Backlinks.com is one of the oldest text link marketplaces on the internet — a platform that automated the buying and selling of contextual backlinks before the concept of a "link marketplace" was mainstream.
Its core proposition remains simple and functional: publishers add their sites to the inventory, advertisers hand-pick or queue placements, and the system handles everything from link insertion and monitoring to payment disbursement — monthly, automatically, to PayPal. For publishers with sites they're not actively monetizing, this passive income model is genuinely low-effort.
The platform's main limitation is stagnation. The interface looks and feels like it hasn't been substantially updated in a decade, the affiliate payout system is restricted to Payoneer only, there is no social media presence, and community feedback on industry forums describes the platform as functional but uninspiring.
It lacks the advanced filtering, transparent traffic metrics, and modern UX that newer marketplaces like Collaborator or Bazoom now offer as baseline features. It also carries the inherent SEO risk of all paid link platforms — links placed here are commercial exchanges by definition, which Google's guidelines explicitly flag.
Best for: publishers who want set-and-forget passive income from existing sites, advertisers who want a large, automated self-serve marketplace for text link placements.
Not ideal for: anyone needing modern UX, advanced site filtering, or a platform with transparent public reviews and active development.