Why I Built a Free Backlink Analyser
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I built a free backlink analyser because the paid tools that show a full picture of who links to your website start at around $130 a month, and all I needed was a plain-English reading of a list I already had. It runs in your browser, sorts each linking site into editorial, directory, platform or spam, and stores nothing. Here is why it exists and how to use it.
I run Cherry Grove Craft, a one-person laser engraving workshop in North Wales. We make wooden signs, name badges and keyrings, which isn’t a business you would associate with backlink analysis. But we sell online, so search matters, and links from other websites are one of the signals search engines use to judge which sites to trust.
The wall I hit
When I started checking our referring domains regularly, I found that the tools giving a full picture are built for agencies managing dozens of sites, and priced that way. Ahrefs’ Lite plan is $129 a month and Semrush’s entry SEO plan is around $140 a month, both on monthly billing as of October 2026. Their free options are useful but limited: Ahrefs Free shows up to 1,000 referring domains for a site you own and have verified, with no export, and a free Semrush account shows 10 results per report.
What I actually needed
- Which linking sites are real editorial links: articles, blogs and news pages that chose to mention us?
- Which are directories and platforms: business listings, social profiles and marketplaces?
- Which look low-quality or spammy, so I could decide whether they needed any attention?
- What does the overall profile look like?
That information was already sitting in an export I had. I just wanted something to read it and give me a plain answer: no account, no API key, no subscription.
So I built it
The free backlink analyser is a single web page with some JavaScript. Paste in a referring-domains export or a plain list of domains, and it classifies each one, breaks the profile down by type, gives it a health score and adds plain-English notes. Nothing is sent anywhere and nothing is stored. The spam check is a rule of thumb based on domain patterns, so look at anything it flags before you act on it.
I built it because I needed it, and I have shared it because other small businesses hit the same wall.
Where to get your list of links
- Google Search Console (free, most complete): Links, then Export, then Latest links, for up to 100,000 linking pages. Step-by-step Search Console guide
- Ahrefs: paid plans export referring domains as a CSV. Ahrefs Free has no export, but you can copy the domains from the table into the analyser’s Plain list mode. Ahrefs limits and workaround
- Semrush: Backlink Analytics, then the Referring Domains tab; the free account shows 10 results per report. Semrush guide
If you spot something that isn’t working, tell me through the contact page. And if your business ever needs engraved signs or name badges, our wooden signs are made to order in North Wales.
Frequently asked questions
Is the backlink analyser free?
Yes. There is no account, no API key and no subscription, and nothing you paste is stored.
Does it find new backlinks?
No. It classifies a list of linking sites you already have. Google Search Console is the most complete free way to get that list.
Can I trust its spam verdicts?
Treat them as a starting point. The check is a rule of thumb based on domain patterns, so look at anything it flags before you act on it.