Your backlink profile is one of the most important factors in how well your pages rank in search results. But there’s no way to track it manually when your site has hundreds or thousands of links pointing to it from across the web.
If you run a WordPress site, then you need a WordPress backlink checker that fits into your workflow without making you log into five different tools.
I’ve tested the most popular options on my own websites to find the best backlink checker tools for every type of user.

Quick Picks: Short on time? Semrush is my top pick for an all-in-one backlink and SEO platform. All in One SEO (AIOSEO) is my pick if you want to manage backlinks from inside your WordPress dashboard. LinkMiner is the best choice if you need a dedicated backlink tool on a budget. Ubersuggest is the only tool on my list with a meaningful free plan.
If you are in a hurry, you can use the backlink checker tool comparison table below to see the best tools at a glance.
| Tool | Best For | Starting Price | Free Option |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semrush | Best overall | $139/month | ❌ |
| All in One SEO | WordPress internal links | $199.50/year | ✅ |
| LinkMiner | Budget-friendly dedicated tool | $29/month | ❌ |
| Ubersuggest | Free plan + keyword research | Free / $29/month | ✅ |
| Moz Pro | Detailed link profile comparison | $99/month | ❌ |
| SE Ranking | Agencies and freelancers | $129/month | ❌ |
| Ahrefs | Most-updated backlink database | $129/month | ✅ |
| Majestic | Trust Flow and Citation Flow metrics | $49.99/month | ❌ |
| BuzzSumo | Content-driven backlink research | $199/month | ❌ |
What Are Backlinks and Why Are They Important?
A backlink is a link from another website that points to your site (often called an external link). You can also link your own posts to each other (internal links). Think of backlinks as recommendations in the digital world, and we have included tools to help you manage both types below.
When a reputable website links to your content, it’s essentially telling search engines like Google that your site has valuable information worth sharing.
Search engines use backlinks as one of their primary ranking signals. Websites with more high-quality backlinks typically rank higher in search results because these links signal authority and trustworthiness.
Quality matters far more than quantity. A single backlink from a trusted site like Forbes or BBC can be worth more than dozens of links from low-quality websites.
Here’s what makes a backlink valuable:
- Links from established, reputable websites carry more weight
- Links from sites in your industry or niche are more valuable than random links
- The clickable text of the link should be natural and relevant
- Links within the main content perform better than footer or sidebar links
Backlinks can also hurt your rankings. Low-quality links from spam sites, link farms, or irrelevant websites can trigger Google penalties. That’s why I regularly audit my backlink profile to identify and disavow harmful links.
Whether you’re just starting out or managing an established website, understanding your backlink profile is important for SEO success. Before you can build new links or clean up bad ones, you need to know exactly what links are currently pointing to your site.
Google now shows AI-generated answers at the top of many search results, and those summaries often replace the need to click through to individual articles.
This makes monitoring your backlink profile even more important, since AI systems tend to cite well-linked and authoritative sources.
Several backlink checker tools have added features specifically for tracking AI search visibility. Semrush includes an AI Visibility Toolkit, and Ahrefs now tracks whether your pages appear in AI Overview citations.
If AI-generated search results are eating into your organic traffic, then these features give you a clearer picture of what’s happening.
That’s where backlink checker tools become important for any serious SEO strategy.
How I Test & Review Backlink Checker Tools
I’ve carefully chosen these backlink checker tools based on the following considerations:
- I used and tested each tool: We use a variety of tools to audit our backlinks on WPBeginner and other sites. For this guide, I ran each tool and compared the total backlinks reported, how fresh the data was, and how easy the interface was to use. I also tested other popular tools because your backlink needs may be different from mine.
- Different use cases: Not all tools are the right fit for every situation. That’s why I included tools for more comprehensive SEO platforms, dedicated backlink tools, and plugins.
- I considered customer reviews: I also reviewed feedback and satisfaction ratings from real users to make sure the tools I recommend are reliable.
- Ease of use: Since backlink checker tools often display long lists of links, I prioritized user-friendly tools with a straightforward interface.
Why Trust WPBeginner?
WPBeginner is an online resource that has been helping WordPress users since 2009. Our team has skilled SEO experts who use backlink checker tools to make sure we have the highest quality backlinks to boost our rankings.
We regularly use backlink checker tools and test others before making recommendations. That’s why millions of WordPress users trust our content.
You can learn how we choose what to write about by reading about our editorial process. This process makes sure we offer reliable, practical, and up-to-date advice.
Now let’s take a look at the best tools to track backlinks of any website.
1. Semrush
Best for: SEO professionals and agencies who want one platform for backlink analysis, competitor research, and link building.

Semrush is my top recommendation for a backlink checker.
It’s one of the best keyword research tools on the market and includes three distinct backlink-focused tools: Backlinks (for analyzing any domain’s link profile), Backlink Audit (for finding and disavowing toxic links), and Link Building (for managing outreach to new link prospects).
Semrush is one of the SEO tools I use on my own website to track my backlinks, find low-quality backlinks, and much more. You can learn about my experiences using and testing the tool in my detailed Semrush review.
To use the backlink features, log in to Semrush, select Backlink Analytics, and type in the name of the domain you want to investigate. You’ll then see a detailed overview of the domain’s backlinks, referring domains, and authority metrics.

I love how easy it is to dig into more details of the overview and view a full report by simply clicking the link beneath any section.
You can use Semrush to check your site’s links, which could help you pinpoint any issues such as low-quality links. Semrush makes this easy by letting you see how many total links a page linking to you has, and a page with hundreds of links can indicate a spammy website.
When it comes to competitors’ backlinks, you can use Semrush to see which high-authority sites are linking to them, what keywords they are ranking for, and so much more. This can give you a whole list of sites to target for your own link-building efforts.
Semrush also includes an AI Visibility Toolkit that tracks whether your pages appear in Google’s AI-generated search results. This is a useful addition if you’ve noticed organic traffic dropping despite holding your rankings.
With 4.5/5 on G2 from 3,434 reviews, Semrush is one of the most trusted SEO platforms available.
Pros of Semrush:
- Has a massive backlink database that identifies backlinks other tools miss
- Offers three distinct backlink tools: Backlinks, Backlink Audit, and Link Building
- Tracks backlink history so you can see how your backlink profile changes over time
- Easily compares your backlink profile to your competitors
- Includes AI Visibility Toolkit for tracking AI search appearances
Cons of Semrush:
- High subscription price — not the right fit for solo bloggers on a tight budget
- The number of features can be overwhelming for beginners
Why I Recommend Semrush: Semrush is a powerful keyword research tool that offers a backlink checker with valuable features for in-depth link analysis and competitor research. The combination of Backlinks, Backlink Audit, and Link Building tools in one platform makes it the most complete option on my list.
Pricing: Semrush plans start at $139 per month. Large agencies and enterprises can contact the company for business pricing.
You can get an exclusive 7-day free trial by going through our link to Semrush. If you want step-by-step instructions on how to get this deal, check out our Semrush coupon code page.
2. All in One SEO (AIOSEO)
Best for: WordPress site owners who want to manage internal backlinks and fix broken links from directly inside the WordPress dashboard.

All in One SEO (AIOSEO) is the best SEO plugin for WordPress, and it offers a Link Assistant feature that checks internal backlinks on your website without ever leaving the WordPress admin.
Internal backlinks help connect one post or page with another, and managing them well is a key part of any WordPress backlink strategy.
I use AIOSEO Link Assistant on my own websites to create better internal links and boost my WordPress SEO. It has a 4.7/5 rating on WordPress.org from over 5,100 reviews.

The Link Assistant identifies orphan pages with no internal links and gives you specific recommendations for adding internal links to your existing content. I love its option to bulk-add internal links automatically with just one click.
The Link Assistant also shows linking opportunities across different blog posts and pages. I find this saves time and makes sure you don’t miss out on creating an internal link that could benefit your site’s SEO.
AIOSEO also lets you audit internal links on your website to make sure there are no broken links.
Pros of All in One SEO:
- Offers a full suite of SEO tools inside the WordPress admin
- Link Assistant identifies orphan pages and recommends internal link additions
- One-click bulk internal link building saves significant time on large sites
- Integrates with Google Search Console and Semrush for keyword tracking and on-page SEO insights directly in the WordPress dashboard
Cons of All in One SEO:
- Not a dedicated external backlink checker — you’ll need a separate tool for analyzing links from other websites
- The Link Assistant feature requires the Pro plan
Why I Recommend All in One SEO: While standard backlink tools focus on external sites, AIOSEO is the best WordPress tool for managing your internal links. Its Link Assistant feature helps you build a stronger internal link structure without leaving the WordPress dashboard, and its Broken Link Checker makes sure your outbound links stay healthy.
Pricing: AIOSEO plans start from $49.50 per year (first-year promotional rate). The Link Assistant is available in the Pro plan, which costs $199.50 per year (first-year promotional rate; renewal pricing is higher). Each paid plan comes with a 14-day money-back guarantee.
There’s also a free AIOSEO Lite version.
Note: AIOSEO has a free Broken Link Checker plugin that automatically scans all of your internal links to make sure they’re working correctly. If broken links are found, you can fix them on the spot with easy inline editing.
With Broken Link Checker Pro, which starts at $4.99 per month, you can find and fix both internal links and outbound external links (links you place on your site pointing to others). This makes sure you aren’t sending your visitors to broken pages.
To learn more, see our Broken Link Checker review.
3. LinkMiner
Best for: Budget-conscious users who want a dedicated backlink tool without paying for a full SEO suite.

LinkMiner is a tool built specifically for backlink analysis. It lets you filter links by nofollow, deleted, new, and lost, and one feature I find particularly handy is its ability to ‘favorite’ backlinks so you can easily return to them.
This is a great way to make a shortlist of competitors’ backlinks to target for your own outreach. You can also use the favorites list to track any of your own backlinks you want to fix or recover.

LinkMiner is part of the Mangools toolkit, which also includes KWFinder (keyword research), SERPChecker, SERPWatcher, and SiteProfiler.
If you want to see a full picture of a site’s backlink profile including total backlinks, top referring domains, and authority metrics, pairing LinkMiner with SiteProfiler gives you everything you need.
In my testing, LinkMiner didn’t have as many features as Semrush. It’s a focused tool that does backlink analysis well without trying to be everything at once, which is exactly what many users on a tighter budget need.
For each backlink, LinkMiner shows the Link Strength metric (a measure of page-level authority), the anchor text, whether the link is follow or nofollow, and the surrounding content snippet. The historical backlink view also lets you track how a domain’s link profile has grown over time.
Pros of LinkMiner:
- Specifically designed for backlink analysis with a clean, focused interface
- Favorites feature makes it easy to shortlist competitor backlinks for outreach
- Shows the historical backlink profile of each URL
- Part of the full Mangools toolkit for keyword research and rank tracking
- Budget-friendly pricing structure
Cons of LinkMiner:
- Has a smaller backlink database than Semrush and Ahrefs, so it may miss some links
- Historical data is more limited than some other tools
Why I Recommend LinkMiner: LinkMiner is an affordable, user-friendly backlink checker that punches above its price point. Its clean interface, dedicated focus on backlink analysis, and integration with the rest of the Mangools toolkit make it the best value option for users who don’t need a full enterprise SEO platform.
Pricing: A 10-day free trial is available (no credit card required). Paid plans start at approximately $29/month.
4. Ubersuggest
Best for: Beginners who want free backlink data to get started or users looking for an affordable alternative to the bigger SEO tools.

Ubersuggest is an SEO tool with keyword research features, but it also includes a Backlinks tool for viewing details of any site’s backlinks.
When I tested Ubersuggest as a backlink checker, I found that it has similar core features to the other tools on my list, but with an interface that makes performing these tasks very easy and straightforward.
For instance, it can quickly show you new backlinks, backlinks you’ve lost, which backlinks are marked as nofollow, and more.

If you’re comparing Ubersuggest as a backlink checker against tools like Semrush, the main tradeoff is database size. Ubersuggest’s free version gives you a useful sample of backlink data (good for a first look), but the paid version is needed for complete analysis.
I also appreciate how Ubersuggest’s other tools make it easy to analyze traffic and help you come up with keyword and content ideas.
Pros of Ubersuggest:
- The backlink checker is straightforward and easy to use, even for beginners
- Links backlinks with basic metrics like Domain Score and anchor text
- Tracks new and lost backlinks
- Free plan available for basic backlink research
- Affordable pricing compared to Semrush and Ahrefs
Cons of Ubersuggest:
- Provides less comprehensive data than most other tools on my list
- Smaller backlink index than Semrush and Ahrefs
Why I Recommend Ubersuggest: Ubersuggest’s backlink checker is easy to use and affordable, making it suitable for users who need basic backlink analysis and are on a tight budget. The free plan also makes it the most accessible option for anyone who wants to explore backlink data before committing to a paid tool.
Pricing: Ubersuggest’s free version can give you a good sense of what the tool can do. To do any serious backlink analysis, you’ll want the Pro version, which costs $29/month or $290/year if you pay upfront. There’s a 30-day money-back guarantee.
5. Moz Pro
Best for: SEOs who want to compare their backlink profile against multiple competitors side by side and identify link opportunities their competitors have that they don’t.

Moz Pro, the suite of SEO tools from Moz, includes their Link Explorer tool. Link Explorer gives you a detailed link profile of your site, which you can compare with the profiles of multiple top competitors. This lets you figure out what they might be doing differently from you.

It also has a handy tool called Link Intersect, where you can see which sites are linking to your competitors but not to you. These sites are good targets for building new links.
Like the other tools on my list, Moz also lets you see what backlinks you’ve lost. This gives you the chance to try to get those links replaced.
Moz’s spam score is also useful for quickly identifying low-quality links in your profile without manually reviewing every single one.
As well as the backlink tools, you’ll also get access to all of Moz’s other SEO tools, including Campaigns to track and analyze your site, Rank Checker to evaluate your search engine performance, and more.
Pros of Moz Pro:
- Lets you easily compare your backlink profile with up to 4 competitors
- Link Intersect tool shows link opportunities your competitors have that you don’t
- Spam score identifies low-quality or spammy backlinks at a glance
- Includes rank tracking and full-site campaign features
Cons of Moz Pro:
- Its backlink database is smaller than Semrush’s and Ahrefs’
- Can take time to master all its features
Why I Recommend Moz Pro: Moz Pro’s backlink checker gives you a good balance between features, data quality, and usability. The Link Intersect tool in particular is one of the most practical gap-analysis features we’ve tested for finding new link-building opportunities.
Pricing: Moz Pro costs from $99/month ($79/month when paid annually). There’s a 30-day free trial with full access to all their tools.
6. SE Ranking
Best for: Agencies and freelancers who want comprehensive SEO tools including backlink analysis at a lower price point than Semrush or Ahrefs.

SE Ranking is a comprehensive SEO platform with a strong backlink analysis module that competes directly with the bigger tools on my list.
Its Backlink Checker lets you analyze any domain’s backlink profile, including referring domains, anchor text distribution, and new or lost links.
When I tested SE Ranking, I was impressed by how much data it surfaces at a lower price than Semrush and Ahrefs. Its database has grown significantly in recent years, and for most sites it covers the same high-value backlinks you’d find in the more expensive platforms.

SE Ranking also includes a Backlink Monitor, which tracks your links over time and alerts you when links are gained or lost. This is useful if you’re actively running link-building campaigns and want to know immediately when a new link goes live.
For agencies, SE Ranking stands out for its white-label reporting. You can generate branded backlink reports for clients without them seeing the SE Ranking branding, which saves time compared to exporting data and reformatting it manually.
SE Ranking also includes competitor backlink analysis that shows you which sites are linking to your competitors but not to you, giving you a quick way to find link-building targets.
Pros of SE Ranking:
- More affordable than Semrush and Ahrefs for similar core features
- Backlink Monitor alerts you to new and lost links in real time
- White-label reporting makes it a strong choice for agencies with multiple clients
- Competitor backlink gap analysis to find new link-building opportunities
Cons of SE Ranking:
- Backlink database is still smaller than Semrush and Ahrefs for some niche industries
- No free plan — only a 14-day free trial
Why I Recommend SE Ranking: SE Ranking gives you comprehensive backlink monitoring and competitive analysis at a lower price point than the biggest players on my list. Its white-label reporting also makes it one of the strongest options for agencies managing multiple client accounts.
Pricing: SE Ranking plans start at $129/month. A 14-day free trial is available with no credit card required.
7. Ahrefs
Best for: Experienced SEOs and enterprises who need the most frequently updated backlink database available.

Ahrefs is another powerful keyword research tool. Like Semrush, it’s easy to use but maintains a very large and frequently updated database of backlinks.
It also lets you track the growth of backlinks over time and provides in-depth metrics and insights.
When I tested Ahrefs, I found it easy to find backlinks you’ve lost. These are backlinks you once had, but the linking website may have since deleted the page that pointed to you.
You can also identify broken backlinks.
These links point to your site but use a broken URL that lands on your 404 page. You might need to contact the site owner to fix them so you can reclaim that lost SEO value.

Ahrefs is also useful for examining internal links. For example, you can filter these to check for internal links you’ve accidentally nofollowed, so you can fix those.
Ahrefs has also added AI Overview tracking, so you can see whether your pages are being cited in Google’s AI-generated search results.
Pros of Ahrefs:
- Has one of the largest and most frequently updated backlink databases
- Provides detailed metrics on each backlink, including Domain Rating
- Offers powerful filtering and sorting options
- AI Overview tracking shows whether your pages appear in Google’s AI-generated results
Cons of Ahrefs:
- High subscription cost — one of the more expensive tools on my list
- Steep learning curve for beginners
Why I Recommend Ahrefs: Ahrefs is a powerful and comprehensive backlink checker tool with a massive index, detailed metrics, and advanced features. It’s most suitable for SEO professionals and enterprises who need the deepest data available and are comfortable with a more advanced interface.
Pricing: Ahrefs offers a free Webmaster Tools account that is useful for analyzing your own websites. For full access to competitor data, paid plans start at $129/month.
8. Majestic
Best for: Link-building specialists and SEO professionals who want to evaluate link quality using Trust Flow and Citation Flow metrics.

Majestic is the only dedicated backlink tool on my list. It doesn’t do keyword research, rank tracking, or on-page SEO.
What it does do is backlink analysis at a depth that few other tools match, thanks to its two proprietary metrics: Trust Flow and Citation Flow.
Think of Trust Flow as the quality of the recommendation. It scores how close you are to highly trusted, VIP websites. Citation Flow measures the total volume, or quantity, of those links.
Together, these two metrics give you a quick picture of whether a potential link source is worth pursuing. A strong website will have a good balance of both, meaning you have many links coming from reputable sources.

Majestic also uses Topical Trust Flow to show you which topics a site has authority in, based on the types of links it has received.
This is useful for link prospecting in specific niches, allowing you to quickly filter for sites that have genuine authority in your industry rather than just a high generic score.
Majestic maintains two indexes: a Fresh Index (recently discovered links updated daily) and a Historic Index (links going back years, even if they no longer exist).
The Historic Index is particularly useful for link-building research, since you can see which sites have linked to content in your niche over a long period.
One feature I find useful is Clique Hunter, which shows you the sites that link to multiple competitors at once, making it a fast way to find high-value link-building targets.
Pros of Majestic:
- Trust Flow and Citation Flow metrics give a unique, proprietary way to evaluate link quality
- Topical Trust Flow identifies sites with authority in specific niches
- Historic Index lets you research backlink patterns going back many years
- Clique Hunter finds sites linking to multiple competitors at once
- Lower starting price than Semrush and Ahrefs
Cons of Majestic:
- Dedicated backlink tool only — no keyword research, rank tracking, or on-page SEO features
- Interface can feel dated compared to newer tools
Why I Recommend Majestic: Majestic is the best choice if you want a deep, specialist backlink tool focused entirely on link quality analysis. Its Trust Flow and Citation Flow metrics give you a way to evaluate links that the all-in-one platforms don’t replicate, making it a strong complement to a broader SEO toolkit.
Pricing: Majestic plans start at $49.99/month for the Lite plan.
9. BuzzSumo
Best for: Content marketers who want to understand which content earns the most backlinks and identify potential sites for outreach.

BuzzSumo is designed to let you analyze your content and your competitors’ content. It’s a great way to come up with topic ideas, and you can also use it to inform your backlink strategy.
You can type in a keyword or a domain name to see the most popular content for that keyword or the most popular content on that domain. You can then click the link icon next to any of the results to see the backlinks for that piece of content.

By typing in the specific URL of a piece of content, you can see exactly which backlinks point to that page. This is a great way to see which sites are linking to your competitors’ top posts.
Their Backlinks tool lets you find the pages linking to a specific URL or domain, and you can filter the backlinks to view ones from various periods between the past 24 hours and the past 5 years.
Pros of BuzzSumo:
- Backlink analysis features are easy to use
- Analyze backlinks in context with content performance data
- Helps you find popular content in your niche for link prospecting
Cons of BuzzSumo:
- Backlink analysis is not its primary strength — it’s a content research tool first
- Backlink database is smaller than most dedicated backlink tools
- Higher price relative to the depth of backlink data provided
Why I Recommend BuzzSumo: BuzzSumo offers backlink analysis features suitable for content marketers who want to understand which content attracts backlinks and identify potential sites for outreach. If you’re already using BuzzSumo for content research, the backlink data is a useful addition, but it’s not the tool we’d recommend if backlink analysis is your primary goal.
Pricing: Paid plans start at $199/month for a single user, and you can save 20% by paying annually. There’s a 30-day free trial available with no credit card required.
How Often Should You Check Your Backlinks?
The right monitoring schedule depends on your site’s size and how actively you’re building links. Here’s a simple framework for keeping your backlink profile in good shape.
Weekly: Scan for new and lost backlinks using the monitoring features in Semrush or Ahrefs. Set up email alerts so you get notified when a significant link goes live or disappears. This takes about 10 minutes and catches any sudden changes early.
Monthly: Run a full backlink audit using Semrush’s Backlink Audit tool to identify toxic links before they affect your rankings. Use AIOSEO’s Link Assistant to check your internal links and find any orphan pages that have lost link equity. Compare your link growth against your top competitors to see if you’re keeping pace.
Quarterly: Run a deep competitive backlink gap analysis using Moz Pro’s Link Intersect tool or Semrush’s Backlink Gap tool to find link-building opportunities you’ve missed. Review your anchor text distribution to make sure it looks natural and not over-optimized.
If you’re actively running link-building campaigns, SE Ranking’s Backlink Monitor is worth setting up specifically for this purpose. It tracks links from your outreach targets and alerts you the moment a new link goes live.
Which Backlink Checker Is Right for You?
Not sure which tool fits your situation? Here’s a quick decision guide based on common use cases:
- SEO agency managing multiple clients → SE Ranking (white-label reporting, competitive pricing) or Semrush (most complete data)
- WordPress site owner focused on internal linking → All in One SEO (Link Assistant works directly inside your WordPress dashboard)
- Freelance SEO or solo blogger on a budget → LinkMiner (dedicated backlink tool, starting at $29/month)
- Beginner who wants to start for free → Ubersuggest (free plan available) or Ahrefs Webmaster Tools (free for your own sites)
- Link-building specialist who evaluates links by trust and topic → Majestic (Trust Flow, Citation Flow, Topical Trust Flow)
Which Is the Best Backlink Checker Tool?
Any of these backlink checkers could help you build your site’s backlinks and rank more highly in search results. Some offer a lot more data than others, and the right choice depends on your budget and how you work.
Our top recommendation is Semrush. It’s one of the best SEO tools on the market and gives you Backlinks, Backlink Audit, and Link Building in one platform.
If you want a WordPress tool that manages your internal links directly inside your dashboard, I recommend All in One SEO (AIOSEO). Its Link Assistant feature is the best option for building a strong internal linking structure without leaving WordPress.
If you’re on a tight budget, LinkMiner and Ubersuggest are strong value options. For agencies, SE Ranking is worth a serious look for its white-label reporting and competitive pricing.
Frequently Asked Questions About Backlink Checkers
I often hear from users who are looking for the best ways to track their link profiles. Here are the answers to some of the most common questions I receive about backlink tools.
1. Is there a completely free backlink checker tool?
Most premium SEO tools offer limited free data, but they usually require a paid subscription for full access.
Ahrefs offers a free Webmaster Tools account that lets you check backlinks for your own websites. Ubersuggest also has a limited free plan for basic data.
Don’t overlook Google Search Console, either. It shows the backlinks Google itself has indexed for your site, completely free of charge, and it’s the best starting point before you invest in any paid tool.
2. How do I know if a backlink is bad?
A bad or toxic backlink typically comes from a spammy website, a link farm, or an unrelated site with low authority. Most tools on my list, including Semrush and Moz, provide a toxicity or spam score to help you identify these harmful links quickly.
3. Can I remove bad backlinks?
Yes. Start by contacting the website owner and politely asking them to remove the link. If they don’t respond, you can use Google’s Disavow Tool to tell search engines to ignore those specific links.
4. How often should I check my backlinks?
I recommend checking your backlink profile at least once a month. If you run a large website or are actively building links, checking weekly helps you catch any negative SEO attacks or lost links early. See my monitoring workflow above for a full breakdown by frequency.
5. Which backlink checker has the largest database?
Ahrefs and Semrush both maintain extremely large and frequently updated backlink databases, and both are widely considered among the most comprehensive available.
Majestic also has a very large index, particularly its Historic Index, which goes back further than most tools. For most sites, any of these three will give you complete coverage of your backlink profile.
6. Which backlink checker tracks AI Overview visibility?
Both Semrush and Ahrefs have added features for tracking whether your pages appear in Google’s AI-generated search results.
Semrush includes this in its AI Visibility Toolkit, and Ahrefs tracks AI Overview citations in its Site Explorer. If losing organic clicks to AI Overviews is a concern, these are the tools to look at first.
Additional Resources
I hope this article helped you learn about the best backlink checker tools. You might also like to take a look at these additional resources:
- Ultimate WordPress SEO Guide for Beginners (Step by Step)
- Internal Linking for SEO: The Ultimate Guide
- How to Do Keyword Research for Your WordPress Blog
- Best WordPress SEO Plugins and Tools That You Should Use
If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.
Dennis Muthomi
well personally, I use the free version of SEMRush to get a quick look at my backlink profile. It’s pretty handy for seeing where my links are coming from. I also like to run my site through Ahrefs’ free backlink checker tool every now and then, but it is pretty limited It’s cool to compare the metrics between SEMRush and Ahrefs – sometimes they pick up on different links
anyway, just wanted to share what working for me
WPBeginner Support
Thank you for sharing
Admin
Moinuddin Waheed
Backlinks are very important factor for search engine optimisation.
But getting backlink and quality backlinks is a tough task.
many third party platforms with lots of traffic like quora and pinterest , stack overflow and others are really helpful in getting backlinks.
guest posting is also one the best ways to get backlinks.
is there any lists of popular blogs which accepts guest posts?
WPBeginner Support
We do not have a recommended list of sites at the moment, you would want to look for similar sized sites in your niche to start building backlinks.
Admin
Moinuddin Waheed
Thank you for the answer, I have seen many bloggers in my niche have written articles and medium and showcasing on different social media sites.
I have also started writing on medium with and already writing on quora.
Since medium is a platform where all kind of articles get published, I am not sure how much I would be benefitted but it definitely gives an edge over completely not writing anywhere.
Jiří Vaněk
I have a question regarding backlinks and, for example, domain authority. Is it true, or at least that’s how I understood it, that domain authority is heavily reliant on backlinks? Currently, my domain authority is 28/100, and I’m struggling to increase it. I believe I have everything set up relatively well. However, what I lack are quality backlinks, for now. Could that be the main cause of the issue with domain authority?
WPBeginner Support
There are other factors but good quality backlinks do help your domain authority greatly. We have a guide below that shares some of our recommendations to help with getting more backlinks:
https://014.leahstevensyj.workers.dev/glossary/backlinks/
Admin
Jiří Vaněk
Thank you for answer. I have now read the article and will try some of the recommendations. I have several long tutorials that I thought no one would finish because they were too detailed. In the article, you advise publishing these instructions. I’ll try it and see. I also started trying how to and why articles and adding the necessary markup schemes via AIO SEO. Thanks for the advice.
Dwight
Hi guys,
First off many thanks for all the info you guys send me, it’s tops!
With the above article I’m in the need for a Backlink tool and appreciate everything you said above, very helpful specially have added the low cost and free versions!
One question though please, with a backlink tool can one delete the nofollow or bad links that are linking in? or do I have to go through Google tool to do this as I find it a pain to do.
Ta and keep up the great works!
Dwight Dellow
WPBeginner Support
These tools are for finding the links, for removing them you would need to use a different tool
Admin
Ashisht
Thanks a lot. Saved my day.
WPBeginner Support
You’re welcome
Admin
Sumant
lot of Thanks. Wpbeginer play a big role in my blogging carrier. Now i do a whole strategy according to your suggestion.
Want to see when my blog rank improves. Again Thanks.
WPBeginner Support
You’re welcome, glad our recommendations have been helpful
Admin
Mohamed
Thanks for this information
WPBeginner Support
You’re welcome
Admin
Mohammad Kamrul Hasan
Awesome article. Thanks for including free one also.
WPBeginner Support
You’re welcome, glad our list was helpful
Admin
Ulvis
Nice list of backlinks checking tools
WPBeginner Support
Thank you, glad you like our recommendations
Admin