Backlink cost in 2026: what 38 providers list per backlink
By Rakesh Patel
Last Updated:
Table of contents11 sections
Backlink cost, as providers list it on their own pages, ran $59 to $500 for a single placement on September 24, 2026, across the seven providers that publish a full price ladder. The site’s authority sets the tier, and each provider’s top tier was listed at 2.7 to 6.3 times its entry tier (our arithmetic). Outside those ladders the spread is far wider: a $10 entry item in one self-serve catalog at one end; at the other, monthly packages of up to $19,999 and, in one marketplace, single placements of up to $20,000.
The spread is wide because “a backlink” is not one product. One price buys a guest post on a site you may not see before paying; another buys a place in a network of other subscribers’ sites, or a month of an agency’s time.
Every listed price, by pricing model
Listed price per placement, lowest to highest
Ranked AI$59 → $299 per placement
- DR 10+$59
- DR 20+$69
- DR 30+$79
- DR 40+$149
- DR 50+$299
Invoiced once its team confirms the placements, before the article is written.
Ranked AI$59 → $299 per placement
- DR 10+$59
- DR 20+$69
- DR 30+$79
- DR 40+$149
- DR 50+$299
Invoiced once its team confirms the placements, before the article is written.
Show the data as a table
| Provider | Model | Entry | Top | Listed tiers | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ranked AI | Per placement (per placement) | $59 | $299 | DR 10+ $59 · DR 20+ $69 · DR 30+ $79 · DR 40+ $149 · DR 50+ $299 | Invoiced once its team confirms the placements, before the article is written. |
| fatjoe | Per placement (per placement) | $72 | $456 | DR10+ $72 · DR20+ $96 · DR30+ $120 · DR40+ $216 · DR50+ $336 · DR60+ $456 | Paid in full before the campaign. The same ladder for niche edits. |
| Outreach Monks | Per placement (per placement) | $99 | $399 | DR 20+ $99 · DR 30+ $119 · DR 40+ $179 · DR 50+ $249 · DR 60+ $319 · DR 70+ $399 | Guest posts. The full fee is paid before work begins. |
| Respona | Per placement (per placement) | $100 | $500 | DR 20+ $100 · DR 30+ $160 · DR 40+ $240 · DR 50+ $400 · DR 60+ $500 | Paid at order. Each tier also sets a monthly traffic band. |
| SerpLogic | Per placement (per placement) | $139 | $439 | DA 10–20 $139 · DA 20–30 $199 · DA 30–40 $265 · DA 40–60 $439 | Tiers by DA, not DR. Paid up front. |
| The HOTH | Per placement (per placement) | $150 | $405 | DA or DR 20+ $150 · 30+ $225 · 40+ $345 · 50+ $405 | Link Outreach, paid at order; purchases are final. Its hub page shows $175 “starting”. |
| LinkDR | Per placement (per placement) | $160 | $500 | DR 30+ $160 · DR 40+ $240 · DR 50+ $400 · DR 60+ $500 | Paid at checkout. Reviewing the sites first adds 20%. |
| Authority Builders | Per placement (per placement) | $160 and up | $160 and up | Per guest post, by the site’s authority, traffic and niche. Invoiced once the publisher confirms. | |
| LinksThatRank | Per placement (per placement) | $177 | $177 | Guest post $177 · Link insert $177 · Listicle $247 · Review $277 | The lowest tier of each format. Paid at checkout. |
| Loganix | Per placement (per placement) | $200 and up | $400 and up | Essential, DR/DA 30+ $200 and up · Authority, average DR/DA 40+ $400 and up | Guest posts, paid before work begins. |
| Editorial.Link | Per placement (per placement) | $300 | $375 | 1 backlink $375 · 5 backlinks $1,750 ($350 each) · 20 backlinks $6,000 ($300 each) | A volume discount, not an authority tier. |
| LinkBuilder.io | Retainer (a month) | $2,999 | $19,999 | 8 backlinks $2,999 · 16+ $5,999 · 26+ $9,999 · 53+ $19,999 | 6-month contract, 90-day opt-out. |
| uSERP | Retainer (a month) | $5,500 | $15,000 | Launch $5,500 · Accelerate $10,000 · Dominate $15,000 | Initial 3-month engagement; DR 60+ backlinks listed at $600–900 each inside it. |
| LinksThatRank | Retainer (a month) | $697 | $19,997 | Starter $697 · Bronze $1,497 · Silver $2,997 · Gold $4,997 · Platinum $9,997 · Enterprise $19,997 | No contract. The starter package buys 3 placements at DR 35–49. |
| LinkForge | Retainer (a month) | $997 | $9,997 | Up to 5 placements $997 · Up to 15 $2,997 · 30+ $5,997 · Unlimited $9,997 | A $497 setup fee on the first three plans. |
| Authority Builders (ABC Plus) | Retainer (a month) | $1,000 | $3,000+ | $1,000, $2,000 or $3,000+ a month: a mix its strategists choose. | |
| SerpLogic (bulk) | Retainer (a month) | $1,260 | $4,025 | DA 10–20 $1,260 · DA 20–30 $1,855 · DA 30–40 $2,450 · DA 40–60 $4,025 | 10 guest posts a month at one authority band. |
| Ranked AI (plans) | Retainer (a month) | $99 | $349 | About 4 backlinks $99 · About 8 $198 · About 16 $349 | Per website, inside a managed SEO plan. Month to month. |
| Adaptify | Retainer (a month) | $499 | $999 | 1 site $499 · 3 sites $999 | 1–20 DR45 PR backlinks inside the plan. |
| Backlinker AI | Retainer (a month) | $300 | $300 | “3+ DR 30+ backlinks guaranteed”, from journalists’ requests. Month to month. | |
| AutoBacklinks | Software (a month, site fees on top) | $79 | $399 | Starter $79 · Growth $179 · Scale $399 | Your team directs the agent, the deal, the article and the live check. |
| Linkee | Software (a month, site fees on top) | $97 | $358 | Essential $97 · Pro $197 · Agency $358 | Negotiation, the article, placement and a live check stay with your team. |
| MentionAgent | Software (a month, site fees on top) | $99 | $629 | 1 inbox $99 · 2 inboxes $179 · 4 inboxes $329 · 8 inboxes $629 | You approve every email and reply; most deals are a mutual mention. |
| Okara | Software (a month, site fees on top) | $129 | $249 | AI CMO Lite $129 · AI CMO Pro $249 | Its link-building agent is marked “Soon”. |
| BacklinkGPT | Software (a month, site fees on top) | $149 | $999 | Starter $149 · Growth $399 · Scale $999 | Site fees on top, “often $75 to $250” (its FAQ). |
| Tasken (Horus) | Software (a month, site fees on top) | $250 | $250 | Flat. Its own all-in estimate is $550–$650 a month, before inboxes and publisher fees. | |
| Pitchbox | Software (a month, site fees on top) | $300 | $1,200 | Pro $300 · Advanced $600 · Scale $1,200 | Billed monthly on a one-year term. |
| SEObot | Network (a month) | $49 | $49 | Its smallest subscription; one backlink credit per new article, which it calls a bonus. | |
| BabyLoveGrowth | Network (a month) | $99 | $399 | Grow $99 · Scale $399 | Backlinks from a network of its subscribers’ sites. |
| Outrank | Network (a month) | $99 | $1,899 | All-in-One $99 · Backlink Premium $199 · Backlink Scale $899 · Backlink Enterprise $1,899 | Placements paid in credits, at the site’s DR × 4. |
| AutoSEO | Network (a month) | $149 | $149 | 5 to 10 a month from its other customers’ sites. US price. | |
| Arvow | Network (a month) | $169 | $169 | The Business plan, the first with Automatic Backlinks from its user network. | |
| Link Publishers | Marketplace (per placement) | $20 and up | $20,000 | Self-serve $20 and up · Across its network $20 to $20,000 | The network range is from its FAQ; the managed lane’s fee is quoted separately. |
| Link.Build | Marketplace (per placement) | $10 | $10 | The entry item in its self-serve catalog; managed campaigns are quoted. | |
| WhitePress | Marketplace (per placement) | Not published | Not published | Prices “visible after logging in”. | |
| PressWhizz | Marketplace (per placement) | Not published | Not published | Prices after signup; a managed service with a $5,000 a month minimum. | |
| Linkhouse | Marketplace (per placement) | Not published | Not published | Each placement at its publisher’s price plus a platform margin. | |
| The Trust Agency | Marketplace (per placement) | Not published | Not published | EUR prices inside its portfolio, on request. | |
| Scalerrs | Agency (quoted per client) | Not published | Not published | A custom fixed monthly cost, quoted on a call. | |
| Victorious | Agency (quoted per client) | Not published | Not published | Lowest monthly SEO budget on its contact form: $5,000–$10,000. | |
| Wildnet Technologies | Agency (quoted per client) | Not published | Not published | “Request Custom Pricing”. | |
| MotherLink | Agency (quoted per client) | Not published | Not published | Managed budgets typically €10,000 a month and up, plus a €45 fee per backlink. |
Six pricing models at a glance
Before comparing numbers, compare what each model buys and what it asks of you.
Six backlink pricing models: tap one to see what it asks of you (prices read September 24, 2026)
Per backlink, by tier
Pick an authority tier, pay a fixed price for each backlink.
- Who does the work
- The provider’s team
- When you pay
- Mostly at order or before work starts
- Listed price
- $59–$500 per placement
- What it asks of you
- Pick a tier; usually pay before the backlink exists
Monthly retainer
A month of an agency’s work, or a monthly bundle.
- Who does the work
- The agency’s team
- When you pay
- Monthly, sometimes with a minimum term
- Listed price
- $99–$19,999 a month
- What it asks of you
- A monthly commitment, and trust that the mix fits your targets
Outreach software
A tool your team runs; what a site owner charges comes on top.
- Who does the work
- Your team, with AI help
- When you pay
- Monthly subscription, site fees on top
- Listed price
- $79–$1,200 a month, plus site fees
- What it asks of you
- A person to run the outreach and the deals
Content network
AI articles for your blog, with backlinks from other users’ sites.
- Who does the work
- The platform, using its users’ sites
- When you pay
- Monthly subscription
- Listed price
- $49–$1,899 a month
- What it asks of you
- Taking the network’s sites as they come
Marketplace
A catalog of sites: you pick, the publisher places.
- Who does the work
- You pick; the publisher places
- When you pay
- Mostly at order
- Listed price
- $10 entry item to $20,000 a placement; several show prices only after login
- What it asks of you
- An account, and the vetting
Agency quote
A price built for your targets, after a conversation.
- Who does the work
- The agency’s team
- When you pay
- Quoted per client
- Listed price
- Not published
- What it asks of you
- A conversation before any number
Compare them all in one table
| Who does the work | When you pay | Listed price | What it asks of you | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per backlink, by tier | The provider’s team | Mostly at order or before work starts | $59–$500 per placement | Pick a tier; usually pay before the backlink exists |
| Monthly retainer | The agency’s team | Monthly, sometimes with a minimum term | $99–$19,999 a month | A monthly commitment, and trust that the mix fits your targets |
| Outreach software | Your team, with AI help | Monthly subscription, site fees on top | $79–$1,200 a month, plus site fees | A person to run the outreach and the deals |
| Content network | The platform, using its users’ sites | Monthly subscription | $49–$1,899 a month | Taking the network’s sites as they come |
| Marketplace | You pick; the publisher places | Mostly at order | $10 entry item to $20,000 a placement; several show prices only after login | An account, and the vetting |
| Agency quote | The agency’s team | Quoted per client | Not published | A conversation before any number |
“A backlink” is not one product. Compare what each price buys, and asks of you, before you compare the numbers.
Price per backlink, set by authority tier
The most common model: pick an authority tier, pay a fixed price for each backlink. DR and DA are the third-party authority scores the tiers are named after.
Seven providers with a full price ladder
The chart at the top of this page shows each ladder from its entry tier to its top tier. Here is how far each one climbs: the top tier’s price divided by the entry tier’s.
How far each ladder climbs: top tier ÷ entry tier (our arithmetic)
Show the data as a table
| Value | Note | |
|---|---|---|
| fatjoe | 6.3× | $72 (DR10+) to $456 (DR60+) |
| Ranked AI | 5.1× | $59 (DR 10+) to $299 (DR 50+) |
| Respona | 5.0× | $100 (DR 20+) to $500 (DR 60+) |
| Outreach Monks | 4.0× | $99 (DR 20+) to $399 (DR 70+) |
| SerpLogic | 3.2× | $139 (DA 10–20) to $439 (DA 40–60) |
| LinkDR | 3.1× | $160 (DR 30+) to $500 (DR 60+) |
| The HOTH | 2.7× | $150 (DA/DR 20+) to $405 (50+) |
A few details the ladders hide: fatjoe lists $120 at DR30+ and uses the same ladder for niche edits; Respona ties each of its five tiers to a monthly traffic band and charges extra for express delivery and pre-approval; The HOTH shows $175 “starting” on its hub page; LinkDR adds 20% if you want to review the sites first.
Four providers that list an entry price
| Provider | Listed price | When you pay |
|---|---|---|
| Authority Builders | $160 and up per guest post | Invoiced once the publisher confirms, before the article is written |
| LinksThatRank | $177 per guest post or “link insert” at the lowest tier; listicles $247 | At checkout |
| Loganix | $200 and up (Essential, DR/DA 30+); $400 and up (Authority, average DR/DA 40+) | Before work begins |
| Editorial.Link | $375 per backlink; $1,750 for 5 ($350 each); $6,000 for 20 ($300 each) | Not described on its pages |
Work out your monthly backlink cost
Pick how many backlinks you want a month, the authority tier and the content type. The calculator uses only the providers above that list a price for that exact tier, and our estimate of your team’s hours if you run the work yourself.
Calculator
What would my backlinks cost?
The listed market price for your month, and the hours it would take your team to do it in-house.
6 providers list a DR 30+ guest post at $79–$225 each: $790–$2,250 a month for 10 backlinks. Your team’s hours if you run it yourself, our estimate: 50–95 hours a month.
Listed market price
$790–$2,250 a month
10 backlinks at $79–$225 each
- Ranked AI $79
- Outreach Monks $119
- fatjoe $120 (DR30+)
- Respona $160
- LinkDR $160
- The HOTH $225 (DA or DR 30+)
Your team’s hours if you run it yourself
50–95 hours a month
5 h per guest post from a returning partner, 9.5 h from a new site. Our estimate of typical manual practice, not a measurement.
Add your team’s hourly cost above to price these hours.
LabsMedia quotes by email: one monthly quote for your target, and only live backlinks are invoiced.
Get one quote for 10 backlinks a monthPrices as listed on providers’ own pages, read September 24, 2026. Sources: our comparisons of 38 providers. Guest posts: Ranked AI, fatjoe, Outreach Monks, Respona, The HOTH and LinkDR. Link insertions: fatjoe’s niche edits and The HOTH. Hours are our estimate of typical manual practice, not a measurement.
Show the prices and hours behind the calculator
| Tier | Content type | Listed prices |
|---|---|---|
| DR 20+ | Guest post | Ranked AI $69 · fatjoe $96 (DR20+) · Outreach Monks $99 · Respona $100 · The HOTH $150 (DA or DR 20+) |
| DR 30+ | Guest post | Ranked AI $79 · Outreach Monks $119 · fatjoe $120 (DR30+) · Respona $160 · LinkDR $160 · The HOTH $225 (DA or DR 30+) |
| DR 40+ | Guest post | Ranked AI $149 · Outreach Monks $179 · fatjoe $216 (DR40+) · Respona $240 · LinkDR $240 · The HOTH $345 (DA or DR 40+) |
| DR 50+ | Guest post | Outreach Monks $249 · Ranked AI $299 · fatjoe $336 (DR50+) · Respona $400 · LinkDR $400 · The HOTH $405 (DA or DR 50+) |
| DR 60+ | Guest post | Outreach Monks $319 · fatjoe $456 (DR60+) · Respona $500 · LinkDR $500 |
| DR 20+ | Link insertion | fatjoe $96 (DR20+ niche edit) |
| DR 30+ | Link insertion | fatjoe $120 (DR30+ niche edit) · The HOTH $200 (DR 30+ by default) |
| DR 40+ | Link insertion | fatjoe $216 (DR40+ niche edit) |
| DR 50+ | Link insertion | fatjoe $336 (DR50+ niche edit) |
| DR 60+ | Link insertion | fatjoe $456 (DR60+ niche edit) |
| Content type | New site | Returning partner |
|---|---|---|
| Guest post | 9.5 h | 5 h |
| Link insertion | 5.5 h | 1.5–2 h |
Monthly retainers and packages
A month of work or a monthly bundle, sometimes with a minimum term.
| Provider | Monthly price | What the month buys | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| LinkBuilder.io | $2,999 to $19,999 | 8 to 53+ backlinks | 6-month contract, 90-day opt-out |
| uSERP | $5,500, $10,000 or $15,000 | A package; DR 60+ backlinks listed at $600–900 each inside it | Initial 3-month engagement |
| LinksThatRank | $697 to $19,997 | 3 placements at DR 35–49 on the starter package | No contract |
| LinkForge | $997, $2,997, $5,997 or $9,997 | Up to 5, 15, 30+ or unlimited placements | $497 setup fee on the first three plans |
| Authority Builders (ABC Plus) | $1,000, $2,000 or $3,000+ | A mix its strategists choose | Monthly |
| SerpLogic (bulk) | $1,260 to $4,025 | 10 guest posts at one authority band | Monthly package |
| Ranked AI (plans) | $99, $198 or $349 per website | About 4, 8 or 16 backlinks inside a managed SEO plan | Month to month |
| Adaptify | $499 per site; $999 for 3 sites | 1–20 DR45 PR backlinks inside the plan | Monthly plan |
| Backlinker AI | $300 | “3+ DR 30+ backlinks guaranteed”, from journalists’ requests | Month to month |
What a retainer works out to per backlink
Divide the monthly fee by the backlinks it promises, then add what the model asks of you: a contract term, payment before the work, or a mix you did not choose.
| Package | Monthly price | Backlinks | Per backlink |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ranked AI, smallest plan | $99 | About 4 | About $25, inside a wider SEO plan |
| Backlinker AI | $300 | 3+ | $100 or less |
| SerpLogic, bulk | $1,260 to $4,025 | 10 | $126 to $403 |
| LinkForge, smallest plan | $997 | Up to 5 | $199 or more, plus the setup fee |
| LinksThatRank, starter | $697 | 3 | About $232 |
| LinkBuilder.io, smallest | $2,999 | 8 | About $375 |
Outreach software, with site fees on top
A software price buys the tool, not the backlink. Your team runs the outreach, and whatever a site owner charges comes on top.
| Tool | Monthly price | What stays with your team |
|---|---|---|
| AutoBacklinks | $79 (2,500 credits), $179 or $399 | Directing the agent, the deal, the article and the live check; a managed add-on is arranged by email |
| Linkee | $97 ($80.83 billed yearly), $197 or $358 | Negotiation, the article, placement and a live check |
| MentionAgent | $99 per inbox, then $179, $329 or $629 | Approving every email and reply; most deals are a mutual mention, not a paid placement |
| Okara | $129 (AI CMO Lite) or $249 (Pro) | Outreach, deals and placement; its link-building agent is marked “Soon” |
| BacklinkGPT | $149, $399 or $999 | Every payment; site fees on top, “often $75 to $250” (its FAQ) |
| Tasken (Horus) | $250 flat; its own all-in estimate $550–$650 | Replies and price talks, plus inboxes and publisher fees |
| Pitchbox | $300, $600 or $1,200 on a one-year term ($210, $420 or $825 billed annually) | Running campaigns, owning the mailboxes and getting content written |
What this model asks of you: a person to run it. Your team’s hours and the site fees are most of the backlink cost here.
AI content platforms that place your site in a network of their users’ sites
These platforms write articles for your blog. The backlinks come from a network of their other users’ sites, not from sites chosen for your brief, so there is no separate price per backlink.
| Platform | Monthly price | Where the backlinks come from |
|---|---|---|
| SEObot | $49, its smallest subscription | One backlink credit per new article, which it calls a bonus, not a deliverable |
| BabyLoveGrowth | $99 Grow or $399 Scale ($49 or $199 billed yearly) | A network of its subscribers’ sites, included in the plan |
| Outrank | $99 All-in-One; backlink plans $199, $899 (1,400 credits) or $1,899 | Its users’ articles, or blogs its system picks at the site’s DR × 4 credits |
| AutoSEO | $149 ($1,188 a year), US prices | 5 to 10 a month from its other customers’ sites |
| Arvow | $169 Business ($69 billed yearly, for a limited time); 15 credits per extra backlink | Automatic Backlinks from its user network |
Marketplaces and agencies that quote on request
Marketplaces that show prices after you log in
| Marketplace | Public price | How you pay |
|---|---|---|
| WhitePress | None; prices “visible after logging in” | Per publication; no contracts or retainers |
| PressWhizz | Prices after signup; a managed service with a $5,000 a month minimum | Not published |
| Linkhouse | None; each placement at its publisher’s price plus a platform margin | At order |
| Link Publishers | $20 per placement and up, self-serve; $20 to $20,000 across its network (its FAQ) | At order; the managed lane’s fee is quoted separately |
| The Trust Agency | EUR prices inside its portfolio, on request | Invoiced at month end for articles booked, due in 15 days |
| Link.Build | A $10 entry item in a self-serve catalog; managed campaigns quoted | Managed campaigns mostly on monthly retainers |
What this model asks of you: an account, and the vetting. You choose the sites yourself, so the price covers the placement, not the judgment behind it.
Agencies that quote each client
| Agency | Public price | How it quotes |
|---|---|---|
| Scalerrs | Not published | A custom fixed monthly cost, quoted on a call; link building is one of its eight services |
| Victorious | Not published | Lowest monthly SEO budget on its contact form: $5,000–$10,000 |
| Wildnet Technologies | Not published | “Request Custom Pricing” |
| MotherLink | Managed budgets typically €10,000 a month and up, plus a €45 fee per backlink (€0 for the first 60 days) | Self-serve platform orders are pre-paid |
A price that depends on your targets needs the targets first, so you cannot compare before a conversation.
What drives backlink cost
Across all six models, the same few things move the price of one backlink. Our guide to what moves the price of a single backlink covers each in depth.
What the site brings
Authority
Every ladder above is built on it, but a score alone buys no readers, so check a site’s domain rating the right way before paying for it.
Organic search traffic in your market
Respona and LinkDR tie each tier to a traffic band too. Readers in your country are worth more to you than a bigger audience elsewhere, so check whether a site’s traffic is real and where it comes from.
Niche fit
Authority Builders prices its guest posts “depending on the site’s domain authority, organic traffic, and niche” (read September 24, 2026). A healthcare IT brief needs healthcare IT readers; see how to find niche sites for backlinks.
What the deal involves
Content format
Guest posts need a new article; link insertions add your backlink to an existing article. Providers treat that differently: The HOTH lists $200 per insertion against $150–$405 for Link Outreach, LinkDR adds 20% for listicle or product-review content, and fatjoe uses one ladder for both.
Negotiation
A seller’s first number is where the price starts. A fixed price list settles it in advance; a direct deal leaves room to negotiate the publisher’s price.
Who does the work
A service price includes finding, outreach, writing and checking. A software or marketplace price does not, so the rest is paid in your team’s hours.
The costs no price list shows
What one backlink really costs
Three parts, and only the first is on a price list.
- The listed price. The number on the provider’s page: $59 to $500 per placement on the published ladders.
- Your team’s hours. Whatever the price leaves to you: briefing, approving, chasing and checking. With software or a marketplace, that is most of the work.
- Paying before it is live. Most per-placement providers take payment at order; if a placement fails, you wait for a replacement.
Your team’s time
Price your own hours before you compare. Our estimate of typical manual practice, not a measurement: about 95 hours of manual work for 10 backlinks on one site. By case:
Your team’s hours per backlink, by case (our estimate)
Show the data as a table
| Value | |
|---|---|
| Guest post, new site | About 9.5 h |
| Link insertion, new site | About 5.5 h |
| Guest post, returning partner | About 5 h |
| Link insertion, returning partner | About 1.5–2 h |
Multiply by what an hour of your team costs. The cheapest backlink on a price list can be the most expensive one on your team’s calendar. For the full hour-by-hour split, see in-house vs agency link building.
Paying before a backlink is live
Most per-placement providers above take payment at order or before the work starts (fatjoe, Outreach Monks, Loganix, SerpLogic, Respona, The HOTH, LinkDR); Authority Builders and Ranked AI invoice once the placement is confirmed, before the article is written. Several promise a replacement instead if a placement fails.
Approving every site
Some models ask you to review each prospect (LinkForge, Editorial.Link), charge more for it (LinkDR), or ask you to approve every payment (BacklinkGPT) or every email and reply (MentionAgent). Others offer no pre-approval (fatjoe’s blogs, The HOTH’s Link Outreach).
The cheapest backlink on a price list can be the most expensive one on your team’s calendar.
How LabsMedia prices backlinks
LabsMedia, an AI link building service, publishes no price list. You email your brief with a monthly target, for example 20 backlinks a month from tech publishers whose audience is in the US, and approve one quote for it in US dollars (in India, rupees at the day’s Google exchange rate plus GST). The handling fee is inside the quote, and there is no subscription.
Inside that quote, Scout, our backlink bot, and its specialist AI agents negotiate each price: the seller names a price first, your budget is never revealed, and an agreed price is never reopened. Anything outside the approved range is asked first.
| Question | Per-placement ladder | Outreach software | LabsMedia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who picks the sites | You pick a tier; the provider picks the site | Your team, from the tool’s prospect list | Scout, from your competitors’ backlinks and past partners, judged against your brief |
| Who negotiates | Nobody: the price is fixed | Your team, with suggestions at some tools | Scout’s specialist AI agents; the seller names a price first |
| What you approve | Each order | Emails, replies or payments, depending on the tool | One quote for your monthly target |
| When you pay | Mostly at order | Monthly, plus site fees | Invoiced only once the backlink is live |
| Checked live before you pay | Not before; a replacement if it fails, at several | Up to you | Yes, on the live page against what was agreed; checked once, not monitored after |
| Listed price | $59–$500 per placement | $79–$1,200 a month, plus site fees | Quoted by email, in US dollars |
You pay only for live backlinks. Scout checks each backlink on the live page against what was agreed before it is invoiced, and a failed check stops the deal. On request, a backlink specialist shows you each site before payment. See how a LabsMedia quote works, and the case for paying only for live backlinks.
Backlink cost questions
How much does a guest post cost?
On September 24, 2026, the published guest post ladders ran $72 to $500 per placement, set by the site’s authority, with Authority Builders at $160 and up and Loganix at $200 and up. Running one yourself from a new site takes about 9.5 hours, our estimate.
Is a low-priced backlink worth buying?
Judge it by what the price leaves out. Ask whether the site’s organic search traffic is in your market, whether it fits your niche, whether it passes a spam check on who a site links out to, and whether the backlink is checked live before you pay. A backlink from a site your buyers never read does little for you at any price.
Why do some providers not publish prices?
Marketplaces such as WhitePress and PressWhizz show prices after you log in, because each listing carries its own publisher’s price. Agencies such as Scalerrs and Wildnet Technologies quote each client, because the price depends on the targets. LabsMedia, an AI link building service, quotes by email for the same reason.
Does a monthly retainer cost less per backlink?
Sometimes. LinkBuilder.io’s $2,999 for 8 works out to about $375 each and LinksThatRank’s $697 for 3 to about $232 each (our arithmetic, prices read September 24, 2026), next to per-placement ladders of $59 to $500. Then add what each model asks of you: a contract term, payment before the work, or your own hours.
How does LabsMedia price backlinks?
With one quote for your monthly target, in US dollars, sent by email. LabsMedia is an AI link building service: Scout, our backlink bot, and its specialist AI agents negotiate inside that quote, sellers name their price first, your budget is never revealed, and only backlinks checked on the live page are invoiced.
Want Scout working to your targets rather than a tier? Email your brief to support@labsmedia.com.
LabsMedia pages are LabsMedia’s own marketing. Rankings depend on many factors and are not guaranteed. Prices are quoted by email for each customer’s targets; each backlink is checked on the live page once, before it is invoiced.
Written by
Founder, LabsMedia
Rakesh Patel is the founder of LabsMedia. He has led Space-O Technologies as CEO since founding it in 2010, and he is also the founder and CEO of TextBolt.
On the LabsMedia blog he writes about link-building and the backlinks worth paying for: how to judge a site’s authority and organic search traffic, how to spot a spammy site before it links to you, how to negotiate a fair price, and how to check that a backlink is live before anyone is paid.
He is the author of two books, Enterprise Mobility Strategy & Solutions and A Guide to Open311, and he runs his teams on a simple belief: a “get things done” culture. Why he built LabsMedia is told in his own words on the About page.
