How to Check the Number of Backlinks to a Site?

Counting backlinks sounds simple until you try it. Different tools show different numbers, and the number that looks biggest is not always the most useful. This guide explains how to check the number of backlinks to a site, whether it is yours or a competitor’s, and how to interpret what you find.

Total backlinks and referring domains are not the same

A site might have thousands of backlinks from a few dozen domains, for example when a site-wide link appears on every page of another site. Alternatively, it might have a few hundred links from hundreds of different domains. The second profile is usually healthier.

• Backlinks (total links). Every link found, including multiple links from the same site.
• Referring domains. Unique websites that link to the target.
• Referring pages. Unique pages that contain links.

When you compare sites, referring domains are usually the most informative number. We use it in how many backlinks you need to rank.

Checking your own site

Google Search Console

Google Search Console is free and shows the sites that link to you and the pages they link to. Open the Links report. It displays top linking sites, top linked pages and top linking text. The report is a sample, not a full export of every link, but it reflects what Google has found. We walk through this in how to check if your website has backlinks.

A third-party tool

Paid tools usually show larger numbers. They provide totals for backlinks and referring domains, along with new and lost links over time. Many offer a limited free check, enough for a quick look.

Combine the data

Take the number from Search Console and the number from one or two tools. Expect them to differ. Use them as a range, not a precise figure.

Checking a competitor or any other site

You cannot see a competitor’s Search Console data, so you rely on third-party tools. Enter the domain or a specific URL and note:

1. Referring domains. The headline figure.
2. Total backlinks. Useful for context, but easily inflated.
3. Link growth. Is the profile growing steadily or in bursts?
4. Top referring domains. Which sites provide the strongest links?
5. Anchor text. Are anchors natural?
6. Top linked pages. What content attracts links?

Run the check for the domain as a whole, and for the specific page that ranks for your target search. A page-level view often tells you more than the domain-level number. Our guide to finding out what backlinks a website has covers the process in more detail.

Why numbers differ between tools

• Different crawlers. Each tool discovers different pages.
• Different update schedules. Some refresh more often than others. See how often tools update backlinks.
• Different definitions. Some count nofollow links, some count redirects, some filter spam.
• Different time windows. One may show recent links, another a longer history.

Because of this, never compare a number from one tool with a number from another. Use the same tool for all your comparisons.

How to interpret the number

• Low numbers are normal for new sites. Do not worry if you are just starting.
• Large numbers mean little without quality. Check relevance and link sources.
• Sudden jumps deserve a look. They may come from a viral article, a site-wide link or spam.
• Compare with relevant competitors, not giants. A local business should compare itself with local rivals.

Look beyond the count

A single strong editorial link may outweigh dozens of weak ones. After you have the number, look at the quality:

• Are the linking sites relevant?
• Do they have real traffic?
• Are the links in the body of articles?
• What attributes do they use?

If you find suspicious links, see what toxic backlinks are.

A simple spreadsheet

Create a table with one row per site you check and columns for referring domains, total backlinks, new links in the last month, top anchor and date checked. Update it monthly. A pattern over time is more informative than a single snapshot.

Using the number to plan

Once you know your count and your competitors’ counts, you can estimate the gap. If you need to close it, choose methods that fit your budget. Guest posts, link insertions and outreach are common routes. Our guest posting services are one way to add relevant links, and you can choose each site and approve each article.

Common mistakes

• Comparing total backlinks instead of referring domains.
• Trusting a single tool for important decisions.
• Ignoring link quality.
• Checking only once.
• Copying a competitor’s number as a target without context.

A step-by-step example

Say you want to compare your site with two competitors for the search “project management software for agencies”. First, search the term and note which pages rank in the top five. Second, open your backlink tool and enter each ranking page, not just the homepage. Third, write down referring domains, new referring domains in the last three months and the three strongest linking domains for each page. Fourth, do the same for your own page. Now you can see whether you are behind by five domains or by fifty, and whether the leaders rely on a few strong links or many modest ones. That is far more useful than a single big number.

What to do when the numbers look very different

If your tool shows a competitor with ten times your links, check a few things before you worry. Look at whether most of their links come from one or two sites, whether many are redirects or whether a large share are from a single site-wide placement such as a footer. Strip those out and compare again. Often the real gap is much smaller than the headline suggests.

Tracking the number over time

A single count tells you little, but a monthly count tells a story. Record referring domains on the same day each month in the same tool. Over a few months you will see whether your efforts are moving the number, and whether competitors are speeding up or slowing down. Add a note when you run a campaign so you can connect changes to actions.

Closing a gap you find

If your count is far below a rival’s, you can add relevant links through our buy backlinks page, or with a monthly plan from our link building packages.

Key takeaways

• Referring domains are usually more informative than total backlinks.
• Use Search Console for your own site and a third-party tool for competitors.
• Different tools show different numbers, so compare within one tool.
• Look at quality, relevance and growth, not just the count.
• Use your findings to set realistic monthly goals.