9 Best Link Building Tools That Everyone Should Use

Pages that rank #1 on Google usually has 3.8 times more BACKLINKS than those below them.

That’s because Google sees backlinks as a trust signal, helping sites –

• Attract more organic traffic
• Rank higher in search results 

If backlinks are so powerful, why doesn’t everyone use them? 

Because building backlinks takes time + effort + money.

In fact, the entire process – finding the right opportunities, reaching out, and tracking links can take days and sometimes even weeks. 

The good news? A powerful link building tool can simplify everything.

In this guide, I’ll review the 9 best link building tools (free & paid), their features, pros & cons, and how they help you build backlinks faster.

Link Building Tools – A Quick Comparison Table

What is Link Building and Why Does it Matter? 

Before we start with the link building tools, let’s cover some basics. Shall we? 

What is Link Building?

Link building is the process of getting other websites to link to yours.

For example – If you own a gym and contribute a guest post to a popular fitness blog with a link to your website – that’s link building.

These links, called backlinks, tell search engines two very important things like –

• That your site is credible
• And it is worth ranking

Fun Fact: Guest posting remains a dominant link-building strategy, with 64.9% of link builders utilizing it.

Why is Link Building Important?

According to SEO expert Brian Dean – “Without links, you basically won’t rank.” And it is true to some extent. 

So, let’s take a look at link building advantages. 

• Higher search rankings – Google focuses on websites with strong backlinks, making it easier to rank on page one.
• More website authority – Backlinks from high-authority sites boost your domain strength. It thereby improves credibility.
• Increased referral traffic – Quality backlinks bring direct traffic from other websites. This increases engagement and conversions.

The Challenges of Link Building

• Time-consuming – Finding relevant link building opportunities takes time. Connecting with prospects and securing backlinks takes more time.
• Quality over quantity – Not all backlinks help. Low-quality links can hurt rankings. This is why SEO backlink software is essential for filtering the best options.
• Outreach is tough – Convincing website owners to link back requires a very strong and consistent approach, along with a lot of patience. 

Building high-quality backlinks is about strategy. That’s why experts prefer using the right link building tools to make the entire process easier + faster + affordable. 

Top 9 Best Link Building Tools – Detailed Review

Now that we have covered the basics – let’s start with a detailed review of the top 9 best link building tools.  Being in the SEO and link building business for more than 5 years, I have tried and tested each of these tools. Here are the best backlinks software and what they offer…

1. Link Publishers  ( Trustpilot Rating: 4.7/5 )

Best For: All-in-one link building and guest posting, niche edits, digital PR

Link Publishers isn’t just the top link building tool, it is a complete link building platform and guest post marketplace designed to simplify the process of acquiring high-quality backlinks.

It works just like Amazon. Here, you can find a list of Publishers (websites that offer links) and Advertisers (people who want links). It connects both parties – automating the entire process of finding websites and outreach. 

You can simply pick the website in your niche by checking important metrics like DA (Domain Authority) Score and get a very high-quality and relevant link. You can even use their content writing service to get E-E-A-T content for guest posts and backlinks. 

Moreover, the platform offers a list of free link building tools like – Website Finder, Broken Link Checker, Link Analyzer, and more. 

The best part? Everything is handled for you on this automated link building platform—from selecting high-authority domains to placing links naturally.

Key Features:

• AI-powered link building platform
• Custom link building strategies for different industries
• Access to a large database of 100,000+ websites
• Completely hands-off – No manual outreach needed
• Content marketing, guest posting, and SEO reseller services
• White-hat link building with quality backlinks

Pros:

• Ethical, white-hat link building
• Get links in 30-32 hours 
• Time-saving by outsourcing the process
• Customized solutions based on specific SEO requirements
• Live link or money back/replacement guarantee
• Access Free SEO tools

Pricing:

• Custom pricing per link
• Link building packages starting at $149

Fun fact – Studies show that over 91% of web pages never get organic traffic because they lack backlinks (Ahrefs).

2. Ahrefs

G2 Rating: 4.5/5

Best For: SEO professionals and agencies

If you are serious about SEO and backlink research, Ahrefs is one tool you can’t ignore. I use it for backlink analysis, competitor research, and keyword tracking. It has one of the largest backlink databases and provides in-depth SEO insights that help improve rankings. The Link Intersect tool is particularly useful for finding backlink opportunities.

Key Features:

• Massive backlink database with real-time updates
• Competitor analysis to uncover link opportunities
• Keyword explorer with in-depth ranking metrics
• Site audit tool for fixing SEO issues

Pros:

• One of the largest and most accurate backlink databases
• All-in-one SEO toolkit for comprehensive analysis
• Advanced link prospecting and outreach tracking

Pricing: 

• Paid plans start at $129 per month
• Free Webmaster tools

Fun Fact: Brands often invest over $1,000 to acquire a single high-quality backlink.

3. SEMrush

G2 Rating: 4.5/5

Best For: Content marketers and SEO specialists

SEMrush is more than just a link building tool—it is an all-in-one SEO platform. I use it for backlink analytics, outreach, keyword research, and even content marketing. Its Link Building Tool automates outreach, helping you find relevant link building opportunities and track progress. The SEO Content Template is another bonus, guiding content optimization for better ranking and link acquisition.

Key Features:

• Backlink analytics to monitor link profile changes
• Site audit tool to fix SEO issues
• Outreach automation for acquiring backlinks
• Content optimization to make pages more link-worthy

Pros:

• Comprehensive SEO toolkit beyond link building
• Effective for content marketing and backlink outreach
• Detailed backlink tracking and analysis

Pricing:

• Paid plans start at $ 139.95 per month
• Free tools are available

4. Moz Link Explorer

G2 Rating: 4.3/5

Best For: Small businesses and SEO newcomers

Moz Link Explorer is a beginner-friendly backlink tool that helps analyze your backlink profile, domain authority, and spam score. It is not as extensive as Ahrefs or SEMrush, but it is affordable and easy to use—making it ideal for small businesses or those just starting with SEO link building tools. 

Key Features:

• Domain Authority (DA) & Spam Score Analysis
• Backlink tracking to monitor new & lost links
• Competitor link insights to find link opportunities

Pros:

• Affordable and beginner-friendly
• Simple, intuitive interface
• Effective for assessing domain authority

Pricing: 

• Paid plans start at $49 per month
• Free link explorer tool

Fun Fact: Over 50% of marketers observe that it takes between 1 to 3 months to witness the impact of link-building efforts.

5. BuzzStream

G2 Rating: 4.1/5

Best For: Outreach specialists and agencies

BuzzStream is one of the best outreach tools I have used for link building. It helps manage email outreach, track relationships, and organize link building campaigns all in one place. Instead of using spreadsheets and manual tracking, this tool automates outreach and follow-ups – making it a favorite for SEO agencies and link building specialists.

Key Features:

• Outreach automation & email templates
• Relationship tracking to manage link building efforts
• Integration with CRM & SEO tools

Pros:

• Streamlines outreach campaigns, saving time
• Facilitates relationship-based link building
• Seamless integration with existing tools

Pricing: 

• Paid plans start at $24 per month
• Free trial is available

6. Hunter.io

G2 Rating: 4.4/5

Best For: Small teams and freelancers

When I need to find email addresses for outreach, Hunter.io is my go-to tool. It is a must-have for link building outreach. Whether I’m reaching out for guest posts, broken link building, or influencer collaborations, Hunter.io helps find verified contact details within seconds.

Key Features:

• Email finder & verification for outreach campaigns
• Domain search to find all emails associated with a website
• Automated email sequences for outreach follow-ups

Pros:

• Affordable & easy to use
• Accurate email finding for outreach
• Great for freelancers & small teams

Pricing:

• Free plan
• Paid plans start at $34 per month

7. Pitchbox

G2 Rating: 4.7/5

Best For: SEO agencies and large teams

Pitchbox is an advanced outreach and link building platform designed for agencies and large SEO teams. I’ve used it for scaling link building campaigns, and the automation features make outreach much faster. It helps with finding link prospects, personalizing emails, automating follow-ups, and tracking results—all in one dashboard.

Key Features:

• Automated outreach & follow-ups
• Prospect discovery & contact management
• Advanced reporting & team collaboration tools

Pros:

• Saves time by automating outreach
• Great for managing large-scale link building campaigns
• Robust reporting for tracking success

Pricing:

• Paid plans start at $165 per month

8. NinjaOutreach

G2 Rating: 4.0/5

Best For: Influencer marketers and small businesses

NinjaOutreach is a CRM-style outreach tool designed for influencer marketing and link building outreach. I’ve used it to find influencers, automate email campaigns, and track relationships. While it is great for outreach, it lacks advanced backlink tracking or competitor analysis, making it better for influencer-driven link building strategies.

Key Features:

• Influencer database with contact details
• Automated email campaigns & templates
• CRM integration for relationship tracking

Pros:

• Easy to use, even for beginners
• Affordable compared to other outreach tools
• Great for influencer & blogger outreach

Pricing:

• Paid plans start at $49 per month

9. Respona

G2 Rating: 4.8/5

Best For: Agencies and in-house SEO teams

Respona is an all-in-one link building outreach platform designed to simplify finding prospects, automating outreach, and managing campaigns. It integrates with Google search for prospecting and pulls Domain Rating (DR) and Ahrefs Rank directly from Ahrefs. It helps identify the right person’s email and LinkedIn profile, eliminating the hassle of sending outreach emails to generic support addresses.

Key Features:

• Automated contact finder for accurate outreach
• Pre-built campaign templates for different link building strategies
• Prospecting & outreach tracking in one place
• Deep personalization & automated follow-ups

Pros:

• Streamlined workflow for outreach & link building
• Saves time with automation & AI-driven prospecting
• Great for large-scale link building campaigns

Pricing:

• 14-day free trial is available
• Paid plans start at $198 per month

Key Features to Look for in Link Building Tools

Not all link building software is the same. 

Some tools focus on finding backlink opportunities – while others help with outreach, tracking, and automation. 

So, what makes a powerful link building platform?

Backlink analysis 

A good link building tool helps you track your backlink profile + find toxic links + reveal your competitors’ best backlinks—so you can target similar sources.

Outreach automation

Manually reaching out for backlinks is slow. Top link building platforms come with automated outreach + email tracking + follow-ups to make the process smoother.

Link tracking & monitoring

Backlinks can disappear. A reliable backlink management software alerts you when you gain or lose links so you can take action.

SEO & content ideation

Some tools help with content ideas, keyword research, and on-page SEO. This makes link building more effective.

Integration capabilities

Make sure that the tool integrates with other SEO platforms like Google Analytics or SEMrush. This way, you will have a complete toolkit with you.

How to Choose the Right Link Building Tool 

With so many SEO link building tools available, picking the RIGHT one can be difficult. 

The best choice depends on your needs + budget + strategy.

Here are some steps that I follow whenever I have to choose any tool:

Step 1 – Assess your needs

Take a piece of paper or simply open the notes app on your smartphone to write down – what your goals are or what you actually want to achieve when using the tool.

Answering these questions might help.

• Are you a small business, freelancer, or agency?
• What is your budget?
• What are your specific goals (backlink analysis, outreach, or content creation?)

Knowing your goals will help you narrow down the best link building software for your needs.

Step 2 – Test before you buy

Most powerful link building platforms offer free trials or limited free plans. Before committing, test a tool’s –

• User interface – make sure it is easy to use
• Features – make sure it has all the features you need
• Quality and accuracy – make sure the tool offers accurate results

Step 3 – Scalability matters

A freelancer may not need advanced features, but an SEO or link building agency handling multiple clients will. Choose a tool that grows with your business.

Step 4 – Check integration 

Your backlink management software should work with tools you already use, like – Google Analytics, Ahrefs, or Semrush. Quick and smooth integration saves time and provides better data insights.

Pro tip – Always check user reviews on G2, Capterra, or Trustpilot before investing in any SEO backlink tool.

Tips for Effective Link Building

Let’s say you finally find a good backlink tool.

But how do you use it effectively?

That’s why I am sharing a few tips with you. These are my very own tried and tested techniques that ALWAYS work.

1. Always go for quality over quantity

Building backlinks isn’t just about getting more links—it is about getting the right ones. A few high-quality backlinks from trusted websites will always outperform hundreds of low-quality links. So, avoid link building mistakes like focusing on quantity over relevance.

Helen Pollitt, Lead SEO at Arrows Up, emphasizes the importance of link quality:

“The best source of a link is a website that is both considered authoritative and relevant to your website.”

Pro tip – Link Publishers offer a whole marketplace where you can choose from relevant, high-quality websites in your niche. 

2. Create content that deserves backlinks

The easiest way to attract backlinks? Create content people want to link to. Case studies, research-backed articles, expert roundups, and visual content like infographics naturally earn links.

Pro tip – If you don’t have time to create content on your own, you can use Link Publishers’ content writing services. 

3. Build real relationships

Cold outreach works, but relationships bring long-term success. So, always make time to engage with industry leaders on social media, comment on their content, and offer value before asking for a link.

Scott Wyden Kivowitz highlights the value of building genuine relationships:

“Build relationships, not links.”

If you don’t have time for outreach, you can always outsource link building. 

4. Keep track of your links

Even the best backlinks builder won’t help if you lose links over time. Use backlink tracking tools to monitor gains and losses and replace lost links with new ones.

Pro tip – Use free tools from Link Publishers to monitor the status of your backlinks as well as detect and fix broken links. 

5. Use a mix of tools

Do not make the mistake of relying on just one tool. A solid link building process involves multiple steps—research, outreach, monitoring, and optimization. Using a mix of SEO backlink software guarantees you cover all bases.

Unless you are using Link Publishers, where you will get everything under one platform – outreach automation + content creation + free link building tools. 

Pro tip – Consistency is key. Successful link building campaigns aren’t one-time efforts; they require ongoing strategy and adjustments.

Free vs. Paid Link Building Tools

When it comes to link building software, you will find both free and paid options. 

But which one is right for you? 

The answer depends on your goals, budget, and how much control you need over your link building campaigns.

1. Free link building tools – Good for starters

If you are just starting out, go for free software for link building. They can help you analyze backlinks, track rankings, and find link building opportunities. Some popular ones include –

• Google Search Console – Monitors backlinks and site performance.
• Ubersuggest – Provides limited backlink insights and keyword research.
• Linkody (Free Version) – Basic backlink tracking for small sites.

Is there any downside? 

Free tools usually offer limited data, fewer automation features, and less accuracy compared to premium options.

2. Paid link building tools – Worth the investment?

If you are serious about scaling your link building process, go with paid tools. They provide better data, automation, and outreach management. Some top choices –

Ahrefs & SEMrush – Best for backlink analysis, competitor tracking, and domain metrics.

Pitchbox – Helps automate outreach and follow-ups.

Linkpublishers.com – A powerful link building platform for high-quality, done-for-you backlinks.

When to upgrade? 

If you are handling multiple websites, managing outreach at scale, or need in-depth backlink data – investing in premium SEO backlink tools is a smart move.

Conclusion

And that’s a wrap on the top 9 best link building tools!

Quick Recap:

• Need a complete link building platform? Link Publishers is a good choice.
• SEO professionals? Ahrefs and SEMrush offer powerful tools.
• Focused on outreach? BuzzStream, Pitchbox, and Respona get the job done.
• Beginners? Moz Link Explorer and Hunter.io are easy to use.
• Influencer-driven link building? NinjaOutreach is your go-to.

Every tool has its own strengths, so pick the one that fits your budget and strategy. 

Have you tried any of these? 

Drop your thoughts in the comments below! 

FAQs

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