Best Backlink Data APIs

Best overall: DataForSEO

██████░░░░ 60 / 100 data score

DataForSEO is a usage-based REST API for SEO and digital-marketing data, covering SERPs, keyword research, backlinks, rank tracking, and on-page and content analysis across 94,000+ locations on Google, Bing, YouTube, and more. It is self-serve with transparent pay-per-request pricing from $0.0006 per request plus a $1 signup credit. Integration is REST with basic auth, webhooks, an official MCP server, and four SDKs. The platform is GDPR and ISO 27001 compliant, though no public SLA is offered. Launched 2016.

From $0.0006 request.

How it stacks up

• ✓ On compliance, Ahrefs API additionally documents SOC 2.
• ✓ For coding-agent use, DataForSEO scores higher on agent-friendliness (60 vs 55).
• ✓ DataForSEO supports webhooks for event-driven integration; the other does not document them.

Best for: AI agents and automation - an agent-ready surface (MCP / llms.txt); Teams needing broad API coverage out of the box; Cost-sensitive teams - low, transparent entry price.

Avoid if: You want to try it free before paying

DataForSEO profile → · DataForSEO vs Ahrefs API →

At a glance

Quick pick by use case

If you only have thirty seconds, find your situation:

• If you want the strongest all-round pick, pick DataForSEO - our default pick: strongest across pricing, trust and breadth.
• If you want to start free, pick Moz API - the only genuinely free option here. $0/month, 50 rows per month, one request every ten seconds.
• If you're buying for a regulated or large team, pick DataForSEO - for regulated or large teams: enterprise plan.
• If you want the lowest published entry price, pick Moz API - from $5 month to start; compare on your real usage, not the entry price.
• If you're wiring this into coding agents or AI workflows, pick DataForSEO - easiest to wire up programmatically: MCP server.
• If you want the broadest documented surface, pick SE Ranking - 156 documented actions; breadth isn't quality, but it's the most to build on.

The picks in depth

• #1 DataForSEO

  ██████░░░░ 60 / 100
  • Best overall
  • Best for enterprise
  • Best for agents

  DataForSEO is a usage-based REST API for SEO and digital-marketing data, covering SERPs, keyword research, backlinks, rank tracking, and on-page and content analysis across 94,000+ locations on Google, Bing, YouTube, and more. It is self-serve with transparent pay-per-request pricing from $0.0006 per request plus a $1 signup credit. Integration is REST with basic auth, webhooks, an official MCP server, and four SDKs. The platform is GDPR and ISO 27001 compliant, though no public SLA is offered. Launched 2016.

  PricingUsage · from $0.0006 request · free tier ✗

  TrustGDPR · ISO 27001

  Does

  • Historical data
  • AI Overview tracking
  • Local / geo data
  • Multiple search engines
  • Competitor analysis
  • Search intent
  • PPC / ad data
  • Clickstream data
  • Bulk / batch
  • Real-time

  Used byThe Links Guy

  Strengthstransparent public pricing · self-serve signup · GDPR

  Avoid ifYou want to try it free before paying

  ScoresAgent 60 · Pricing 85 · Setup 75 · Docs 25 · Procurement 85 · Trust 30

  DataForSEO profile →

• #2 Ahrefs API

  █████▒░░░░ 56 / 100

  Ahrefs API exposes the data behind Ahrefs' SEO toolset for custom integrations: keyword research, backlink analysis, rank tracking, site audits, and brand visibility across search and AI platforms. It is a REST API with API-key auth and an official MCP server. Pricing is published and self-serve, starting at $449/month as an Ahrefs subscription, with GDPR and ISO 27001 compliance and SOC 2 in progress. Launched 2010.

  PricingHybrid · from $449 month · free tier ✗

  TrustSOC 2 In progress · GDPR · ISO 27001

  Does

  • Historical data
  • AI Overview tracking
  • Multiple search engines
  • Competitor analysis
  • Search intent
  • Clickstream data
  • Bulk / batch

  Strengthstransparent public pricing · self-serve signup · SOC 2 In progress

  Avoid ifYou want to try it free before paying

  ScoresAgent 50 · Pricing 85 · Setup 40 · Docs 35 · Procurement 85 · Trust 38

  Ahrefs API profile →

• #3 Serpstat API

  █████▓░░░░ 58 / 100

  Serpstat is a cost-focused SEO data API covering keyword research, backlink analysis, rank tracking, site audits, competitor analysis, and SERP crawling across 243 countries. The REST API uses API-key auth, an official MCP server, and five SDKs. Pricing is a published, self-serve subscription from $100/month. It is GDPR compliant. Used by Deloitte, Rakuten, Visa, and Uber.

  PricingSubscription · from $100 month · free tier ✗

  TrustGDPR

  Does

  • Historical data
  • Local / geo data
  • Multiple search engines
  • Competitor analysis
  • PPC / ad data
  • Bulk / batch

  Used byDeloitte, Rakuten, Visa, Uber

  Strengthstransparent public pricing · self-serve signup · GDPR

  Avoid ifYou want to try it free before paying

  ScoresAgent 55 · Pricing 85 · Setup 60 · Docs 45 · Procurement 85 · Trust 15

  Serpstat API profile →

• #4 Semrush API

  █████░░░░░ 53 / 100

  Semrush API extracts the platform's SEO and PPC data programmatically, covering organic and paid keywords, competitive analysis, ad history, and local SEO, with an MCP server for AI integration. It is a REST API supporting API-key and OAuth2 auth across 140+ countries. Pricing is published and self-serve, starting around $456/month. It is GDPR and PCI DSS compliant. Used by Samsung, LG, and Disney.

  PricingHybrid · from $455.67 month · free tier ✗

  TrustGDPR · PCI DSS

  Does

  • Historical data
  • AI Overview tracking
  • Local / geo data
  • Competitor analysis
  • Search intent
  • PPC / ad data
  • Clickstream data
  • Bulk / batch

  Used bySamsung, LG, ZoomInfo, Disney

  Strengthstransparent public pricing · self-serve signup · GDPR

  Avoid ifYou want to try it free before paying

  ScoresAgent 40 · Pricing 85 · Setup 45 · Docs 35 · Procurement 85 · Trust 25

  Semrush API profile →

• #5 Moz API

  █████▒░░░░ 56 / 100
  • Only free option
  • Cheapest to start

  Moz API powers custom SEO tools, dashboards, and integrations, with endpoints for keyword research and metrics, backlink and link analysis, competitive and SERP tracking, and brand monitoring. It is a REST API using API-key or basic auth. Pricing is published and self-serve, starting at $5/month with a free tier of 50 rows/month. Used by Content Harmony, iPullRank, and Intero Digital.

  PricingHybrid · from $5 month · free tier ✓

  Does

  • Historical data
  • Local / geo data
  • Competitor analysis
  • Search intent
  • Bulk / batch

  Used byContent Harmony, Odys Global, iPullRank, Intero Digital

  Strengthstransparent public pricing · a free tier · self-serve signup

  Avoid ifYou have strict compliance requirements

  ScoresAgent 20 · Pricing 100 · Setup 70 · Docs 45 · Procurement 100 · Trust 0

  Moz API profile →

• #6 SE Ranking

  ████▒░░░░░ 45 / 100
  • Broadest surface

  SE Ranking's SEO API automates SEO and GEO workflows: competitor analysis and keyword gaps, AI search visibility, technical site audits, link building, and global market analysis across 188+ country databases. It is a REST API with API-key auth and an official MCP server. Pricing is published and self-serve on a credit model of about $50 per 250,000 credits, with a 14-day, 100,000-credit trial. It is GDPR compliant.

  PricingHybrid · from $50 250,000 API credits · free tier ✗

  TrustGDPR

  Does

  • Historical data
  • AI Overview tracking
  • Local / geo data
  • Competitor analysis
  • Search intent
  • PPC / ad data
  • Bulk / batch
  • Real-time

  Used byHigherVisibility, hurra.com, Votre Site Pro

  Strengthstransparent public pricing · self-serve signup · GDPR

  Avoid ifYou want to try it free before paying

  ScoresAgent 40 · Pricing 85 · Setup 45 · Docs 0 · Procurement 85 · Trust 15

  SE Ranking profile →

How we rank

The headline score is the average of six 0-100 axes computed only from each API’s published, sourced fields: agent-friendliness, pricing transparency, setup speed, docs quality, procurement ease, and trust readiness. An unknown signal scores 0 for its axis - we credit what’s confirmed, never guess. The score is one input, not the verdict: we lead with each pick’s trade-off, and where a job has only one real option we say so rather than crown it. Full method on the methodology page.

Why trust apio

• ✓ Every field cited. Each profile links the source for every claim - check us.
• ✓ Public audit log. Every change to this data is recorded per field, with who changed it and why.
• ✓ Published, deterministic methodology. The score is a formula over the same fields you can see - recompute it yourself.
• ✓ Zero affiliate links, zero ads, zero paid placement. Money never moves rank.
• ✓ No reviews yet - and we say so rather than synthesizing them.

Frequently asked questions