SEO is made easier with backlinks, and building and analysing them is made easier with the right tools.
In 2025, the market is expected to have free tools for backlink analysis and competitor analysis.
Every tool has its strengths and weaknesses. Depending on your SEO goals, choose a tool.
Backlink tools enable you to track your backlinks, discover new opportunities for building links, and improve your site’s authority.
It is wise to begin with free tools, but don’t be afraid to switch to paid options for better results.
Top 5 free backlink tools for 2025
Picture this: You crafted an excellent blog, did on-page SEO, and ensured high-quality content. After everything, you check your rank on Google, and your page is nowhere to be found. The reason is that Google is treating the web as a popularity contest, and backlinks to your site are like votes. These links signal to search engines as votes of confidence that your content is worthy. HB3 links are a tier of backlinks offered by Adsy.PW platform.
As of 2025, backlinks remain an industry SEO cornerstone. They dynamically signal trust from other credible websites to yours. Therefore, it’s vital to seek out tools to manage, track, and optimize backlinks.
Fortunately, you don’t have to pay hundreds of dollars for premium tools to backlink. With excellent free backlink tools, it’s possible to start without a credit card. In this article, we’ll take a look at the five best free tools to manage and track backlinks in 2025.
Best 5 Backlink Tools 2025
Analysing backlinks helps you track domains that are linking to you, evaluate the links, and assess other potential link-building opportunities. Below is the list of the best free tools you can use in 2025.
Ahrefs Backlink Checker, a Giant in SEO Tools
What Makes Ahrefs Great?
Ahrefs is often regarded as one of the best SEO tools in the market, and its backlink checker is a testament to that. You can assess how backlinks are pointing to your site with their extensive database. Moreover, for small businesses or individuals, the free version snapshot of the top 100 backlinks is more than sufficient.
What You’ll Love:
Detailed Metrics: Check Domain Rating (DR), URL Rating (UR), and the number of referring domains.
Competitor Analysis: Identify who links to your competitors and leverage those sites for your link-building campaigns.
The Catch: With the free version, the only available data is the top 100 backlinks. If you require a more detailed analysis, a paid subscription will be necessary.
Real-Life Scenario:
Let’s say you’ve just opened up your new online store. With Ahrefs, you can find out which other e-commerce sites are linking to your competitors. Using this information, you can contact those sites requesting backlinks and improve your store’s visibility on Google.
SEMrush Backlink Analytics: Perfect for Competitive Research**
Why It’s Great:
Another industry leader in SEO tools is SEMrush. With Backlink Analytics, you can evaluate backlinks for any website and learn their link-building patterns. You can also check your competitors, which is a key part of building your link-building strategy.
What You’ll Love:
Competitor Tracking: Identify domains linking to your competitors and attempt to secure those backlinks for yourself.
Comprehensive Overview: The free version allows you to check 10 backlinks per domain.
The catch: You can only see a limited number of backlinks per domain, and there is a limit to the number of queries.
Real Life Scenario:
Imagine you are a travel blogger. With SEMrush, you can see where the top travel industry bloggers get their backlinks from, which can help you get backlinks for your site.
SEO SpyGlass (SEO PowerSuite): Free Version With Solid Features
Why It’s Great:
SEO SpyGlass by SEO PowerSuite is an excellent tool for analysis because it is desktop-based and does not require a continuing subscription for detailed backlink analysis. One of the few free tools that offer historical backlink data, which helps understand link building for the long term, is SEO SpyGlass.
What You’ll Love:
Rich Backlink Data: Get detailed insights from a backlink profile, as well as the associated anchor text and the chance of incurring penalties.
No Subscription Fees: The free version provides a reasonable volume of data without a subscription.
The Catch: You have to download and install the tool, which can be a setback for some users looking for purely web-based tools.
Suggested Changes:
For your PC-bound users, SEO SpyGlass can be a helpful tool, but be sure to update it as needed to avoid any glitches.
Moz Link Explorer: Simple and User-Friendly
Why It’s Great:
As an industry leader, Moz’s Link Explorer tool exemplifies straightforward efficiency. Small projects can be managed using a free account, providing access to check ten links monthly. In addition, Moz provides analysis on Domain Authority (DA) and Page Authority (PA,) which are crucial for determining backlink quality.
What You’ll Love:
Easy-to-Use Interface: Moz is recognised for its user-friendly design and ease of access for beginners.
DA and PA Insights: Moz’s metrics are widely accepted and used in the SEO industry, which makes assessing domain or page authority easier.
The Catch: The free version is limited to 10 queries per month. If you need more, you’ll have to upgrade.
Real-Life Scenario:
Consider a freelancer managing backlinks for multiple clients. With Moz, you can analyze which backlinks offer the highest value for DA and PA.
SE Ranking Backlink Checker: Free Trial with Advanced Tools
Why It’s Great:
SE Ranking is a budget-friendly SEO tool that comes with a free trial for its backlink checker. Users can access advanced competitor research, backlink monitoring, and detailed report-generation tools. It is ideal for users who require frequent backlink monitoring.
What You’ll Love:
Complete Backlink Reports: Backlink and SEO audits with SE Ranking are done with automation, ensuring seamless checking of backlink and anchor text manipulations.
Competitor Insights: Monitor backlink activity of your competitors and even scout for potential opportunities for backlink creation.
The Catch: Reports generated after the trials have been completed are not free of cost, making the tool unfavorable for consistent users.
Expert Insight:
SE Ranking’s detailed reports are great for competitor analysis and backlink monitoring. The tool is ideal for individuals who complete projects efficiently and are not hindered by free trial time limitations.
Picking the Perfect Backlink Tool for Your Needs
When selecting a backlink tool, it is vital to consider your SEO objectives. Do you want to monitor your backlinks, evaluate your competition, or discover new link-building opportunities? Let us simplify it:
For Competitor Research: Ahrefs and SEMrush are the leaders. Both tools allow analyzing competitor backlinks, making it easier to follow in their footsteps.
For Monitoring Backlinks: If you need to track your backlink profile over time, check out SE Ranking and Moz.
For Detailed Evaluation: SEO SpyGlass is one of the most proficient tools for creating a detailed backlink profile, perfect for users who enjoy detailed and comprehensive analysis.
Effective Strategies for Utilizing Free Backlink Tools to Their Full Potential
Don’t Limit Your Focus to the Number of Backlinks: While these tools allow tracking of numerous backlinks, their focus needs to be on the quality of the backlink, not the quantity. Seek out authoritative websites in your industry that can provide relevant traffic.
Avoid Free Tools: The growing complexity of your site might demand more comprehensive data than a free tool can provide. Prepare to purchase a subscription or explore premium features for better outcomes.
Check Regularly: You should regularly monitor your backlink profile, as it can often change. Periodically monitor your backlinks using the above tools to ensure they are not harmful to your account.
Conclusion: You Can Now Start Your Backlink Strategy Effectively
Improvement of your SEO hinges on the selection of your backlink tool. You can now access the top 5 free backlink tools for 2025, so no need to worry about the budget. Whether you are updating your current backlinks, looking to expand, or observing your rivals, a free tool exists for you.
Actionable Tip: Utilise these free backlink tools to monitor your backlink profile, identifying gaps and opportunities. For those of you who are serious and focused on SEO, consider upgrading to a paid account for increased feature access as your requirements expand.
Looking to step up your SEO game now? Grab a tool, get started on your analysis, and your rankings will be skyrocketing in no time!
