Best backlinks database tools for SEO

Last Updated on January 12, 2026 by Becky Halls

If you’re trying to grow your site in 2026 and want to know where to find the best backlinks database for SEO then you’ll need to realise the workflow has changed… Backlinks still matter (a lot) but it’s no longer just ‘find links’. It’s more:

• Find relevant links fast

• Check risk and freshness (dead links waste months)

• Spot competitor gaps

• Actually acquire links without living in outreach hell

Our guide covers the best backlinks database tools for SEO, with quick comparisons and simple “which one should I pick?” answers.

What is a backlinks database tool, and why do I need one?

A backlinks database tool is basically a crawler + index that maps who links to whom, at scale. You use it to:

• Audit your link profile (quality, relevance, anchors, lost links)

• Reverse engineer competitors (where they earn authority)

• Build link targets (prospect lists that aren’t random)

Different tools have different strengths: some are best for freshness, some for history, and some for actually getting links.

What changed in 2026 for backlink data?

Three big shifts:

1. Freshness matters more
   A “great link” that’s dead or nofollowed is just a nice memory. Some tools re-crawl faster than others.

2. Relevance matters more than vanity metrics
   Tools that help you judge topical relevance and link context are more useful than pure counts.

3. Execution is the bottleneck
   Many marketers have data but no consistent way to secure links. That’s where marketplaces and partner networks matter.

Quick answer: which are the best backlinks database tools for SEO in 2026?

Here’s the short list most site owners and marketers end up choosing from:

• Ahrefs – strong all-round backlink research and competitive analysis, with heavy crawling.

• Semrush – huge backlink database plus broader SEO suite and reporting.

• Majestic – link-focused tool with Fresh vs Historic indexes and deep link graph features.

• Moz Link Explorer – great for DA-based benchmarking and link spam signals in a simpler UI.

• SE Ranking Backlink Checker – strong value option with clear backlink database stats and freshness messaging.

• 3way.social – best when your goal is not just analysis, but getting do-follow links through a controlled marketplace and partner matching.

Comparison chart 1:

Comparison chart 2: feature matrix

Is Ahrefs still one of the best backlinks database tools for SEO?

Yes, especially if you’re doing competitor link research and need a tool that’s built for link analysis first.

Ahrefs openly discusses crawling and link index comparisons, including its own crawl rate claims.
If you want to live inside one tool for link gap analysis and recurring audits, it’s a strong choice.

Where it can feel heavy: if you’re a small site owner who just wants “what should I do next,” the depth can be overkill.

Is Semrush better if I want backlinks plus everything else?

Often, yes.

Semrush positions itself as a full SEO platform and publishes big numbers for its backlink database (43T backlinks, 390M referring domains) and crawl claims.

If you want one subscription that covers:

• keyword research

• content ideas

• rank tracking

• backlink analytics

• reporting

…Semrush tends to be the “one login for everything” option.

When does Majestic beat the other backlink database tools?

When you care about link history and link graph detail.

Majestic is very link-focused and publishes Fresh vs Historic index stats directly (Fresh index includes backlinks discovered in the last ~120 days).

If you do link audits, negative SEO investigations, or want deep “neighbourhood” analysis, it’s worth a look.

Is Moz Link Explorer still useful in 2026?

Yes, if you want a simpler interface and you use DA for benchmarking.

Moz is clear that Domain Authority is a comparative metric (not a Google ranking factor), but it’s still useful as a directional way to compare sites in the same niche.

Moz also defines Spam Score as a risk indicator to investigate further (not an automatic “this site is spam”).

Is SE Ranking a legit backlinks database tool or more “budget tool”?

It’s legit, especially for the price-to-data ratio.

SE Ranking publishes specific backlink database stats (2.9T backlinks, 357M domains) and positions freshness as a selling point.

If you want:

• backlink checking

• toxicity signals

• basic monitoring

• plus rank tracking

…without paying “enterprise suite” pricing, it’s a practical option.

Where does 3way.social fit in a ‘backlinks database tools’ article?

3way.social is different, and that’s the point.

Most backlink database tools answer:
“Where could I get links?”

3way.social also answers:
“How do I actually secure them?”

It’s positioned as an AI-driven backlink platform focused on finding relevant partners, using a credit system valued by metrics like DR/traffic/spam score, with monitoring and do-follow emphasis.

If you’re a website owner or marketer who’s tired of outreach, this is the one that turns research into execution.

In our experience, this is where most link building stacks break: you can see 10,000 opportunities in Ahrefs, but you still need a system to acquire links consistently. Tools like 3way.social are built to close that gap.

Can I use Google Search Console as my backlinks database?

As a free baseline, yes. As a full database, no.

Search Console’s Links report is useful for:

• top linking sites

• top linked pages

• anchor text

But exports are sampled and incomplete compared with commercial crawlers.

Use it alongside a dedicated backlink tool, not instead of one.

What should I look for when choosing the best backlinks database tools for SEO?

Use this checklist:

• Freshness: how quickly does it discover and re-crawl links?

• Coverage: does it find the links your competitors actually have?

• Context: does it show where the link sits (body content vs footer/sidebar)?

• Risk signals: does it help you spot spammy neighbourhood links?

• Workflow fit: do you need analysis-only, or analysis + acquisition?

• Reporting: will you actually use the exports, dashboards, alerts?

A simple rule that saves money: pick one “primary” backlink database tool, then add 1 lightweight complement (often Search Console, sometimes a marketplace like 3way.social).

FAQs

What are the best backlinks database tools for SEO for beginners?

Start with Google Search Console for free visibility, then choose one paid tool based on your goal:

• want analysis depth: Ahrefs or Semrush

• want link-first research: Majestic

• want budget-friendly: SE Ranking

• want to actually acquire links: 3way.social

Which backlink database is “the biggest”?

Tools publish different metrics (backlinks vs pages vs referring domains), and indexes differ in freshness, recrawling, and how they count links. Your best move is to test 2 tools against the same competitor set and see which finds the links you care about. Ahrefs even explains why counts vary across tools.

Do I need more than one backlinks database tool?

Not always. Many teams run:

• one main tool (Ahrefs or Semrush)

• Search Console for the “Google view”

• and 3way.social if acquisition is the bottleneck