Two Types of Backlink Checkers
Type 1: Discovery Tools
Ahrefs, Moz, SEMrush, Majestic. They crawl the internet and build massive link databases.
Enter a domain, they show:
- How many sites link there
- Which pages contain links
- Anchor text used
- Authority of linking sites
- Historical data
They answer: “What backlinks exist?”
Type 2: Verification Tools
They check specific links you know about to confirm they:
- Actually exist on the page
- Point to the correct URL
- Have the right attributes (dofollow/nofollow)
- Haven’t been removed
- Are accessible to search engines
They answer: “Are these links real and working?”
Discovery = map of all roads. Verification = GPS confirming a specific road works.
Why Both Types Exist
Discovery tools are great for:
- Researching competitor backlinks
- Finding link opportunities
- Tracking backlink growth
Verification tools are essential for:
- Confirming paid links exist
- Auditing SEO agency deliverables
- Checking guest post links
- Verifying dofollow/nofollow status
- Catching removed links
The scenario: SEO agency sends report claiming 50 new backlinks. Discovery tool might show some in weeks. Verification tool checks those specific URLs right now.
What Backlink Checkers Analyze
Link Existence
Does the link actually exist? Pages get deleted, content reorganized, links removed.
Link Attributes
- Dofollow (no rel attribute) — passes SEO value
- Nofollow — doesn’t pass SEO value
- Sponsored — indicates paid link
- UGC — user-generated content
Paid for dofollow and got nofollow? That’s a problem.
Anchor Text
The clickable text. Provides context to search engines.
Page Accessibility
Can search engines see it? Pages blocked by robots.txt or behind logins provide zero SEO value.
Who Needs This
- Business owners with SEO agencies — Verify deliverables
- In-house SEO professionals — Track efforts, prove ROI
- Digital marketing managers — Spot-check contractor reports
- Freelance consultants — Audit client backlinks
- Anyone who paid for backlinks — Confirm you got what you paid for
Stop Trusting. Start Verifying.
Backlink Checker Pro verifies backlinks in bulk. Upload PDF, CSV, or Excel—we check each link for existence, rel attributes, and accessibility issues.
Perfect for auditing SEO deliverables or verifying purchased links.
Verify Your Backlinks FreeCommon Use Cases
Verifying SEO Deliverables
Agency sends 30 new backlinks. Upload the list, see:
- Which actually exist
- Which are dofollow vs nofollow
- Which have accessibility issues
- Which were already removed
Auditing Your Profile
Understand link quality. Mostly dofollow? Broken links? Spammy sources?
Competitive Analysis
Discovery tools show competitor links. Find similar opportunities.
Post-Purchase Verification
Bought a backlink package. Confirm you got what you paid for.
Manual Alternative (Why It’s Painful)
- Visit page
- Ctrl+F for your URL
- Right-click link, inspect HTML
- Check for rel attribute
- Document findings
- Repeat 49 more times
10 links = annoying. 100 links = full day. 500 links = forget about it.
Red Flags You Need Better Verification
- Agency won’t provide detailed reports
- Rankings dropped despite “successful” link building
- Links seem too good to be true
- You’ve never clicked through to verify
- Previous efforts showed no results
What is a backlink checker used for?
Analyzing links to a website. Discovery tools find all backlinks. Verification tools confirm specific links exist and are configured correctly. Common uses: auditing agency work, verifying purchased links, competitive research, monitoring link health.
What's the difference between discovery and verification tools?
Discovery tools crawl the internet and build databases of all known backlinks. Verification tools check specific URLs to confirm links exist and work correctly. Discovery = research. Verification = confirmation.
Why do backlinks need verification?
Links can be removed, changed from dofollow to nofollow, or may never have existed. Pages can become inaccessible to search engines. Verification ensures you got what was promised and links provide SEO value.
What link attributes does a checker look for?
The rel attribute: dofollow (no attribute, passes SEO value), nofollow, sponsored (paid links), and ugc (user content). These significantly impact SEO value.