Get 50% off on Vault theme. Limited time offer! Want to boost your website’s SEO performance? Backlink analysis tools are essential for understanding your link profile, identifying harmful links, and discovering valuable backlink opportunities. These tools help digital marketers, SEO professionals, and website owners monitor inbound links, evaluate competitors, and refine link-building strategies.
With accurate backlink data, users can improve domain authority, increase search engine rankings, and enhance site visibility. The right backlink analysis tool offers features like link quality assessment, anchor text evaluation, and real-time updates. Choosing the right tool can make a significant difference in SEO efforts by providing actionable insights to strengthen and protect your online presence. Many tools also help you generate a free backlink list to kickstart your link-building strategy
In this blog, we will take a look at 15 Best Backlink Analysis Tools.
What a Backlink Analysis Tool Should Have
- Comprehensive Link Database: Choose a tool with a vast and frequently updated backlink index to ensure accurate data and better competitor insights.
- Quality Metrics: Look for tools that provide metrics like Domain Authority, Page Authority, Trust Flow, and Spam Score to evaluate link quality.
- Competitor Analysis Features: The tool should allow competitor backlink comparison to identify gaps and new link-building opportunities.
- Anchor Text Distribution: It should show how anchor texts are distributed to help optimise or correct over-optimization issues.
- Toxic Link Detection: Ensure the tool can identify potentially harmful or spammy backlinks that could hurt your site’s SEO.
- Integration and Reporting: Easy-to-understand visual reports and integration with platforms like Google Analytics or Search Console are a plus.
- Historical Data Tracking: Tools that track backlink changes over time help measure campaign effectiveness and backlink retention.
List of 15 Best Backlink Analysis Tools
1. Ahrefs
Ahrefs is one of the most high-quality backlink analysing systems utilised by SEO specialists all over the Earth. It has been providing detailed information on referring domains, anchor texts, and broken links courtesy of its enormous index of live backlinks and high-speed crawler.
It is also suitable to monitor the competition and audit links thanks to its interface and its in-depth reports. The Ahrefs also offers historical trends of back links, enabling users to see the trend of link building. It is famous because it reveals connectivity possibilities and checks mentions of brands.
In addition to backlink information, Ahrefs provides features of keyword research, rank monitoring and content analysis, which makes it a full-fledged SEO package to digital marketers.
Website: https://ahrefs.com
Key Features:
- Massive backlink index updated daily
- Site Explorer & backlink checker
- Anchor text distribution
- Lost & new backlink tracking
- Competitor backlink comparison
Pros:
- Industry-leading database size and speed
- Intuitive UI with rich backlink insights
- Accurate link metrics and authority scores
- Real-time updates on link changes
- Strong support for competitor analysis
Cons:
- Premium pricing for advanced features
- Can be overwhelming for beginners
- Limited features on lower-tier plans
2. SEMrush (Backlink Analytics)
Backlink Analytics Backlink Analytics module by SEMrush is a powerful tool that gives information about link profiles, loss, and new links, toxic backlinks, and authority.
The tool assists SEO experts to find back links of rivals, access assessment of the links used to build, and repudiate dangerous links. With its help, users may examine anchor texts, geolocation of backlinks and referring domains. SEMrush is additionally supplied with backlink audit, which works together with Google Search Console to make better judgments.Â
With its user-friendly interface, it is possible to compare two or more domains. As part of the Best Backlink Analysis Tools, SEMrush also offers features like keyword research and site auditing, making it crucial for an effective SEO campaign
Website: https://semrush.com
Key Features:
- Backlink auditing & toxic link detection
- Referring domain analysis
- Link-building tool integration
- Historical data tracking
- Authority score for each link
Pros:
- All-in-one SEO suite
- Effective toxic backlink detection
- Clean UI with organised reports
- Built-in outreach and link removal tools
- Extensive domain and keyword data
Cons:
- Can be pricey for small agencies
- Some data inconsistencies on low-tier plans
- Steep learning curve for new users
3. Moz Link Explorer
Moz Link Explorer is an all-inclusive interface to study the backlink portfolios, domain, and spam scores. It assists marketers in finding link-building opportunities with millions of data and identifying broken links and the use of anchor texts.
The users can monitor the new or lost backlinks, match link profiles against their rivals and assess the credibility of linking domains. The ranking elements which belong to proprietary measures of Moz such as Domain Authority and Page Authority make the assessment of quality of backlinks easier. It also gets along with the other tools of the Moz Pro easily.
This could be described as less elaborate compared to some of its competitors but still great in terms of ease of use that is suitable to both novices and intermediate search engine optimization experts whose interests are optimising their rankings in organic searches.
Website: https://moz.com/link-explorer
Key Features:
- Domain Authority (DA) metrics
- Spam Score analysis
- Inbound & outbound link tracking
- Lost and discovered links
- Anchor text breakdown
Pros:
- Easy-to-use interface
- Provides actionable link metrics
- Integrates with other Moz tools
- Regularly updated backlink index
- Great educational resources
Cons:
- Less robust than competitors like Ahrefs
- Limited data on free plan
- Slower index updates
4. Majestic SEO
Majestic SEO focuses on backlink intelligence and provides such powerful tools as Trust Flow and Citation Flow to determine the quality of links. It has a backlink index which is immense giving one the opportunity to navigate through historical and live links, analyse trends in link acquisition and evaluate distribution of anchor texts.
The Site Explorer gives the data related to domains and subdomains, and Link Context gives the information about the area around a backlink. Clique Hunter and Link Graph tools provided by Majestic come in handy when it comes to discovering possible link opportunities and drawing graphical representations of link relationships.
It has reports full of data, which would require an intermediate and expert user, an agency, and a professional in SEO that would need detailed backlink analysis and historical link tracking.
Website: https://majestic.com
Key Features:
- Trust Flow and Citation Flow metrics
- Historical backlink data
- Link Context for surrounding content
- Referring domain trends
- Visualised backlink graphs
Pros:
- Unique metrics tailored to backlink quality
- Detailed historical link insights
- Lightweight and fast performance
- Great for domain comparisons
- Affordable compared to competitors
Cons:
- Outdated UI
- No keyword or content tools
- Lacks real-time updates
5. Ubersuggest
Ubersuggest, a product offered by Neil Patel, is a cost effective SEO tool that comes with a strong back link study. It also gives the information on the referral domains, new and lost backlinks, domain scores as well as anchor texts.
Ubersuggest is newbie-friendly, and everything is understandable, and reports are readable. Users are also able to analyse their competitors’ links as well as find ways to build links. It might not include the sheer amount of tools that Ahrefs or SEMrush might have, but Ubersuggest has a great value to websites of less scale, or to beginners in the marketing field.
Along with keyword research, content ideas, and the possibility of conducting an SEO audit, it is a decent all-in-one tool of small businesses and freelancers.
Website: https://neilpatel.com/ubersuggest
Key Features:
- Backlink overview by domain or URL
- Domain Score and Page Score
- Anchor text and linking page metrics
- Competitor link discovery
- Easy backlink export
Pros:
- Freemium tool with many features
- Intuitive dashboard for beginners
- Cost-effective for SMBs
- Competitor insights for content gaps
- Regular tool updates
Cons:
- Limited depth for large-scale audits
- Smaller index compared to Ahrefs/SEMrush
- Data accuracy can vary
6. CognitiveSEO
CognitiveSEO is a potent SEO tool, occupied with backlink analysis and auditing links. It gives a graphical analysis of the link profile of a site under analysis grouping the links as either natural, unnatural or suspicious. The tool assists in detecting harmful links and provides hints of their cleaning up.
An outstanding feature of CognitiveSEO is its Unnatural Link Detection system, which is particularly popular in penalty recovery. It also contains keywords tracking, the optimisation of content and social visibility measurements.
Augmented with everything from thorough link metrics and anchor text categorisations to competitor comparisons, CognitiveSEO will service very sophisticated users, SEO agencies, and companies that want to keep an unsullied and credible backlink profile.
Website: https://cognitiveseo.com
Key Features:
- Natural vs. unnatural link detection
- Visual backlink profile audit
- Google penalty risk evaluation
- Real-time link checks
- Anchor text classification
Pros:
- Great for identifying unnatural links
- Detailed backlink segmentation
- In-depth link velocity tracking
- Helps avoid Google penalties
- Combines SEO and link tools
Cons:
- Interface could be more modern
- Steeper learning curve
- Higher pricing for advanced plans
Also Read: Infographic Submission Sites
7. LinkMiner (by Mangools)
LinkMiner takes part in the Mangools SEO suite and is intended to be used to analyze backlinks. It enables the user to venture into backlinks and gives specific metrics such as Citation Flow, Trust Flow and the strength of link. Its interface is simple, user-friendly and previews of linking pages are shown in the tool itself.
Links can be filtered based on the link type (nofollow/dofollow), status or anchor. The program must be used to find broken links and possible link-building opportunities, namely LinkMiner.
It may lack the large database a site like Ahrefs or SEMrush has but it still gives crucial information that can be of interest to small to medium size businesses or those who are new to the business of SEO and need workable backlinking facts.
Website: https://mangools.com/linkminer
Key Features:
- Easy backlink filtering
- Link strength (LS) metric
- Preview backlinks within the tool
- Lost link identification
- Exportable reports
Pros:
- User-friendly for beginners
- Affordable pricing plans
- Simple and clean design
- Integrates with other Mangools tools
- Fast backlink previews
Cons:
- Not ideal for large sites
- Smaller link database
- Lacks real-time crawling
8. BuzzSumo (Backlink Tool)
BuzzSumo combines a set of content finding tools and backlink feature, which allows viewing the backlinking information on any URL or domain. Users are able to understand what type of content draws the most back links which can be used in future content strategy.
The tool demonstrates the referring domains, top pages, and anchor texts. BuzzSumo also identifies the influencers that pointed at an article, which promotes outreach and PR outreaches.
Although it can not be referred to as a full-blown SEO tool, its backlink information may be of use to content marketers who need to know the link- building impact of their content. The user-friendly interface and priority on content performance render it exclusive as compared to the classical backlink analysis tools.
Website: https://buzzsumo.com
Key Features:
- Backlinks by content performance
- Domain comparison for links
- Influencer-based link analysis
- Social shares + backlinks correlation
- Top-performing content insights
Pros:
- Combines content and link data
- Easy competitor research
- Great for content-driven backlink strategy
- Excellent UI and UX
- Powerful outreach support
Cons:
- Limited purely SEO-focused features
- Higher-tier plans needed for deep insights
- Backlink database not as large
9. SEO SpyGlass (by SEO PowerSuite)
SEO SpyGlass is a backlink analyzer tool that you can download to have in-depth information on link profiles. It includes information about link authority, anchor text, domain penalty, and IP distribution.
Link Penalty Risk is part of the tool that produces toxic links and historical backlink tracking, which enables users to track link-building progress. It is compatible with Google Search Console to provide a more precise backlink to a set of data. SEO SpyGlass has also the possibility of doing side-by-side domain comparisons that is perfect when analysing competition.
Being a component of the SEO PowerSuite, it targets desktop-based consumers who would like to have their data locally, and can develop their own reports without any connections to cloud-based programs.
Website: https://www.link-assistant.com/seo-spyglass/
Key Features:
- Unlimited backlink checks
- Penalty risk analysis
- InLink Rank metric
- Link history and trend analysis
- Competitor backlink gap tool
Pros:
- One-time license options available
- Extensive SEO software suite
- Local software, fast and offline use
- In-depth backlink profiling
- Cost-effective for agencies
Cons:
- Desktop-only application
- Interface feels dated
- Learning curve for advanced settings
10. Serpstat
Serpstat offers the entire package of SEO tools, and backlink analysis is one of the prominent features. It provides comprehensive accounts of referring domains, anchor texts, new and lost bonds and the domain reliance figures.
It allows viewing link profiles of competitors and tracking backlinks and exporting thereof to carry out comprehensive analysis. The interface of Serpstat is clear and it has an opportunity to analyse many URLs in one batch.
Its backlink database is not as big as those of Ahrefs or SEMrush, but it is increasing. Serpstat with the rank tracking, and keyword and site audit tools provides an affordable option to SEOs, marketers and small businesses.
Website: https://serpstat.com
Key Features:
- Backlink tracking & growth trend
- Page-level and domain-level link data
- Historical backlink data
- Link toxicity check
- SEO & PPC combined features
Pros:
- Great all-in-one SEO platform
- Affordable pricing for startups
- Detailed backlink overview
- Smooth UI and reporting features
- Includes keyword and competitor tracking
Cons:
- Link index not as large as Ahrefs
- Data lag in some features
- UI could be more customisable
11. SEOptimer
SEOptimer offers a simple but efficient backlink analysis tool as part of the one stop shop SEO audit tool. One gets to see the total back links, referring domains and the types of links, the ratio of follow and no follow links.
It is user friendly, fits small businesses and newcomers to the sector because they require simple knowledge of backlinks and not complicated measures. Although it is not a sophisticated tool as the enterprise-level tools, simplicity and low cost position makes SEOptimer an ideal beginning.
It comes in handy to track down the progress in link-building and evaluate the well-being of the backlink profile of a specific site. It also offers on-page SEO check, keyword tracking, and social media analysis, so it is a light and yet useful SEO assistant.
Website: https://www.seoptimer.com
Key Features:
- Basic backlink analysis
- Website audit with link profile summary
- Referring domains & anchor text
- Link-building recommendations
- On-page SEO + backlink insights
Pros:
- Ideal for small websites
- Simple interface for fast reports
- Free audit tools included
- Affordable pricing tiers
- Lightweight and web-based
Cons:
- Limited backlink database
- Lacks depth for large campaigns
- No real-time updates
Suggested read: Blog Submission Sites
12. OpenLinkProfiler
OpenLinkProfiler is a no-cost back-link tool acceptable amongst beginners or anybody wishing to possess instant link details. It gives details on active back links anchor texts linking domain and link freshness.
It does not contain a great amount of information about databases as a premium version but it is updated regularly and easy to apply. The users can also download backlinks up to 1000 per report and see scores of influencing links.
Its interface is clean and easy-to-use, so it can be used by freelancers, bloggers, and small-company owners who do not need a subscription but only approximate backlink information. It cannot be used in detailed work but it will be excellent in providing initial knowledge.
Website: https://www.openlinkprofiler.org
Key Features:
- Fresh backlink data
- Link influence score
- Anchor text and industry type filtering
- Unique linking domains insights
- CSV export of links
Pros:
- Completely free to use
- Provides decent backlink overview
- Good for beginners and quick checks
- Filter-rich dashboard
Cons:
- Not updated in real-time
- Limited domain coverage
- Less reliable for professional audits
13. Sitechecker Backlink Tool
Backlink Tool by Sitechecker assists visitors to keep track of their backlinks and measure the success of backlink building. It provides referral domain, anchor text, do follow/ no follow, and link type data.
The user is alerted by email when links are lost or gained, which allows proactive control of a link. The dashboard is intuitive which allows the non technique users to navigate easily. Although the index of backlinks is not as large as paid tools, Sitechecker is ideal when it comes to startups and those into digital marketing who want to find solid, practical answers.
It is also one of the useful all-in-one tools to serve the purpose of growth in websites, as this has technical SEO checks, rank monitoring, and site monitoring besides others.
Website: https://sitechecker.pro/backlink-checker/
Key Features:
- Quick backlink check for domains
- Anchor text overview
- Referring domain health
- Link type categorisation
- User-friendly dashboard
Pros:
- Simple and quick analysis
- Good UI for non-tech users
- Combines technical SEO with links
- Tracks backlink growth
- Affordable plans
Cons:
- Limited depth for detailed analysis
- Basic reporting features
- Small backlink index
14. RankWatch Backlink Analyzer
RankWatch Backlink Analyzer is an instrument which provides information on backlinks, referral domains, IP diversity, anchor texts, and trust levels. It is possible to track the changes in backlinks history and visualise when new links have been added or lost.
It has competitive analysis provisions, where you can do backlink comparison side by side. RankWatch has a fixed price of keyword tracking, on-page SEO tools and thus, provides an end-to-end digital marketing package.
Its interface is newbie-friendly and can be used in a business, small to medium-sized, where they want to enhance their SEO results. It is not as deep as Ahrefs, but affordable and provides a useful set of the features to be used in tracking the backlinks and growing the SEO.
Website: https://www.rankwatch.com
Key Features:
- Referring domain and link classification
- Competitor link discovery
- Historical backlink data
- Anchor text trends
- Link location and status insights
Pros:
- Good local SEO and link tools
- Smart competitor tracking
- Real-time backlink updates
- Fast interface and reporting
- Free trial available
Cons:
- UI is not very modern
- Smaller link index than top players
- May lack integration flexibility
15. Screaming Frog SEO Spider
Screaming Frog SEO Spider is widely announced as a web crawler, however, when used with Google Search Console or Ahrefs API it provides the backlink auditing feature.
It assists in locating backlink errors, chains of redirects and links problems between sites. It is particularly suitable to technical SEO professionals who would wish to conduct an audit on both internal and external linking structure.
It does not provide a backlink database, but instead boasts in incorporating the data about crawled and backlink information in-depth link audits. Screaming Frog is ideal as an agency tool and web developer tool: it is fastidious and customisable, hence its place in technical SEO processes.
Website: https://www.screamingfrog.co.uk/seo-spider/
Key Features:
- Backlink and site crawl audits
- Custom extraction of link data
- Broken link and redirect identification
- Crawl depth and internal links
- Integration with GA, GSC, Ahrefs
Pros:
- Highly technical SEO tool
- Fast and detailed crawl analysis
- Free version available
- Highly customisable
- Great for onsite + offsite insights
Cons:
- Desktop-based only
- Requires SEO expertise
- Backlink data comes via integration
Ending Thoughts
Choosing the right backlink analysis tool is crucial for building a strong SEO strategy and maintaining a healthy link profile. These tools not only help identify the strengths and weaknesses of your own backlinks but also uncover valuable insights into your competitors’ strategies. From detecting toxic links to finding new opportunities for outreach, they play a central role in enhancing domain authority and improving search rankings.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced SEO professional, having access to detailed backlink data ensures smarter decision-making and more effective link-building efforts. As search engines continue to evolve, investing in a reliable backlink analysis tool becomes essential for staying ahead in the competitive digital landscape.
FAQs
What is a backlink analysis tool?
A backlink analysis tool helps you examine the links pointing to your website, assessing their quality, quantity, and potential impact on SEO.
Why is backlink analysis important for SEO?
Backlink analysis helps identify high-quality links, detect harmful backlinks, and uncover link-building opportunities, directly influencing your search engine rankings.
Can backlink tools help analyse competitors?
Yes, most backlink tools allow you to spy on competitors’ backlink profiles to find sources, strategies, and gaps to improve your own.
How often should I conduct a backlink audit?
It’s ideal to perform a backlink audit every 1–3 months or before major SEO campaigns or algorithm updates.