Ahrefs Backlink Analysis API

Retrieve backlink data for any domain or URL: referring domains, new and lost backlinks, anchor text distribution, and domain rating history. Essential for tracking guest post backlink acquisition, monitoring competitor link-building, and measuring the SEO impact of earned placements.

Authentication

Authorization: Bearer {AHREFS_API_TOKEN}

Requires Ahrefs Standard ($199/mo) or higher for full backlink data access.

Core Operations

Get backlink profile summary

GET https://api.ahrefs.com/v3/site-explorer/overview
Authorization: Bearer {token}

Query params:
  target=example.com
  mode=domain   # or "exact" for specific URL, "prefix" for URL prefix
  select=domain_rating,backlinks,referring_domains,organic_traffic,organic_keywords

Response fields: domain_rating (0-100), backlinks (total count), referring_domains (unique linking domains), organic_traffic, organic_keywords.

Get all backlinks to a target

GET https://api.ahrefs.com/v3/site-explorer/all-backlinks
Authorization: Bearer {token}

Query params:
  target=example.com/blog/guest-post-article
  mode=exact
  select=url_from,domain_rating_source,anchor,first_seen,last_seen,http_code,is_dofollow
  where=is_dofollow=true
  order_by=domain_rating_source:desc
  limit=500
  offset=0

Use mode=exact to check backlinks to a specific guest post URL you placed. Use mode=domain to see all backlinks across your domain.

Get new backlinks (recently acquired)

GET https://api.ahrefs.com/v3/site-explorer/new-backlinks
Authorization: Bearer {token}

Query params:
  target=example.com
  mode=domain
  date_from=2026-03-01
  date_to=2026-03-30
  select=url_from,url_to,domain_rating_source,anchor,first_seen,is_dofollow
  order_by=first_seen:desc
  limit=200

Run this weekly to detect when guest post backlinks go live. Match url_from against your media target list to attribute backlinks to specific pitches.

Get lost backlinks

GET https://api.ahrefs.com/v3/site-explorer/lost-backlinks
Authorization: Bearer {token}

Query params:
  target=example.com
  mode=domain
  date_from=2026-03-01
  date_to=2026-03-30
  select=url_from,url_to,domain_rating_source,anchor,last_seen,reason
  limit=200

reason field values: broken (page removed), noindex, redirect, link_removed. Monitor lost backlinks from guest posts to detect when editors remove your links.

Get referring domains

GET https://api.ahrefs.com/v3/site-explorer/referring-domains
Authorization: Bearer {token}

Query params:
  target=example.com
  mode=domain
  select=domain,domain_rating,backlinks,first_seen,last_seen
  order_by=domain_rating:desc
  limit=500

Use to track unique referring domains from guest posting. Each new referring domain from a DA 30+ site is a meaningful SEO signal.

Get competitor backlink sources

GET https://api.ahrefs.com/v3/site-explorer/all-backlinks
Authorization: Bearer {token}

Query params:
  target=competitor.com
  mode=domain
  select=url_from,domain_rating_source,anchor,url_to,is_dofollow
  where=domain_rating_source>=30
  order_by=domain_rating_source:desc
  limit=500

Find where competitors have guest posts published. Extract url_from domains as high-probability targets for your own guest posting pitches.

Rate Limits

• 60 requests per minute across all endpoints
• Monthly unit allowances vary by plan
• Backlink endpoints cost 2-5 units per request depending on result size

Error Handling

• 401 Unauthorized: Invalid or expired API token.
• 429 Too Many Requests: Rate limit exceeded. Implement exponential backoff starting at 60 seconds.
• 402 Payment Required: Monthly unit quota exhausted.
• 400 Bad Request: Verify target URL encoding and mode parameter value.

Pricing

Included in Ahrefs subscription. Backlink data requires Standard ($199/mo) or higher.

• Standard: $199/mo (150,000 API units)
• Advanced: $399/mo (500,000 API units)
• Pricing page: https://ahrefs.com/pricing

Alternatives

• SEMrush Backlink Analytics API ($249.95/mo+): Similar backlink data, different unit model
• Moz Link Explorer API ($99/mo+): Domain Authority, backlink data, spam score
• Majestic API ($49.99/mo+): Trust Flow, Citation Flow, backlink history
• DataForSEO Backlinks API ($0.002/request): Pay-per-use backlink data
• Ubersuggest API ($29/mo+): Basic backlink data, budget option