Moz’s Link Explorer: Complete Guide & Review (2026)

What is Moz’s Link Explorer?

Moz’s Link Explorer is one of the most established backlink analysis tools in the SEO industry,
offering granular insights into the link profile of any domain or URL on the internet. While tools like Ahrefs and Semrush have
captured the lion’s share of market attention, Moz’s Link Explorer quietly maintains one of the most
historically significant link databases in SEO—and it introduced two metrics that literally defined the entire
industry: Domain Authority (DA) and Page Authority (PA).

Link Explorer is the successor to Open Site Explorer, Moz’s original backlink checker that was, for nearly a
decade, the default free backlink tool for the entire SEO community. The modern Link Explorer represents a
massive leap in database size, crawl frequency, and analytical depth. It continuously crawls over 40 trillion
links, processes them through proprietary machine learning models, and distills the data into clean, actionable
metrics that tell you exactly how strong (or weak) a website’s backlink profile is.

At its core, Link Explorer answers four fundamental questions that every SEO professional asks daily: How many
backlinks does this page/domain have? How authoritative are those linking domains? Are any of those links
potentially toxic or spammy? And what are the best link-building opportunities I’m missing compared to my
competitors?

In 2026, where Google’s ranking algorithm weighs link quality more heavily than ever (while simultaneously
cracking down on manipulative link schemes), a reliable backlink intelligence tool is not optional—it’s the
foundation of any serious SEO strategy. Moz’s Link Explorer remains a powerful contender in this space,
particularly for users who value the DA/PA metric system that remains the lingua franca of the SEO industry.

Key Features

• Domain Authority (DA) & Page Authority (PA): Moz’s proprietary 1-100 authority scores,
  calculated from link data using a machine learning model trained on Google’s actual rankings. DA/PA remain
  the single most widely used third-party authority metrics in the industry, used by agencies, link sellers,
  and enterprise SEOs alike.
• Spam Score: A unique metric that evaluates 27 common flags associated with low-quality or
  penalized sites. A high Spam Score (17+) signals that a linking domain may be harmful to your SEO. Essential
  for link detox audits.
• Linking Domains Analysis: View every unique domain linking to your target, sorted by DA,
  link type (follow/nofollow), anchor text distribution, and first/last crawled dates. Instantly spot new
  links gained or old links lost.
• Top Pages Report: Discover which pages on any domain attract the most backlinks and the
  highest Page Authority. This reveals a competitor’s most link-worthy content, informing your own content
  strategy.
• Anchor Text Distribution: Analyze the exact anchor text used across all incoming links.
  Over-optimized anchor text (e.g., 40% exact-match commercial keywords) is a well-known Google Penguin
  penalty trigger. Link Explorer helps you spot this risk before Google does.
• Link Intersect: Enter your domain plus up to four competitors. Link Explorer identifies
  domains that link to your competitors but NOT to you—these are your highest-probability link-building
  targets.
• Discovered & Lost Links: A chronological feed showing new backlinks gained and old
  backlinks lost over any time period. Crucial for monitoring the effects of outreach campaigns or detecting
  negative SEO attacks.
• Competition-Based Analysis: Side-by-side link profile comparisons between your domain and
  unlimited competitors, benchmarking DA, total linking domains, follow vs. nofollow ratios, and spam
  exposure.

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Getting access to premium tools like Mozs Link Explorer doesn’t have to break the bank. Here’s how to get it through Toolsurf:

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3. Complete Your Purchase: Enter your details and complete the purchase process

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Why Domain Authority Still Matters

Every few months, SEO Twitter erupts with debates about whether Domain Authority is “real” or “useful.” Here’s
the pragmatic truth: DA is not a Google ranking factor. Moz has always been transparent about this. But it IS a
remarkably accurate proxy for ranking potential, because it’s built from the same fundamental signal (links)
that Google’s own algorithms use.

In practice, DA is used everywhere: by agencies to qualify link prospects (rejecting sites under DA 30), by
content marketers to measure the growth of their site’s authority over time, by investors to evaluate the SEO
strength of acquisition targets, and by freelancers to demonstrate the ROI of their link-building efforts.
Whether you philosophically agree with it or not, DA is the shared language that the SEO industry communicates
in.

Moz continuously updates the DA algorithm (DA 2.0, released previously, was a major overhaul that eliminated many
inflated scores), ensuring the metric stays calibrated against real Google rankings. Combined with Spam Score
for risk assessment and Page Authority for granular page-level analysis, the DA ecosystem provides a practical,
well-rounded authority measurement framework.

Moz Link Explorer vs. Alternatives

Moz vs. Ahrefs
Ahrefs has the larger link index (confirmed by multiple independent studies) and offers additional tools like
Content Explorer and Rank Tracker as part of its suite. However, Ahrefs uses its own DR/UR metric system, which,
while excellent, doesn’t carry the same universal recognition as Moz’s DA. If you need the deepest possible link
index, Ahrefs wins. If you need the most widely recognized authority metric, Moz wins.

Moz vs. Semrush
Semrush’s Backlink Analytics has improved dramatically and now rivals both Moz and Ahrefs in database size.
Semrush’s advantage is its all-in-one nature: keyword research, rank tracking, backlink analysis, site audit,
and advertising intelligence in a single subscription. Its disadvantage is that its Authority Score is newer and
less universally adopted than DA.

Moz vs. Majestic
Majestic is the other historic link intelligence tool with its Trust Flow and Citation Flow metrics. Majestic’s
link index is massive, and its topical Trust Flow analysis is genuinely unique. However, its interface is dated,
and its metric adoption has declined relative to DA. Majestic excels for deep link research; Moz excels for
quick assessments and reporting.

Step-by-Step: Running a Backlink Audit with Link Explorer

1. Enter Your Domain: Navigate to Link Explorer and type in your root domain (e.g.,
   yoursite.com). Select “Root Domain” as the scope for a comprehensive view.
2. Review the Overview Dashboard: Note your DA, total linking domains, total inbound links,
   and Spam Score. A healthy profile typically shows a DA proportional to your site’s age and niche, with a
   Spam Score under 10.
3. Analyze Linking Domains: Sort by DA to see your highest-authority links first. Then re-sort
   by Spam Score to identify potentially toxic links (Spam Score 17+). Flag any suspicious or irrelevant
   domains.
4. Check Anchor Text Distribution: Review whether your anchor text profile looks natural. A
   healthy distribution shows mostly branded anchors (your company name), with a small percentage of
   keyword-rich anchors. Red flag: if 20%+ of your anchors use the exact same commercial keyword.
5. Run Link Intersect: Enter 3-4 of your top competitors. Find domains that link to ALL of
   them but NOT to you. These are your warmest link-building prospects—they link to content in your space but
   haven’t been pitched your site yet.
6. Monitor Lost Links: Check the “Discovered & Lost” tab for the last 30 days. If you’re
   losing links faster than gaining them, investigate why. A sudden spike of lost links could indicate a
   site-wide deindexation issue or a penalized linking domain that Google removed.
7. Export for Reporting: Export the key data points to CSV for client reporting or internal
   documentation. Moz’s export includes all relevant metrics in a clean, analysis-ready format.

Pros and Cons

Who Should Use Moz’s Link Explorer?

Agency SEOs Managing Client Reports: DA is the metric that clients understand. When you tell a
client “Your DA grew from 24 to 31 this quarter,” they grasp the progress immediately. No other metric
communicates authority as simply.

Link Builders & Outreach Specialists: The Link Intersect feature alone justifies the tool.
Finding 200 domains that link to your competitors but not to you provides months of targeted outreach prospects.

Enterprise SEOs Monitoring Brand Health: Large brands need to continuously monitor their
backlink profiles for toxic link injections, negative SEO attacks, or suspicious spikes. Moz’s Spam Score is the
best early-warning system for these threats.

Freelancers on a Budget: At $0.99 via ToolSurf’s group buy, Link Explorer becomes an incredibly cost-effective addition to any
freelancer’s toolkit—providing professional-grade link intelligence without the $99/month Moz Pro price tag.

Tips for Getting the Most Out of Link Explorer

1. Track DA Monthly: Set a recurring calendar reminder to check your DA on the 1st of every
   month. Track it in a spreadsheet alongside organic traffic to see if authority gains correlate with traffic
   growth.
2. Use Spam Score for Link Detox: Export all linking domains with a Spam Score above 17.
   Review each one manually. If they’re clearly spam farms (thin content, foreign language, hundreds of
   outbound links), add them to a Google Disavow file.
3. Cross-Reference with Ahrefs: For maximum coverage, run your domain through both Moz Link
   Explorer and Ahrefs. Each tool crawls different parts of the web, so together they provide a more complete
   picture of your link profile.
4. Focus on Linking Domains, Not Total Links: 100 links from 100 unique domains is vastly more
   valuable than 1,000 links from 5 domains. Always prioritize unique linking domains as your primary
   link-building KPI.
5. Study Competitor Top Pages: Use the Top Pages report on your top 3 competitors to identify
   their most “linkable” content assets. Create better versions of those assets (the Skyscraper Technique) and
   pitch the same linking domains.

FAQ

Q: Is Domain Authority a Google ranking factor?
A: No. Moz has always been transparent about this. DA is a third-party predictive metric calculated from link
data. However, it correlates strongly with actual Google rankings because both Moz and Google use links as a
core signal.

Q: How often is the Link Explorer database updated?
A: Moz’s web crawler, Moz’s Rogerbot, crawls the web continuously. The link index is typically updated every 3-4
weeks, though recently acquired links may take slightly longer to appear compared to Ahrefs’ faster refresh
cycle.

Q: What’s a “good” Domain Authority score?
A: It depends entirely on your niche. A DA of 30 is excellent for a new blog. A DA of 50 is strong for a
mid-size business. A DA of 80+ is typically reserved for major publications (NYTimes, Forbes). Always compare
your DA to direct competitors, not to unrelated sites.

Q: Can I check Link Explorer for free?
A: Yes, Moz offers 10 free searches per month via the Moz Free Tools. For unlimited access and advanced
features, you need Moz Pro or group buy access through ToolSurf.

Q: What Spam Score is considered dangerous?
A: A Spam Score of 1-5 is low risk. 6-10 is moderate (worth investigating). 11-17 is elevated. 17+ (out of 27)
is high risk and potentially toxic. Consider disavowing linking domains in the 17+ range after manual review.

Q: Does Link Explorer show nofollow vs. dofollow links?
A: Yes. Link Explorer categorizes links as followed (dofollow), nofollowed, UGC (user-generated content), and
sponsored. This distinction is critical because only followed links pass full PageRank influence.

Q: Can I track my DA over time?
A: Yes. Moz Pro includes historical DA tracking. Alternatively, third-party tools like DA Checker or manual
monthly screenshots can create a historical trend for free.

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