How to check competitor backlinks and qualify the ones worth earning

When we check a competitor's backlinks, we open one rival's profile and read which pages earn their links, what the anchors look like and which referring domains have readers. Then we qualify the ones worth earning.

Competitor analysis is part of every campaign on our Managed Service (from $500 a month). The set-difference step (domains that link to them but not to you) has its own guide: backlink gap analysis. This page covers the check, the qualify and the earn. Followed links from relevant, indexed, read publications are one of the strongest ranking levers a site has, and the fastest one to move once the page is ready, which is why the check is worth doing properly.

The competitor backlink loop

Do not start by exporting every link from every site in your market. That creates a large file and a weak plan. Start with a tight workflow:

1. Pick the competitors that share your search market.
2. Pull one competitor's profile in one tool.
3. Read the profile: top-linked pages, anchors, referring-domain bands, readers.
4. Remove poor fits, weak pages and sites with no readers or no editorial placement.
5. Group the remaining prospects by the kind of link you can earn.
6. Track new, lost and won links over time.

That sequence keeps the work practical. You are not trying to copy a rival's whole backlink profile. You are trying to find the small set of sites that might have a fair reason to mention you.

1. Choose competitors that can teach you something

Business competitors and search competitors are not always the same. A company can sell the same service as you and still rank for a different set of terms. Another site may not sell what you sell, but it may own the search results you need.

Build two competitor lists.

Your domain-level list should include sites that compete across several money or informational keywords. These are useful for broad link gap work because their backlink patterns show which publishers, directories, resource pages, associations and blogs often cover the niche.

Your page-level list should include URLs ranking for the exact topic you want to improve. These are useful when one article, service page or tool is underperforming. A page-level comparison is often cleaner than a domain-level comparison because it shows links earned by that asset, not by the whole brand. Joshua Hardwick, writing on the Ahrefs blog (updated 9 October 2020), puts it bluntly: "You should always research backlinks on a page-by-page basis. This is crucial."

Use search results first. Search your primary keyword, the secondary terms, and a few buyer variants. Record the domains that appear again and again. Then sense-check those domains by looking at website traffic, ranking breadth and topical overlap. You do not need perfect matches. You need competitors whose links could plausibly make sense for your own site.

Remove outliers before you export data. Huge media sites, marketplaces, social networks and government domains can distort the list. Keep them only if they are genuine rivals for the page or keyword you are studying.

2. Check one competitor's backlink profile

Use one tool as the source of the export, then cross-check important prospects elsewhere if you need confidence. Mixing four exports at the start usually creates duplicate work because each index crawls the web differently.

Ahrefs: Site Explorer

Site Explorer's Backlink profile section has three reports: Backlinks, Referring domains and Anchors. The pages that earn a site's links are in the Best by links report, which Ahrefs Academy describes as showing "which pages on a target website or subsection have the most backlinks pointing to them (external and internal)". The "Top pages" report is organic search, not links.

Patrick Stox, writing on the Ahrefs blog on 15 December 2022: "If you look at the Best by links report for some of your competitors in Site Explorer, you may see some interesting content driving links to competitors that you otherwise may not find."

Link Intersect, Ahrefs' set-difference tool, belongs to the gap step, covered in our backlink gap analysis guide.

Semrush: Backlink Analytics

Backlink Analytics is Semrush's one-competitor profiling tool. Its Backlinks tool has Overview, Backlinks, Anchors and Indexed Pages reports (Semrush knowledge base, checked 13 September 2026). Referring Domains is a separate tool alongside it, and Authority Score and backlink Categories sit on the Overview.

Treat Authority Score and categories as sorting signals, not final decisions. The page itself still decides whether the link belongs on your outreach list.

Backlink Gap is the comparison tool; it belongs to the gap step.

Majestic: Compare

Majestic's Compare tool sets up to ten sites side by side on Trust Flow, Citation Flow, referring domains and external inbound links (Majestic help centre, checked 13 September 2026).

Use Trust Flow and Citation Flow as screening metrics inside Majestic. They can help you sort the list, but they should not overrule relevance. A lower-metric site that is tightly relevant can be a better prospect than a higher-metric site with no editorial fit.

Clique Hunter is Majestic's gap tool and belongs to the gap step.

Moz: Link Explorer

Moz Link Explorer is still useful for a second look at a backlink profile. It can show linking domains, inbound links, anchor text, Domain Authority, Page Authority and Spam Score. Use it to confirm whether a site has a real link footprint and to catch prospects another index missed.

Ninja Reports also runs a backlink checker, built with SE Ranking, that accepts a competitor's URL and returns referring domains, anchors and link type.

How to check competitor backlinks for free

A first look at any competitor costs nothing. The limits below were checked on 13 September 2026.

Ahrefs Free Backlink Checker works on any domain or URL with no account. Joshua Hardwick, writing on the Ahrefs blog on 21 March 2023, says it shows "the top 100 backlinks (referring page, anchor, and target URL)" plus totals for backlinks and referring domains. A free Ahrefs account adds Site Explorer only for sites you have verified as your own.

Semrush Free Backlink Checker works on any domain with no account and returns the site's top backlinks with Authority Score, totals and follow or nofollow tags. A free Semrush account gets the Backlinks tool at ten requests a day and ten results per report (Semrush knowledge base).

Moz Link Explorer gives ten queries a month on a free Community account.

SEO Review Tools' backlink checker returns "100 unique backlinks per domain or page", sorted by Semrush Domain Authority.

Ubersuggest shows 100 backlinks per site and three searches or reports a day on the free plan (Ubersuggest help, 26 July 2025).

Google Search Console's Links report shows top linked pages, top linking sites and top linking text for a property you own. Google says "This report isn't a comprehensive list of every link on your site" and tables stop at 1,000 rows. It cannot be run on a competitor.

We find a free snapshot is enough to see which pages earn a rival's links and what the anchors look like; the full profile and the gap need a paid index.

What we read in a competitor profile before anything else

Competitor analysis is part of every managed campaign, and it starts with one rival's profile, not a gap export. We open Best by links first, because the pages that earn links tell us which asset types the market rewards: guides, tools, data, comparisons. If a competitor's most-linked page is a calculator, a pitch for a service page will not replace it, and we say so before any outreach is planned.

We read the anchor mix next, brand and title anchors against exact-match commercial anchors, because it shows whether the links were editorial. A profile made of brand and title anchors was earned in body copy; a profile made of exact-match commercial anchors was not, and it is not a pattern we copy.

We then sort the referring domains into the same bands we price Curated Links by, from RD 20 to 100 up to RD 1,000 and above, and check whether each linking page has readers. The band tells us what a like-for-like placement costs; the readership tells us whether it is worth paying for.

Last we check velocity: how many quality referring domains a competitor gains per month, and where the strongest links point. Charles Floate, on his link building services page (updated February 2026), writes: "When analyzing competitors links, you want to look at:" Two of the items he names are "Link Velocity (How Many Quality RD Are They Gaining Per Month?)" and "Top Level Links (Which Links Are The Most Powerful & Where Do They Point?)".

A competitor's link is a lesson, not a target. We copy the kind of editorial placement, then place it on a relevant, indexed, read publication.

When you need the gap

Once you have read one or two profiles, the set-difference (referring domains that link to them and not to you) is a separate job with its own tools and its own sort. We cover it step by step, including a worked sheet, in our guide to backlink gap analysis.

3. Qualify each referring domain

The best competitor backlink reports are smaller after review, not larger. Your first export is only raw material. Qualification decides what is worth outreach, content work or tracking.

Start with topical relevance. Ask whether the linking site covers your industry, your audience or the problem your page solves. A link from a relevant authoritative website is stronger than a random high-metric link from a site that never covers your topic.

Then inspect the linking page. Look for real editorial context. Is the competitor link inside useful body copy, a curated resource list, a comparison, a citation, or an author bio? Is the page maintained? Does it rank or receive traffic? Would a reader understand why your link belongs there?

Next, screen the domain. A quick quality check should cover:

• Topical focus: the site publishes about subjects close to yours.
• Editorial standards: pages look written for readers, with links in the body copy, not a network.
• Link placement: links sit in body copy or a useful list, not a crowded footer.
• Outbound pattern: the page is not stuffed with unrelated commercial links.
• Indexation: the page and domain are visible in search.
• Freshness: the site still publishes or updates content.
• Readership: the page and the site have visitors, which is the floor we apply before any placement.
• Contact route: there is a realistic way to reach an editor or owner.

Use third-party metrics after those checks. Link authority, DR, DA, Trust Flow and similar scores can help you prioritise, but they are not Google metrics. If you are comparing DR or DA, use the same metric consistently inside one batch and avoid mixing scores as if they were interchangeable.

Anchor text matters too. A competitor link with natural anchor text is easier to learn from than a page full of exact-match commercial anchors. Use the anchor as a clue to the link reason. If the anchor is a brand name, the page may be about the company. If it is a statistic, definition or guide title, you may need content that answers the same need. If you need a refresher, this anchor text is the clickable text that appears in a hyperlink.

Score each prospect in plain language: pursue, maybe, monitor or reject. That is enough. A simple label is better than a fake precision score.

4. Decide how you can earn the link

Finding a gap does not mean you are entitled to fill it. The prospect still needs a reason to link to you.

Match each qualified prospect to one of four earning paths.

The first path is an existing-page mention. This works when the linking page already covers your topic and your page adds something useful. Once you have found the gaps, you still need to earn the links; curated links are one route when an existing relevant article can fairly reference your page without changing its purpose. On our Curated Links service an existing-page mention runs from $60 per link at RD 20 to 100 up to $210 at RD 1,000 and above, delivered in 14 to 21 days (checked 12 September 2026).

The second path is a guest contribution. This works when the site accepts expert articles and the competitor link came from a guest post, contributor page or editorial column. Use the competitor backlink as a clue, then build a better pitch around the site's audience. A list of guest post opportunities is useful only after you filter it for relevance and editorial standards. Our Guest Posts start at $75 (DA10+) and $130 (DA30+), checked 12 September 2026, and the same publisher checks apply: a traffic floor, a DR and DA cross-check, no networks, in-body placement and human sign-off before the link goes live.

The third path is content improvement. This works when competitors have links because they own the better asset: a guide, tool, original dataset, checklist, calculator or comparison page. In that case, outreach before improving your page is a waste. Build the asset first, then pitch the pages that already link to weaker alternatives.

The fourth path is relationship or partnership work. This applies to associations, suppliers, customers, events, podcasts, local groups and industry bodies. The link is often a by-product of a real relationship, not the first thing you ask for.

Do not put every prospect into outreach. Some gaps are only useful as market intelligence. If a competitor has links from irrelevant directories, old scholarship pages or sites with no readers and no editor, the lesson is to skip them, not copy them. The placements we fulfil are editorial mentions on indexed, read publications.

5. Build the outreach list

Your outreach list should be smaller than your export and richer than a list of domains. For each prospect, keep:

• Referring domain.
• Linking page URL.
• Competitor page linked.
• Link reason.
• Suggested page on your site.
• Contact route.
• Earning path.
• Priority.
• Notes on readership, relevance and editorial fit.

Write the suggested page before you write the email. If you cannot name the page you want them to cite, the prospect is not ready.

Your pitch should refer to the linking page, not to your desire for a backlink. For a resource page, explain why your page fits the list. For a citation, show what your page supports. For a guest post, lead with the idea and the audience value. For a comparison or alternatives page, explain the missing angle.

Keep the email short. Editors do not need your full SEO plan. They need to know what page you looked at, what you are suggesting, and why it helps their readers.

This is where broader link building techniques come back into the workflow. Competitor backlink analysis finds the map. The tactic you choose depends on the page, the editor and the asset you can offer.

6. Monitor your backlink profile after outreach

Competitor analysis is not a one-off export. Recheck your core competitors and your own backlink profile on a schedule. On managed campaigns we re-read the core competitors monthly, and weekly during an active burst or after a major linkable asset goes live.

Track three things.

First, watch new referring domains. If a competitor starts picking up links from the same kind of site again and again, add those sites to the prospect pool. If you win a link, tag it against the original gap so you can see which workflow produced it.

Second, watch lost links. A competitor's lost link can become an opening if the old page disappeared, moved or stopped matching the citation. Your own lost links need a separate review because they may need redirects, reclamation or page updates.

Third, watch anchor and page patterns. If your new links all point to the homepage with generic anchors, you may be building brand mentions but not supporting the page you wanted to grow. If competitors keep earning links to a guide, tool or data page, that tells you the market values that asset type.

Keep a simple monthly note: new gaps found, prospects qualified, outreach sent, links won, links lost, and pages that need improvement. The note matters because backlink tools can make activity look like progress. The only useful progress is a better prospect list, better assets and earned links from relevant sites.

Common mistakes to avoid

Do not chase every link a competitor has. Some links are old, accidental, from sites with no readers, or tied to relationships you cannot recreate. Copying those wastes time. A paid editorial mention on a relevant, read publication is a Curated Link or a Guest Post, not a mistake.

Do not treat domain metrics as the whole decision. Metrics help you sort, but page relevance and link context decide whether a prospect belongs in the campaign.

Do not pitch before your page is good enough. If the competitor earned a link to a detailed guide, a thin service page is unlikely to replace it.

Do not ignore page-level competitors. Domain-level gaps are useful, but page-level gaps usually produce cleaner outreach because the link reason is clearer.

Do not let the export define the strategy. Your strategy is the earning path: content, outreach, partnership, guest contribution, reclamation or no action.

FAQs

How do I check competitor backlinks?

Start with a few close competitors; three is a sensible default. Enter a domain or ranking URL into a backlink tool, read the top-linked pages, anchors and referring domains, then qualify each domain for relevance, editorial context and readers. A free checker gives the first look; the gap step is covered in our backlink gap analysis guide.

What is the best tool for competitor backlink analysis?

There is no single best tool for every team. Ahrefs is strong for Site Explorer and Link Intersect. Semrush is useful for Backlink Analytics and Backlink Gap. Majestic is useful for Compare and, for the gap, Clique Hunter. Moz Link Explorer is useful as a second view of links, anchors and authority metrics.

Should I copy all competitor backlinks?

No. Copy the lesson, not the whole backlink profile. A competitor link is worth pursuing only when the referring domain is relevant, the page has real editorial context, and you can offer a page or asset that deserves the mention.

How many competitors should I analyse?

Start with three. Use one close business competitor, one search competitor that ranks across the topic, and one page-level competitor for the exact keyword. Add more only if the gap list is too small or the same referring domains keep appearing.

How often should I rerun the analysis?

On managed campaigns we run a full comparison monthly while link building is active, quarterly for quieter sites, and a smaller check after a major content launch, a competitor campaign or a ranking change.

What makes a referring domain a good prospect?

A good prospect is relevant, editorially real, reachable and linked to a competitor for a reason you can match or improve. If the only appeal is a high metric, leave it out of the outreach list.

Can I check competitor backlinks for free?

Yes. Ahrefs' free checker shows the top 100 backlinks, Semrush's free checker the top backlinks, SEO Review Tools 100 per domain or page, and Ubersuggest 100 per site. That is enough to see top pages and anchors, not the whole profile. Limits checked 13 September 2026.

Can Google Search Console show competitor backlinks?

No. The Links report covers only a property you own and is not a complete list. Use a third-party index for a competitor.