Can You Export Referring Domains From Ahrefs Free? Limits and Workarounds
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You can’t export referring domains from Ahrefs for free. Ahrefs Free, the free plan for websites you have verified (previously called Ahrefs Webmaster Tools), shows up to 1,000 referring domains at a time but includes no exports. Exports start on the Lite plan, which allows 500,000 export rows a month and up to 2,500 rows per report. Here are the limits by plan, and how to get your list into our free backlink analyser either way.
Ahrefs export limits by plan
| Plan | Price (monthly billing) | Export rows per month | Rows per report |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ahrefs Free | $0 | None | View up to 1,000 |
| Starter | $29 | None | View up to 250 |
| Lite | $129 | 500,000 | 2,500 |
| Standard | $249 | 1.5 million | 30,000 |
| Advanced | $449 | 4 million | 75,000 |
| Enterprise | $1,499 (annual commitment) | From 10 million | 150,000 |
Prices are Ahrefs’ monthly-billing prices in US dollars, as shown on its pricing page in October 2026; annual billing is cheaper. Every exported row counts towards the monthly allowance, including exports to Google Sheets.
Step 1: Set up Ahrefs Free and verify your site
Sign up at ahrefs.com and add your website. Site Explorer only shows data for sites you have verified, using Google Search Console, a DNS record, an HTML file or an HTML tag. Connecting Search Console is quickest if you already use it.
Step 2: Open Referring domains
In Site Explorer, enter your domain, then choose Referring domains under Backlink profile in the left-hand menu. The table lists each linking domain with its Domain Rating (DR) and the number of links it sends.
Step 3a: On a paid plan, export the CSV
Click Export at the top right of the table and download the CSV. In the free backlink analyser, choose Ahrefs CSV, paste the whole file and click Analyse backlinks. The analyser finds the domain column automatically.
Step 3b: On Ahrefs Free, copy the domains instead
Without an export, you can usually select the visible rows of the table, copy them and paste them into a spreadsheet. Copy just the domain column, then paste it into the analyser with the Plain list format selected: one domain per line is all it needs. If you have more than 1,000 referring domains, sort by DR first so you see the strongest.
Other ways to get your list free
Google Search Console is the most complete free source for your own site: its Links export gives up to 100,000 linking pages as a CSV, which the analyser reads directly. A free Semrush account shows 10 results per report, which is enough for a quick look at your strongest links.
Open the free backlink analyser
Frequently asked questions
Can you export from Ahrefs for free?
No. Ahrefs lists both its free plan and its Starter plan with no export rows. You can view up to 1,000 referring domains for a verified site on Ahrefs Free and copy them by hand.
How many rows can you export from Ahrefs?
It depends on the plan: Lite allows 500,000 export rows a month and up to 2,500 rows per report, Standard 1.5 million and 30,000, Advanced 4 million and 75,000, and Enterprise from 10 million and 150,000. Exports to Google Sheets count towards the same allowance.
Do I need to verify my site to use Ahrefs Free?
Yes, for Site Explorer. Ahrefs accepts four methods: connecting Google Search Console, a DNS record, an HTML file or an HTML tag.