One question I keep getting asked over and over as an SEO analyst is whether Ahrefs has a built-in spam score. Some SEO folks get confused when they hear about spam scores because there’s a lot of tools touting proprietary “spam scores,” but Ahrefs doesn't have one officially called that. In this post, I’ll clear things up, show you how spam backlinks mess with Ahrefs metrics, and share practical tips on how to use Ahrefs features like the Site Explorer and Best links with custom exclusions, plus why filtering backlinks is different (and better) than just disavowing them blindly.
What Is a Spam Score Anyway?
Before diving into Ahrefs, let’s quickly run through what a spam score is. Basically, a spam score is a numeric or categorical metric indicating how likely a linking domain or backlink is spammy, manipulative, or part of a link farm. Popular tools like Moz have their own “Spam Score” that’s widely referenced.
But not all “spam scores” are created the same. They vary in:
- How the score is calculated Which factors are used (link velocity, domain trust, anchor text patterns, etc.) Whether the score is domain-wide or link-specific
Does Ahrefs Have a Spam Score?
The short answer: No, Ahrefs does not provide a spam score like Moz or some other tools. Ahrefs focuses more on raw backlink data, link attributes, and domain metrics like Domain Rating (DR), URL Rating (UR), and Trust Flow proxies. They don’t package this into a single “spam score.”
But that doesn’t mean Ahrefs ignores spam backlinks. In fact, spam backlinks can significantly inflate metrics in Ahrefs if you don’t take steps to spot and exclude them.
How Spam Backlinks Inflate Ahrefs Metrics
Here’s the truth: spammy backlinks from low-quality or suspicious domains can artificially boost a site’s Domain Rating (DR) and URL Rating (UR). Because DR and UR are based on the backlink graph strength, even a handful of thousands of low-quality but numerous links can cause distortions.
For example, in an audit recently, I found 3,192 spam domains total linking to a client’s site. Many of these domains belonged to link farms, expired domains used for PBNs, or automated blog networks. When included indiscriminately, these domains inflated the DR by several points, masking the real link equity from legitimate links.
Using Ahrefs Tools to Spot and Manage Spam Links
While Ahrefs doesn’t provide a spam score, they do offer powerful tools to help you isolate and filter suspicious backlinks effectively.
Ahrefs Site Explorer
This is the bread and butter for backlink audits. Site Explorer shows you every backlink, domain metrics, anchor text, and referring IP addresses. Here’s how to use it smartly to address spammy backlinks:
Run a full backlink report for your target domain. Sort links by DR or UR to spot suspiciously low-quality domains. Use filters to exclude domains under a certain DR threshold (e.g., DR less than 10 or 15). Check for patterns in link types—comment spam, footer links, or irrelevant guest posts can be red flags.However, blanket filtering by low DR can also exclude some legit new or niche sites, so apply custom logic.
Ahrefs "Best links" Feature
Ahrefs also provides a Best links report that selects your highest-quality backlinks based on Ahrefs’ own quality signals. This view is perfect if you want to quickly focus on the cream of the crop and avoid spam domains that drag your metrics down.
The trick is you want to combine the Best links feature with a custom exclusion list. Over time, you can manually compile a blocklist of spammy domains you spot frequently (for example, known link farms fourdots.com or domains repeatedly flagged during audits). Then, exclude those from your Best links report to get a reliable picture of your real link authority.
Saving Your Filters: Default Views in Site Explorer
I always recommend saving your custom filtered views as defaults in Site Explorer. Why? Because cleaning spam links and managing backlink profiles is an ongoing process, not a one-time activity.
By saving a default view that excludes your blocklisted spam domains and filters out ultra-low DR domains, you return to a clean, trustworthy link profile in seconds without reapplying your filters every time.
Filtering vs Disavow: Why It Matters
This is a crucial point that so many SEO pros misunderstand. Ahrefs lets you filter bad backlinks within their reports for analysis, but that’s not the same as disavowing links with Google.
Filtering in Ahrefs Disavowing via Google Helps you hide spam or irrelevant links from view in Ahrefs reports. Tells Google to ignore certain links when calculating your site’s rankings. Doesn’t change your actual backlink profile or remove links. Potentially prevents negative SEO impact from spammy links. Used for cleaner reporting, audits, and accurate snapshot of link equity. Used as a last resort when you can’t get spammy links removed manually.My rule: never rely solely on disavow without a careful audit and filtering process first. Blindly disavowing thousands of domains can harm your link profile if some are actually helpful or irrelevant but non-harmful.
Summary: What To Do If You Want Spam Checking in Ahrefs
- Don't expect a direct “spam score in Ahrefs”—it doesn’t exist. Use Site Explorer filters to weed out obvious spammy domains based on DR, anchor text, and link types. Leverage Best links in combination with a personal custom exclusion list for quick, reliable insights. Save these filtered views as default Site Explorer reports for efficient ongoing audits. Understand the difference between filtering in Ahrefs and Google disavow—you want to limit disavowing to confirmed spam that can’t be removed manually. Keep track of your “repeat offender” spam domains in a personal blocklist to speed future audits and keep your backlink profile clean over time.
Final Thoughts
Ahrefs excels at giving you detailed backlink data, but if you search for an “Ahrefs spam checker” or “spam score in Ahrefs,” you’ll be disappointed to find none. That’s because Ahrefs assumes that a spam score is too simplistic given the nuances of backlinks.
Instead, they give you robust filtering and reporting tools so you can build your own checks tailored to your site. Jump into Site Explorer and start building your custom filters today—remember those 3,192 spam domains total I mentioned earlier? You can spot and exclude tens or hundreds of spammy domains in seconds once you master these workflows.
Stop chasing a mythical spam score and start cleaning your link profile smartly with Ahrefs’ best in-class tools.