Skip to content
LinkSkimmr
Log inGet $100 free
LinkSkimmrSign up

Comparison

Site explorer vs per-call API: a side-by-side for consultants

Both answer who links to whom. A site explorer backlink checker in a suite and a per-call API differ in price shape, freshness and everything around the link data, and the right pick depends on how you work.

LinkSkimmr research team ·

Side by side

Ahrefs figures are its published API plan starting point at the time of writing; check current pricing before you decide.
QuestionPer-call API (LinkSkimmr)Subscription suite (Ahrefs, Semrush)
How you payPrepaid credits, $0.0001 each, no subscriptionMonthly plan; Ahrefs API units start from $129 a month for 200,000 units
Minimum spendNone; $100 free credit on sign-upThe plan price
Cost of one bulk screen1 credit for up to 2,000 domainsCounted in units, at least 50 units per Ahrefs request
FreshnessIndex refreshed about monthlyFresher crawl; stronger for daily checks
Keywords and rank trackingNot offeredCore strength
Link dataBacklinks, referring domains, anchors, top pages, DRSame family, deeper history and filters
MetricOur own DR, log scaleAhrefs DR, Moz DA or their own scores

Which one a consultant should reach for

If you audit one site a week and live in the interface, a suite is simpler. You also get keywords, which we do not sell.

If you audit many sites in a burst, script the triage, or hand a client a spreadsheet that fills itself, per-call pricing fits better because idle months cost nothing. The older Moz tool called Open Site Explorer set the habit of looking up a domain in a box, and our free overview works the same way.

Many consultants keep both: a suite for deep sessions with a client, and credits for the screening and the monthly refresh jobs that would otherwise burn plan units.

For a concrete shape, see how a scripted bulk screen costs one credit for up to 2,000 domains, and how the ten-minute routine spends perhaps six credits on a full client note.

Pick the suite if any of these is true

  • You need keyword or rank-tracking data in the same report
  • You must see links found in the last few days
  • The client wants a branded dashboard with history
  • You audit fewer than a handful of sites a month and prefer one interface
  • The decision depends on Semrush or Ahrefs metrics the client already knows

Our position

We would not replace Ahrefs with this

We would put it in front of Ahrefs for the cheap work: screening lists, spot checks, scripted monthly reports. When a decision needs keyword data or daily-fresh links, open the suite.

  • Link data only, no keyword suite
  • Roughly monthly refresh
  • Sign-in by Google account, top-up with USDT (TRC-20)

Comparison questions

Is there a free site explorer backlink checker here?

Yes. The domain, overview, stats and suggest actions are free and need no key. You can try them in the box on the home page. Link-level listings, anchors and comparisons cost 1 to 3 credits per call.

Does the credit price change with the number of rows?

No. Each call is billed once whatever the number of rows, up to 1,000 rows per call, with deep pagination capped at 50,000. That makes big listings cheap compared with systems that charge per row returned.

Can I use the API from a spreadsheet?

Yes. CORS is open and responses are JSON, so Apps Script, Python or a no-code tool can call it. Use the Authorization header rather than a key in a shared sheet URL.

Do Semrush or Majestic offer something similar?

Both sell link data inside subscriptions. Majestic is link-focused, Semrush is a broad suite. We do not compare their numbers here, because the metrics differ, and we suggest checking each vendor's current price page.