Ahrefs free backlink checker: a round of plain questions
People type the same dozen questions into search before they open any paid tool. We answer them here, one at a time, with the limits left in.
SEOBacklinkList editorial team ·
The three free views of your links
You have three free windows. Google Search Console lists links Google reports to your verified site, Ahrefs Webmaster Tools shows links its crawler found to a site you verify, and the public Ahrefs checker shows a limited sample for any domain.
None of them is complete. Each crawler visits a different slice of the web, so the three lists overlap and disagree, and that is normal.
If you need a lookup on a competitor, the public checker is the quickest door, and it is deliberately capped to push you toward the paid plans of Ahrefs.
Pick by the question you have. For your own site, start with Search Console. For a rival, use the public checker, then read how to judge a donor if you are thinking of buying a similar placement.
Questions, in the words people use
Is the Ahrefs free backlink checker really free?
Yes, for a capped result. It shows a sample of the strongest links and some top-level metrics rather than the full profile. Treat it as a quick glance at a domain, not an audit you can file.
How do I check backlinks for a website without paying?
Verify your site in Google Search Console and open the links report. Add Ahrefs Webmaster Tools for a second crawler. Compare both lists in a sheet, because each tool misses links the other finds.
Why do two tools show different numbers for the same site?
Each tool runs its own crawler and its own index. Ahrefs, Semrush, Majestic and Moz all discover pages differently and drop dead links at different speeds, so equal counts would be the suspicious result.
Can I use a free checker on a donor site before buying?
You can, and it is useful for a first pass. Look at referring domains and top pages, then open the site itself. A tool shows structure, but a person has to judge whether the page is worth a placement.
Does a link in the checker mean Google counts it?
No. A checker shows that a link exists. Whether Google passes credit through it depends on rel attributes, the page's own standing and Google's spam systems, which no third-party tool can read.
What is a backlink search engine?
Usually a tool with its own crawler and index that lets you enter a URL and see pages linking to it. It answers where links are, not whether they help, which is a separate question.
A small routine that costs nothing
Run it monthly. Export the Search Console links list, export the Webmaster Tools list, and merge them in one sheet with a column for the source.
Sort by the date you first saw each link. New rows are worth a look, and rows that disappeared are worth a note, because a lost link is information too.
The method is plain. It will not rival a paid suite, but it keeps you honest about what you actually have, and it feeds the sheet described in our curated list guide. Beware of numbers copied from one tool into another, as definitions of Domain Rating, Domain Authority and Trust Flow differ.
Where a free tool stops
A free view will not give you the full link graph of a competitor, a monthly export, or alerts when links vanish. Those need Ahrefs or Semrush on a paid plan, and we are not a replacement for either. We sell links; they sell measurement.