The fastest way to build a link plan is to steal your competitors’ homework: see who links to them, find the patterns, and target the domains that link to several rivals but not to you. The tool that matters is the one with the cleanest index and the best gap analysis. Our top pick is Ahrefs, with an SR Score of 92, for Link Intersect and tidy competitor data. Semrush (89) brings the largest raw index and a strong Backlink Gap tool, and Majestic (85) is the value pick with the sharpest quality metrics.
The ranking
| Rank | Tool | Best for | Entry price | SR Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ahrefs | Cleanest competitor data + gaps | Starter ~$129/mo | 92 |
| 2 | Semrush | Largest index + Backlink Gap | Pro $139.95/mo | 89 |
| 3 | Majestic | Quality metrics at value price | Lite $49.99/mo | 85 |
| 4 | Moz Link Explorer | DA-based comparison | Standard ~$99/mo | 81 |
| 5 | SE Ranking | Affordable competitor checks | from ~$52/mo | 79 |
| 6 | Semrush free checker | Free competitor sampling | Free | 73 |
Methodology
The Tool Score v2026 rubric weights five criteria summing to 100:
- Index quality & coverage (30) — how completely and accurately it sees competitors’ links.
- Gap & intersect analysis (25) — multi-domain comparison and “links to them, not you” tools.
- Value for money (20) — coverage and limits at a realistic plan.
- Filters & exports (15) — anchor, link-type, authority filters, and exports.
- Transparency (10) — published pricing and honest limits.
Index quality and gap analysis lead because the whole job is finding accurate, actionable gaps. Push value up and Majestic or SE Ranking climbs.
Ahrefs
Ahrefs excels at competitor work: Site Explorer gives a clean view of any domain’s backlinks and anchors, and Link Intersect compares up to ten targets to find domains linking to rivals but not you. The fresh index keeps competitor data current. Starter ~$129/month, Standard ~$249/month.
| Criterion | Score |
|---|---|
| Index quality & coverage | 29/30 |
| Gap & intersect analysis | 24/25 |
| Value for money | 16/20 |
| Filters & exports | 14/15 |
| Transparency | 10/10 |
Trade-off: credit limits on lower tiers cap large multi-competitor pulls.
Semrush
Semrush reports the largest raw index (43+ trillion) and its Backlink Gap tool compares up to five domains side by side to surface shared linkers. Pro is $139.95/month. Add Backlink Analytics for anchors, authority, and link types.
| Criterion | Score |
|---|---|
| Index quality & coverage | 27/30 |
| Gap & intersect analysis | 23/25 |
| Value for money | 16/20 |
| Filters & exports | 14/15 |
| Transparency | 10/10 |
Trade-off: suite pricing and modest row limits on Pro for heavy analysis.
Majestic
Majestic’s Trust Flow and Topical Trust Flow make competitor analysis quality-aware—you can see not just who links to a rival but how authoritative and on-topic those linkers are. The Clique Hunter feature finds common linkers across competitors. Lite is $49.99/month.
| Criterion | Score |
|---|---|
| Index quality & coverage | 24/30 |
| Gap & intersect analysis | 22/25 |
| Value for money | 19/20 |
| Filters & exports | 11/15 |
| Transparency | 9/10 |
Trade-off: dated UI and no keyword/traffic layer for context.
Moz Link Explorer
Moz Pro Standard (~$99/month) supports Link Intersect-style comparison and uses Domain Authority to rank competitor linkers. Friendly interface and a metric clients recognize; freshness and depth trail Ahrefs and Semrush.
| Criterion | Score |
|---|---|
| Index quality & coverage | 22/30 |
| Gap & intersect analysis | 20/25 |
| Value for money | 16/20 |
| Filters & exports | 12/15 |
| Transparency | 10/10 |
Trade-off: DA is a Moz model; index freshness lags.
SE Ranking
SE Ranking offers competitor backlink checks and a backlink-gap view at a lower entry price (from ~$52/month annually), bundled with rank tracking and audits. Good value for small teams; the link index is smaller than the majors.
| Criterion | Score |
|---|---|
| Index quality & coverage | 22/30 |
| Gap & intersect analysis | 20/25 |
| Value for money | 18/20 |
| Filters & exports | 11/15 |
| Transparency | 9/10 |
Trade-off: shallower link data than dedicated link tools.
Semrush free backlink checker
The free checker returns a competitor’s authority score and a capped list of referring domains—enough for a quick gut check before committing to a plan. Hard row limits make it unsuitable for full gap analysis.
| Criterion | Score |
|---|---|
| Index quality & coverage | 24/30 |
| Gap & intersect analysis | 12/25 |
| Value for money | 18/20 |
| Filters & exports | 7/15 |
| Transparency | 8/10 |
Trade-off: row caps; you’ll hit a paywall fast.
Verification
- Ahrefs — Site Explorer, Link Intersect, and pricing verified on ahrefs.com.
- Semrush — Backlink Gap, index figure, and pricing verified on semrush.com.
- Majestic — Trust Flow, Clique Hunter, and pricing verified on majestic.com.
- Moz — Link Explorer/DA and pricing verified on moz.com.
- SE Ranking — backlink checker and pricing verified on seranking.com.
- Semrush free checker — availability and row caps verified on semrush.com/software/backlinks.
Related rankings
- Best Backlink Monitoring Tools 2026: 6 Scored
- Best Competitor Analysis SEO Tools 2026: 6 Scored
- Best Link Disavow Tools 2026: 6 Tools Scored
- Best Link Prospecting Tools 2026: 7 Tools Scored
Frequently asked questions
- What is competitor backlink analysis?
- It's studying which sites link to your competitors so you can find link opportunities they have and you don't. Tools show competitors' referring domains, anchor text, and—via gap analysis—domains that link to rivals but not to you. Those gaps are your prospect list.
- What is the best competitor backlink tool in 2026?
- Ahrefs tops our scoring for clean competitor data and its Link Intersect gap tool. Semrush has the largest raw index and a strong Backlink Gap tool, and Majestic offers the sharpest quality metrics at the best price.
- Can I see a competitor's backlinks for free?
- Partly. Semrush's free backlink checker and Ahrefs' limited free tools show a capped sample of a competitor's links. Full referring-domain lists and gap analysis require a paid plan.
- How many competitors should I analyze at once?
- Three to five direct competitors is the sweet spot for gap analysis. Tools like Ahrefs Link Intersect and Semrush Backlink Gap compare several domains at once and surface domains linking to multiple rivals—the highest-probability prospects.