A backlink exchange is a trade: your site links to another site, and that site, or a third one, links back to you. Google's spam policy names "excessive link exchanges" as link spam, so the platform you pick, and how you use it, decides whether a swap helps you or becomes a pattern.
Most pages that rank for this topic are written by the platforms themselves, and each one puts itself first. This page covers 4 backlink exchange platforms and 2 tools for running swaps yourself. For each one you get the price read from the vendor's own site in November 2026, how the exchange works, who it suits, and what to watch for.
We make AY Listicle, so it is on this list.
TL;DR: Ranking Raccoon is the best backlink exchange platform for most teams, because every site is checked by a person and it supports both direct and three-way swaps for $25 a month. If you want your product or firm named on "best of" pages, AY Listicle lets you request or swap listicle spots yourself, or book a call and we place you.
What is a backlink exchange?
A backlink exchange is an agreement between site owners to link to each other's pages. People also call it a link exchange, a link swap or reciprocal links. A backlink exchange platform is a website that finds partners for you, tracks who owes whom a link, and checks that the links stay live.
There are two common shapes:
- Direct swap (reciprocal link). Site A links to site B, and B links back to A. It is the simplest deal and the easiest pattern to spot, because the two links point at each other.
- Three-way swap (ABC exchange). Site A links to site B, B links to site C, and C links to a site A owns. Nobody links straight back to the site that linked to them.
Most platforms add credits or points on top. You earn them by placing links for other members and spend them to get links. That lets you trade with anyone in the network, not only with the site that linked to you.
Link swaps vs listicle swaps
A listicle swap is a narrower trade. You add a host's product to a "best of" page you run, and the host adds yours to a "best of" page they run. The unit is a named entry on a comparison page, not a link dropped into any blog post.
That matters for any business buyers compare before they pick: software products, agencies, consulting firms and other service businesses. "Best X for Y" pages are where buyers compare, and ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude and Google AI Overviews read them too. Our guide on how listicle swaps work walks through one.
Is link exchange against Google's rules?
Some link exchange is fine, and excessive link exchange is spam. Google's spam policies define link spam as "the practice of creating links to or from a site primarily for the purpose of manipulating search rankings." Its list of examples includes:
- "Excessive link exchanges ("Link to me and I'll link to you") or partner pages exclusively for the sake of cross-linking"
- "Using automated programs or services to create links to your site"
- "Exchanging money for links, or posts that contain links"
The policy says "excessive", not "any". Two companies that write about each other because their buyers overlap is normal. A site with dozens of swapped links on unrelated pages is the pattern Google describes. The same page also says paid links are not a violation when they carry rel="nofollow" or rel="sponsored".
In practice, three things keep an exchange on the safe side:
- Swap with sites in your category, where the link makes sense to a reader.
- Keep the number of swaps small next to the links you earn other ways.
- Put the link where it helps the reader, in the body of a relevant page, not in a footer or a "partners" page.
How we ranked these backlink exchange platforms
We scored every platform on the same five questions:
- Exchange type. Three-way swaps leave a weaker pattern than direct ones, so platforms that support them score higher.
- Vetting. Who checks a site before it joins: a person, an automated rule, or nobody.
- Link checks. Whether the platform confirms the link went live and keeps checking it.
- Fit for your category. Whether partners come from your world: software, B2B services, agencies or consulting.
- Price you can read. A price on the vendor's own page, with clear limits.
We left out platforms that also sell link or listicle placements for money. DR on this page means Domain Rating by Ahrefs (Ahrefs).
Best backlink exchange platforms and tools: a quick overview
If you want a link exchange network with people checking the sites:
- Ranking Raccoon: best for teams that want vetted partners and both swap types, because each site gets a manual quality check.
- KarmaLinks: best for teams that want three-way swaps only, because it does not allow direct reciprocal links at all.
- CrossMention: best for B2B companies that want a network with no consumer or affiliate sites, because only B2B companies can join.
If you want your product or firm named on "best of" pages:
- AY Listicle: best for getting listed on comparison pages in your category, because you request or swap listicle spots yourself, or book a call and we place you.
If you arrange swaps yourself and need to track them:
- BacklinkManager: best for tracking exchange partners and link status, because it alerts you when a swapped link is removed or turns nofollow.
- BuzzStream: best for running partner outreach, because it finds contacts, tracks replies and monitors the links you get.
Backlink exchange platforms and tools compared, with prices as of November 2026 from each vendor's own page (sources in each entry):
| Name | Exchange type | Best for | Lowest paid plan | $0 option |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ranking Raccoon | Direct and three-way, manual vetting | Vetted partners, both swap types | $25/mo (Pro) | Yes, Lite plan and 7-day Pro trial |
| AY Listicle | Listicle spots and listicle swaps, self-serve or managed | Spots on "best of" pages | $79 Starter plan, 400 credits | No |
| KarmaLinks | Three-way only, points | Three-way swaps with a DR floor | $19/mo (Pro) | Yes, 2 requests at a time |
| CrossMention | Three-way or wider, credits by DR | B2B-only network | None listed | Yes, first 100 founding members |
| BacklinkManager | Partner and link tracking tool | Tracking swaps you arrange | From $39/mo billed annually | Yes, 50 links |
| BuzzStream | Outreach CRM with link monitoring | Partner outreach | $49/mo | Trial |
1. Ranking Raccoon, best for vetted partners and both swap types
Ranking Raccoon (rankingraccoon.com) is a link building community where members trade links directly or through three-way (ABC) swaps. Every site gets a manual quality check within one business day. The site says the check covers metrics, content quality, niche relevance, site health, company legitimacy and red flags, and that the team looks at DR and organic traffic in Ahrefs.
It works like a directory plus a chat. You browse verified sites in 54 industries, start a conversation, and agree on the deal with the other owner. Each member needs at least one registered site to publish links on, and the site asks members to keep their exchanges balanced. It only accepts sites in English.
Key features
- Manual review of every site before it joins
- Direct swaps and three-way (ABC) swaps
- A check that a partner's link is live and do-follow
- Shareable profiles with your own link building guidelines
- Unlimited sites on every plan
Best for Teams that want a person to have looked at every partner site. Founders who prefer to agree on each link in a conversation.
Pricing Pro is $25 a month, cancel anytime. A 7-day Pro trial needs no card. After the trial the account moves to Lite, which costs nothing but cannot browse verified sites or start new chats, so Lite members wait for Pro members to contact them (as of November 2026, Ranking Raccoon pricing page).
Pros
- The only entry whose site says a person reviews every site before it joins
- Supports both swap types, so you can avoid direct reciprocal links
- Clear single price for the paid plan
Cons
- Deals are negotiated by hand in chat, which takes time per link
- English-language sites only, and payments are non-refundable
2. AY Listicle, best for spots on "best of" pages
AY Listicle gets your product or firm into the "best of" listicles that buyers and AI search read. It works for every category: SaaS and software products, and service businesses such as consulting firms and agencies that want to be named when a buyer asks for the best option.
As an exchange, it trades named entries instead of loose links. You swap with a host who is open to swaps: you list them on your listicle, they list you on theirs. Or you request a spot on a host's listicle with credits, with no swap needed.
There is also a managed service. You book a call, and we find the relevant "best of" listicles in your category and place you on them for you. Our guide to getting listed with credits covers the self-serve request side.
Key features
- Listicle swaps with hosts who are open to swaps
- Request a spot on the exact listicle you choose with credits, priced by the host site's DR, the position on the list and the impressions
- Managed service: we place you on relevant listicles for you
- Every mention is checked live by our crawler, and its text is checked by Jev every month
- Listicles can be verified with Google Search Console to see real impressions
Best for SaaS and software companies, agencies, consulting firms and other businesses that want to be named on comparison pages in their category. Teams that run their own "best of" pages and can host a swap partner where it fits, or that want the whole job done for them.
Pricing The $79 Starter plan gives 400 credits. A listicle costs 50 to 400 credits, and the price weighs DR at 60%, position at 25% and impressions at 15% (as of November 2026, start on AY Listicle). The managed service is scoped on a call: book a demo or a call.
Pros
- Mentions land on "best of" pages, the pages buyers compare options on
- You choose the exact listicle, or hand the job to us
- Every mention is checked live every month, so you know it is still there
- Search Console verification shows a listicle's real impressions
- Works for software and service businesses alike
Cons
- We only focus on listicles, so we do not place links inside other articles.
3. KarmaLinks, best for three-way swaps only
KarmaLinks (karmalinks.io) is a backlink exchange platform that runs every trade as a three-way (ABC) exchange and does not allow direct reciprocal links. Site A links to B, B links to C, and C links to A, so no two members link to each other.
Trades run on Karma Points. You earn points by giving backlinks and spend them to request backlinks. When you join, you get Karma Points equal to your site's Domain Rating. The network has a floor: the page says "DR 15 minimum required for membership", and only verified company websites are admitted.
Key features
- Three-way exchanges only, no direct swaps
- A DR 15 minimum to join
- Do-follow links only, from verified members
- Backlink monitoring with alerts on every plan
- Filters by DR, traffic and category on Pro
Best for Teams that want to avoid the "link to me and I'll link to you" pattern by design. Sites above DR 15 that want a points system instead of one-to-one deals.
Pricing The $0 plan allows 2 backlink requests at a time, with monitoring and alerts. Pro is $19 a month and adds about 200 Karma Points a month (the page estimates roughly 5 requests at DR 40), 5 requests at a time, no waitlist and priority matching with high-DR domains (as of November 2026, KarmaLinks pricing section).
Pros
- Three-way by design, so you do not have to police the pattern yourself
- The DR floor keeps the weakest sites out
- Monitoring is included at $0
Cons
- New sites under DR 15 cannot join
- Points come from placing links, so you need pages where other members' links fit
4. CrossMention, best for a B2B-only network
CrossMention (crossmention.com) is a credit-based mention exchange for B2B companies, where trades are "always three way, never reciprocal". Blogs, affiliate sites and consumer brands are not eligible, so the partner pool is made of businesses that sell to businesses.
Credits follow DR, using Ahrefs ratings refreshed monthly. A mention you place earns your site's tier, and a mention you receive costs the other site's tier: 1 credit for DR 0 to 19, up to 15 credits for DR 80 to 100. Footer and boilerplate links earn nothing.
Key features
- B2B companies only
- Three-way or wider exchanges, never direct
- Credits weighted by DR, from 1 to 15 per mention
- Placements must sit inside real page content
- No cap on placements
Best for B2B software and service companies that want partners who sell to businesses too. Teams that want credits priced by site strength instead of one link for one link.
Pricing It costs nothing for the first 100 founding members while the network is seeded, with "No membership fee, no per-link price, no invoice per placement." A card is required to join, and the page says it is never charged (as of November 2026, CrossMention pricing page).
Pros
- The tightest B2B fit among the networks here
- Credits by DR make a mention from a strong site worth more
- No paid plan to budget for during the founding period
Cons
- The pricing page does not say what happens after the first 100 members
- The site makes no claims about member count, so a small network may mean few matches in your niche
5. BacklinkManager, best for tracking exchange partners and link status
BacklinkManager (backlinkmanager.io) is a tool for tracking the links you build and the partners behind them. It does not find swap partners. It keeps the record once you have them.
For exchanges, the useful part is partnerships: you log each partner and the links on both sides, so you can see who still owes a link. Its homepage says you "Get notifications when a status of a link changes (do-follow, no-follow, page not found, link removed)", so you see when a swap has gone one-sided.
Key features
- Alerts when a link is removed, turns nofollow or the page goes 404
- Partnership tracking, so each link is tied to the partner behind it
- Google index checks for each backlink
- Client dashboards and white-label reports
- Integrations with Ahrefs, Semrush, Moz and Majestic
Best for Teams running swaps they arranged themselves, on any platform or by email. Agencies that report exchange links to clients.
Pricing Starter is from $39 a month (200 backlinks, 50 partnerships), Growth from $99 (1,000 backlinks, 100 partnerships), Scale from $249 and Enterprise from $499, all billed annually. Monthly billing is also offered, and you can monitor 50 links at no cost (as of November 2026, BacklinkManager pricing).
Pros
- Shows when a partner removes or nofollows their side of a swap
- Works with swaps from any platform or from your own outreach
- Index checks show if a link is counted at all
Cons
- It does not find partners, so you pair it with a network or your own outreach
- Prices on the page are annual; the monthly price is not shown
6. BuzzStream, best for running partner outreach
BuzzStream (buzzstream.com) is an outreach CRM. If you find exchange partners yourself, it keeps the contacts, the emails and the links you get back in one list.
It finds contact info, tracks opens, clicks and replies, and monitors the links you have placed or received.
Key features
- Contact info discovery and prospecting searches
- Open, click and reply tracking with email templates
- Link monitoring (1,000 links on Starter, 25,000 on Growth)
- Automated follow-ups and bulk send (Growth and up)
- Ahrefs integration (Growth and up)
Best for Teams that pitch partners by email instead of through a network. Small teams that want outreach and link checks in one tool.
Pricing Starter is $49 a month (1 user, 500 contacts), Growth $174 (3 users, 25,000 contacts) and Professional $424 (6 users, 100,000 contacts). Custom starts at $999. Plans are monthly with no minimum term (as of November 2026, BuzzStream plans).
Pros
- Monthly plans with no contract
- Link monitoring included on every plan
- A trial on every plan
Cons
- Bulk send and automated follow-ups start on Growth at $174 a month
- The pricing page also shows an older plan table (Solo $19 to Premium $249), so confirm which plan you are buying
How to choose a backlink exchange platform
Start with the shape of swap you want. Then match it to how much time you have.
1) Direct swaps or three-way swaps?
If you want to avoid "link to me and I'll link to you" by design: pick KarmaLinks or CrossMention. Both run three-way trades only. If you want both options and a person checking partners: pick Ranking Raccoon.
If you already have partners and only need to keep track: BacklinkManager is enough. Keep the count low and the partners in your category.
2) Any link, or a named spot on a "best of" page?
If you want links inside relevant articles, any of the three networks above will do. If you want your product or firm listed on the comparison pages buyers read before they pick: pick AY Listicle. You choose the page or book a call and we place you, and the mention is checked every month.
3) Time or money?
If you have time and little budget: start on Ranking Raccoon's trial and KarmaLinks' $0 plan, and write the pages your partners will link from. If you have budget and no time: book a call with AY Listicle and we place you on listicles in your category.
4) How do you know it worked?
Track every swap for 90 days. Note the page, the partner's DR, whether the link is still live, and whether that page gets search traffic. Drop the platform whose links disappear or sit on pages nobody visits.
FAQ
What is a backlink exchange?
A backlink exchange is an agreement where two or more sites link to each other's pages. It can be direct (A links to B, B links to A) or three-way (A links to B, B links to C, C links to A). Platforms such as Ranking Raccoon and KarmaLinks find partners and track the links.
Are reciprocal links bad for SEO?
Reciprocal links are not bad in small numbers between related sites. Google's spam policies name "excessive link exchanges" as link spam, so the risk comes from volume and from links that make no sense to a reader. Two companies in the same category that link to each other is normal.
What is the difference between a link exchange and a link swap?
A link exchange and a link swap are the same thing: two site owners agree to link to each other. "Link exchange" is also used for three-way deals and for networks that trade with points or credits.
What is a three-way link exchange?
A three-way link exchange, or ABC exchange, is a trade where site A links to site B, B links to site C, and C links to a site owned by A. No two sites link straight back to each other, which leaves a weaker pattern than a direct swap. KarmaLinks and CrossMention run three-way trades only.
What is the difference between a link swap and a listicle swap?
A link swap trades links in any content, while a listicle swap trades named entries on "best of" pages. In a listicle swap you add a host's product to your comparison page and they add yours to theirs. On AY Listicle, swaps happen only with hosts who are open to swaps.
Do link exchanges help you show up in ChatGPT or Perplexity?
No platform can promise that. ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews read and cite pages on the open web, so a mention on a relevant page puts your name where they can read it. Whether a given answer cites that page is outside anyone's control.
Is buying backlinks illegal?
Buying backlinks is not illegal, but Google treats links bought for ranking as link spam. Its spam policies say paid links are fine when they carry rel="nofollow" or rel="sponsored". Links that pass ranking credit in exchange for money break the policy.
Which link exchange websites have a $0 plan?
Ranking Raccoon (Lite) and KarmaLinks have $0 plans with limits, and CrossMention charges nothing for its first 100 founding members. The limits differ: Ranking Raccoon's Lite plan cannot start new chats, and KarmaLinks allows 2 requests at a time. Prices were read on each vendor's page in November 2026.
Sources: Google Search spam policies (linked above), Ranking Raccoon, KarmaLinks (linked above), CrossMention, and the BacklinkManager and BuzzStream pricing pages linked above, all read on November 9, 2026.
