Here’s what actually matters. Learning how to find backlinks — both your own and your competitors’ — is one of the most useful SEO skills. It shows you what’s working, what to replicate, and what to fix.
Here’s exactly how to find backlinks, with free and paid tools.
Last updated: July 2026.
Key takeaways
- Find your own backlinks free in Google Search Console.
- Find competitor backlinks with tools like Ahrefs, Semrush or Moz.
- Use competitor links to spot opportunities you can replicate.
- Learn the full method in my free Link Building Mastery book.
How to Find Your Own Backlinks (Free)
The easiest free way to find your own backlinks is Google Search Console. Open the Links report and you’ll see your top linking sites, most linked pages and anchor text. It’s not exhaustive, but it’s free and straight from Google.
How to Find Competitor Backlinks
- Pick a paid backlink tool — Ahrefs, Semrush or Moz.
- Enter a competitor’s domain into the backlink report.
- Review their referring domains, anchor text and top linked pages.
- Filter for the relevant, high-quality links.
- Note the sites you could realistically earn a link from too.
Free Ways to Find Backlinks
- Google Search Console — your own links
- Free backlink checkers (limited but useful)
- Ahrefs’ free backlink checker (a sample of any domain)
- Manual searches — who’s mentioned competitors?
What to Do With What You Find
Finding backlinks is only step one. Use competitor links to build a prospect list of sites you could earn links from; audit your own profile for spammy links; and track how your link growth compares to competitors over time. That’s how link research turns into rankings.
Turn Research Into Links
Once you know where competitors get links, the next step is earning your own. That’s exactly what my free Link Building Mastery book covers — the outreach method behind a 7-figure link-building agency. See also my contextual links guide.
Grab my free Link Building Mastery book and 200+ AI SEO prompts, or join the SEO Elite Circle.
Free vs Paid Backlink Tools
| Free | Paid | |
|---|---|---|
| Your own links | Google Search Console | Ahrefs / Semrush |
| Competitor links | Limited free checkers | Full backlink reports |
| Depth | A sample | Comprehensive |
| Best for | Getting started | Serious research |
Common Mistakes When Finding Backlinks
- Only looking at your own links, never competitors’
- Chasing quantity instead of judging quality
- Ignoring anchor text and relevance
- Finding links but never acting on the insight
- Forgetting to audit for toxic links
How Often to Check Your Backlinks
A monthly check is plenty for most sites — enough to spot new links, catch anything toxic, and track growth against competitors. Set a reminder, pull the report, note anything unusual, and move on. Consistency beats obsessive daily checking, which just wastes time on data that barely changes day to day.
FAQ
How do I find my backlinks for free?
Use Google Search Console’s Links report — it shows your top linking sites, linked pages and anchor text, straight from Google, for free.
How do I find competitor backlinks?
Enter their domain into a backlink tool like Ahrefs, Semrush or Moz and review their referring domains and anchor text. Free checkers give a sample.
Why find competitor backlinks?
To spot link opportunities you can replicate, understand what’s ranking them, and benchmark your own profile.
What’s the best backlink tool?
Ahrefs and Semrush are the most comprehensive paid options; Google Search Console is the best free one for your own links.
What do I do after finding backlinks?
Build a prospect list from competitor links, audit your own for spam, and start earning links — the method is in my free book.
The Bottom Line
Finding backlinks is easy; earning them is the skill. Start with my free Link Building Mastery book.