About Ahrefs Webmaster Tools

The Ahrefs Webmaster Tools free backlink checker shows who links to any website you own, and the same account adds a site audit. Once you verify your site, you can see which other sites link to you, which keywords send you traffic and which technical problems need fixing. It does not let you research competitors; that needs a paid Ahrefs plan.

People often call it AWT. It uses the same link and keyword data as the main Ahrefs product, but only for your own verified sites.

What does Ahrefs Webmaster Tools include?

Ahrefs lists three main tools in the free account:

  • Site Explorer: shows the pages and keywords that bring the most organic traffic, and who links to your site. Organic traffic means visits from normal search results, not ads.
  • Site Audit: crawls your site and checks for a long list of technical and on-page issues, such as broken pages, redirect chains and missing titles.
  • Web Analytics: a simple traffic report that shows visitors and where they come from.

You can add as many verified sites as you like. Each site has its own monthly allowance for audits and data. The exact numbers are on the Webmaster Tools page.

A backlink is a link from another site to yours. Search engines see good backlinks as a sign of trust. If the term is new to you, read our guide to backlinks and SEO first.

In Site Explorer, open the Backlinks report. You see each linking page, the anchor text (the clickable words of the link) and the date Ahrefs first found it. Use it to:

  • Find new links and thank the site owner, or build a relationship.
  • Spot links that point to pages that no longer exist, then redirect those pages.
  • Notice spam links from strange sites. Google ignores most of them, so do not panic.
  • Check which of your pages earn the most links, and write more content like them.

The free account shows a limited number of backlinks and keywords at a time. For a small site, that is often enough to see the full picture.

Is Ahrefs Webmaster Tools really free?

Yes. AWT costs nothing. The catch is that it only works on sites you verify. You cannot type in a competitor's domain and see their links. That is the paid side of Ahrefs. You can compare the paid plans on the Ahrefs pricing page.

What are the limits of AWT?

  • Your sites only. No competitor research in the free account.
  • Monthly allowances. Site audits use crawl credits, and large sites can run out before the month ends.
  • Partial data. Ahrefs finds many links, but no tool sees every link on the web. Google Search Console will list some links that Ahrefs misses, and the other way round.
  • Third-party scores. Ahrefs shows its own scores, such as Domain Rating. Google does not use these scores.
  • Verification must stay in place. If you remove the file, tag or DNS record, the project can stop working.

How do you set up Ahrefs Webmaster Tools?

  1. Go to the Ahrefs Webmaster Tools page and create a free account.
  2. Add your website as a new project.
  3. Verify that you own it. The quickest way is to connect Google Search Console. You can also add a DNS TXT record, upload an HTML file or add a meta tag to your home page.
  4. Let the first site audit run. It may take a while on a large site.
  5. Open Site Explorer and check the Backlinks and Organic keywords reports.
  6. Fix the top audit errors first, such as broken pages and missing titles.

If you choose the meta tag method, our meta tag generator explains where tags go in the page head.

For my own sites I rely on Google Search Console, which already shows top linking sites for free. AWT adds more detail if you want it.

Who is AWT best for?

AWT suits bloggers and small business owners who want more than Search Console shows, without paying. The link list is easier to sort and filter, and the site audit explains each issue in plain words.

It is less useful if your main goal is to study rivals. You can see your own links, but not theirs. A word of warning from experience: years ago I copied competitors' backlinks with checker tools, and it did not work. Most of those links could not be copied. Use backlink data to understand your own site, not to chase someone else's links.

What are the alternatives to AWT?

  • Google Search Console is free and shows links Google knows about, plus indexing data.
  • Semrush has a free account with a small daily number of reports, including backlink data for any site.
  • Screaming Frog SEO Spider is a desktop crawler for technical audits, with a free version for small sites.

More options are in our SEO tools directory.

If you own a site and want to see who links to it, the Ahrefs Webmaster Tools free backlink checker is a solid place to start. Verify your site through Search Console, review the links and audit report each month, and only pay for Ahrefs if you need data on other sites.

Frequently asked questions

No. AWT only shows data for sites you have verified as yours. To see backlinks of other sites, you need a paid Ahrefs plan or another tool with a free tier.

How do I verify my site in AWT?

The fastest way is to connect your Google Search Console account. You can also add a DNS TXT record, upload an HTML file or add a meta tag. Keep the record in place, because Ahrefs checks it again before each crawl.

Does Google use Ahrefs Domain Rating?

No. Domain Rating is Ahrefs' own score for the strength of a site's link profile. Google does not use it. Treat it as a rough guide to compare sites, not as a ranking factor.