
Backlink research is one of the pillars of modern SEO — and Moz’s Link Explorer is one of the most well-known tools for doing it. Whether you’re auditing your own site’s link profile, analyzing competitor backlinks, or evaluating domains for outreach, Link Explorer provides a comprehensive view of the link landscape for any URL on the web.
In this complete guide, we’ll cover everything about Moz’s Link Explorer: what it is, how to use it effectively, what its metrics mean, how it stacks up against alternatives, and how to get the most out of it whether you’re on a free or paid plan.
What Is Moz’s Link Explorer?

Moz’s Link Explorer is a backlink analysis tool developed by Moz — one of the most established companies in the SEO industry. It replaced the older Open Site Explorer in 2018 with a significantly expanded link index and new features.
Link Explorer provides:
- Complete backlink profile for any URL or domain
- Domain Authority (DA) and Page Authority (PA) metrics
- Spam Score assessment
- Inbound link analysis (by domain, by page)
- Anchor text distribution reports
- Linking domain discovery
- Top linked pages for any domain
- Lost and gained link monitoring
- Competitor link comparison (Link Intersect)
Moz’s Key Link Metrics Explained
To use Link Explorer effectively, you need to understand the metrics it uses. Moz’s proprietary metrics are different from those used by Ahrefs (DR/UR) or Majestic (TF/CF).
Domain Authority (DA)
Domain Authority is Moz’s most famous metric — a score from 1 to 100 that predicts a website’s ability to rank in search engine results. It’s calculated based on the number and quality of backlinks pointing to a domain.
Key things to understand about DA:
- DA is a relative metric, not an absolute measure of SEO quality
- It’s useful for comparing sites against each other, not for judging individual site performance
- DA does not directly influence Google rankings — it’s a third-party predictive score
- A new site starts at DA 1 and grows as it earns quality backlinks
- The scale is logarithmic — going from DA 50 to 60 is much harder than going from DA 10 to 20
General DA benchmarks:
- DA 1-20: New or low-authority site
- DA 21-40: Developing authority
- DA 41-60: Moderate to good authority
- DA 61-80: High authority site
- DA 81-100: Very high authority (Wikipedia, Amazon, Google level)
Page Authority (PA)
Page Authority is the same concept as DA, but applied to individual pages rather than domains. PA predicts the ranking ability of a specific URL. It’s particularly useful when evaluating which pages on a domain carry the most link equity.
Spam Score
Spam Score is a percentage (0-100%) that indicates the likelihood that a site is spammy or potentially harmful to link from. It’s calculated based on 27 factors that correlate with sites that have been penalized by Google.
Spam Score interpretation:
- 0-30%: Low Spam Score — generally safe
- 31-60%: Medium Spam Score — examine more carefully
- 61-100%: High Spam Score — treat with caution; may want to disavow if linking to you
Important: Spam Score is a flag for investigation, not a definitive verdict. Many legitimate sites have elevated Spam Scores due to their industry or site structure. Always manually review high-Spam-Score sites before disavowing.
Linking Domains vs. Total Backlinks
Link Explorer distinguishes between total backlinks (all individual links, including multiple from the same domain) and linking domains (unique root domains pointing to a site). Linking domains is typically the more important metric — 1,000 links from 10 domains is far less valuable than 1,000 links from 1,000 different domains.
How to Use Moz’s Link Explorer: Step-by-Step
Step 1: Access Link Explorer
Navigate to moz.com/link-explorer. You can use it with a free account (10 queries/month) or with a Moz Pro subscription (unlimited). The free MozBar browser extension is available separately and provides DA/PA metrics directly in your browser.
Step 2: Enter Your Target URL or Domain
Enter any URL or domain you want to analyze. You can analyze at the root domain level (example.com) to see the full backlink profile, or at the subdomain or specific URL level to focus on particular pages.
Step 3: Review the Overview Dashboard
The overview shows:
- Domain Authority and Page Authority
- Spam Score
- Total linking root domains
- Total inbound links
- Top linked pages on the domain
- Ranking keywords (limited data)
How to Buy Mozs Link Explorer at an Affordable Price from Toolsurf.com
Getting access to premium tools like Mozs Link Explorer doesn’t have to break the bank. Here’s how to get it through Toolsurf:
- Visit the Toolsurf Store: Go to tools.toolsurf.com/cart
- Search for the Product: Search for “Mozs Link Explorer” and click on “Buy Now”
- Complete Your Purchase: Enter your details and complete the purchase process
That’s it! You’ll have access within minutes.
Why Choose Toolsurf to Buy Mozs Link Explorer?
- 💰 Save Up to 99% on Premium Tools
- ⚡ Get Access in Under 2 Minutes
- 🔒 99.9% Uptime Guarantee
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👉 Get Mozs Link Explorer at Toolsurf Now
Step 4: Analyze Inbound Links
The Inbound Links report is where the real analysis happens. You can filter by:
- Link type: Follow / No Follow / 301 Redirect
- DA range: Focus on high-DA links
- Spam Score: Exclude high-Spam-Score domains
For each link, you see the source URL, PA of the linking page, DA of the linking domain, anchor text, and follow/nofollow status.
Step 5: Use the Link Intersect Feature (Paid)
Link Intersect compares the backlink profiles of up to 5 domains simultaneously. It identifies sites that link to your competitors but not to you — prime targets for link building outreach. This is one of the most actionable features in Link Explorer and a key differentiator from basic free tools.
Step 6: Review the Anchor Text Report
The anchor text report shows the distribution of anchor text in your backlink profile. A natural anchor text profile has a mix of:
- Brand name anchors (your domain or company name)
- Generic anchors (“click here,” “this article,” “learn more”)
- URL anchors (your actual URL)
- Partial match keyword anchors (some of your target keywords)
- Exact match keyword anchors (a small minority)
Over-optimization of exact match anchors is a red flag that correlates with manual penalties.
Moz Link Explorer Free vs. Paid
| Feature | Free Account | Moz Pro ($99+/mo) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly queries | 10 | Unlimited (by plan) |
| Rows per report | Limited | Full |
| CSV export | ❌ | ✅ |
| Link Intersect | ❌ | ✅ |
| New/Lost links tracking | ❌ | ✅ |
| Spam Score | ✅ (limited) | ✅ (full) |
| MozBar extension | ✅ (free separately) | ✅ |
Moz Link Explorer vs. Ahrefs vs. SEMrush: Backlink Tool Comparison
How does Link Explorer compare to the other major backlink analysis tools?
| Factor | Moz Link Explorer | Ahrefs Site Explorer | SEMrush Backlink Analytics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Link Index Size | 44+ trillion links | 35+ trillion links | 43+ trillion links |
| Update Frequency | Regular crawl | Daily crawl updates | Regular crawl |
| Unique Metrics | DA, PA, Spam Score | DR, UR, Ahrefs Rank | Authority Score |
| Free Access | 10/month free | Free top-100 tool | 10/day free |
| Starting Price | $99/mo | $129/mo | $129/mo |
| Best For | Beginners, DA benchmarking | Deep backlink research | Combined SEO/PPC work |
Best Use Cases for Moz Link Explorer
Use Case 1: Evaluating Your Own Site’s Authority
Tracking your Domain Authority over time gives you a broad indicator of whether your link building efforts are working. When your DA grows, it suggests you’re earning quality links. When it drops or stagnates, it may indicate that competitors are outpacing you or that you’ve lost important links.
Use Case 2: Competitor Analysis
Enter competitor domains to understand their link profile. Check their DA, see their top-linked pages (revealing their most successful content), and identify where their links come from. This intelligence directly informs your link building strategy.
For deeper competitive analysis that includes keyword ranking data alongside backlinks, tools like Ahrefs provide more comprehensive intelligence. You can access Ahrefs at reduced cost through Toolsurf’s Ahrefs group buy service.
Use Case 3: Link Prospecting
The Link Intersect tool (paid) identifies domains that link to your competitors but not to you. These are warm prospects for outreach — they clearly link to content in your space, which means they’re more likely to link to yours if you have better content.
Use Case 4: Link Audit and Disavow
If you’ve been hit by a manual penalty or algorithm update, Link Explorer helps identify potentially harmful backlinks. Filter by high Spam Score to find toxic links. Export these for the Google Disavow File process.
Use Case 5: Pre-Purchase Domain Evaluation
Before purchasing an expired domain for its authority, check its DA, backlink profile, and Spam Score in Link Explorer. A domain with a high Spam Score or suspicious anchor text profile may not be worth acquiring regardless of its DA.
Tips for Maximizing Free Link Explorer Queries
With only 10 free queries per month, strategic use is essential:
- Track your own site twice: Check once at the start and once at the end of the month to measure link growth
- Prioritize top competitors: Use remaining queries on your 3-4 most important competitor domains
- Use the MozBar extension: Completely free and unlimited — check DA/PA for any site directly in your browser without burning a query
- Supplement with Ahrefs free backlink checker: For checking the top 100 backlinks of any domain between your monthly Moz queries
For power users who need unlimited backlink research without the full Moz Pro price tag, group buy SEO tools at Toolsurf can provide access to both Moz Pro and Ahrefs simultaneously at a fraction of retail cost.
The MozBar: Moz’s Free Browser Extension
The MozBar is a free Chrome extension that deserves its own section — it’s arguably the most useful free SEO tool available after Google Search Console.
With MozBar installed, you see PA and DA metrics for every URL you visit, directly in your browser toolbar. When viewing a Google SERP, it overlays PA/DA metrics for each ranking result — instantly showing you the link strength of every competitor on the page.
What MozBar shows:
- DA and PA for any URL (in the toolbar)
- DA/PA for every result on a Google SERP
- Number of links and linking root domains
- HTTP status code
- On-page elements: title, meta description, headings (in page analysis mode)
Installing MozBar makes competitive SERP analysis effortless — you can instantly see whether a keyword is dominated by high-DA sites or has weaker sites that you can compete with.
ToolSurf Verdict
🏆 ToolSurf Verdict: Moz’s Link Explorer
Moz’s Link Explorer is a solid, reliable backlink research tool with a strong free tier and the most trusted authority metrics in the industry. Its DA and Spam Score metrics are useful benchmarks that have become standard across the SEO community.
Recommended for: Beginners learning link analysis, small business owners monitoring their site’s authority, anyone who needs quick DA checks without committing to a full Ahrefs budget.
Limitation: For deep competitive backlink research, Ahrefs’ Site Explorer provides more comprehensive data with daily-updated crawling. The free MozBar extension + Moz’s 10 free queries/month pairs well with affordable Ahrefs group buy access for a powerful, cost-effective research stack.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Moz Link Explorer free?
Yes, with limitations. A free Moz account gives you 10 Link Explorer queries per month. Paid Moz Pro plans start at $99/month and provide significantly more queries plus advanced features like Link Intersect, CSV export, and new/lost link tracking.
Is Moz’s DA accurate?
Domain Authority is a predictive metric, not a direct Google signal. It correlates reasonably well with ranking ability, but is not a perfect predictor. It’s best used for relative comparisons between sites rather than absolute assessments. Moz updates the DA calculation algorithm periodically, which can cause DA fluctuations even without changes to your actual link profile.
Is Moz Link Explorer as good as Ahrefs?
For most use cases, Ahrefs provides more comprehensive and frequently updated backlink data. However, Moz’s DA metric and Spam Score are unique and widely trusted. Many SEOs use both tools: Moz for DA benchmarking and Ahrefs for detailed link research.
How do I increase my Domain Authority?
DA increases by earning more high-quality backlinks from authoritative domains. Key strategies include: creating link-worthy content (studies, tools, guides), digital PR campaigns, guest posting on relevant sites, building relationships with industry publications, and fixing broken links on other sites (broken link building).
What’s the difference between DA and DR?
Domain Authority (DA) is Moz’s metric; Domain Rating (DR) is Ahrefs’ metric. Both measure the strength of a domain’s backlink profile on a 0-100 scale, but they use different algorithms and data sources. A site might have DA 45 and DR 60 — these are different scores from different tools and aren’t directly comparable.
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