Guide Free SEO checks · 9 of 10
How to Check Backlinks to Your Website for Free
Check backlinks for free with Google Search Console, Bing Webmaster Tools and free checkers. See which links help, which to ignore, and when to worry.
To check backlinks for free, open Google Search Console, go to Links, and read the external links report. It lists the sites linking to you, your most linked pages and the anchor text used. It takes a few minutes and costs nothing.
Free tools from SEO vendors add a second view, though they only show part of the picture. Below, Dex walks through the checks, what to look for, and how much of this a small business should actually worry about.
How do you check backlinks for free?
You have three realistic options. Use at least two, because no single tool sees every link on the web.
1. Google Search Console
This is the most trustworthy free source because the data comes from Google itself. Verify your site, then open Links in the left menu. You will see:
- Top linked pages: which of your pages attract links.
- Top linking sites: the domains that link to you most.
- Top linking text: the anchor text people use.
You can export the lists to a spreadsheet. Search Console samples the data rather than showing every link, but for a small site it is usually enough.
2. Free versions of third-party backlink checkers
Several SEO vendors offer free backlink checkers that show a limited list of links for any domain, including a competitor’s. The limits vary and change, so check each tool’s current terms. They are handy for a quick look at who links to a rival café, dentist or shop in your area.
3. Bing Webmaster Tools
Bing offers its own backlink report for verified sites. It can surface links the other sources miss, and it costs nothing. It also matters if you care about visibility in tools that lean on Bing data.
What to do with the list
Do not just count. Scan for these things:
- Which pages earn links. These are your proven topics.
- Whether links come from real, relevant sites or from obvious junk.
- Broken pages that still have links pointing at them. Redirect them to a live, relevant page.
- Mentions of your brand that do not link. You can politely ask for a link.
Numbers differ between tools. That is normal, since each crawls the web differently. Compare trends over months, not exact totals between tools.
Which backlinks actually help your rankings?
Not all links carry the same weight. Google has said for years that links remain a signal, but it does not publish a formula. General industry experience points to a few qualities that matter.
Relevance
A link from a local food blog to your bakery says more than a link from an unrelated site. The topic of the page and the site should fit what you do.
Editorial placement
The best links are given freely, inside content, because someone found your page useful. A link in the body of an article beats one in a footer or a sidebar list.
Trust of the linking site
Links from established sites, such as local news, trade associations, universities or respected blogs, tend to count for more than links from new, thin sites.
Quality over quantity
A handful of relevant links can outweigh dozens of random ones. Judge each link by one question: would a real visitor click this and find it useful?
| Usually helpful | Usually low value |
|---|---|
| Local news or community mention | Link in a comment section |
| Supplier or partner page linking to you | Directory with no editorial review |
| Blog post citing your guide | Sitewide footer link on an unrelated site |
| Industry association listing | Paid link with no disclosure |
Metrics such as domain authority are third-party estimates, not Google scores. Treat them as rough guides at best.
Are bad backlinks hurting your site?
Usually not. Every site that has existed a while collects some spammy links, and Google has said it is generally good at ignoring them. Seeing odd links in your report is not a reason to panic.
When bad links are a real concern
- You or a past agency bought links or joined link schemes.
- You received a manual action notice in Search Console under Security and Manual Actions.
- You see a sudden flood of unnatural links alongside a clear ranking drop with no other explanation.
Paid links meant to pass ranking signals go against Google’s spam policies. If that applies to you, try to get the links removed by contacting the site owners first.
What about the disavow tool?
Google’s disavow tool lets you tell Google to ignore certain links. Google describes it as an advanced feature that most sites do not need. Use it only if you have a manual action or a clear history of paid or manipulative links you cannot remove. Disavowing normal links by mistake can do more harm than good.
A sensible routine
- Check your link report every few months. Pair it with a look at your website traffic using free tools to see whether links bring visitors.
- Look for sudden spikes or odd patterns.
- Check Manual Actions in Search Console.
- Otherwise, do what Dex does: spend the time on content rather than cleanup.
How many backlinks does a small business need?
Dex has answers, but not a magic number. The right amount depends on your competition. A dentist in a small town needs far fewer links than a national ecommerce brand selling popular products.
A practical way to find your target:
- Search the main keyword you want to win.
- Look at the top few results, especially smaller sites like yours.
- Run each through a free backlink checker.
- Note how many linking sites they have and what kinds.
If the pages ranking above you have only a few linking domains, you may not need many more. If they have hundreds, you will likely need a stronger content strategy and patience, or a different keyword you can actually win.
Links are not the only lever
Many small sites stall for reasons unrelated to links: thin pages, no content on the topics buyers search, or keywords that are too competitive. Targeting lower-difficulty searches can move the needle before links do. That is why Dex scores keywords by volume, difficulty and how close your site already is to ranking, so you spend effort where a win is realistic. Results always depend on competition and site history, and no one can promise a position.
Easy local link sources
- Your chamber of commerce or local business association
- Suppliers, partners and clients who can list you
- Local sponsorships, events and charity work
- Local press when you do something newsworthy
- Profiles on legitimate industry directories
These are slow, honest and useful beyond SEO. Avoid anything that promises hundreds of links for a small fee.
Why do useful articles earn links over time?
People link to things they want to reference. A clear, accurate, well-organized article gives them a reason. A thin page does not.
Content tends to attract links when it:
- Answers a specific question better than what already exists.
- Contains facts people can cite, such as definitions, steps, comparisons or original examples.
- Stays accurate. Fact-checking matters, because nobody wants to link to a page that gets things wrong.
- Is easy to find. Pages that rank get seen by bloggers, journalists and site owners who then link to them.
That last point creates a loop. Ranking earns visibility, visibility earns links, and links can support further ranking. It is gradual and not guaranteed, but it compounds in a way paid ads do not. Stop renting traffic. When you stop paying for ads, the clicks stop. Published articles stay on your site.
How Dex fits in
Dex writes expert articles of 1,000 to 3,000 words, fact-checked, with a content score on every article. It publishes daily to WordPress, Shopify, Webflow, Wix or Framer, and it reports clicks from Google Search Console. The aim is a growing library of useful pages that people can find, read and, sometimes, link to. Dex does not build or buy links for you, and it cannot promise that any article will attract them.
If you want a starting point, the Free SEO plan takes 60 seconds and needs no card. Enter your website URL and Dex reads your pages to learn what you sell, who you sell to and how you talk, then builds your plan.
FAQ
Is there a completely free way to check backlinks?
Yes. Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools are both free for sites you own. Free versions of third-party checkers also show limited data for any domain.
Why do different tools show different backlink counts?
Each tool crawls the web on its own schedule and stores different pages. None sees everything. Compare trends in one tool over time rather than totals across tools.
Should I disavow spammy links?
Usually no. Google says most sites do not need the disavow tool. Consider it only if you have a manual action or know of paid or manipulative links you cannot get removed.
Can I check a competitor’s backlinks?
Yes, with free third-party checkers. You cannot use Search Console for sites you do not own. The data is limited, but it shows what kinds of links they have.
Do I need backlinks to rank?
For competitive searches, links usually help. For less competitive searches, strong, relevant content can rank with few links. It depends on who you are up against.
Want a plan before you chase links?
Backlinks are one piece of SEO, and they are easier to earn when you have useful content that ranks. If you want to see which searches your buyers use and where you can realistically win, contact Dex SEO or start with the Free SEO plan. One robot, no card, no contracts.
Dex SEO is an AI SEO agent for small businesses. Every article here is planned from search data, drafted by Dex, fact-checked against the sources it cites, and reviewed by the team before it is published.
How this article was made: drafted with AI, fact-checked against the sources listed above, then edited and approved by the Dex SEO team.