Backlink status checker
Paste the pages that should link to you. For each one you see whether the link is there, whether it is followed, and whether the page can be indexed. Free, up to 10 pages at a time.
| Page | Link to you | Attribute | Anchor text | Page status |
|---|
How to read the result
| What you see | What it means |
|---|---|
| Found, followed | The link is in the page HTML with no nofollow, sponsored or ugc attribute. |
| Found, with nofollow, sponsored or ugc | The link is there, and the publisher has told search engines not to count it as an editorial vote. |
| Not found | No link to your domain is in the HTML. It may have been removed, or it may be added by JavaScript. |
| Noindex | The page asks search engines not to index it. A link on a page that is not indexed is unlikely to count. |
| Canonical points elsewhere | The page names a different address as its main version. Check that the link is on that address too. |
| Redirect, 404 or 410 | The page has moved or is gone. A placement you paid for should be raised with the seller. |
When to run it
- On delivery. Before you accept an order from a marketplace or an agency, confirm each placement matches what you bought. Our lesson on auditing vendor deliveries has the full checklist.
- Every few months. Links disappear. Our lesson on how long backlinks last has the published figures on link loss.
- Before a report. A link that is no longer live should not be counted. See link building reporting.
What it does not check
The tool does not tell you whether Google has indexed the page, how much traffic the site has or whether robots.txt blocks the page. For those, use the steps in how to vet a publisher and backlink indexing. For the meaning of each attribute, see nofollow, sponsored and ugc.
Common questions
What does the backlink status checker look at?
It opens each page you list and looks for links to your domain. For every link it reports the anchor text and whether the link carries nofollow, sponsored or ugc. It also reports the status code of the page, any redirect, a noindex instruction and the canonical address.
Why does it say no link was found when I can see the link?
The checker reads the HTML the server sends and does not run JavaScript. If the link is added by a script, or the page shows different content to visitors and to automated requests, it will not appear. Some sites also block automated requests completely.
Is a nofollow or sponsored link worthless?
No. Google has treated nofollow, sponsored and ugc as hints since 2019, and such links can still send visitors and build brand mentions. They are not expected to pass ranking credit in the way a followed link does.
How many pages can I check?
Up to 10 pages per check. The tool is free and needs no account.
Do you store the pages I check?
No. The pages are fetched, analysed and the result is sent back to your browser. Nothing is saved.
More free tools
- Disavow file generator
Paste a list of domains or URLs and get a clean disavow file in the format Google Search Console accepts.
- Link building cost calculator
Pick the tactics and the number of links, and see the monthly budget range and how much of it sits in risky tactics.