★★★★★Trustpilot · October 2026
Says they cancelled but were charged again a month later.
We tested SEO SpyGlass for 30 days on three websites we control, where we knew of 100 backlinks. The question was how many of those links it would find and how quickly new ones would appear. It scored 2 out of 5 and came last of the five backlink checkers we tested the same way.
SEO SpyGlass found 53 of the 100 known links and missed 47. We could confirm 32 of the 53 it reported as live, and new links took about 54 hours to show up. In short, you'd see about half of your links, and some of those would need checking.
Its strength is cost. There's a free edition with no time limit, and the paid standalone version costs $10.75 a month, billed yearly. It suits freelancers who want a cheap desktop tool and can live with gaps in the data.
How we scored it
SEO SpyGlass scored 2 out of 5 on four parts and 2.5 on features. Missing almost half of our links held back accuracy, coverage and value alike.
Data accuracy2.0
Coverage2.0
Ease of use2.0
Features2.5
Value for money2.0
Overall score: 2 / 5, the average of the five parts, rounded to the nearest half point.
- Data accuracy (2/5): Of the 53 links it reported, we could confirm only 32 as live, so a good share of the list needs checking.
- Coverage (2/5): It found 53 of the 100 backlinks we knew existed and missed the other 47.
- Ease of use (2/5): It's desktop software you install and set up per project, and the free edition can't save projects, which makes regular checks more work.
- Features (2.5/5): Penalty risk scores, competitor gap analysis and scheduled white-label reports earned it a slightly higher 2.5.
- Value for money (2/5): The yearly price is low, but finding only 53 of 100 links limits what that money buys.
Best of 2026
See the ranking →
The best backlink checkers
Before you pick SEO SpyGlass, see how all 5 tools ranked in the same test.
SEO SpyGlass in plain terms
SEO SpyGlass is desktop software for Windows, macOS and Linux that looks up the backlinks pointing at a website. It's made by Link-Assistant.Com as part of the SEO PowerSuite family of tools, and it draws its data from the SEO PowerSuite Backlink Index.
Beyond a list of links, it gives you scores such as InLink Rank and penalty risk, compares your links with competitors' to find gaps, and can re-check links on a schedule and send white-label reports. You can also import data from Google Search Console, Google Analytics or a CSV file.
What sets it apart in our lineup is that it's the only desktop app, and it has a free edition with no time limit. Paid editions are sold as yearly subscriptions. It sits in our wider SEO tools group.
What happens after you sign up
SEO SpyGlass runs on your own computer, and a typical check takes four steps.
1. Install and create a project. Download the desktop app and set up a project for the domain you want to check.
2. Pull in links. It fetches backlinks from the SEO PowerSuite index, and you can add Search Console, Analytics or CSV data.
3. Analyse. Review InLink Rank, anchor text, link types, link status and penalty risk.
4. Report. Schedule re-checks and send white-label reports to clients on the Enterprise edition.
What you get
The free edition covers the basics, and the paid editions add more competitors, history and reporting.
Backlink summary
Shows total links, referring domains and how varied your anchor text is, on every edition.
Competitor comparison
Compares link profiles to find sites linking to rivals but not to you: 1 competitor per project free, 5 on Professional and 40 on Enterprise.
Penalty risk and InLink Rank
Scores each link and domain so you can spot links that might hurt you.
Historical data
Tracks new and lost links over time on Professional and above.
Scheduling and white-label reports
Runs checks automatically and produces branded PDF or HTML reports on the Enterprise edition.
Who gets the most out of SEO SpyGlass
SEO SpyGlass is for people who want a backlink tool on their own computer and care most about keeping costs down. If you need the fullest link data or a tool your team can share in the browser, it's a weaker fit.
A good fit for
- Freelancers who want a low yearly cost
- Agencies that want white-label reports
- People who want to try a free edition first
- Users who prefer desktop software
Not a good fit for
- Teams that want a cloud tool with no install
- Buyers who need a refund window
- Anyone who needs the fullest link data
- Large teams working together in a browser
SEO SpyGlass vs Ahrefs, LinkResearchTools and Search Console
Ahrefs won our test with 4.5 out of 5 and starts at $29 a month. It's a cloud SEO suite, while SEO SpyGlass runs on your own computer for a much lower yearly price. LinkResearchTools merges many link sources for $599 a month, against SpyGlass's single index.
Google Search Console is free and shows some links to your own sites, but it gives no competitor data, penalty risk or scheduled reports. SEO SpyGlass can import your Search Console data and build on it.
| Option | Price | How it compares |
|---|---|---|
| SEO SpyGlass | $10.75 a month, billed yearly | Desktop software that checks backlinks from one link index. |
| Ahrefs | $29 a month | A cloud SEO suite with a backlink index, keyword data and site audits. |
| LinkResearchTools | $599 a month | A premium link audit suite that merges many sources. |
| Google Search Console | Free | Shows a sample of links to your own sites, with no competitor data. |
Our 30-day SEO SpyGlass test
We tested SEO SpyGlass from September 28 to October 27, 2026, 30 days in all. We used three websites we control, and between them we knew of 100 backlinks. That meant we could see exactly which links it found and which it missed. Every backlink checker in our lineup ran the same test, set out in how we test.
SEO SpyGlass found 53 of the 100 known links. The other 47 never appeared. If those were your links, almost half of your profile would be invisible to you, and that's the main reason SpyGlass came last.
We then checked the links it reported and could confirm 32 of the 53 as live. So even the half you do see needs a second look before you act on it, for example before telling a client which links they've earned.
New links took about 54 hours to show. If you're tracking outreach, expect a wait of more than two days before a new link turns up.
Our SEO test also covers keyword data and a crawl for planted technical problems. Neither applies to a backlink checker, so we didn't run them here.
| What we measured | Result | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Keyword volume and ranking data compared with Google Search Console | N/A: backlink discovery test | This part is for keyword tools, so we didn't run it on SEO SpyGlass. |
| Backlinks found out of 100 links we know exist | Known backlinks found 53/100 | It missed 47 real links, so you'd see only about half of a site's links. |
| Planted technical issues found out of 40 | N/A: no technical crawl in this brief | SEO SpyGlass doesn't crawl sites for technical problems, so this didn't apply. |
| How fast new links appear | 54 h to reflect updates | New links take more than two days to appear, so you can't confirm outreach wins quickly. |
SEO SpyGlass gave us about half the picture. It found 53 of 100 known links, we could confirm 32 of those as live, and new links took about 54 hours to show. The low price and free edition soften that, but finding your links is the job, and it ranked last of the five.
Tested September 28, 2026 to October 27, 2026.
The good and the bad from our test
Free edition with no time limit
You can use the free edition for as long as you like, with up to 1,100 backlinks and 1 competitor per project. That's a fair way to see whether it suits you before paying.
Low yearly price
The standalone Professional edition costs $10.75 a month, billed yearly. That's well below Ahrefs at $29 a month or Majestic at $49.99 a month.
Useful reporting extras
Penalty risk scores, competitor gap analysis and, on Enterprise, scheduled white-label reports give freelancers and small agencies a lot to work with.
Missed 47 of 100 known links
SEO SpyGlass found 53 of the links we knew about. With almost half missing, any audit or report built on it would be incomplete.
Many reported links weren't confirmed live
We could confirm only 32 of the 53 links it reported. You'll want to check its lists before relying on them.
No refunds and automatic renewals
The return policy says there are no refunds for unused time, plans renew automatically, and renewal reminders may not arrive. Many recent user complaints are about exactly this.
Pros
- Free edition with no time limit
- Low yearly price for the paid editions
- Runs on Windows, macOS and Linux
- Penalty risk and competitor gap tools
- White-label reports on Enterprise
Cons
- Missed 47 of 100 links we knew existed
- Only 32 of 53 reported links confirmed live
- About 54 hours for new links to appear
- No refunds, and plans renew automatically
- Free edition can't save projects
How much SEO SpyGlass costs
SEO SpyGlass has a free edition and paid editions sold only by the year. On its own, Professional costs $10.75 a month and Enterprise $21.58 a month, both billed yearly ($129 and $259 a year). You can also buy it in the SEO PowerSuite bundle with three other tools: Professional at $29.10 a month and Enterprise at $49.95 a month, both billed yearly ($349 and $599 a year).
Most freelancers would start with the free edition, then move to standalone Professional for unlimited backlinks and 5 competitors per project. Agencies that need white-label reports need Enterprise. Paying for two or three years at once lowers the yearly cost. Prices were checked on November 3, 2026.
SEO SpyGlass Professional
$10.75
a month, billed yearly
- Unlimited backlinks
- 5 competitors per project
SEO SpyGlass Enterprise
$21.58
a month, billed yearly
- 40 competitors per project
- White-label reports, scheduling and exports
SEO PowerSuite Professional (bundle)
$29.10
a month, billed yearly
- SEO SpyGlass
- Rank Tracker, WebSite Auditor and LinkAssistant
SEO PowerSuite Enterprise (bundle)
$49.95
a month, billed yearly
- The full bundle
- White-label reports and 40 competitors
The free edition has no time limit. It allows 1,100 backlinks and 1 competitor per project, but you can't save projects. There's no fixed-length free trial of the paid editions.
There are no refunds. Cancelling doesn't refund any part of the term you've paid for.
You cancel in your 2Checkout account; an email or phone call isn't enough. Access continues to the end of the term. Subscriptions renew automatically, and renewal notices may not be sent.
Prices checked November 3, 2026. Prices can change, so check before you buy.
Is SEO SpyGlass safe to use?
SEO SpyGlass is a research tool that runs on your own computer, so it doesn't change your website. Using it carries little risk to your site. If you act on its penalty risk scores, check the links yourself first.
The main risk is billing. The company says renewal charges can't be refunded once processed, and renewal reminder emails may not arrive. Recent users report being charged for renewals they didn't expect.
We didn't find details on how the company uses your data or which security standards it meets. If that matters to you, ask before you buy.
Turn off auto-renewal in your 2Checkout account right after buying if you only want one term.
What SEO SpyGlass users say
User opinion is mixed, and it covers SEO PowerSuite as a whole rather than SEO SpyGlass alone. On Trustpilot, checked November 3, 2026, SEO PowerSuite has 2.7 out of 5 from 417 reviews, labelled Poor, with 16 reviews in the last 12 months.
Recent complaints are almost all about billing: renewals charged after people thought they'd cancelled, refunds refused after renewal, and slow replies from the company. Even some unhappy users say they like the software itself, and others find the free version useful for basic checks.
What users praise
- Software itself is liked, even by reviewers who complain about billing
- Free version useful for basic analysis
What users complain about
- Auto-renewals charged after cancellation
- No refund after renewal
- Slow responses from the company (over a month typical, replies to 26 percent of negative reviews)
Recent user reviews, in short
Summarised in our own words, not quoted. Reviewer names are left out.
★★★★★Trustpilot · October 2026
Says a cancellation a month before renewal still led to a charge of about 878 USD.
★★★★★Trustpilot · October 2026
A three-year plan auto-renewed for 327 USD; refund refused, though support turned off auto-renewal politely.
★★★★★Trustpilot · September 2026
Missed an annual renewal, refund asked within about 12 hours was refused; praised the software.
Users rarely talk about the backlink data, so our test fills that gap: SpyGlass found 53 of our 100 known links. Their billing stories match the strict no-refund and auto-renewal terms we found.
Ratings checked November 3, 2026.
SEO SpyGlass alternatives worth a look
Every other tool in our test scored the same as SEO SpyGlass or higher. Here's how they compared.
Ahrefs
Ahrefs won our test with 4.5 out of 5 and scored higher on every part. It suits SEO specialists and agencies, and its Starter plan costs $29 a month.
LinkResearchTools
LinkResearchTools ranked second with 2.5 out of 5, helped by better ease of use and value scores. At $599 a month, it's for agencies doing link audits.
Monitor Backlinks
Monitor Backlinks scored 2.5 out of 5, ahead of SpyGlass on four of the five parts. It suits small sites that want alerts when links are gained or lost.
Majestic
Majestic scored 2 out of 5, the same as SpyGlass, and ranked fourth. It suits link builders who want Trust Flow scores and old link data, from $49.99 a month.
2/5
Should you use SEO SpyGlass?
SEO SpyGlass is cheap and you can try it for free, but it ranked last of the five in our test. It found 53 of our 100 known links, we could confirm only 32 of those as live, and new links took about 54 hours to appear. That's why it scored 2 out of 5 and came last of five.
If you're a freelancer who wants a desktop tool for occasional checks, the free edition is worth a try, and Professional at $10.75 a month, billed yearly, is a small outlay. Just turn off auto-renewal and expect gaps in the data. If complete link data matters, see our best backlink checkers list.
SEO SpyGlass suits budget-minded freelancers who want a desktop tool; anyone who needs complete backlink data should look elsewhere.
Still deciding?
Compare backlink checkers →
See how SEO SpyGlass compares
Every tool in our backlink checkers test got the same jobs. Our ranking puts the results side by side.
Disagree with our review?
Make your case
If you use SEO SpyGlass, or work there, and think we got something wrong, email us. Tell us what you saw and attach screenshots if you have them. We'll take another look and update the review if it changes our findings.
review.now.team@gmail.com
or open your email app
Frequently asked questions
How much does SEO SpyGlass cost?
Paid editions are sold by the year. Standalone Professional costs $10.75 a month and Enterprise $21.58 a month, billed yearly ($129 and $259 a year). In the SEO PowerSuite bundle, Professional is $29.10 and Enterprise $49.95 a month, billed yearly ($349 and $599 a year). There's also a free edition. We checked prices on November 3, 2026.
How did you test SEO SpyGlass?
We used three websites we control, with 100 backlinks we knew existed. From September 28 to October 27, 2026, we counted how many of those links SEO SpyGlass found, checked whether the links it reported were live, and timed how long new links took to appear. Every backlink checker in our lineup ran the same 30-day test.
Is SEO SpyGlass free?
There's a free edition with no time limit. It allows 1,100 backlinks and 1 competitor per project, but you can't save projects, so you'd start again each time. For unlimited backlinks, history and more competitors, you need a paid edition, sold as a yearly subscription.
Which computers does SEO SpyGlass run on?
It's desktop software for Windows, macOS and Linux, so you install it on your own computer rather than using it in a browser. It pulls its link data from the SEO PowerSuite Backlink Index and can import data from Google Search Console, Google Analytics and CSV files.
Can I get a refund for SEO SpyGlass?
No. The return policy says there are no refunds for partial use or unused time, and the company says renewal charges can't be refunded once processed. Plans renew automatically and renewal reminders may not arrive, so turn off auto-renewal in your 2Checkout account if you only want one term.
How do I cancel SEO SpyGlass?
Cancel in your 2Checkout account. Sending an email or phoning the company doesn't cancel your subscription. You keep access until the end of the term you've already paid for, and you won't get money back for the time left. Cancel well before your renewal date to be safe.
Written by
Grace Sullivan
I've always been interested in how people connect and build communities online. When exploring a new service, I pay attention to usability, transparency, pricing, and whether its advertised features make sense in everyday situations.