkody | Monitor Backlinks | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pure backlink monitoring | Focused, dedicated | One feature in a bundle | Linkody |
| Lost link alerts | Yes, daily/weekly emails | Yes, alerts dashboard | Tie |
| White-label PDFs | Limited | Built into every plan | Monitor Backlinks |
| Embeddable audit form | Not available | Yes, on higher tier | Monitor Backlinks |
| Site auditor included | No | Yes (SEOptimer) | Monitor Backlinks |
| Keyword tracking included | No | Yes (SEOptimer) | Monitor Backlinks |
| Disavow tool | Yes | Yes | Tie |
| Price for pure monitoring | $14.90/mo | $39/mo | Linkody |
| Free trial | 30 days, no card | Free trial | Linkody |
You run an SEO agency with 8 clients and need branded white-label PDF reports plus a lead-gen audit form on your site. Which fits better?
Right. White-label PDFs and the embeddable audit form are SEOptimer’s core differentiators. Linkody doesn’t match those.
White-label PDFs and the embeddable audit form are unique to SEOptimer’s Monitor Backlinks. White Label & Embedding ($59/mo) is the right tier.
Who should choose Linkody?
- Solo SEOs and consultants on a budget
- Indie site owners who just want a backlink monitor and nothing else
- Small teams who don’t need site audits or rank tracking from the same tool
- Anyone who values a focused product over a bundled platform
Who should choose Monitor Backlinks (SEOptimer)?
- SEO agencies that need white-label PDF reports for client deliverables
- Agency sites running embeddable audit-form lead-gen widgets
- Operators who want backlinks plus site audits plus keyword tracking in one bill
- Existing SEOptimer users who can absorb monitoring into their current subscription
You’re a solo founder, want to monitor your own site’s backlinks, and have $20/month total to spend. Best fit?
Right. Linkody fits the budget and is purpose-built for the use case. Search Console alone is also valid. If you want a clean dashboard plus email alerts, Linkody adds value.
Linkody Webmaster fits the $20 budget, is purpose-built for solo monitoring, and adds a clean dashboard plus email alerts on top of free Search Console.
The real question: are you sure you need a monitor at all?
Both tools answer the same question: “Did I lose any backlinks?” That’s a useful question. But for most B2B operators, the bigger problem isn’t backlinks lost. It’s backlinks not earned. No monitor (cheap or expensive) will earn you new ones.
If your real bottleneck is link building rather than link tracking, you need an outreach tool. MentionAgent automates the entire outreach workflow: finding relevant blogs, looking up the right contact, writing personalized pitches, and following up. You approve the email before it sends. $99/mo flat. No credits, no campaigns, no templates to manage.
You’ve been monitoring backlinks for six months and your link count hasn’t grown. What changes?
Right. Monitors track. Outreach builds. MentionAgent ($99/mo) handles the build side end to end.
No monitor (cheap or expensive) earns links. To grow your backlink count you need outreach. MentionAgent ($99/mo) automates it.
Track and earn backlinks
Pair Linkody (or free Google Search Console) with MentionAgent. We find blogs, look up contacts, write pitches, follow up. $99/mo flat.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Linkody or Monitor Backlinks better?
Linkody is better for solo operators who want cheap dedicated monitoring. Monitor Backlinks (SEOptimer) is better for SEO agencies who need white-label PDF reports and embeddable audit forms.
Which is cheaper, Linkody or Monitor Backlinks?
Linkody is significantly cheaper at $14.90/month versus $39/month for Monitor Backlinks via SEOptimer.
Did Monitor Backlinks shut down?
No. SEOptimer acquired Monitor Backlinks in August 2023. The original domain redirects to SEOptimer’s site, where backlink monitoring is offered as part of the SEOptimer platform.
Is there a tool that builds backlinks instead of just monitoring them?
Yes. MentionAgent ($99/month) automates outreach: it finds relevant blogs, looks up contacts, writes personalized pitches, and follows up. You just approve emails.
Can I migrate from Monitor Backlinks to Linkody?
Yes. Both accept manual domain entry, and Linkody auto-discovers existing backlinks when you add a domain. Export historical data from SEOptimer first if you want to keep it. The platforms don’t share an import format.
Which one has better lost-link alerts?
Both send email alerts. Linkody checks every 24 hours and emails daily or weekly digests. SEOptimer shows new and lost backlinks across up to one year of history. Detection quality is comparable, the difference is reporting style.
Can either tool replace Ahrefs or Semrush?
No. Both have smaller backlink indexes and skip keyword research, content tools, and rank tracking. They replace the backlink-monitoring slice of Ahrefs/Semrush at a much lower price, not the full SEO suite.