Key takeaways
- Links still count. The #1 Google result has on average 3.8x more backlinks than positions 2 to 10 (Backlinko, 2020). A few good links genuinely help.
- Start with Google's own free tools. Search Console, Google Alerts and search operators cover most of what a small business needs before you pay for anything.
- Free checkers find competitor links. Run your rivals through a free backlink checker to see who links to them, then go after the same sites.
- Group tools by job, not by brand. Find competitor links, fix broken links, catch unlinked mentions, find resource pages, track wins.
- The throughline: a tool finds the chance, you still earn the link with a useful page and a polite email.
What are the best free link building tools?
The best free link building tools are Google's own stack plus the free tiers of the big SEO suites. Each one shows you a place a link could come from, then you go and earn it. Start with Google Search Console, Google Alerts and search operators. Add the free Backlink Checker from Ahrefs, the free Semrush checker, and Ubersuggest for competitor links. That covers most of what a small business needs.
Why bother at all? Because links are one of Google's named top ranking signals, alongside content (Search Engine Land, 2016). And the gap is real. The #1 result has on average 3.8x more backlinks than the pages just below it (Backlinko, 2020). You do not need hundreds. You need a few from trusted, relevant sites. If you want the full strategy behind the tools, read our guide on how to get backlinks, or let our SEO team handle the heavy lifting.
The free Google stack comes first
The first link building tools you should use are free and already from Google. They show your current links and catch new chances, all without a card. Most small businesses can find weeks of work here before paying for anything.
Google Search Console. The Links report shows your top linking sites and your most linked pages, straight from Google. It tells you what you already have, which is where any plan should start. New to it? Our walkthrough on using Google Search Console covers the Links report step by step.
Google Alerts. Set an alert for your business name and your founder's name. When a site mentions you without a link, you get an email. Then you ask nicely for the link to be added. This one tactic deserves its own playbook, which we wrote up in turning unlinked mentions into links.
Search operators. These are little commands you type into Google. Try intitle:"resource" your topic or "useful links" your topic to find pages that already list helpful sites. They cost nothing and surface pages that might list you too.
Find competitor backlinks with free checkers
To find competitor backlinks for free, run a rival's homepage through a free backlink checker and read who links to them. Those same sites often link to businesses like yours. This is the fastest way to build a short list of real chances.
Ahrefs free Backlink Checker and Webmaster Tools. The free checker shows a competitor's top linking sites. Ahrefs Webmaster Tools, free if you verify your own site, shows your own links in more depth.
Semrush free backlink checker. Same idea, a different sample of links. Running both gives you a wider view, since no single tool sees every link.
Ubersuggest. A friendly, mostly free option that lists backlinks and a few daily searches before it asks you to upgrade.
The catch: every free tier caps how many rows you see. You get the top results, not the full list. For a small business that is fine, you only need a handful of solid chances. For a wider look at what is worth paying for, see our roundup of SEO tools for small business.
Find broken links to replace
Broken-link building is one of the cleanest tactics, and the tools to find broken links are free. You scan a useful page for links that lead to a dead 404 error. If you have a page that fits the dead one, you offer yours as the fix.
Check My Links. A free browser add-on. Open a resource page, run it, and dead links light up in red. Simple and fast.
A free dead-link checker. Several free web checkers scan a whole page or site for broken links without any install.
Screaming Frog. The free version crawls up to 500 URLs of any site and lists every broken link. That is plenty for one resource page or a small site.
The workflow is the same each time. Find a dead link on a page in your topic. Make sure you have a page that genuinely replaces it. Email the site owner, point out the broken link, and offer yours. You are helping them, so the ask feels fair.
Find list and resource pages
Some pages exist just to link out to good sites. To find these resource pages, use search operators, then check if you belong on the list. This is one of the easier ways to earn a relevant link.
Try searches like your topic + "resources" or your topic + "recommended sites". Read each page. If the list fits your business and you would add value, you reach out and ask to be included, with a clear reason why your page helps their readers.
Journalists and bloggers are another source. Services like HARO and Connectively connect you with reporters who need a quick quote, and a quote often earns a link back. It is a tactic worth its own guide, so we covered the full method in HARO and blogger outreach.
Track the links you earn
Once you start earning links, track them, or you will lose count and repeat work. The free tools you already have cover this job too. No special tracker needed.
Check the Search Console Links report every month to see new linking sites appear. Run the free backlink checkers now and then to spot links the tools have picked up. Then keep a plain spreadsheet: the linking site, the page it points to, the date, and whether the link is still live. That is the whole system.
Free link building tools by job, at a glance
Here is the whole set grouped by the job it does, with the catch on each so you know what you are getting.
| Job | Free tool | What it finds | Catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| See your current links | Google Search Console | Your top linking sites and pages | Shows what you have, not new chances |
| Catch unlinked mentions | Google Alerts | New mentions of your name | You still ask for the link |
| Find resource pages | Search operators | Pages that list helpful sites | Manual reading, no shortlist |
| Find competitor links | Ahrefs free Backlink Checker, Webmaster Tools | A rival's top linking sites | Free tier caps the rows |
| Find competitor links | Semrush free checker, Ubersuggest | A different sample of links | Limited free searches per day |
| Find broken links | Check My Links, dead-link checkers | 404 links on a page | You need a page that fits the gap |
| Crawl for broken links | Screaming Frog (free) | Every broken link on a site | Free crawl stops at 500 URLs |
| Earn journalist links | HARO, Connectively | Reporters needing a quote | You compete with other replies |
Finding is not earning
Here is the part the shiny tool ads skip. Every tool on this page gives you a list. None of them earns the link. A link comes from a useful page that someone wants to point their readers to, plus a short, polite email that makes the ask easy to say yes to. The tool does the finding. You do the earning.
That matters because links carry real weight. Pages with no referring domains get almost no traffic. Ahrefs studied this and found roughly 20 million pages with no links, yet only 2,997 of them pulled in 1,000 or more monthly visits (Ahrefs, 2023). The same study found 96.55% of all pages get zero traffic from Google. No links usually means no visitors. A few earned links from trusted, relevant sites is one of the surest ways out of that group.
If outreach is not your thing, that is normal. Some businesses would rather hand it over. We weigh up the risks and the wins of doing that in our honest look at link building services. Or if you want a team to find the chances and earn the links for you, tell us about your site and we will take it from there.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best free link building tools?
The best free start is the Google stack: Search Console shows who already links to you, Google Alerts catches new mentions of your name, and search operators find pages worth a link. After that, the free tiers of Ahrefs, Semrush and Ubersuggest show competitor links. They cost nothing and cover most of what a small business needs.
How do I find backlink chances for free?
Run your top competitors through a free backlink checker and look at who links to them. Those same sites may link to you too. Then check your own name in Google to find places that mention you without a link. Both jobs are free and give you a list to work through.
What tool finds competitor backlinks?
The free Backlink Checker from Ahrefs shows a competitor's top linking sites. The free Semrush checker and Ubersuggest do the same. Each free tier caps how many rows you see, but the top results are usually enough to spot a pattern and start a short list.
Can I build backlinks for free?
Yes. Free tools find the chances, and your own effort earns the link. You write a useful page, then send a short, polite email to a site that might want to link to it. No tool sends that email or guarantees a yes. The finding is free, the earning is work.
Do backlinks still matter for ranking?
Yes. Links are one of Google's named ranking signals, alongside good content. Pages with no links from other sites get almost no traffic. So a handful of links from trusted, relevant sites still helps a small business get found.
How do I find broken links to build links from?
Use a browser tool like Check My Links or a free dead-link checker to scan a resource page for links that lead to a 404 error. If you have a page that fits the broken one, you email the site owner, point out the dead link, and offer yours as the fix.
Is Search Console good for backlinks?
Yes, for the links you already have. The Links report shows your top linking sites and your most linked pages, straight from Google and for free. It will not find new chances on its own, but it is the best way to see your current backlink picture.
Are free backlink tools accurate?
They are good enough to spot patterns and build a short list, but not complete. Free tiers show a capped sample, not every link. For a small business that is fine. You are looking for a few solid chances, not a perfect map of the whole web.
