ChatGPT answers, unedited

Yes. For client-facing backlink growth + lost-link reporting, I’d separate the tools into two categories:

My recommendation

If you want the actual client report to look polished: use AgencyAnalytics as the reporting layer, connected to Ahrefs or Semrush.

AgencyAnalytics specifically supports tracking new/lost links and backlink growth, with customizable dashboards, white-label branding, scheduled reports, annotations, and client permissions. It also integrates with Ahrefs and Semrush. agencyanalytics.com

AgencyAnalytics

If backlink intelligence is the priority: I'd choose Ahrefs. Its Site Explorer can track new and lost backlinks and referring domains over time, including a calendar view of daily changes. It also categorizes why links were lost, such as the linking page disappearing, redirecting, becoming noindex, etc. help.ahrefs.com

Ahrefs

Semrush is a strong alternative if you're already using it for keyword/rank/technical SEO reporting. Its Backlinks reports can be exported to PDF and incorporated into branded, scheduled My Reports. www.semrush.com

Semrush

What I'd put in the client report

Rather than dumping a backlink list on the client, I'd make the report show:

• Net new backlinks: +X
• New referring domains: +X
• Lost backlinks: −X
• Lost referring domains: −X
• Net link growth: +X%
• Authority/quality trend
• Top new links — domain, page, authority, anchor
• Important lost links — domain, page, reason lost
• Links earned from your campaigns
• A simple 30/90-day growth chart

That gives the client a clear “we gained X, lost Y, net +Z” story rather than making them interpret SEO metrics.

If you tell me what you're using now (Ahrefs, Semrush, Moz, Majestic, etc.) and whether this is for an agency with multiple clients, I can narrow it down to the best 2–3 setups.

For client-facing backlink reports, you’ll usually want a tool that does three things well:

1. Tracks new backlinks gained
2. Shows lost backlinks with dates and details
3. Creates branded/white-label reports or dashboards clients can understand

Here are the main options:

Common agency setups

1. Premium SEO agency stack

• Ahrefs → backlink intelligence
• AgencyAnalytics → client-facing dashboard/report
• Google Looker Studio → optional custom visuals

2. All-in-one SEO reporting

• Semrush → backlink data + rankings + audits + automated PDFs Semrush

3. Link-building agency workflow

• Ahrefs or Semrush → discover and validate links
• Dedicated monitor like Linkody → alerts when placements disappear Linkody

Metrics clients usually care about

Avoid sending a raw backlink dump. A better monthly report usually includes:

• New referring domains earned
• Total backlinks gained/lost
• Net link growth (gained minus lost)
• Authority of new links (DR/DA/Trust Flow)
• Top earned links (with URLs)
• Lost valuable links and recovery actions
• Anchor text distribution
• Link-building campaign wins

For most agencies, Ahrefs + AgencyAnalytics or Semrush alone are the two most common approaches: one prioritizes backlink depth, the other prioritizes a complete client reporting workflow. serpforge.io AgencyAnalytics

Yes. For client-facing backlink reporting, I’d separate the tools into two categories: the backlink data source and the presentation/reporting layer.

Best options

• ahrefs.com — best backlink data

• Tracks backlink growth and decline over time.
• Its Site Explorer Calendar shows new and lost backlinks and referring domains by day. Ahrefs Help Center
• You can drill into individual lost links and see reasons such as redirects, noindex, crawl errors, etc. Ahrefs Help Center
• Ahrefs also has a Report Builder for client-facing PDF reports and Data Studio connectors. Ahrefs
• My pick if backlink accuracy/depth is the priority.
• agencyanalytics.com — best for agency/client reporting

• Has dedicated backlink monitoring for new and lost links and can put that alongside rankings, traffic, GSC, etc. AgencyAnalytics
• Integrates with Ahrefs, Majestic, Moz and Semrush, so you can use a specialist backlink database while giving the client a much cleaner dashboard. AgencyAnalytics AgencyAnalytics
• Strong white-labeling, scheduled reports and client dashboards.
• My pick if you're managing lots of clients.
• semrush.com — good all-in-one SEO option

• Backlink Analytics explicitly tracks new and lost backlinks over time. Semrush
• The Backlinks report has New/Lost filters and time-period filtering. Semrush
• Its My Reports system can create branded/white-label PDF reports and schedule them. Semrush
• Good choice if you're already using Semrush for keyword/rank/competitor reporting.

What I'd use for an agency

If your goal is something like:

Client SEO Report → Backlinks

+184 referring domains
+427 backlinks
−63 lost backlinks
Net: +364

Top links acquired this month
Important links lost this month
Domain Rating / authority distribution
Backlink growth chart

I'd probably go Ahrefs + AgencyAnalytics. Ahrefs supplies the serious backlink intelligence, while AgencyAnalytics turns it into a much more polished, client-friendly reporting experience. AgencyAnalytics specifically supports white-labeled Ahrefs reporting. AgencyAnalytics

If you want one platform rather than a stack, I'd lean Semrush or AgencyAnalytics, depending on whether you care more about SEO research or agency reporting.

If you tell me how many clients you report on and whether you need white-label PDFs, live dashboards, or both, I can narrow this to the 2–3 best choices and compare pricing/features.

For client-facing backlink reports, you’ll usually want a tool that can do three things well:

1. Track new backlinks earned
2. Track lost backlinks and lost referring domains
3. Turn the data into branded dashboards/PDFs clients can understand

The main options:

Common agency setup

Option A — Fastest client reporting

• Ahrefs or Semrush → export/report template → monthly PDF/email

Good metrics:

• Total backlinks gained
• Total backlinks lost
• Net backlink growth
• New referring domains
• Lost referring domains
• Authority/DR/DA changes
• Top earned links
• Top lost links

Option B — More polished agency dashboard

• Ahrefs or Semrush data → Looker Studio dashboard → client login/share link

Typical dashboard pages:

• Overview: “+42 referring domains this month”
• Growth chart: backlinks/referring domains over time
• Wins: new high-authority links
• Losses: links removed or broken
• Quality: authority distribution, follow vs nofollow, anchor text

My usual shortlist

• SEO agency with many clients: Semrush + Looker Studio
• Link-building agency: Ahrefs + Looker Studio
• Small agency wanting simple reports: SE Ranking
• Enterprise/custom reporting: Ahrefs/Semrush API → BI dashboard

If you’re specifically reporting link-building campaign results to clients, I’d prioritize tools that show earned links by campaign/date rather than just total backlink counts.

Yes. For client-facing backlink reporting, I’d narrow it to these:

My pick: AgencyAnalytics

If your main goal is “give the client a clean monthly report showing we gained X backlinks, lost Y, and here's how the profile is trending”, AgencyAnalytics is probably the easiest fit.

Its backlink reporting specifically supports new and lost links, backlink growth, domain authority, and link-quality metrics, and it has white-labeled dashboards/reports. agencyanalytics.com

It can also pull in data from Ahrefs, Semrush, Majestic, Moz, GSC, GA4, etc., so you can make the backlink section part of a broader SEO report rather than maintaining a separate report. agencyanalytics.com

If you want the SEO tool itself to do the reporting: Semrush

Semrush is strong if your team already uses it for link research. Its Backlinks report has explicit New and Lost filters, date ranges, referring domains, source URLs, anchor text, and first/last-seen dates. agencyanalytics.comwww.semrush.comwww.semrush.comwww.semrush.comhelp.ahrefs.com

It also has My Reports, which can combine backlink data with GA4, GSC, and other Semrush data into branded, scheduled PDF reports. www.semrush.com

A particularly useful setup is Semrush → Looker Studio, where you can visualize backlink history and referring-domain trends in a custom dashboard. www.semrush.com

Ahrefs is excellent for the underlying data

Ahrefs has a very good backlink dataset and a dedicated Lost backlinks report that explains why a link was considered lost—for example, the linking page disappeared, redirected, became noindex, or had a crawl error. help.ahrefs.com

Its Report Builder can turn Ahrefs data into client-facing PDF reports, and Ahrefs also offers Looker Studio connectors. ahrefs.com

For an agency, I'd choose:

AgencyAnalytics + Ahrefs if you want polished automated client reporting and Ahrefs for the underlying backlink intelligence.

AgencyAnalytics + Semrush if you're already a Semrush shop.

Semrush alone if you don't need a separate reporting platform.

If you tell me how many clients you report on and whether you want PDF reports, live dashboards, or both, I can narrow this down to the best 2–3 options and compare pricing/workflow.

Yes. If the client-facing requirement is specifically “show backlink growth + new/lost links clearly”, I’d shortlist these:

My recommendation

For an agency, I’d seriously consider Ahrefs + AgencyAnalytics.

• Ahrefs is particularly strong for the underlying backlink data. Its Site Explorer can track daily new/lost backlinks and referring domains, and its backlink history shows growth/decline over time. help.ahrefs.comagencyanalytics.comwww.semrush.comahrefs.com
• AgencyAnalytics is better as the presentation layer: it specifically supports new/lost link tracking, backlink-growth graphs, scheduled reports, dashboards, and white-label client reporting. It can also pull in Ahrefs data. agencyanalytics.com
• Semrush is a good alternative if you're already using it for SEO. Its Looker Studio integration includes backlink history, referring domains, backlink counts, and related metrics. www.semrush.com
• Looker Studio makes sense if you want to build your own highly customized client dashboard. Ahrefs has a Site Explorer connector for backlink data, while Semrush also provides backlink connectors. www.semrush.comahrefs.com

What I'd put in the client report

A useful backlink section would have:

Backlink Growth

• Total backlinks
• Net backlinks gained
• Referring domains
• Net new referring domains
• Growth chart over the reporting period

New Links

• New referring domains
• New backlinks
• Highest-authority new links
• Linking page/domain
• Anchor text

Lost Links

• Lost backlinks
• Lost referring domains
• Highest-value links lost
• Reason/status where available
• Suggested recovery actions

That gives the client both the “we grew” headline and the “here's what changed” evidence.

If you tell me whether you're an SEO agency, in-house team, or freelancer and roughly how many clients you report on, I can narrow this to the 2–3 best tools and their current pricing/workflow.

Yes. If the client-facing requirement is specifically “show backlink growth + what was lost + make it presentable to clients,” I’d shortlist these:

My pick: Ahrefs

Ahrefs is particularly strong for this use case because its Site Explorer can show new and lost backlinks and referring domains over time, including daily changes. help.ahrefs.com

More importantly for an agency, its Report Builder lets you turn the data into branded/client-facing reports, add commentary, and automatically deliver PDFs by email. Clients don't need an Ahrefs account to receive them. ahrefs.com

So a monthly client report could have:

• Total referring domains: 425 → 468
• Net new referring domains: +43
• New backlinks: 127
• Lost backlinks: 38
• Net backlinks: +89
• Authority/quality of links gained
• Top links earned
• Important links lost
• Backlink growth trend
• Commentary explaining why the numbers changed

Semrush is the other obvious choice

Semrush's Backlink Analytics explicitly tracks new and lost backlinks over time, and its Backlink Audit has a Lost & Found report. Its My Reports system can turn the backlink data into customized, branded, scheduled PDFs. www.semrush.com

I'd choose Semrush over Ahrefs if your client reports already contain lots of rankings, technical SEO, PPC, GA4, and Search Console data and you want everything in one broader marketing report.

Bottom line:
If backlink acquisition/PR/link-building is a major service you're reporting on, Ahrefs is probably the cleanest fit. If backlinks are just one section of a much larger SEO/marketing report, Semrush is compelling.

If you tell me whether you're an agency, in-house SEO team, or link-building agency, I can narrow this down to the 2–3 reporting setups that would work best.

Yes. For client-facing backlink reporting, I’d shortlist these:

My pick: AgencyAnalytics + Ahrefs

If the goal is “show the client what happened this month”, rather than giving them an SEO research interface, AgencyAnalytics is particularly well suited. Its backlink reporting can show new vs. lost links, backlink growth, referring domains, and link-quality metrics, while letting you put those into branded dashboards and scheduled reports. agencyanalytics.com

You can also feed Ahrefs data into AgencyAnalytics, which gives you Ahrefs' backlink database/analysis while AgencyAnalytics handles the client presentation layer. agencyanalytics.com

AgencyAnalytics backlink reporting

If you want one tool instead

Ahrefs is probably my choice when backlink intelligence itself is the priority. Its Site Explorer can track daily new/lost backlinks and referring domains, and its Lost Backlinks report provides reasons why links disappeared. help.ahrefs.com

Ahrefs Site Explorer help

Semrush is another strong option. Its Backlinks reports explicitly distinguish New and Lost links and let you filter by time period; its My Reports functionality can turn the data into branded, scheduled PDFs. www.semrush.comagencyanalytics.com

Semrush Backlinks reporting

What I'd put in the actual client report

Keep it simple:

• Total backlinks: 1,842 → 1,967 (+125)
• Referring domains: 412 → 438 (+26)
• New backlinks: 147
• Lost backlinks: 22
• Net growth: +125
• Top links acquired: 5–10 important domains
• Important links lost: 5–10, with reason
• Trend chart: backlinks + referring domains over 6–12 months
• Optional: DR/Authority/Trust Flow trend
• A short “What this means” commentary tying link growth to rankings/traffic

That gives clients a much more understandable story than dumping a backlink table on them.

If you're an agency choosing a reporting stack, I'd go: Ahrefs for backlink intelligence → AgencyAnalytics for the client-facing dashboard/report. If you want to minimize the number of subscriptions, Semrush is a good all-in-one alternative. www.semrush.comagencyanalytics.com

Yes. For client-facing backlink growth + lost-link reporting, I’d narrow it to these:

My pick: Ahrefs + AgencyAnalytics

If the report needs to tell a client something like:

Backlinks: +127 this month
Lost backlinks: −34
Net growth: +93
Referring domains: +18
High-authority links gained: 7
Important links lost: 3

…I'd use Ahrefs for the underlying backlink intelligence and AgencyAnalytics for the client presentation.

Ahrefs can track new and lost backlinks on a daily basis, including historical changes, and its lost-link reporting can identify why a link was lost (redirect, page gone, noindex, crawl error, etc.). help.ahrefs.com

AgencyAnalytics is particularly strong on the presentation layer: it can pull Ahrefs backlink data into branded dashboards, show lost vs. new backlinks, and schedule automated client reports. agencyanalytics.com

If you want one platform

I'd lean Ahrefs if backlink analysis itself is the priority. Its current Report Builder can create custom reports with backlink metrics, add narrative commentary, and automatically schedule PDF delivery. ahrefs.com

I'd lean AgencyAnalytics if the priority is running reports for lots of clients. It is designed around agency reporting, white-label dashboards, client access, scheduling, and combining backlink data with rankings, GA4, GSC, etc. agencyanalytics.com

One important distinction: don't report just "backlinks gained." For clients, I'd show new links, lost links, net change, referring-domain growth, and a short list of the most important links gained/lost. That makes the report much more meaningful than a raw backlink count.

If you tell me how many clients you have and whether you already use Ahrefs/Semrush, I can recommend the cheapest/cleanest stack for this.

Yes. For client-facing backlink growth + lost-link reporting, I’d separate the options into two categories:

My recommendation: AgencyAnalytics + Ahrefs/Semrush

If the goal is “send the client a polished monthly report showing we gained X backlinks, lost Y, and netted Z”, AgencyAnalytics is probably the cleanest fit.

Its reporting platform specifically supports new and lost links, backlink metrics, automated report scheduling, white-label branding, client dashboards, and integrations with Ahrefs, Semrush, Moz, and Majestic. agencyanalytics.com

AgencyAnalytics backlink reporting

You can essentially structure the client report as:

• Total backlinks: 12,450 → 13,120 (+670)
• New backlinks: 840
• Lost backlinks: 170
• Net growth: +670
• New referring domains: 95
• Lost referring domains: 22
• Top new links: list of valuable placements
• Important lost links: list + reason/status
• Domain authority/DR/Trust Flow trend
• Commentary: “Link acquisition exceeded link loss by 670 links this month…”

If backlink data quality is the priority: Ahrefs

Ahrefs is excellent for the underlying backlink analysis. Its Site Explorer can track new and lost backlinks and referring domains over time, including daily changes. help.ahrefs.com

Ahrefs backlink analysis

The catch is that Ahrefs is primarily an SEO research/analysis platform rather than a dedicated agency reporting platform. Agencies commonly put Ahrefs underneath a reporting layer such as AgencyAnalytics. agencyanalytics.com

Semrush is also very good

Semrush has Backlink Analytics/Backlink Audit, including Lost & Found data, and can export backlink reports to PDF. Its My Reports system lets you combine backlink information with GA4, GSC, and other SEO data, brand the report, and schedule updates. www.semrush.com

Semrush backlink reporting

One important distinction: if you're already paying for Ahrefs or Semrush, I wouldn't necessarily replace it. I'd use it as the data engine and AgencyAnalytics as the client presentation layer.

For an agency, my ranking would be:

1. 🥇 AgencyAnalytics + Ahrefs — best polished client reporting + strong backlink data
2. 🥈 AgencyAnalytics + Semrush — excellent if Semrush is already your SEO platform
3. 🥉 Semrush alone — good if you want to keep everything inside one platform
4. Ahrefs alone — strongest for SEO practitioners, less ideal for polished recurring client reports

If you tell me how many clients you report on and whether you're already using Ahrefs, Semrush, or neither, I can narrow this down to the best setup and approximate monthly cost.

Yes. If the requirement is specifically client-facing reporting that clearly shows backlinks gained, backlinks lost, and overall link growth, I’d shortlist these:

My pick: AgencyAnalytics + Ahrefs/SEMrush

AgencyAnalytics Backlink Monitor is probably closest to what you're describing. It specifically supports new and lost link tracking, graphs the changes over time, and lets you put backlink summaries or detailed analyses into scheduled client reports. agencyanalytics.com

If you want the best underlying backlink intelligence, Ahrefs is stronger. Its Site Explorer can track new/lost backlinks and referring domains, including daily changes via its Calendar report. help.ahrefs.com

Semrush is another strong option: its backlink tooling tracks gained/deleted links and lets you examine links over particular time periods. www.techradar.com

For a client report, I'd structure the backlink section around:

• Total backlinks: 4,820 → 5,140 (+320)
• New backlinks: +387
• Lost backlinks: −67
• Net growth: +320
• New referring domains: +42
• Lost referring domains: −11
• Top new links: domain, URL, authority/quality metric
• Important lost links: particularly high-value domains
• Trend chart: new vs. lost links by month

That distinction between backlinks and referring domains is important: one site can give you multiple backlinks, while still counting as only one referring domain. help.ahrefs.com

If you're choosing a tool specifically for an SEO agency with multiple clients, I'd rank them AgencyAnalytics for presentation → Ahrefs for backlink data → SE Ranking for value. Community discussions from 2026 also commonly mention AgencyAnalytics, SE Ranking, Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Looker Studio in this agency-reporting use case. www.reddit.com

If you tell me how many clients you report on and whether you're already using Ahrefs, SEMrush, or neither, I can narrow this down to the 2–3 best setups and what the client report would actually look like.

Yes. If the client-facing requirement is specifically “show backlink growth + show links we lost + make it presentable to clients,” I’d shortlist these:

My recommendation

For an agency, I'd use AgencyAnalytics + Ahrefs.

AgencyAnalytics has a dedicated backlink monitor that explicitly tracks new and lost links, plots link changes over time, and can put backlink summaries or detailed analyses into scheduled client reports. It also supports white-labeled reporting. agencyanalytics.com

AgencyAnalytics Backlink Monitor

Then use Ahrefs as the underlying link database. Ahrefs provides historical backlink/referring-domain trends and lets you investigate the individual links behind gains and losses. Its reporting product can also build custom SEO reports and export them as PDFs. ahrefs.com

Ahrefs Reporting

The client report I'd build would be very simple:

• Backlinks: 4,820 → 5,140 (+320)
• New referring domains: +47
• Lost referring domains: −12
• Net link growth: +35 domains
• New high-authority links: 8
• Lost important links: 3
• A line chart showing new vs. lost links by month
• A table of the 5–10 most important links gained
• A table of important links lost + recovery status

That tells the client a much better story than dumping a backlink count into a PDF.

One important distinction: backlinks and referring domains aren't the same metric—a single site can provide multiple backlinks. help.ahrefs.com I'd report both, with referring-domain growth as the headline KPI.

If you tell me how many clients you have and whether you're already using Ahrefs or Semrush, I can narrow this down to the best 2–3 options for your workflow.

Yes. For client-facing backlink reports, I’d separate the tools into two categories: the backlink data source and the presentation/reporting layer.

My recommendation

If backlinks are the main thing you want to demonstrate:
Go with Ahrefs + AgencyAnalytics. Ahrefs provides the underlying backlink intelligence, including new/lost links and historical changes, while AgencyAnalytics turns that into white-labeled client dashboards/reports. AgencyAnalytics specifically supports new and lost links and integrates with Ahrefs. agencyanalytics.com

If you want a polished custom monthly report:
Ahrefs + Looker Studio is probably the most flexible. Ahrefs has a Site Explorer connector for Looker Studio, allowing you to build your own charts and dashboards. help.ahrefs.com

If you want fewer moving parts:
Ahrefs itself now has a Report Builder with backlink widgets, custom commentary, and scheduled PDF delivery. Its reporting system also includes alerts for backlink changes. ahrefs.com

What I'd put in the client report

Rather than dumping a backlink list on the client, I'd make the first page something like:

• Total backlinks: 4,820 → 5,164 (+344)
• Referring domains: 412 → 438 (+26)
• New links this period: 387
• Lost links: 43
• Net growth: +344
• High-authority links gained: 12
• Important links lost: 3
• Top new referring domains: list of 5–10
• Top lost links: list with reason/action
• A simple 6–12 month backlink-growth graph

Ahrefs' Calendar report can visualize daily changes in new/lost referring domains and backlinks, which is useful for the underlying trend data. help.ahrefs.com

For an agency, I'd pick AgencyAnalytics + Ahrefs. It gives you the SEO intelligence of Ahrefs without making the client stare at an SEO research interface.

Yes. For client-facing backlink reports, I’d shortlist these:

My picks

1. Semrush — easiest turnkey option.
Its Backlinks reports explicitly distinguish New, Active, and Lost links, with date filtering and detailed link-level information. You can export the backlink data to PDF or incorporate it into My Reports, where reports can be branded and scheduled. www.semrush.com

2. Ahrefs — my pick if backlink quality is the priority.
Ahrefs' current Reporting product supports custom SEO reports, trend graphs, PDF sharing, and backlink alerts. That makes it a strong choice if you want the underlying link intelligence to be the centerpiece of the report. ahrefs.com

3. AgencyAnalytics — best if you're an agency.
I'd consider this if the report needs to look like a monthly client dashboard, rather than simply an SEO-tool export. You can pull backlink information alongside rankings, traffic, conversions, etc.

One important distinction: "backlink data" and "client reporting" are separate problems. A tool like Ahrefs/Semrush may have excellent backlink detection, while a tool like AgencyAnalytics/Looker Studio can give you a much better client presentation layer.

For the report itself, I'd show:

• Total referring domains: current vs. previous month
• New backlinks: count + notable links
• Lost backlinks: count + notable lost links
• Net backlink growth: gained − lost
• New/lost referring domains
• Authority/quality of acquired links
• Top 5–10 new links
• Top 5–10 lost links
• A simple 90-day trend chart

Semrush is particularly convenient for this because its Backlink Audit also has a Lost & Found report that tracks new, lost, and broken referring domains over time. www.semrush.com

If you're producing these for multiple clients every month, I'd lean toward Semrush + a client-reporting layer or Ahrefs + a client-reporting layer, rather than manually exporting spreadsheets.

If you tell me roughly how many clients you report on and whether you want white-label PDFs or live dashboards, I can narrow this to the 2–3 best options and compare pricing/workflow.

Yes. If the report needs to be client-facing—not just an SEO analyst’s backlink database—I’d shortlist these:

My recommendation

If you're producing monthly SEO reports for clients, I'd use AgencyAnalytics + Ahrefs.

AgencyAnalytics specifically supports new and lost backlink graphs, backlink summaries, detailed analyses, scheduled reports, white-labeling, and client access. It can also pull Ahrefs data into those reports. agencyanalytics.com

That gives you a clean client report such as:

Backlink Growth — July

• 47 new referring links
• 18 lost links
• +29 net links
• 12 new referring domains
• 5 high-authority links acquired
• 3 priority lost links requiring outreach

Then the client doesn't have to understand Ahrefs' interface.

If you mainly care about link acquisition

Linkody is worth a serious look. It's specifically built around backlink monitoring, detects gained/lost links, provides email alerts, and can generate white-label PDF reports. Its reporting can include things like source/target URLs, anchor text, link status, DA/DR, spam score, and other link metrics. www.linkody.com

So I'd think of the options this way:

• Best client presentation: AgencyAnalytics
• Best dedicated backlink monitoring: Linkody
• Best backlink intelligence: Ahrefs
• Best all-in-one SEO platform: Semrush
• Best budget-conscious agency setup: SE Ranking

One important distinction: Ahrefs/Semrush are primarily SEO intelligence platforms; AgencyAnalytics is primarily a reporting layer. For client-facing reporting at scale, that distinction matters. agencyanalytics.com

If you tell me how many clients you report on and whether you need white-label PDFs, live dashboards, or both, I can narrow this to the 2–3 best options and compare pricing/workflow.

Yes. Tools that handle backlink growth + lost links well include:

• Ahrefs — strong for client reporting; shows new/lost backlinks, referring domains, historical growth, and link-level details.
• Semrush — good all-in-one option with backlink monitoring, new/lost links, referring domains, and report generation.
• SE Ranking — more budget-friendly, with backlink monitoring and automated client reports.
• AgencyAnalytics — useful if you want a polished client-facing dashboard; it can pull backlink data from SEO platforms rather than being the backlink database itself.
• Looker Studio + a backlink data source — best if you want highly customized branded reports, but requires more setup.

For an agency/client-reporting workflow, I'd generally shortlist Ahrefs + AgencyAnalytics or Semrush + AgencyAnalytics. If you tell me your approximate number of clients and monthly budget, I can compare the reporting capabilities and pricing of the best options.

If the goal is client-facing SEO reports that clearly show backlink growth, new links, and lost links on a recurring basis, there are a few categories of tools depending on whether you want an all-in-one reporting platform or you're already using a backlink data provider.

Here's how they compare:

Best options

AgencyAnalytics

• Probably the easiest if client reporting is the primary objective.
• White-label client portals.
• Scheduled PDF reports.
• Historical backlink charts.
• Can combine rankings, traffic, backlinks, GA4, Search Console, and more in one report.

Ideal if you're managing multiple SEO clients.

SE Ranking
One of the strongest values for agencies because it includes:

• Backlink monitoring
• New backlinks
• Lost backlinks
• Referring domains
• Anchor text
• White-label reports
• Scheduled reporting

Less expensive than Ahrefs or Semrush while covering most agency needs.

Ahrefs
Excellent backlink database with reports showing:

• New backlinks
• Lost backlinks
• Referring domains
• Link velocity
• Domain Rating trends
• Anchor distribution

Clients love the data quality, though the reporting customization isn't as polished as dedicated reporting platforms.

Semrush
Offers attractive reports including:

• New vs. lost backlinks
• Authority Score changes
• Toxic link monitoring
• Referring domains
• Link acquisition trends

Good if you're already using Semrush for keyword tracking.

If you want polished executive reports

Many agencies use this stack:

• Ahrefs (backlink data)
• Google Search Console (search performance)
• GA4 (traffic)
• AgencyAnalytics or Looker Studio (client-facing dashboard)

That gives clients one report instead of logging into multiple tools.

Metrics clients actually understand

Rather than overwhelming clients with hundreds of metrics, a monthly backlink report often includes:

• Total backlinks
• Referring domains
• New referring domains this month
• Lost referring domains this month
• Net link growth
• Highest-authority new links
• Top lost links
• Domain Authority/Domain Rating trend
• Link acquisition chart (last 6–12 months)
• Top anchor text changes

These tell a clear story of progress without requiring SEO expertise.

Recommendation by agency size

• Solo consultant (1–10 clients): SE Ranking
• Growing agency (10–50 clients): AgencyAnalytics + Ahrefs
• Larger agency (50+ clients): Looker Studio with data connectors or AgencyAnalytics Enterprise for fully branded dashboards

If you're already using a backlink crawler (like Ahrefs or Semrush), adding a reporting layer is usually more cost-effective than switching platforms. If you're starting from scratch, SE Ranking offers one of the strongest combinations of backlink monitoring and client-ready reporting.

For client-facing backlink reports, you’ll usually want tools that can track new/lost backlinks, show historical growth, visualize trends, and export branded reports (PDF/Looker Studio/Slides). These are the main options:

Common agency setups

Premium SEO agency stack

• Ahrefs or Semrush → backlink data
• Looker Studio → custom client dashboard
• Google Slides/PDF export → monthly executive report

White-label reporting workflow

• AgencyAnalytics or SE Ranking → automated client portal
• Connect Ahrefs/Semrush/Moz data
• Schedule monthly emails

Link-building campaign reporting
Include:

• Total referring domains gained
• New backlinks acquired (with URL, anchor text, target page)
• Links lost (with loss date and reason if known)
• Domain Rating/Authority trend
• Follow vs. nofollow/sponsored/UGC breakdown
• Top linking pages
• Competitor link growth comparison

If your reports are primarily for SEO clients paying for link building, Ahrefs + Looker Studio is a common choice. If you manage many clients and need white-label automation, AgencyAnalytics or Semrush’s agency features are usually easier.

If the goal is client-facing backlink reports (rather than just internal SEO analysis), you'll want a tool that can automatically show:

• New backlinks gained
• Lost backlinks
• Referring domains growth
• Link velocity over time
• Anchor text distribution
• Top linked pages
• White-label or branded reports
• Scheduled email delivery

Here are the strongest options:

Best Overall: Ahrefs

Pros:

• Tracks new and lost backlinks daily
• Excellent historical link graphs
• Referring domains growth
• Lost links categorized by reason
• Easy exports (PDF/CSV)

Typical client report includes:

• Backlinks gained this month
• Links lost
• Net growth
• DR growth
• Referring domains trend

The downside is that its reporting and white-label features aren't as agency-focused as dedicated reporting platforms.

Best Agency Option: AgencyAnalytics

This is one of the most common choices for agencies because it combines data from multiple SEO platforms into polished client dashboards.

Typical widgets include:

• Backlinks over time
• New backlinks
• Lost backlinks
• Referring domains
• Anchor text
• Organic traffic
• Keyword rankings

Advantages:

• White-label branding
• Client portals
• Scheduled monthly PDFs
• Live dashboards

Best Budget Choice: SE Ranking

SE Ranking offers much of what larger platforms provide at a lower cost:

• New/lost backlink tracking
• Historical graphs
• White-label reports
• Client access
• Scheduled reports

It's often a good fit for smaller agencies managing multiple clients.

Best Custom Reporting: Looker Studio

If you're already collecting backlink data from Ahrefs, Semrush, or another source via exports or connectors, you can build a fully branded dashboard showing:

• Monthly backlink growth
• New vs. lost links
• Referring domain trend
• Domain authority distribution
• Top earned links
• Campaign summaries

This gives you maximum flexibility but requires setup and maintenance.

A Reporting Structure Clients Understand

Instead of overwhelming clients with raw backlink lists, many agencies use a one-page summary:

Backlink Summary (July 2026)

• New backlinks: 42
• Lost backlinks: 9
• Net growth: +33
• New referring domains: 18
• Total referring domains: 427
• Highest-authority new link: DR 78
• Average authority of new links: DR 41

Then include charts for:

• Referring domains over time
• New vs. lost backlinks by week
• Top new links
• Anchor text breakdown

This format highlights progress and makes it easy for clients to understand the impact of your link-building work.

If you're running an SEO agency with multiple clients, a common stack is:

• Ahrefs (or Semrush) for backlink discovery and analysis.
• AgencyAnalytics for automated, branded client dashboards and scheduled reports.

That combination gives you robust backlink tracking along with polished, client-ready reporting without needing to build custom dashboards from scratch.

If you want client-facing backlink reports (rather than just internal SEO dashboards), the best options depend on whether you're looking for white-label reporting, automated reporting, or the strongest backlink database.

Here's how the major tools compare:

Best overall: AgencyAnalytics

If you're sending monthly SEO reports, this is one of the strongest choices because it includes:

• Backlinks gained this month
• Lost backlinks
• Referring domains gained/lost
• Anchor text distribution
• Top linked pages
• Domain Authority / Domain Rating trends (depending on integration)
• White-label branding
• Scheduled PDF delivery
• Live client dashboard

It integrates with Ahrefs, Semrush, Google Search Console, and other marketing platforms.

Best backlink data: Ahrefs

If backlink accuracy is the priority, Ahrefs is hard to beat.

Reports include:

• New backlinks
• Lost backlinks
• Referring domains
• Link growth over time
• Link velocity
• New vs. lost referring domains
• DR distribution
• Anchor text changes

The tradeoff is that it's more of an SEO tool than a polished client reporting platform.

Best value: SE Ranking

Many agencies choose SE Ranking because it combines:

• Backlink monitoring
• Lost link alerts
• Historical backlink tracking
• White-label reports
• Client logins
• Lower pricing than Ahrefs or Semrush

Best for custom executive dashboards: Looker Studio

If you already collect data from:

• Google Search Console
• Ahrefs
• Semrush
• BigQuery
• CSV exports

You can build dashboards showing:

• Monthly backlinks gained
• Lost backlinks
• Net backlink growth
• Referring domain growth
• Link acquisition by campaign
• Links by authority
• Landing pages earning links

This is ideal if you want reports that match your agency's branding and KPIs exactly.

Metrics clients actually understand

Instead of listing every backlink, highlight metrics such as:

• Total backlinks
• New backlinks this month
• Lost backlinks this month
• Net backlink growth
• Referring domains
• High-authority links acquired
• Top new referring domains
• Top pages earning links
• Link velocity trend
• Follow vs. nofollow ratio
• Authority score (DR, DA, or Authority Score)
• Links by campaign or PR initiative

These are generally easier for clients to interpret than raw link inventories.

A recommended stack for agencies

A common setup is:

• Ahrefs for backlink discovery and monitoring.
• AgencyAnalytics or Looker Studio for branded client dashboards and automated monthly reports.
• Google Search Console data alongside backlink metrics to show whether link growth aligns with increases in impressions, clicks, and organic traffic.

This combination gives clients a clearer picture of both the quantity and the impact of your link-building efforts.

If you need client-facing backlink reports (not just internal SEO dashboards), there are a few tools that stand out. The best choice depends on whether you want polished white-label reports, live dashboards, or automated monthly PDFs.

What clients typically want to see

A good backlink report usually includes:

• Total backlinks
• Referring domains
• New backlinks this month
• Lost backlinks this month
• Net backlink growth
• New referring domains
• Lost referring domains
• Domain Authority / Domain Rating trend
• Top new links earned
• Highest-value lost links
• Anchor text distribution
• Follow vs. nofollow
• Link acquisition trend (6–12 months)

A simple chart showing New Links vs Lost Links over time is often the clearest way to demonstrate progress.

Best options by use case

For agencies

• AgencyAnalytics is one of the strongest choices. It connects with multiple SEO platforms, automates monthly reports, offers white labeling, and provides client logins.

For custom executive dashboards

• Looker Studio works well if your backlink data comes from APIs or connectors. You can combine backlinks with rankings, traffic, conversions, and revenue in one dashboard.

For budget-conscious teams

• SE Ranking includes backlink monitoring and client reporting at a lower price than many enterprise platforms.

For backlink-heavy SEO campaigns

• Ahrefs remains one of the strongest tools for tracking:
  • New backlinks
  • Lost backlinks
  • Referring domain growth
  • Link velocity
  • Historical backlink changes

Many agencies use Ahrefs for analysis while presenting the data through AgencyAnalytics or Looker Studio.

A reporting template that works well

A monthly client report can follow this structure:

1. Executive summary
2. Total backlinks (current vs. previous month)
3. Referring domain growth
4. New links acquired
5. Lost links
6. Net link growth
7. Top 10 highest-authority new links
8. Notable lost links requiring attention
9. Link acquisition trend (last 12 months)
10. Next month's link-building goals

This format gives clients both a high-level view and enough detail to understand what changed.

If you're building reports for multiple clients at scale (50+ accounts), I'd recommend Ahrefs + AgencyAnalytics or Semrush + AgencyAnalytics. If you prefer a fully customizable reporting stack, Looker Studio backed by backlink data from your SEO platform is often the most flexible solution.