Need a reliable free backlink checker tool

General
1

I’m trying to improve my site’s SEO and want to analyze my backlinks without paying for expensive subscriptions. I’ve tested a few “free” tools, but most are extremely limited or hide results behind paywalls. Can anyone recommend a truly free backlink checker that offers decent data like referring domains, anchor text, and new vs lost links?

2

Free backlink checkers are kind of pain, but there are some that are useable if you mix them.

Here is what I’d try.

  1. Ahrefs Free Backlink Checker

    • URL: ahrefs dot com / backlink-checker
    • Shows top 100 backlinks per domain.
    • Gives DR, anchor, first/last seen.
    • Good for quick quality check, not for full audits.
    • Data is decent compared to others.

  2. Ubersuggest free tier

    • URL: neilpatel dot com / ubersuggest
    • Limited daily searches, but shows more than Ahrefs for some sites.
    • Good for seeing referring domains and anchor text patterns.
    • Use it to spot spammy anchors or junk domains.

  3. Moz Link Explorer free

    • URL: moz dot com / link-explorer
    • Needs account. Limited queries per month.
    • Shows DA, spam score, linking domains.
    • Good for seeing which domains look risky.
    • Data smaller than Ahrefs, but still helpful.

  4. Semrush free account

    • URL: semrush dot com
    • Needs signup. Limited results and projects.
    • Use Backlink Analytics, you get a sample per domain.
    • Handy to cross check Ahrefs or Moz if something looks off.

  5. Google Search Console

    • Totally free, needs site ownership.
    • Go to Links in the left menu.
    • Shows “Top linking sites” and “Top linking text”.
    • Not full detail, but it is from Google, so use it as source of truth.
    • Export links to CSV, then review domains manually.

How to use all this without going nuts:

  • Start with GSC
    Export all external links. Filter out obvious junk like adult, casino, auto generated directories.

  • Cross check a sample in Ahrefs and Moz
    Paste a few suspicious domains into Ahrefs and Moz to see DR/DA and spam metrics.
    If a domain has no traffic, low DR/DA, weird anchors, treat it as low quality.

  • Prioritize by impact

    • Strong sites with natural anchors and relevant content: keep, try to get more like those.
    • Medium sites: monitor.
    • Spam: disavow only if there is huge volume or manual action risk. Random spam is normal.

Some extra tips:

  • Do not spend hours hunting every spammy comment link. Google ignores a lot.
  • Use a spreadsheet. Columns: Domain, Type, DR/DA, Anchor, Target URL, Keep/Monitor/Trash.
  • Check again every 1 to 3 months, not daily.
  • Focus on earning new good links with content and outreach. Free tools help you triage. They do not give perfect coverage.

None of the free tools shows everything. If you mix 3 or 4 plus Search Console, you get enough data to make smart decisions without paying for a subscription.