If you want to improve your search engine optimization (SEO), you need to know who’s linking to your website and whether those links are helping or hurting your rankings. That’s where backlink checker tools come in.
A backlink checker analyzes the links pointing to your site (and your competitors’ sites), showing you valuable data such as anchor text, referring domains, and link quality. For small business owners, bloggers, and digital marketers on a budget, the good news is that there are plenty of free backlink checker tools that provide powerful insights without requiring a subscription.
In this guide, we’ll cover the best free backlink checker tools available, their key features, and how you can use them to build a stronger backlink profile.
Best Free Backlink Checker Tools
Why You Need a Backlink Checker
Before diving into the tools, let’s quickly go over why backlink analysis is important.
Backlinks are one of Google’s top ranking factors. They act as a signal of trust — when reputable websites link to your website, it shows search engines that your content is credible.
A free backlink checker tool helps you:
See who is linking to your site and what anchor text they’re using
Identify high quality backlinks versus spammy ones
Spot link building opportunities by studying competitors
Monitor lost backlinks so you can try to reclaim them
Measure the success of your link building strategies
1. Google Search Console
Best for: Beginners who want direct data from Google
Google Search Console is a must-have for any website owner. While it’s not a full backlink analysis platform, it shows you which domains link to your site most often, as well as your top-linked pages.
Key features:
Data directly from Google’s index
List of top linking sites and top-linked pages
Anchor text insights under “Top linking text”
Completely free
How to use it for backlinks:
Log in and select your website property
Go to Links in the left-hand menu
Review External links and export data for analysis
This is a great starting point for keyword research on your backlink profile, even though it doesn’t show metrics like domain authority.
2. Ahrefs Free Backlink Checker
Best for: Quick, detailed backlink snapshots
Ahrefs is one of the most popular SEO platforms, and their Free Backlink Checker gives you a generous preview of your backlink profile.
Key features:
Shows top 100 backlinks to any domain or URL
Displays anchor text, referring domains, and traffic estimates
Allows you to analyze your competitors’ backlinks for link building opportunities
Updated frequently for fresh data
This tool is perfect for spotting high quality backlinks and identifying sites you might want to pitch for guest blogging or broken link building outreach.
3. SEMrush Backlink Analytics (Free Version)
Best for: Competitive backlink research
SEMrush’s Backlink Analytics tool is part of their suite, but you can run a limited number of searches per day for free.
Key features:
Overview of referring domains, total backlinks, and authority score
Insights into follow vs. nofollow links
Breakdown of backlink types (text, image, form, frame)
View resources pages that link to your competitors
The ability to link to your competitors’ data makes this ideal for reverse-engineering their link building strategies.
4. Ubersuggest Backlink Checker
Best for: Affordable upgrade path from free tools
Created by Neil Patel, Ubersuggest offers a free backlink checker that’s user-friendly and beginner-friendly.
Key features:
Shows new and lost backlinks
Displays anchor text and domain scores
Highlights backlink growth trends over time
Includes some keyword research features
You can also use it for content marketing planning by seeing which blog posts in your niche have earned the most links.
Best Free Backlink Checker Tools
5. Moz Link Explorer (Free Plan)
Best for: Understanding domain authority and spam score
Moz’s Link Explorer lets you run a limited number of searches each month for free, giving you access to their proprietary Domain Authority metric.
Key features:
Domain Authority and Page Authority scores
Spam Score for identifying risky links
Detailed anchor text report
Export options for link audits
This is especially useful for finding relevant link prospects with high authority that can improve your search results rankings.
6. Small SEO Tools Backlink Checker
Best for: Quick, unlimited checks
This tool is straightforward — just enter your domain, and it will list the backlinks it finds.
Key features:
No login required
Simple backlink list with referring domain data
Works for any domain, including competitors
While it lacks advanced metrics, it’s a handy free backlink checker tool for quick checks when doing outreach.
How to Use Backlink Checker Tools for Growth
Simply knowing who links to you isn’t enough. The real value comes from using the data to improve your SEO strategy.
Here’s how to put these tools to work:
Identify high quality backlinks and focus on building relationships with those domains for future collaboration.
Spot spammy links that could harm your rankings and consider disavowing them.
Find competitors’ backlink sources and pitch similar content for a relevant link.
Use anchor text data to ensure diversity and avoid over-optimization.
Track new backlinks over time to measure the effectiveness of your link building strategies.
Choosing the Right Tool for You
If you’re brand new to backlink analysis, start with Google Search Console and Ahrefs Free Backlink Checker. They’re easy to use, trusted, and offer enough data to guide your early link building efforts.
As you grow, you might combine several free tools — for example:
Google Search Console for official Google link data
Ahrefs for detailed link quality insights
SEMrush for competitive research
Moz for spam score and authority metrics
Using multiple tools ensures you get a well-rounded view of your backlink profile.
Backlink Analysis: Your SEO Edge
Free backlink checkers reveal who’s linking to you, highlight new opportunities, and guide smarter ranking strategies. Whether through guest posts, broken link outreach, or content promotion, these insights help you build links that last.
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