Majestic
Backlink AnalysisWorld's largest backlink index with Trust Flow intelligence
Overview
Majestic operates the world's largest commercial backlink database, crawling billions of URLs daily since 2004. Founded by Alex Chudnovsky in Birmingham, UK, the tool specializes exclusively in backlink analysis rather than attempting to be an all-in-one SEO platform. Its proprietary Trust Flow and Citation Flow metrics provide quality assessments that many link builders consider more reliable than generic domain authority scores.
What sets Majestic apart is its massive Fresh Index, updated daily with new link discoveries, plus a Historic Index stretching back nearly two decades. This combination gives SEOs both current link intelligence and historical context that competitors like Ahrefs and Semrush can't match. The tool's focus on link data depth rather than feature breadth makes it essential for serious link builders and agencies managing multiple client campaigns.
Majestic's data often reveals backlinks that other tools miss, particularly from newer sites or less frequently crawled corners of the web. While Ahrefs may show more total referring domains for some sites, Majestic frequently uncovers unique links that provide additional prospecting opportunities.
Key features
Trust Flow & Citation Flow
Proprietary metrics that measure link quality based on trustworthiness and link volume, providing more nuanced authority assessment than generic domain authority scores.
Fresh Index
Daily crawling of billions of URLs maintains one of the web's largest and most current backlink databases, often finding links other tools miss.
Historic Index
Access to backlink data from 2004 onwards, enabling analysis of link building campaigns over time and recovery from algorithm updates.
Topical Trust Flow
Categorizes referring domains into topics, helping identify whether backlinks come from relevant, contextually appropriate sources.
Clique Hunter
Identifies networks of interconnected sites that may be part of private blog networks or other manipulative link schemes.
Link Context
Shows the actual content surrounding backlinks, helping evaluate whether links are placed naturally within relevant editorial content.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Lite | $50/mo | 1M analyzing units, bulk backlink checker, Trust/Citation Flow |
| Pro | $100/mo | 20M analyzing units, link context, advanced exports |
| API | $400/mo | 100M analyzing units, full API access, raw data exports |
FAQ
How does Majestic's Trust Flow differ from Moz's Domain Authority?
Trust Flow measures link quality based on proximity to trusted seed sites, while Domain Authority predicts ranking potential. Trust Flow focuses specifically on link trustworthiness rather than overall ranking capability.
Can I use Majestic for free?
Yes, Majestic offers a free tier with limited daily searches and basic backlink data. The free version provides Trust/Citation Flow metrics but restricts bulk analysis and advanced features.
Does Majestic find more backlinks than Ahrefs?
Majestic often discovers different links than Ahrefs due to varying crawl priorities and methodologies. Neither tool captures 100% of the web's links, so many SEOs use both for comprehensive analysis.
What makes Majestic's historical data valuable?
Historical backlink data helps identify when links were gained or lost, correlate link changes with ranking fluctuations, and understand the timeline of competitors' link building efforts.
Review Sentiment
154 reviews across 2 sources
Bottom line
Majestic's free tier lets you evaluate largest independent backlink index before committing to paid plans from $50/mo. Its 4.3/5 from 154 users is well-earned — the main caveat is interface feels dated and unintuitive compared to Ahrefs.
People love
- +Largest independent backlink index — discovers links that other tools miss
- +Trust Flow and Citation Flow metrics provide unique link quality assessment
- +Historical backlink data goes back further than any competitor
Common complaints
- –Interface feels dated and unintuitive compared to Ahrefs or Semrush
- –Focused solely on backlinks — no keyword research, content optimization, or rank tracking
- –Free tier is extremely limited — paid plans start at $50/mo for basic access
🟠Reddit sentiment
mixed7 threads in r/SEO, r/bigseo, r/linkbuilding
“Trust Flow and Citation Flow align more closely with actual Google rankings than other link metrics”
r/bigseo· 38 pts
“It's a general practice among SEOs to block the Majestic crawler, so their database is intentionally manipulated”
r/SEO· 25 pts
🔵𝕏 sentiment
mixed5 posts
“Majestic has features you won't find in any other SEO tool, but the platform feels out of step with modern SEO”
@backaborat· 67 likes
“Great alternative to Ahrefs for backlink analysis at an affordable price point”
@SEOtools_review· 34 likes
Last updated Feb 2026