What is the best tool for checking backlinks?

**Altinkum Homes** · 12-05-2011, 02:49 AM

We all know the importance of gaining backlinks. But what is the best way to check what backlinks you have?
Yahoo site explorer is finished so what are the alternatives?
I have been using SEOspyglass, Open Site Explorer and Google Webmaster Tools with very differing results. For example, when I checked today they each showed the following for my site;
SEOSpyglass – 1213 links from 129 domains
OSE - 2127 links from 213 domains
GWT - 3904 links from 619 domains
So for me anyway, GWT is obviously giving a lot more, I wondered what other people use and what their results are like?
The big problem with GWT is that (as far as I know) it can’t be used to check the links on competitors’ sites. OSE can, but information is very limited for the free version.

**sandrah** · 12-13-2011, 01:53 AM

I advice you to use Google Analytics which is a universal tool. Although it is not so good as Yahoo Explorer, but still it is quite reliable among the rest.

**Altinkum Homes** · 12-13-2011, 02:52 AM

Originally Posted by sandrah

I advice you to use Google Analytics which is a universal tool. Although it is not so good as Yahoo Explorer, but still it is quite reliable among the rest.

How do you use Google Analytics to check backlinks? I can't see anything there?

**aimiyo** · 12-13-2011, 11:17 PM

I think he means google webmaster tools. There are better ones but you will pay a monthly fee to check your back links. Yet for most people I think the webmaster tools is a little dated but adequate.

Aimiyo

**99acres** · 12-14-2011, 02:01 AM

Hi

If You Want to check Backlinks Just Type Link:sitename (without http and www) you will get the google backlinks or You Can use Backlinkwatch.com its a good tool to check out your Backlinks.

**Altinkum Homes** · 12-14-2011, 06:52 AM

Originally Posted by aimiyo

I think he means google webmaster tools. There are better ones but you will pay a monthly fee to check your back links. Yet for most people I think the webmaster tools is a little dated but adequate.

Aimiyo

I'm finding that GWT is updating around every 5 days which I don't think is too bad. I've tried the paid version of SEOspyglass and although it gives more information about the links, it doesn't find as many as I explained in an earlier post. Also for many links, although it finds them it isn't able to provide the additional information that is so useful.

It would be interesting to learn of actual experiences that users have had with different tools.

**Altinkum Homes** · 12-14-2011, 07:02 AM

Originally Posted by 99acres

Hi

If You Want to check Backlinks Just Type Link:sitename (without http and www) you will get the google backlinks or You Can use Backlinkwatch.com its a good tool to check out your Backlinks.

The link: search does produce a list of the links but the problem is that it is only visual, i.e. there isn’t an option to export to excel for example so it is (for me) difficult to work with.
Backlinkwatch.com produces a useful list but only shows a maximum of 1000 links which is fine if you don’t have more than that.

**eleven1** · 12-14-2011, 12:26 PM

i don't know what is the best tool , as this is a very hard question to answer based on the variety of sites & softwares claiming to be the best, but i recommend google webmaster tools, please do not think because it is free it is not as good as other softwares or programs , i'm only using it & i'am very happy with what it has to offer .

**LRE** · 12-15-2011, 03:37 AM

I use an application called 'SEO SPyglass' to get the backlinks and analyze them. it has a free and paid version.

**Agent in Spain** · 12-16-2011, 07:28 AM

It might not be the best tool out there but it works and it is free backlinkwatch.com

It shows the all important anchor text for the links, the pagerank and if the link has a "nofollow" tag. No way of saving it though unfortunately although you can click through to the link page.

C