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SeoData

Backlink API and backlink checker API for agencies and SaaS teams

The SeoData backlink API returns backlinks, referring domains, anchors and new or lost links as JSON for your own dashboards, client portals and data pipelines. Usage is billed in plain rows, with one returned backlink or referring domain counting as one row regardless of fields. Agency includes 100 000 API rows per month at 299 USD per month, or 149 USD per month billed yearly.

Check a domain below to see the link data the API returns, then create your account and generate a key.

A developer's desk by a window with a laptop showing a dark terminal and a monitor with a soft line chart, cables and a notebook

Which backlink API should an agency pay for

Pay for the backlink API that matches how your team uses link data. SeoData suits agencies that need a predictable row allowance alongside an app, team seats and white-label reports. DataForSEO costs less per row at scale for developers who build their own interface. Compare coverage on actual client domains before choosing.

A useful buying test starts with the decisions your dashboard supports. A link-building team needs to confirm whether placed links are live and whether their attributes changed. An agency operations lead needs a repeatable client reporting workload. A SaaS developer needs records that fit a product's data model. Estimate the returned records for those jobs, then compare the subscription and the work required to maintain your integration.

Backlink endpoints and the fields they return

Use the backlink list for individual links, the referring domain list for linking sites and the domain overview when your interface needs domain strength alongside the link profile.

EndpointWhat it returns
GET /v1/backlinksBacklinks with source URL, target URL, anchor, link type, first and last seen dates, status and source domain strength
GET /v1/referring-domainsReferring domains with strength, link count and new or lost status
GET /v1/domain/overviewDomain overview including domain strength

Send your key as a Bearer token in the Authorization header. Keep the key on your server when your client portal or dashboard calls your integration.

GET /v1/backlinks?domain=example.com HTTP/1.1
Host: api.seodata.ai
Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY
Accept: application/json

The example below describes field types rather than real link records. The JSON envelope separates request details, returned data and the meta block that reports row usage.

{
  "request": {
    "endpoint": "backlinks",
    "domain": "example.com"
  },
  "data": [
    {
      "source_url": "string",
      "target_url": "string",
      "anchor": "string",
      "link_type": "string",
      "first_seen": "string",
      "last_seen": "string",
      "status": "string",
      "source": {
        "domain_strength": "integer"
      }
    }
  ],
  "meta": {
    "rows_returned": "integer",
    "rows_used_this_period": "integer",
    "rows_quota": "integer",
    "period_ends_at": "string"
  }
}

Link type values include dofollow and nofollow. Status values are new, lost and live. Filters cover new or lost links, link type, minimum strength, date range and market. Apply them to match your workflow, such as reviewing lost links for a reporting period or finding referring sites above your chosen strength threshold. Returning the anchor and dates with each record does not increase its row cost.

Backlink API pricing compared

These verified pricing facts reflect October 2026. Confirm current prices and API allowances with each vendor before buying, especially where a subscription and a separate usage purchase are both required.

What you payHow usage is countedGood fit for
SeoDataAgency 299 USD per month or 149 USD per month billed yearly includes 100 000 rows; Enterprise 999 USD per month includes 1 000 000 rowsRows are records returned, regardless of fieldsAgencies and SaaS teams that want a forecastable quota plus the app, seats and white-label reports
DataForSEO Backlinks APIPay as you go, 0.024 USD per request plus 0.000036 USD per row in live mode; about 0.06 USD for a request returning 1 000 rowsPer request plus per returned rowDevelopers with high, uneven volume who build their own interface; API only, no app or client reports
Ahrefs API v3Included on Lite and higher plans with a unit allowance; extra units sold only on Enterprise at 1 499 USD per month billed yearlyUnits with a minimum of 50 units per requestTeams already using Ahrefs that want its link index
Semrush backlinks APIA plan with API access, Advanced at 549 USD per month in the 2026 lineup, plus separately purchased API unit packs with unpublished pack pricesAPI units purchased separatelyTeams whose existing Semrush workflow justifies the subscription and unit packs
MajesticAPI plan listed at 379.99 EUR per month; Lite and Pro have no APIAccess requires the API plan; confirm its current usage allowanceTeams choosing Majestic for its historical link index
SE RankingSubscription API access with Core at 129 USD or Growth at 279 USD per month, or standalone pay-as-you-go API from 45 EUR for 250 000 creditsSubscription API allowance or credits for the standalone APITeams comparing subscription access with a separate credit purchase

Ahrefs and Majestic have the larger historical link indexes, which matters when research depends on older links. DataForSEO is cheapest per row for raw volume at scale if your developers will build the interface and reports. Semrush fits teams already committed to its workflow, while SE Ranking offers subscription and standalone purchase options. SeoData fits teams that want a forecastable flat row quota plus the app, seats and white-label reports in the same plan.

Compare the records each service returns for your client mix. Index coverage, useful fields and the effort of joining data into existing systems can matter as much as the headline usage price. Different indexes can return different link profiles, so identical requests do not guarantee identical reporting inputs.

What 50 client domains cost per month

Suppose you refresh the top 500 backlinks for each of 50 client domains every month. That returns 25 000 backlink rows. Add 200 referring domains per client and you return another 10 000 rows. The total is 35 000 rows, which fits inside the Agency allowance of 100 000 API rows per month.

Agency costs 299 USD per month or 149 USD per month billed yearly. Enterprise includes 1 000 000 rows at 999 USD per month or 499 USD per month billed yearly. Starter and Pro do not include API access. One returned backlink or referring domain uses one row whether you include only its URL or all available fields.

You can refresh new or lost links weekly instead of repeating the full monthly list. That adds the rows actually returned by those filtered requests; the 35 000 row example covers only the monthly refresh. Plan for the weekly results alongside your base workload, and read the meta block after each request to track consumption against the allowance.

What teams build with a backlink API

The API supplies link records for workflows your team controls. Your integration decides where records go, which changes deserve attention and how they appear to a client or colleague.

  1. Link-building CRM verification of placed links. Match a placed link to its source and target URLs, then use status and link type to support a review before marking the placement complete.
  2. A client portal link widget. Present referring domains, anchors and link records inside the portal clients already use, with the same source fields available to the account team.
  3. Lost-link alerts into Slack or a ticket queue. Have your integration pull lost records and create messages or tasks with the affected URLs so a teammate can investigate.
  4. Outreach prospect lists from competitor referring domains. Compare linking sites, review their strength and pass relevant candidates into your team's prospecting process.
  5. BI dashboards. Load backlink and referring domain records into your warehouse, join them to client or campaign data and use consistent refresh periods for reporting.

Make your first backlink request in four steps

  1. Create your account on Agency so your workspace includes an API row allowance.

  2. Open Settings, then API, and create your key for the integration.

  3. Call GET /v1/backlinks with the domain, sending the key as a Bearer token in the Authorization header and requesting JSON.

  4. Read the returned data and meta block, including rows_returned, rows_used_this_period and rows_quota, before scheduling the next request.

Start with a domain your team already understands. Check that source and target URLs map correctly into your records, that anchors display as expected and that new or lost status supports your review process. Once the output fits, add referring domains where your dashboard needs a view of linking sites rather than individual links.

Backlink API questions

Is there a backlink API?

Yes. SeoData offers a backlink API that returns individual backlinks and referring domains as JSON. Use GET /v1/backlinks for link records and GET /v1/referring-domains for linking sites. Requests use Bearer key authentication, and Agency or Enterprise provides a monthly quota counted in returned rows.

How much does a backlink API cost?

SeoData Agency costs 299 USD per month or 149 USD per month billed yearly and includes 100 000 API rows monthly. Enterprise costs 999 USD monthly or 499 USD per month billed yearly for 1 000 000 rows. Other vendors use request charges, units or credits, so compare total workload costs.

Does Ahrefs have a backlink API?

Yes. Ahrefs API v3 includes backlink data and is available on Lite and higher plans with a unit allowance. Each request uses at least 50 units, and additional units are sold only on Enterprise, listed at 1 499 USD per month billed yearly. Confirm current prices and allowances before subscribing.

Does Semrush have a backlinks API?

Yes. Semrush offers backlinks API data through a plan with API access. In the 2026 lineup, Advanced is listed at 549 USD per month, and API unit packs are purchased separately. Pack prices are not published, so request current costs and estimate your workload before comparing it with row pricing.

What is the best backlink checker API?

The best backlink checker API depends on your workload and reporting setup. SeoData suits agencies and SaaS teams that want predictable row quotas with an app and client reports. DataForSEO is cheaper per row at scale, while Ahrefs and Majestic have larger historical link indexes for research that needs them.

Can I check backlinks in bulk with an API?

Yes. Your integration can request backlinks for a list of client or competitor domains and store the returned records in your own tools. With SeoData, plan usage around the backlinks and referring domains returned across those requests. Filter for new or lost links when you only need changes between reviews.

Choose the next step for your link workflow

See the SEO API request and response guide for the broader interface, or read the Ahrefs API alternative comparison when replacing an existing integration. Use the backlink checker to review link data in the app, explore competitor backlink research for prospecting and review backlink monitoring for ongoing checks. Compare allowances and billing options on SeoData pricing before choosing the plan for your workload.

Put backlink data inside your own tools

Create your Agency account, generate a key and start pulling link records into the dashboards your team uses.