Free Dofollow Nofollow Checker

Enter any URL to scan all links on the page and instantly categorize them as dofollow or nofollow. Detect UGC, sponsored, and other rel attributes, view link distribution stats, and identify SEO issues with your link profile.

What Are Dofollow and Nofollow Links?

Every link on a web page carries a signal to search engines. By default, all HTML links are "dofollow" — they pass link equity (also called PageRank or link juice) from the linking page to the target page. This link equity is one of the most important ranking factors in Google's algorithm.

In 2005, Google introduced the rel="nofollow" attribute to combat comment spam. When added to a link, it tells search engines not to pass link equity to the target page. Since 2019, Google treats nofollow as a "hint" rather than a strict directive, meaning it may still choose to follow and count nofollow links in some cases.

Why Link Attributes Matter for SEO

Link attributes directly influence how search engines crawl and evaluate your site. Dofollow links distribute PageRank across your pages, shaping which pages rank highest. Misusing nofollow on internal links can starve important pages of link equity, while failing to add nofollow or sponsored to paid links can trigger a Google manual action penalty.

Understanding your link attribute distribution helps you optimize your internal linking strategy, ensure compliance with Google's link spam policies, and maximize the SEO value of your outbound link profile. Regular audits catch common issues like nofollow on internal links, undisclosed sponsored links, and untagged user-generated content.

How to Use This Tool

1. Enter a URL — paste the full URL of the page you want to analyze (e.g., https://example.com/blog/my-post)
2. Click "Check Links" — the tool fetches the page HTML and parses every anchor tag to extract link attributes
3. Review the summary — see total link counts broken down by type: dofollow vs nofollow, internal vs external, UGC and sponsored
4. Check the issues panel — review warnings about nofollow on internal links, missing anchor text, or other link profile problems
5. Filter and explore — use the filter buttons to focus on specific link types and review each link's URL, anchor text, and full rel attribute

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between dofollow and nofollow links?

Dofollow links are standard HTML links that pass link equity (PageRank) to the linked page, helping it rank higher in search results. Nofollow links include a rel="nofollow" attribute that signals to search engines not to pass link equity. Both types are clickable by users — the difference is purely about how search engines treat the link signal for ranking purposes.

How do I check if a link is dofollow or nofollow?

You can check a link's follow status by right-clicking it in your browser and selecting "Inspect" to view the HTML. A dofollow link is a regular <a> tag with no rel="nofollow" attribute. A nofollow link includes rel="nofollow" in its attributes. This tool automates the process by scanning all links on a page and categorizing them instantly.

What are UGC and sponsored link attributes?

UGC (User Generated Content) and sponsored are rel attribute values introduced by Google in 2019. Use rel="ugc" for links from user-generated content like comments and forum posts, and rel="sponsored" for paid or advertising links. These help Google understand the nature and intent behind links on your page.

Should internal links be dofollow or nofollow?

Internal links should almost always be dofollow. Adding nofollow to internal links wastes link equity that could flow to your own important pages. The only exceptions might be login pages, privacy policy pages, or other pages you don't want to influence rankings. Using nofollow on internal links is one of the most common SEO mistakes, and this tool flags it automatically.

Do nofollow links still have SEO value?

Yes, nofollow links still have indirect SEO value. Since 2019, Google treats nofollow as a "hint" rather than a strict directive, meaning it may still choose to follow and index nofollow links in some cases. Beyond direct SEO, nofollow links drive referral traffic, increase brand awareness, and can lead to natural dofollow links from people who discover your content through the nofollow link.