Competitor Backlinks

Competitor Backlinks is a focused web tool for finding sites that link to competing domains but not to yours. It suits operators and solo marketers who need actionable backlink prospects without adopting an enterprise SEO suite. The free checker is a sensible reconnaissance tool; deeper prioritization and managed acquisition become paid commitments.

Overview

The product’s central job is competitor backlink-gap discovery: it compares competing sites, identifies referring domains absent from your profile, and frames those domains as potential prospects. Its data comes from a live, continuously crawled backlink index, which gives the workflow a current orientation rather than treating a backlink list as a static snapshot. Competitor comparison, new-and-lost link tracking, and anchor-text reporting add useful context, but the narrow scope means it is better for link prospecting than for running a complete SEO program.

Key features

The checker combines an inbound network graph, a new-versus-lost timeline, anchor-text distribution, and an authority gauge. In practice, these views help separate a competitor’s recent link momentum from its established profile, show how linking sites are distributed, and reveal the language used in links. A short written briefing explains what appears to drive a competitor’s links and which prospects may be obtainable. That makes the free view more useful than a bare domain count, although outreach teams needing a ranked opportunity list will want the paid report.

The free own-site check reports total referring domains, the 25 strongest domains, dofollow status, and links first seen in the last 30 days. The complete referring-domain list and a CSV can be sent by email, extending the audit beyond the on-screen top-25 limit. This is enough for a quick health check, but it is less convenient for a broad, repeatable analysis than a full reporting workspace.

A paid report adds a prioritized backlink gap, ranked referring domains, keyword and top-page gaps, and CSV export. Those additions turn competitor observations into a prospecting queue and make the $9 entry price practical for a one-off campaign. The separate link-building services use manually built directory, social-profile, and local-citation links for their foundation packs, with no PBNs or black-hat tactics claimed.

Pricing

The Free backlink checker costs free, requires no account or credit card, and includes a competitor backlink map and gap. It is the right starting point for occasional checks and budget-conscious operators, but it does not include the scored report or CSV export.

The Gap report costs $9, paid once, billed as a $9.00 one-time payment. It adds the scored and ranked report plus CSV export, making it the sensible choice when a single outreach push needs ordered prospects without a subscription.

Foundation Links costs $99, paid once, with no subscription, and supplies 50 directory and social-profile links. Foundation Pro costs $179, paid once, also with no subscription, and supplies 100 links plus local citations. These are finite foundation packages rather than ongoing placement programs, so they fit a defined setup project better than teams expecting continuous competitive outreach.

Done-for-you link building costs $299 a month, billed monthly and cancellable at any time. It promises at least two placements per month, using reachable competitor links or close niche matches, plus monthly gap analysis and a report. There is no contract or cancellation fee, and subscribers keep links already built. The service is therefore the practical option for owners who want recurring execution, but its price is far beyond the one-off report and its minimum placement promise is modest.

Platforms

Competitor Backlinks runs on the web, so it suits browser-based workflows without a desktop installation.

Who it's for

Operators and solo marketers are the clearest audience: the free map and inexpensive report answer a specific competitor-gap question without requiring an enterprise SEO suite. Agencies or larger teams may appreciate CSV export and recurring reports, but the 25-domain free display and focused feature set make it less suitable as a broad, multi-function SEO command center.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Low-friction discovery: the free checker needs no account or card, so a prospecting workflow can start immediately.
• Useful visual context: graph, timeline, anchor, and authority views explain link patterns instead of presenting only totals.
• Clear upgrade path: a $9 one-time gap report adds ranking and CSV export without forcing a subscription.
• Flexible managed service: monthly customers can cancel anytime, pay no cancellation fee, and retain built links.

Cons

• Limited free own-site view: only the 25 strongest domains appear on screen, so fuller auditing requires email delivery or payment.
• Narrow scope: the product centers on backlink gaps rather than a complete SEO suite.
• Managed work is expensive relative to the report: $299 per month is a substantial jump from the $9 one-off analysis.
• Foundation packages are finite: the 50- and 100-link offers are one-time bundles, not continuing acquisition.

Alternatives

Choose SEO SpyGlass instead if you need Linux, macOS, or Windows support and a free tier covering up to 1,100 backlinks per website across unlimited websites, accepting that the free plan has no data export or HTML/PDF reports.

Ahrefs is the better fit when you want broader Site Explorer and Site Audit access through a web or API workflow, with its free plan offering limited access to both.

Pick Semrush for a wider API-centered SEO toolkit; its free plan allows one demo project and 10 reports per day without a credit card.

BacklinkManager is an alternative freemium backlink-management service for readers who prefer that product’s own workflow and data policies.

Choose Linkwake if tracking five domains with new, lost, and persistent differences plus release-drop email digests is the priority.

DailyBacklinks is another freemium web option for readers seeking its specific backlink-opportunity workflow.

Use Backlink Checker when you need a free, no-signup bulk check of up to 1,000 URLs with CSV or Excel export.

Swappsy Link Tracker suits users who want a free, open-source, self-hosted manual link checker for one user.

Verdict

Competitor Backlinks is a strong choice for a solo operator who wants a fast competitor-gap map and an inexpensive, one-time prioritized report. Its main reason to choose it is the direct path from free discovery to a $9 ranked CSV; its main reason to look elsewhere is the limited scope if you need a full SEO platform or extensive ongoing reporting.