What this backlink checker looks for
Most “backlink checkers” query a stored index that may be weeks old. This one fetches the page live, the same way a search engine crawler would, and reads the raw HTML. For every link to your site it reports:
| Check | What it means | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Link present | An <a href> pointing at your domain exists in the page HTML | If it's gone, so is any value it passed |
| Rel attribute | Followed, nofollow, sponsored or ugc | Only followed links reliably pass ranking signals |
| Anchor text | The clickable words (or image alt text) | Anchors tell search engines what your page is about |
| Placement | Main content, header, nav, sidebar or footer | In-content editorial links carry the most weight |
| Indexability | Meta robots and X-Robots-Tag noindex | A noindexed page can't pass much value |
| Canonical | Where the page says its main version lives | Credit may go to the canonical URL instead |
How to check a backlink in 3 steps
- 1
Paste the linking page
Use the full URL of the article or page where your link should be — not just the homepage of that site. - 2
Add your domain
Type yoursite.com to catch links to any page on your site, or a full URL if you only care about one page. - 3
Read the verdict
Green means a followed, live link. Amber means it's qualified or has an issue. Red means we couldn't find it in the HTML.
Why a link can look fine but still be “missing”
- JavaScript-inserted links. Some widgets and page builders inject links after load. Search engines can render JavaScript, but plain HTML links are the reliable option.
- Bot protection. Some sites block automated requests or show a challenge page. If you get a 403 or 503, open the page yourself and view source.
- Wrong version of the URL. Check whether the link points at http vs https, a different subdomain, or a redirected old URL.
- The link was removed or edited. It happens more than people think — which is why ongoing monitoring matters.
Audit mode
Leave “your domain” empty to list every outbound link on a page with its rel attribute. It's a fast way to vet a site before you pitch a guest post or accept a placement — a page with hundreds of followed outbound links is a red flag.
How to find all your backlinks
This tool verifies a page you already know about. To discover links you don't know about, open Google Search Console → Links, which shows top linking sites, top linked pages and top linking text for free. Third-party indexes add more coverage. Once you have the list, use this checker to confirm the important ones are still live and followed. Learn more in our guide to what backlinks are and how to find them, and check your link text with the anchor text analyzer.