Backlinks API
Access detailed and trustworthy backlink data that’s scalable, export-ready, and ready to use.
Hand Claude a backlink profile and query it from the chat
Connect Claude or any AI assistant to SE Ranking's MCP server and point it at a domain. It runs the Backlinks API for you and returns the picture without you touching a request.
The full profile, called for you
Claude hits Backlinks API endpoints directly: backlink counts, referring domains, anchor texts, link types, InLink Rank and Domain InLink Rank scores, and referring IPs and subnets.
Chase gaps and changes as you talk
Line a competitor's referring domains up against yours, flag links won or lost since a given date, or rank prospects by authority right inside the AI chat.
Faster than coding against the API
Let AI assistants read large profiles through the API for you. Same information, no integration to stand up.
Complete backlink data and metrics from one of the industry’s largest crawlers
Rich backlink data you can trust
SE Ranking’s Backlink API pulls sources from one of the web’s most active crawlers. It uses over 15 key backlink metrics at once to help with link quality analysis, competitor strategy tracking, backlink profile building, and more.
Backlink count:
The target’s total number of backlinks
Referring domains:
Individual websites that link to your target
Anchor texts:
See the text people use to link to you
Link types:
Dofollow/nofollow, text/image links, href, redirects, etc.
Authority scores:
InLink Rank (page authority) and Domain InLink Rank (domain authority)
Referring IPs and subnets:
Network-level link diversity data linking to a target
Top countries and TLDs:
Geographic breakdown of your link profile
And more!
Scalable & flexible integration
This Backlink API is built to handle big jobs with ease:
Stream up to 100,000 backlinks per call using cursor-based pagination
Export full datasets as compressed CSVs for in-depth analysis
Pick the exact analysis level you need: domain, host, or URL
Real-time backlink monitoring & historical data tracking
Stay on top of changes with daily updates:
New/lost link tracking:
Explore the links you gained or lost on the specified date
Historical trends:
Dive deep into the history of new and lost backlinks and referring domains, including specific reasons for lost links (like page not found, link removed, redirect changes, etc.)
Use filters to distill data by link status, date range, or authority scores
Bring SE Ranking data into any AI assistant
Connect via MCP and query your backlink data alongside the rest of your SEO and GEO from inside Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, or any other AI tool. 1-minute setup, no exports, no code, no leaving your flow.
Backlink API use cases in action
Spot backlink gaps and uncover missed opportunities
Quickly compare competitors’ referring domains to see which websites link to them but not to you. Spot missed opportunities, create high-quality prospect lists in seconds, and power smarter outreach.
Monitor backlinks and affiliate compliance on autopilot
Oversee backlink changes daily and find issues before they impact your rankings, affiliate compliance, or revenue. Automatically flag risks like low-authority domains, shady anchors, or suspicious IPs. Get instant alerts and trigger automatic cleanup. Disavow harmful links or notify your team about policy violations.
Prove your PR & SEO success with live backlink data
Stop taking shots in the dark with PR and SEO campaign delivery. Pull live backlink data that matches with your campaign tags. Show execs the exact efforts that earned links, when they were earned, and the authority they brought. Get all updates in real time with fresh ROI insights that prove your budget works.
Feed backlink data into the tools you already use
Connect SE Ranking to the tools your team already works in, without custom development or tearing up existing workflows.
n8n
Open-source automation driven by a visual builder.
Plug SE Ranking into your stack so n8n can watch for new and lost links, sync backlink data, and fire off alerts without anyone checking manually.
Data Studio
Live dashboards that blend SEO, GEO, GA4, and GSC.
Send backlink and referring-domain data into Data Studio to keep dashboards current for clients and stakeholders. No exports in between.
Make
Visual, no-code automation for the rest of your stack.
Use Make to route backlink data into CRMs, project management tools, Slack, and more — wired together without writing code.
Straight from happy customers of SE Ranking’s Backlink API
We use SE Ranking to build winning SEO strategies for our clients. Their suite of tools allows for robust market research, competitive analysis, and website audits—all of which serve to inform our SEO campaign roadmaps.
We use SE Ranking to overcome many SEO-related challenges, from researching keywords to conducting granular analyses of various client-related issues that ultimately help us save a significant amount of time and streamline processes.
Because SEO is time-consuming, SE Ranking’s tools are a great help here. We use it for detailed audits, keyword research, performance monitoring, and reporting. But apart from the actual SEO workflow we do for clients, we also use SE Ranking for our sales process. It helps us build trust with current and potential customers as we can give them a comprehensive overview of the current situation and advise on the next steps.
Explore more SE Ranking tools built for SEO pros
Flexible, usage-based pricing
Start with a 100K credit free trial. Then only pay for what you use. No hidden fees, no extra bundles
From
- Backlinks API
- Domain Research API
- Keyword Research API
- Website Audit API
- AI Search API
- Project Management API
What data does the Backlinks API include?
The Backlinks API gives you loads of useful data, including live backlinks, anchor text, dofollow/nofollow status, InLink Rank scores, link types, referring domains, IPs, subnets, TLDs, and more. Track new and lost links, check backlink history, and get deep data on each referring site’s quality and trustworthiness.
Can I filter by anchor text, TLD, or link type?
Yes, you can filter by all of those. Use the SEO Backlink API to narrow down results by anchor text patterns, specific TLDs (like .edu or .gov), and link types (direct links vs redirects). Filter by dofollow/nofollow status, date ranges, and more, to focus on the exact data you need.
Does it support historical tracking and delta views?
Yes, it does! The Backlinks API tracks backlink and referring domain changes over any date range and reveals what’s new or lost each day. The history endpoints show you when links appeared or disappeared, why they were lost (like page not found or link removed), and which referring domains started or stopped linking to you.
Can I bulk-check multiple domains in one request?
Yes, you can! The Backlink API supports bulk checks. Send a list of up to 100 domains in a single request using the summary endpoint. Note that detailed endpoints like history, all, and raw backlinks only handle one domain per request.
How frequently is backlink data updated?
SE Ranking delivers some of the freshest backlink data available, with 58% of backlinks updated every 90 days. It also detects new backlinks fast to give you the latest snapshot of your backlink profile.
What is the API rate limit for the Backlinks API?
You’re allowed 10 requests per second per API key. Going over this triggers a “Too Many Requests” response. Pause briefly and retry to minimize hiccups. Every successful request consumes API units from your quota, so keep an eye on your balance. If you need more units, reach out to SE Ranking.
Can I export complete backlink datasets without hitting rate limits?
Absolutely. For getting large-scale backlink datasets, use the asynchronous export endpoint. Queue your request, get a task ID back, then poll the status until it’s complete. Once ready, the export comes in a compact CSV format, perfect for large-scale SEO data analysis without hitting rate limits.
Can I get the full list of backlinks and referring domains via API?
Yes, absolutely. This applies to any target. Use the export endpoint to download the full backlink dataset as a compressed CSV file. Or stream up to 100,000 backlinks at a time through the raw endpoint to work with smaller chunks. The same applies to referring domains. Use the refdomains and refdomains/count endpoints to get a complete list or just the totals, with full detail included.