Finding backlinks to your URL
You can find pages that link to your URL using free tools like Google Search Console, Ahrefs' free backlink checker, or Moz's Link Explorer. Each tool shows you different information about who is linking to you, where those links appear, and how much traffic they might send. The fastest way depends on whether you own the site, how many backlinks you expect, and what details matter most to you.
If you own the website, Google Search Console is the most reliable source because Google tells you directly which pages it has found linking to you. If you're researching a site you don't own, or you want to see links Google hasn't indexed yet, third-party tools fill in gaps that Search Console cannot.
Key Takeaways
- Google Search Console shows backlinks Google has actually found and indexed, making it the most authoritative source for your own site.
- Third-party tools like Ahrefs, Moz, and SEMrush find links that Google may not have discovered yet, and they work on any URL whether you own it or not.
- Free versions of backlink checkers show you the top links but hide detailed metrics; paid versions reveal anchor text, link type, and traffic estimates.
- Backlinks from high-traffic sites and sites in your industry carry more weight than links from small or unrelated pages.
Using Google Search Console for your own site
If you own the website, log into Google Search Console with the Google account linked to your site. Click Links in the left menu, then select External links. Google shows you the top pages linking to your site, the top pages on your site being linked to, and the most common anchor text (the clickable words in the link).
This data comes directly from Google's index, so it reflects what Google has actually crawled and counted. The limitation is that Google only shows links it has found; very new links or links on pages Google hasn't indexed yet won't appear here. You can download a list of up to 1,000 links as a CSV file to analyze in a spreadsheet.
Google Search Console also shows you referring domains — the unique websites sending links to you, rather than counting every single link. If one site links to you five times, it counts as one referring domain. This number matters because links from five different sites usually signal more authority than five links from one site.
Finding backlinks with free third-party tools
Tools like Ahrefs' free backlink checker, Moz's Link Explorer free version, and SEMrush's backlink checker work on any URL, whether you own it or not. Go to the tool's website, paste in the URL you want to research, and the tool crawls its own database of known links and reports what it finds.
These tools find links that Google Search Console may have missed because they maintain their own indexes separate from Google's. They also work instantly on URLs you don't own — you don't need to verify ownership or wait for Google to crawl the page. The trade-off is that free versions show you only the top 10 to 100 backlinks and hide details like the exact anchor text or the referring page's traffic.
Ahrefs' free checker shows domain rating (a score from 1 to 100 measuring the linking domain's authority), the referring page's traffic estimate, and whether the link is dofollow or nofollow (whether it passes authority to your site). Moz's free version emphasizes spam score and domain authority. Both are useful starting points; the paid versions unlock the full list of links and more granular filtering.
Understanding dofollow and nofollow links
A dofollow link passes authority from the linking page to your URL. Search engines count dofollow links as votes of confidence, and they influence your site's ranking. A nofollow link tells search engines to ignore it — it doesn't pass authority, but it can still send human visitors to your site.
Links from social media, comments, and user-generated content are usually nofollow by default. Links from news sites, industry publications, and other editorial sources are usually dofollow. When you're evaluating backlinks, dofollow links from high-authority sites matter more for search ranking, but nofollow links from popular sites can still drive real traffic.
You can see whether a link is dofollow or nofollow in most backlink tools, and you can also inspect it yourself. Right-click the link in your browser, select Inspect or Inspect Element, and look for the text rel="nofollow" in the HTML. If you see that text, the link is nofollow. If it's not there, the link is dofollow.
Comparing backlink tools and what each shows
| Tool | Works on URLs you don't own | Free version limits | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Search Console | No — requires site ownership verification | Shows top links only; no paid version | Your own site; most authoritative data |
| Ahrefs free backlink checker | Yes | Top 100 links; limited filtering | Quick overview of any URL; domain rating visible |
| Moz Link Explorer free | Yes | Top 50 links; spam score shown | Assessing link quality and spam risk |
| SEMrush backlink checker free | Yes | Top 10 links; requires free account | Quick check; integrates with other SEMrush tools |
| Ubersuggest free backlink tool | Yes | Top 10 links; basic metrics only | Fastest free check; least detailed |
What to look for when reviewing your backlinks
Not all backlinks help equally. A link from a high-traffic site in your industry carries more weight than a link from a small, unrelated site. Look at the referring domain's authority score (Ahrefs' domain rating, Moz's domain authority, or SEMrush's authority score), the traffic the referring page receives, and whether the link appears in relevant context or in a spam comment.
Check the anchor text — the words used in the link. If someone links to you with anchor text matching your target keyword, that link signals relevance to search engines. If the anchor text is generic ("click here") or unrelated to your content, the link is less valuable for ranking but may still drive traffic.
Look for patterns that suggest spam. If you suddenly have hundreds of backlinks from unrelated sites with keyword-stuffed anchor text, or if links come from sites with high spam scores, those links may hurt your ranking rather than help it. Google's algorithm is designed to ignore or penalize manipulative linking patterns, so quality matters far more than quantity.
Monitoring new backlinks over time
Google Search Console updates its backlink data roughly once a month. If you want to track new links as they appear, set up email alerts in Google Search Console or use a paid backlink tool's monitoring feature. Ahrefs, Moz, and SEMrush all offer alerts when new backlinks are detected, though the free versions don't include this feature.
For ongoing monitoring without paying, check Google Search Console monthly and run a free backlink checker every few weeks. This rhythm catches most new links and helps you spot sudden spikes (which might indicate a news mention or viral content) or unwanted links (which you can request Google remove).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see backlinks to a competitor's website?
Yes, using any third-party backlink tool. You cannot use Google Search Console on a site you don't own, but Ahrefs, Moz, SEMrush, and others work on any URL. This is how people research competitor link-building strategies and find potential linking opportunities in their industry.
What's the difference between backlinks and referring domains?
A backlink is a single link from one page to another. A referring domain is the unique website sending the link. If one website links to you ten times, that's ten backlinks but only one referring domain. Referring domains matter more because links from multiple different sites signal broader authority than many links from one site.
Should I try to remove bad backlinks?
If you have many low-quality or spammy backlinks, you can request removal through Google Search Console's disavow tool. However, Google's algorithm is designed to ignore spam links automatically, so removal is usually only necessary if you have a sudden influx of obvious spam or if you're recovering from a manual penalty.
Do backlinks from social media help my search ranking?
Social media links are almost always nofollow, so they don't pass ranking authority to your site. However, they can drive real traffic and increase visibility, which may indirectly help your site. Focus on earning links from editorial sources and industry sites for direct ranking benefit.
How long does it take for a new backlink to show up in backlink tools?
Google Search Console updates roughly monthly. Third-party tools vary; Ahrefs and Moz typically find new links within days to a week, depending on how quickly they crawl the referring page. Very new links may not appear in any tool for several weeks.