Backlink checker that only reports what it can see

No tool can list your backlinks without crawling the whole web. So this one does the part that can be done honestly: paste the pages that should link to you, and we check every one is live, followed and pointing where you expect.

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Where real backlink data comes from

A backlink lives on somebody else’s page. The only way to know it exists is to have crawled that page. Google, Bing and a handful of SEO companies run crawlers at that scale. Everyone else, including most “free backlink checker” sites, either rents their data or makes a number up. These are the sources worth using:

SourceYour siteCompetitorsCost
Google Search Console → LinksTop linking sites, pages, anchor textNoFree
Bing Webmaster Tools → BacklinksYesSome, via “similar sites” comparisonFree
Ahrefs Webmaster ToolsFull backlink list, DR, referring domainsNoFree for verified owners
Ahrefs Backlink Checker (free)Top 100 backlinksTop 100 backlinksFree
Ahrefs, Semrush, Majestic, Moz (paid)EverythingEverythingSubscription

A simple backlink audit workflow

  1. Export. Download the linking pages from Search Console or Ahrefs Webmaster Tools.
  2. Verify. Paste the pages that matter most (links you built, earned press, partner pages) here. Anything marked missing has been removed or hidden.
  3. Check the anchor and target. Is the link pointing at a page that still exists, or at an old URL that now redirects? Run that target through the redirect checker.
  4. Reclaim. For removed links, a polite email to the site owner often gets them back, especially if the page was redesigned and the link fell out by accident.
  5. Clean up rarely. Only if you have a manual action for unnatural links, or bought links in the past, consider a disavow file. Google says most sites never need one.

New to the topic? Start with what backlinks are and how link equity flows.

Questions people ask

Is this a free backlink checker?

It is a free backlink verifier. It does not discover backlinks, because that needs a web-scale crawl. You give it the pages that should link to you (from Search Console, an outreach sheet or a backlink export) and it confirms, page by page, that the link is live, which URL it points at, its anchor text and whether it is followed.

How can I check the backlinks of a website for free?

For your own site, verify it in Google Search Console (Links report) and Ahrefs Webmaster Tools; both are free and list linking domains and pages. Bing Webmaster Tools also has a Backlinks report that can show data for other domains. Export the list, then paste the pages here to confirm which links are still live.

Can I check a competitor’s backlinks?

Discovering a competitor’s backlinks requires a backlink index: Ahrefs’ free backlink checker shows the top links for any domain, and paid plans show all of them; Bing Webmaster Tools offers some competitor data. Once you have the linking pages, this verifier shows exactly how each one links (anchor text and follow status).

How do I check referring domains?

Referring domains are the unique websites linking to you. Search Console’s “Top linking sites” list is a free referring-domains report for your own site. Commercial indexes count them for any domain. We do not estimate the number because we can’t see the whole web.

Why is a backlink I built showing as missing?

The link may have been removed, the page may load its content with JavaScript (we read the raw HTML), the site may block automated requests, or the link points to a different domain spelling. Open the page and search for your domain to confirm.

What does the verifier store?

Your domain and page list are saved in your browser’s local storage so you can re-run the check later. Use “Forget saved list” to delete them. Nothing is stored on our server.

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