How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- The best backlink checking tool in 2026 pairs a large, fresh link index with quality metrics you can trust when vetting a prospect or auditing your own profile.
- Ahrefs leads for competitor research and link gap analysis, while Majestic suits teams that judge link quality mainly by Trust Flow and Citation Flow.
- Semrush is the pick when backlink work sits inside a wider SEO suite, and Google Search Console remains the free ground truth for your own site.
- Prices run from free to about 140 dollars per month at entry level, so match the plan to how many domains you track and how often you need fresh data.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Ahrefs | Competitor research and link gaps | $29 per month | Yes |
 Semrush | Backlinks inside a full SEO suite | $139.95 per month | Free trial |
 Majestic | Link quality metrics | $49.99 per month | Yes |
 Moz Pro | Authority metrics and vetting | $49 per month | Free trial |
 SE Ranking | Agency monitoring and reports | See website | Free trial |
 Ubersuggest | Budget checks for beginners | $29 per month | Yes |
 Linkody | Lost and new link alerts | $14.90 per month | Free trial |
 Google Search Console | Free first party link data | Free | Yes |
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#1Ahrefs
Best for: Competitor research and link gaps4.5/5 on
G2 (717 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit ahrefs.com
Starting price$29 per month
Free planYes
Ahrefs is the tool most link builders open first, and its strength starts with the index. Site Explorer reports referring domains, anchor text, link velocity over time, and the exact pages pulling in the most backlinks for any domain you enter. That page level view matters when you are deciding which competitor pages to study and which linking sites are worth approaching.
Link Intersect is the feature that sets Ahrefs apart for prospecting. Add two or three competitor domains next to your own and it lists every domain linking to them but not to you, which is a pre-qualified prospect list built from editorial decisions your competitors already won. The Starter plan at 29 dollars per month makes Ahrefs reachable for a solo operator, though it caps usage and leaves deeper features to higher tiers. Ahrefs also offers free Webmaster Tools for verified sites, which covers basic backlink data for your own domains at no cost.
What we like- Very large live backlink index
- Link Intersect finds gap prospects fast
- Fast refresh cadence
Watch out for- Full suite pricing climbs past Starter
- Credit limits apply on heavy use
- No outreach sequencing built in
#2Semrush
Best for: Backlinks inside a full SEO suite4.4/5 on
G2 (4,035 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit semrush.com
Starting price$139.95 per month
Free planFree trial
Semrush suits teams that want backlink checking inside a wider marketing platform rather than as a standalone job. Backlink Analytics shows referring domains, anchor text, and authority scores, while Backlink Audit flags potentially harmful links and supports disavow file creation when a cleanup is needed. The Backlink Gap tool compares your profile against competitors in the same way Ahrefs Link Intersect does.
The trade is cost and scope. At 139.95 dollars per month, Semrush costs more than a dedicated checker, and free access is limited to a small number of reports per day with no export. For a team that already runs keyword research, audits, and content work in Semrush, keeping backlink checks in the same account saves time and reporting effort. For a team that only checks links, a cheaper dedicated tool may fit better.
What we like- Backlink Audit and Analytics in one suite
- Toxic link review with disavow support
- Strong keyword and content tools beside it
Watch out for- Entry price is high for link checks alone
- Free access is limited to a small daily report count
- Interface can feel crowded
#3Majestic
Best for: Link quality metrics4.3/5 on
G2 (73 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit majestic.com
Starting price$49.99 per month
Free planYes
Majestic is the specialist on this list. It does one job, backlink intelligence, and its Trust Flow and Citation Flow metrics are the standard many link builders use to judge whether a linking site is worth pursuing. Trust Flow reflects how close a site sits to trusted seed sites, while Citation Flow reflects raw link volume, so comparing the two quickly exposes sites with many low quality links.
The Lite plan at 49.99 dollars per month covers the core metrics and both Fresh and Historic indexes, which let you compare recent links against a longer history. Majestic offers a free checker for sampled data, so you can test a domain before paying. The limits are scope: Majestic has no keyword research or content tools, and its interface feels older than Ahrefs or Semrush. For teams whose main question is link quality, it remains a strong second opinion beside a larger suite.
What we like- Trust Flow and Citation Flow for quality judgment
- Fresh and Historic indexes
- Focused link tool without suite clutter
Watch out for- No keyword or content tools beside it
- Interface feels dated next to newer suites
- Reporting is less polished
#4Moz Pro
Best for: Authority metrics and vetting4.3/5 on
G2 (608 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit moz.com
Starting price$49 per month
Free planFree trial
Moz Pro is the most approachable option for teams that vet linking prospects rather than running deep competitor research. Link Explorer shows Domain Authority, Spam Score, anchor text, and discovered versus lost links in reports that non specialists can read. Domain Authority is a widely quoted metric, so clients and managers usually understand it without training.
The Starter plan at 49 dollars per month covers basic link work, though query limits apply and the index refreshes every few days rather than every few minutes. That cadence is fine for vetting prospects and monthly audits, but less suited to teams tracking fast moving link campaigns daily. Moz Pro also bundles keyword tracking, audits, and rank data, so small teams get more than link checks for the price.
What we like- Domain Authority and Spam Score are widely understood
- Approachable reports for small teams
- Strong learning resources
Watch out for- Link index refreshes less often than Ahrefs or Semrush
- Entry plan limits queries
- Full suite costs more than a dedicated checker
#5SE Ranking
Best for: Agency monitoring and reports4.7/5 on
G2 (1,606 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit seranking.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planFree trial
SE Ranking suits agencies and small teams that monitor backlinks for several sites and report on them each month. Its Backlink Checker and monitoring tools track new and lost links per project, and white label reports let agencies present results under their own brand. Rank tracking, site audits, and keyword tools sit in the same account, so one subscription covers most client reporting.
Pricing is the one area to verify before buying, since published entry figures vary across sources and plan revisions, so the starting price here is written as See website. The link index is smaller than the largest suites, and advanced link quality metrics are thinner than Majestic. For teams that value reporting and multi client management over the deepest index, SE Ranking is a strong value pick.
What we like- Backlink monitoring with agency white label reports
- Rank tracking and audits in the same account
- Flexible per client pricing
Watch out for- Entry pricing varies by plan and region, so check the pricing page
- Link index is smaller than Ahrefs or Semrush
- Fewer advanced link metrics
#6Ubersuggest
Best for: Budget checks for beginners4.2/5 on
G2 (160 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit neilpatel.com
Starting price$29 per month
Free planYes
Ubersuggest is the budget pick for site owners who check backlinks a few times a month rather than daily. It shows referring domains, anchor text, and Domain Score in plain reports that beginners can read without training, and it pairs link data with keyword ideas and content suggestions. The free tier allows a small number of searches per day, which suits occasional checks.
The Individual plan at 29 dollars per month lifts the main limits and covers a solo operator well. The link index is smaller than Ahrefs or Semrush, and advanced filters for large scale prospecting are thinner, so agencies running heavy link campaigns will outgrow it. For a small site owner who wants a readable first look at a backlink profile without a large monthly bill, Ubersuggest fits.
What we like- Low entry price
- Readable reports for beginners
- Keyword and content ideas beside link data
Watch out for- Smaller link index than leading suites
- Daily free search limits
- Fewer advanced filters for serious prospecting
Starting price$14.90 per month
Free planFree trial
Linkody is a dedicated monitoring tool for teams that already have a research suite or simply want to watch links they already own. It tracks your backlinks, sends alerts when links appear or disappear, and lets you follow competitor profiles alongside your own. Disavow exports are included, so cleanup work stays in one place.
The entry price of 14.90 dollars per month makes Linkody the cheapest paid option on this list for ongoing monitoring. It is not a prospecting tool, so teams building new link campaigns still need a research suite beside it, and its index is smaller than the largest tools. For freelancers and small teams whose main need is reliable alerts at a low price, Linkody is hard to beat.
What we like- Low price for dedicated monitoring
- Alerts for new and lost links
- Competitor tracking and disavow exports
Watch out for- Not a research suite, so prospecting depth is limited
- Smaller index than leading tools
- Reports are simple
#8Google Search Console
Best for: Free first party link data4.7/5 on
G2 (513 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit search.google.com
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Google Search Console is free and shows the links Google records for your own site, which makes it the ground truth every other tool is measured against. The Links report lists top linking sites, top linked pages, and anchor text, and the data can be exported for audits. Every site owner should connect it, since it costs nothing and confirms what search engines actually see.
The limits are scope. Search Console covers only sites you verify, so it gives no competitor profiles, no link quality scores, and no prospecting. It also reports links on its own schedule rather than a live index. Pair it with a paid checker: use Search Console for truth about your own links, and the paid tool for research, vetting, and monitoring.
What we like- Free
- Shows the links Google actually records for your site
- Exportable link lists
Watch out for- Only covers your own verified sites
- No competitor data
- No quality metrics or prospecting
How we chose
We ranked tools by index size and freshness, quality metrics, alerting, ease of use, and value at entry level pricing. We favored tools with large indexes and fast refreshes for research, plus clear quality metrics for vetting prospects, since those two jobs drive most backlink work. We gave extra weight to tools with lost link alerts, because a link that disappears silently costs rankings until someone notices.
We also weighed free entry points. A free tier or checker that covers real work, such as Search Console or the Ahrefs free tier for verified sites, scores higher than a demo that shows little. Price conflicts across sources were handled by writing "See website" where published figures disagreed, so readers check the vendor pricing page rather than trusting a stale number.
Buying guide
Start by naming the job. If the work is mostly research and prospecting, pick a tool with a large index and gap analysis, such as Ahrefs or Semrush. If the work is mostly vetting, add Majestic or Moz Pro for quality metrics. If the work is mostly monitoring, a dedicated tracker such as Linkody plus Search Console may cover it for far less than a full suite.
Next, check the limits that matter for your workload. Tracked domains, report credits, and refresh frequency vary sharply by plan, and entry plans that look cheap can cost more once limits bite. Run a trial on a real competitor profile, compare the referring domain count against a second tool, and confirm the data matches what you see in Search Console before committing to a yearly plan.
Finally, plan for audits. Backlink profiles change every week as sites add, move, or remove links, so set a monthly audit rhythm: review new and lost links, flag suspicious patterns for disavow review, and check that high value links still point to live pages. A tool that sends alerts on its own saves more time than a tool with a bigger index that nobody checks.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best backlink checking tool overall?
Ahrefs is the strongest all rounder for research and link gap analysis, while Majestic suits teams that judge link quality mainly by Trust Flow. Most teams pair one of these with Google Search Console for free first party data.
Do I need a paid backlink tool if Search Console is free?
Search Console shows real data for your own site but no competitor profiles, quality metrics, or prospecting. A paid tool fills those gaps, so most teams use both.
How often should I check my backlinks?
Check new and lost links weekly during an active campaign and run a full audit monthly. Alerts from a monitoring tool catch disappearing links faster than manual checks.
Are Domain Authority and Trust Flow the same thing?
No. Domain Authority is a Moz metric that predicts ranking strength, while Trust Flow is a Majestic metric that reflects closeness to trusted sites. Use both as signals, not as guarantees.
Can a backlink tool remove bad links for me?
No tool removes links directly. Tools flag suspicious links and build disavow files, but removal still needs outreach to the linking site or a disavow file submitted to Google.
Sources we checked (0)
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.