New Website? Compare 5 Backlink Checkers Before You Subscribe

If you've just launched a website, you may not need a paid backlink checker yet. Checking who links to your own site is a different job from researching competitors, exporting large reports or tracking changes over time.

Start with the question you need answered. Then pay for the access that answers it.

Here are five options to compare, including free starting points and paid plans. This is a documentation-based comparison using official sources checked on November 8, 2026, not a benchmark of which database finds the most links.

Disclosure: I'm a co-founder of Screpy, which is included below.

Decide what you need to check

Before comparing prices, separate three questions: who links to your website, where competitors get links, and whether a particular recorded link still exists.

A backlink is a link record; a referring domain is a website supplying links. Ten links from one domain aren't ten different referring domains.

Keep the target scope consistent, too. A whole domain, its subdomains and one exact page can produce different reports. A zero or empty result in one tool doesn't establish that no links exist anywhere.

1. Google Search Console

For your own new site, start with Search Console's Links report. It shows top linked pages, linking sites and linking text for a property you have permission to access.

It's free, but it isn't a substitute for a competitor backlink database.

Google explicitly describes the report as a sample. Tables are limited to 1,000 rows, and links found in the past may remain listed after they've been removed. The report also doesn't specify whether a link is marked nofollow.

That makes it useful for finding sources to inspect, without treating every row as a current, followed placement. Open an important referring page and check it directly.

I'd use this first if the immediate question is simply who is linking to the site you launched. Upgrade elsewhere when the task needs competitor research, different filtering or more usable history, rather than because a small report feels insufficient by itself.

2. Ahrefs

Ahrefs has two free entry points worth separating.

Ahrefs Free, previously called Webmaster Tools, gives access for websites you can verify. Its published Site Explorer allowance is up to 1,000 backlinks and keywords visible at once. That is a display limit, not a promise that a site's total can never exceed it.

The separate public Backlink Checker lets you preview a domain or page you don't own. Don't apply the verified-site allowance to an arbitrary competitor.

For a new website, the free account is worth evaluating before a paid subscription. For competitor work, use the public preview to see whether the available source details answer your question, then check paid limits for exports and historical access.

I wouldn't choose a subscription on Domain Rating alone. A summary metric doesn't replace checking the source page, destination and context of an individual link.

3. Majestic

Majestic is worth comparing when backlink investigation itself is the main job, rather than one feature you occasionally need inside a broader SEO suite.

Lite includes the Fresh Index, Site Explorer, Link Context and referring-domain analysis. Its published allowance includes 5,000 Site Explorer data rows per search. The Historic Index is a Pro feature, so don't assume the entry plan includes the deeper historical workflow.

The pricing page served during research showed pounds sterling: £39.99 monthly, or £399.90 every 12 months, excluding VAT. Keep the annual total in view instead of mistaking the rounded monthly equivalent for a monthly charge.

For a new site with a handful of sources to inspect, free tools may already cover the task. I'd consider Majestic when repeated link research, context or a specific index requirement makes the subscription useful.

Before buying, check the actual report and export allowances you need. “Access to an index” doesn't mean every search returns unlimited rows.

4. SE Ranking

SE Ranking's public Backlink Checker supports domain and exact-URL scopes. When reviewed, the page displayed five free checks remaining that day. Treat that as the published entry-point allowance shown then, not a guarantee of unlimited free reports or exports in every account.

It's useful to try a narrow competitor question before deciding whether you need the wider platform. Look for referring pages, anchors and linked destinations, rather than stopping at a profile total.

The current Core subscription costs $129 monthly or $103.20/month equivalent billed annually. The latter is $1,238.40 for a year by calculation. That buys a broader SEO package, not a standalone backlink lookup.

A trial and a permanent free allowance are different things. Before subscribing, confirm the filters, rows and exports available in the exact access level you're considering. The suite makes more sense if its other tools solve work you already have.

5. Screpy

Screpy's Backlink Checker lets you investigate the selected project or an added competitor. It brings source pages, target URLs, anchors, recorded link attributes and first-seen dates into the same workflow as your website's technical SEO work.

For current public plans, Max includes backlinks and Pro doesn't. Max's regular annual price is $456, equivalent to $38/month paid for the year. It includes 15 projects and 10,000 crawl pages per project. Conditional welcome offers can change checkout pricing; this comparison uses the regular price.

The main tradeoff is scope: the backlink report covers the selected domain, rather than a separately entered page or folder. Loading a report also doesn't freshly test every source URL.

I'd compare it when you need backlink investigation alongside audits and monitoring, rather than backlink research alone. Inspect your account's available report and export limits before planning bulk work. First-seen dates record discovery, and a spam score is a reason to investigate, not proof of a Google penalty.

Pay when a real task hits the limit

Try a small investigation before subscribing. Here's an illustrative workflow for a new site, not a test result:

1. Check your own domain in a free report you can access. Record the date, scope and whether the number means backlinks or referring domains.
2. Choose one relevant competitor, if competitor research is part of the job. Use a tool that permits that target and keep the scope consistent.
3. Collect a short list of useful source pages. For each, note the destination, anchor and observation date. Open important sources to confirm the link and its context.
4. Write down what stopped you: an unavailable competitor report, too few visible rows, missing history, an export restriction, or a need to repeat the work regularly.

That last line is your reason to pay. Match it to the eligible plan instead of upgrading because another tool displays a bigger total.

For example, if your only task is checking a few launch mentions, a limited report may be enough. If you need repeatable competitor exports, verify that workflow and its limits before committing to a year.

Keep the tools you can explain and use. A backlink count is a starting point for investigation; the useful outcome is knowing which source, destination or next action deserves your attention.