How much does a backlink cost?

The question of the price of backlinks and off-page netlinking campaigns is central to the profitability of SEO actions. The price of backlinks in 2025 is quite increasing, but there is something for every budget.

The first links you should obtain for your SEO must be free!!!

Then, you need to look further, sometimes pay, and the available solutions vary greatly in terms of budget and effectiveness. Linkbuilding is a construction.

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Buying backlinks and creating natural links are two distinct strategies to improve a website’s SEO. While natural backlinks are obtained through content quality, link purchase involves paying for quality backlinks with specific metrics. Although Google penalizes non-compliant link purchases, it is possible to practice effective netlinking within the rules. This guide explains the differences between paid and natural links, the costs associated with these strategies, and the criteria to follow to obtain quality backlinks.

0€ the free link, the dream!

The one everyone dreams of, the free link, if it comes from a partner site, a local community, or social media, can have significant value. Before engaging in any paid action, it is important to exhaust these solutions, provided they do not consume excessive time resources.

Beyond this type of link, a free link from a directory, for example, will not have much value or SEO impact. If it is free, it is accessible to everyone, making it neither differentiating nor impactful.

From €1 to €20

Finding links for €5 is possible today. This type of link, sought after by many small advertisers, does not always guarantee quality support or a favorable neighborhood with other advertisers. It often includes diverse themes and low-quality sites.

However, for starting with a limited budget, these links allow acquiring referring domains and launching the process advantageously.

From €20 to €100

Many sites are available in this price range, allowing access to links in both quantity and quality. Quality offers exist, providing numerous links at a still affordable budget. Be careful not to pay €100 for links that may only be worth €15!

Between €100 and €300

Beyond €100, the quality level of the links should be relatively high. The platforms should ensure link indexation, provide tracking reports, include minimum SEO metrics, and potentially generate traffic. At €300, the sites should be high-quality and provide a measurable SEO impact.

€300 - €1000

A €1000 link! If 30 links are needed to rank, a budget of €30k is required. It is evident that 30 links are sufficient to rank in a particular niche, but if your site has 3, 6, or 10 niches, the budget becomes very significant and out of reach for 99% of advertisers. In this context, the links must generate traffic, be positioned on the target site's keyword or theme, and have high metrics.

€2,000, €3,000, €4,000, €10,000 - Is it really reasonable for a hyperlink?

These are links from authority sites and well-recognized media. Although expensive, they do not always bring the expected ROI. Essentially, you're paying for a brand, and at this stage, SEO is no longer the main focus. ROI is very difficult to achieve.

In highly competitive industries where SEO competition is extreme, having such a budget is necessary to access the best platforms.

Purchasing these types of links requires guidance from an experienced SEO/netlinking consultant to ensure the actual value of the acquired platform.

How much should you pay for links?

The assumption of buying low-quality links leads to a simple financial reflection. If only 50% of the links have an SEO impact and they all cost €300, the effective link cost becomes €600. Depending on the stage of a SEO strategy, it is often preferable to have 20 links at €100 rather than 2 links at €1000. In one case, 10 links will be effective; in the other, only 1, which is never enough.

Profitability of netlinking and link purchase: ROI Netlinking

Calculating the profitability of netlinking and link valuation is essential to validate SEO strategies.

(value of SEO traffic gain over a period - total cost of netlinking) / Cost

- €120 of daily e-commerce gain due to a keyword's strong rise after one month

- €3000 in links for a campaign (30 links at €100)

(120*365)-3000 / 3000 = 13.3 : €1 invested in backlinks generates €13.3

Link buying and selling: What does Google think?

Google's guidelines on buying backlinks

Google has always been clear regarding its SEO guidelines on buying backlinks. As part of its algorithm designed to present relevant and trustworthy search results, Google strongly discourages any practice that artificially manipulates PageRank. Purchasing backlinks is considered a violation of quality guidelines for organic SEO. These practices distort the perceived relevance and authority of a site.

At the same time, Google states that links are useful for good organic SEO.

Links contribute to good SEO, they must appear naturally to avoid manipulating Google, and they should not be purchased.

However, it is evident that links rarely appear naturally in significant quantities. The few natural links obtained do not provide the popularity or SEO strength needed in a competitive sector. Content alone is insufficient.

Why buy backlinks?

Quick results to boost SEO

Monetary solutions provide access to a large market of options for acquiring backlinks. This ensures SEO growth and reliable, effective resources based on their purchase price.

Compared to other methods for obtaining backlinks, purchasing ensures fast results and measurable ROI. Buying guarantees acquisition!

Domain authority and notoriety

Using a netlinking platform like HyperLinker.ai allows access to domains quickly, a fast impact on SEO rankings, and a relatively quick increase in audience (depending on the starting point, of course).

Improving ranking for strategic keywords

For competitive keywords, linkbuilding is a necessity. Content alone cannot suffice; the competition level is high, technical solutions are equal, and only linkbuilding makes the difference.

How to get free backlinks?

Acquiring free backlinks is essential for improving your site's ranking on Google. The first links for a site must be free!

One of the first methods is to create quality, unique, and relevant content that naturally encourages other sites to cite you, known as Linkbaiting.

You can also leverage forums, blogs, and communities in your niche by actively participating with constructive comments, including links to your site when relevant. This is called Ninjalinking.

Reaching out to bloggers for content-sharing partnerships, guest posting, or being mentioned in "useful resources" lists can also generate organic links. This enters into partnerships, then quickly into exchanges, and eventually into sponsored posts, which are no longer free.

Listing your site in specialized directories and quality platforms can provide valuable backlinks. However, directory submissions, while still existing, are merely a basic start to free netlinking campaigns, with uncertain effects.

Obtaining free backlinks is costly in terms of time investment. It is often wise to compare the total cost (time spent finding, writing, negotiating, verifying) of a free link versus the cost of a purchased link on a netlinking platform like HyperLinker.ai.

Why does backlink pricing vary by site?

The price of a backlink fluctuates based on several criteria linked to the site's quality, authority, and niche.

Every editor values backlinks based on their industry and type of site.

Every agency or consultant assigns a value to a link type based on their experience.