Backlink monitor

Are the links you built still there? Watch individual links and whole backlink profiles.

Backlink monitor: plan and usage

GET/api/v1/backlinks

Scope backlinks:read

The plan, how many links and profiles may be watched, profile refreshes a month included and used, the refreshes your chosen cadences plan for, and how many watched links are live, gone or changed.

Example

curl -s "https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $PBN_API_KEY"

import os
import requests

headers = {"Authorization": "Bearer " + os.environ["PBN_API_KEY"]}
r = requests.get("https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks", headers=headers, timeout=120)
print(r.status_code, r.json())

const res = await fetch("https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks", {
  method: "GET",
  headers: {Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.PBN_API_KEY}`}
});
console.log(res.status, await res.json());

Response

200

{
  "data": {
    "active": true,
    "plan": "Pro",
    "paid_until": "2026-10-31",
    "links": {
      "used": 380,
      "limit": 1000
    },
    "domains": {
      "used": 7,
      "limit": 10
    },
    "refreshes_this_month": {
      "used": 22,
      "limit": 60,
      "planned": 30
    },
    "watched_links": {
      "live": 350,
      "gone": 18,
      "changed": 6,
      "pending": 4,
      "errors": 2
    }
  }
}

Errors: rate_limited, scope_missing, unauthorized

List watched links

GET/api/v1/backlinks/links

Scope backlinks:read

Every link you watch, problems first.

Parameters

Name	In	Type	Required	Description
`status`	query	string (one of: live, lost, changed, pending, error, problem)	no	Only links in this state. "problem" means gone or changed.
`host`	query	string	no	Only links from or to this domain (www. ignored).
`search`	query	string	no	Part of an address or an anchor.
`limit`	query	integer	no	Items per page. Default: `50`.
`cursor`	query	string	no	next_cursor of the previous page.

Example

curl -s "https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks/links" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $PBN_API_KEY"

import os
import requests

headers = {"Authorization": "Bearer " + os.environ["PBN_API_KEY"]}
r = requests.get("https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks/links", headers=headers, timeout=120)
print(r.status_code, r.json())

const res = await fetch("https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks/links", {
  method: "GET",
  headers: {Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.PBN_API_KEY}`}
});
console.log(res.status, await res.json());

Response

200

{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": 4120,
      "source_url": "https://blog.example.com/post/",
      "target_url": "https://mysite.com/page/",
      "status": "live",
      "problem": "",
      "anchor_wanted": "best widgets",
      "anchor_found": "best widgets",
      "rel": "",
      "dofollow": true,
      "http_status": 200,
      "frequency": "weekly",
      "last_checked_at": "2026-09-22T10:00:00Z",
      "last_change_at": null,
      "first_seen_at": "2026-08-01T10:00:00Z",
      "checks": 8,
      "hosted_site_id": null
    }
  ],
  "next_cursor": null,
  "has_more": false
}

Errors: rate_limited, scope_missing, unauthorized

One watched link and its history

GET/api/v1/backlinks/links/{link_id}

Scope backlinks:read

The link and up to 100 of its most recent checks.

Parameters

Name	In	Type	Required	Description
`link_id`	path	integer	yes	The watched link id.

Example

curl -s "https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks/links/link_id" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $PBN_API_KEY"

import os
import requests

headers = {"Authorization": "Bearer " + os.environ["PBN_API_KEY"]}
r = requests.get("https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks/links/link_id", headers=headers, timeout=120)
print(r.status_code, r.json())

const res = await fetch("https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks/links/link_id", {
  method: "GET",
  headers: {Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.PBN_API_KEY}`}
});
console.log(res.status, await res.json());

Response

200

{
  "data": {
    "id": 4120,
    "source_url": "https://blog.example.com/post/",
    "target_url": "https://mysite.com/page/",
    "status": "live",
    "problem": "",
    "anchor_wanted": "best widgets",
    "anchor_found": "best widgets",
    "rel": "",
    "dofollow": true,
    "http_status": 200,
    "frequency": "weekly",
    "last_checked_at": "2026-09-22T10:00:00Z",
    "last_change_at": null,
    "first_seen_at": "2026-08-01T10:00:00Z",
    "checks": 8,
    "hosted_site_id": null,
    "history": [
      {
        "checked_at": "2026-09-22T10:00:00Z",
        "status": "live",
        "changed": false,
        "anchor": "best widgets",
        "rel": "",
        "dofollow": true,
        "http_status": 200
      }
    ]
  }
}

Errors: not_found, rate_limited, scope_missing, unauthorized

Watch links

POST/api/v1/backlinks/links

Scope backlinks:write

Adds links with the panel's own rules: anything past the plan's link limit is not added (see not_added). Checking a link costs nothing - we fetch the page ourselves.

Parameters

Name	In	Type	Required	Description
`links`	body	array	yes	Up to 2,000 objects: {"source_url": "...", "target_url": "...", "anchor": "optional expected anchor text"}.
`frequency`	body	string (one of: daily, weekly, monthly)	no	How often the link is checked. Checking links is included in every plan. Default: `weekly`.

Example

curl -s -X POST "https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks/links" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $PBN_API_KEY"

import os
import requests

headers = {"Authorization": "Bearer " + os.environ["PBN_API_KEY"]}
r = requests.post("https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks/links", headers=headers, timeout=120)
print(r.status_code, r.json())

const res = await fetch("https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks/links", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.PBN_API_KEY}`}
});
console.log(res.status, await res.json());

Response

201

{
  "data": {
    "added": [
      {
        "id": 4120,
        "source_url": "https://blog.example.com/post/",
        "target_url": "https://mysite.com/page/",
        "status": "live",
        "problem": "",
        "anchor_wanted": "best widgets",
        "anchor_found": "best widgets",
        "rel": "",
        "dofollow": true,
        "http_status": 200,
        "frequency": "weekly",
        "last_checked_at": "2026-09-22T10:00:00Z",
        "last_change_at": null,
        "first_seen_at": "2026-08-01T10:00:00Z",
        "checks": 8,
        "hosted_site_id": null
      }
    ],
    "already_watched": 0,
    "invalid": [
      {
        "url": "not a url",
        "reason": "..."
      }
    ],
    "not_added": {
      "count": 0,
      "reason": null
    }
  }
}

Errors: payment_required, rate_limited, scope_missing, unauthorized, validation_failed

Change how often a link is checked

PATCH/api/v1/backlinks/links/{link_id}

Scope backlinks:write

Sets how often this one link is re-checked (daily, weekly or monthly) and schedules its next check to match. The answer is the link with its new frequency.

Parameters

Name	In	Type	Required	Description
`link_id`	path	integer	yes	The watched link id.
`frequency`	body	string (one of: daily, weekly, monthly)	no	How often the link is checked. Checking links is included in every plan. Default: `weekly`.

Example

curl -s -X PATCH "https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks/links/link_id" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $PBN_API_KEY"

import os
import requests

headers = {"Authorization": "Bearer " + os.environ["PBN_API_KEY"]}
r = requests.patch("https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks/links/link_id", headers=headers, timeout=120)
print(r.status_code, r.json())

const res = await fetch("https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks/links/link_id", {
  method: "PATCH",
  headers: {Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.PBN_API_KEY}`}
});
console.log(res.status, await res.json());

Response

200

{
  "data": {
    "id": 4120,
    "source_url": "https://blog.example.com/post/",
    "target_url": "https://mysite.com/page/",
    "status": "live",
    "problem": "",
    "anchor_wanted": "best widgets",
    "anchor_found": "best widgets",
    "rel": "",
    "dofollow": true,
    "http_status": 200,
    "frequency": "weekly",
    "last_checked_at": "2026-09-22T10:00:00Z",
    "last_change_at": null,
    "first_seen_at": "2026-08-01T10:00:00Z",
    "checks": 8,
    "hosted_site_id": null
  }
}

Errors: not_found, rate_limited, scope_missing, unauthorized, validation_failed

Stop watching a link

DELETE/api/v1/backlinks/links/{link_id}

Scope backlinks:write · destructive

Stops watching. Its history is kept and comes back if you add the link again.

Parameters

Name	In	Type	Required	Description
`link_id`	path	integer	yes	The watched link id.

Example

curl -s -X DELETE "https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks/links/link_id" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $PBN_API_KEY"

import os
import requests

headers = {"Authorization": "Bearer " + os.environ["PBN_API_KEY"]}
r = requests.delete("https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks/links/link_id", headers=headers, timeout=120)
print(r.status_code, r.json())

const res = await fetch("https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks/links/link_id", {
  method: "DELETE",
  headers: {Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.PBN_API_KEY}`}
});
console.log(res.status, await res.json());

Response

200

{
  "data": {
    "deleted": true,
    "id": 4120
  }
}

Errors: not_found, rate_limited, scope_missing, unauthorized

Check a link now

POST/api/v1/backlinks/links/{link_id}/check

Scope backlinks:write

Fetches the page immediately and re-reads the link. Costs nothing and uses no allowance; at most once every 10 minutes per link.

Parameters

Name	In	Type	Required	Description
`link_id`	path	integer	yes	The watched link id.

Example

curl -s -X POST "https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks/links/link_id/check" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $PBN_API_KEY"

import os
import requests

headers = {"Authorization": "Bearer " + os.environ["PBN_API_KEY"]}
r = requests.post("https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks/links/link_id/check", headers=headers, timeout=120)
print(r.status_code, r.json())

const res = await fetch("https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks/links/link_id/check", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.PBN_API_KEY}`}
});
console.log(res.status, await res.json());

Response

200

{
  "data": {
    "id": 4120,
    "source_url": "https://blog.example.com/post/",
    "target_url": "https://mysite.com/page/",
    "status": "live",
    "problem": "",
    "anchor_wanted": "best widgets",
    "anchor_found": "best widgets",
    "rel": "",
    "dofollow": true,
    "http_status": 200,
    "frequency": "weekly",
    "last_checked_at": "2026-09-22T10:00:00Z",
    "last_change_at": null,
    "first_seen_at": "2026-08-01T10:00:00Z",
    "checks": 8,
    "hosted_site_id": null
  }
}

Errors: not_found, rate_limited, scope_missing, unauthorized

List watched backlink profiles

GET/api/v1/backlinks/domains

Scope backlinks:read

Every domain whose backlink profile you watch, most recently added first, with its latest totals (backlinks, referring domains, referring domains won and lost in the last 30 days) and when it was last refreshed. Reads what is stored - it never spends a refresh.

Parameters

Name	In	Type	Required	Description
`limit`	query	integer	no	Items per page. Default: `50`.
`cursor`	query	string	no	next_cursor of the previous page.

Example

curl -s "https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks/domains" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $PBN_API_KEY"

import os
import requests

headers = {"Authorization": "Bearer " + os.environ["PBN_API_KEY"]}
r = requests.get("https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks/domains", headers=headers, timeout=120)
print(r.status_code, r.json())

const res = await fetch("https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks/domains", {
  method: "GET",
  headers: {Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.PBN_API_KEY}`}
});
console.log(res.status, await res.json());

Response

200

{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": 77,
      "domain": "mysite.com",
      "cadence": "weekly",
      "authority": 249,
      "backlinks": 881,
      "referring_domains": 461,
      "dofollow": 820,
      "nofollow": 61,
      "broken": 635,
      "spam_score": 27,
      "new_referring_domains": 4,
      "lost_referring_domains": 1,
      "last_refresh_at": "2026-09-22T03:00:00Z",
      "refreshes": 12
    }
  ],
  "next_cursor": null,
  "has_more": false
}

Errors: rate_limited, scope_missing, unauthorized

One backlink profile

GET/api/v1/backlinks/domains/{domain_id}

Scope backlinks:read

The profile with its top referring domains, anchors, linked pages and monthly history. Reads what is stored - it never spends a refresh.

Parameters

Name	In	Type	Required	Description
`domain_id`	path	integer	yes	The watched domain id.
`show`	query	string (one of: live, new, lost)	no	Which referring domains to return. Default: `live`.

Example

curl -s "https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks/domains/domain_id" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $PBN_API_KEY"

import os
import requests

headers = {"Authorization": "Bearer " + os.environ["PBN_API_KEY"]}
r = requests.get("https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks/domains/domain_id", headers=headers, timeout=120)
print(r.status_code, r.json())

const res = await fetch("https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks/domains/domain_id", {
  method: "GET",
  headers: {Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.PBN_API_KEY}`}
});
console.log(res.status, await res.json());

Response

200

{
  "data": {
    "id": 77,
    "domain": "mysite.com",
    "cadence": "weekly",
    "authority": 249,
    "backlinks": 881,
    "referring_domains": [
      {
        "domain": "news.example",
        "authority": 141,
        "backlinks": 4,
        "dofollow": 4,
        "spam_score": 13,
        "state": "live"
      }
    ],
    "dofollow": 820,
    "nofollow": 61,
    "broken": 635,
    "spam_score": 27,
    "new_referring_domains": 4,
    "lost_referring_domains": 1,
    "last_refresh_at": "2026-09-22T03:00:00Z",
    "refreshes": 12,
    "anchors": [
      {
        "anchor": "best widgets",
        "backlinks": 36,
        "referring_domains": 30
      }
    ],
    "top_pages": [
      {
        "url": "https://mysite.com/",
        "backlinks": 400,
        "referring_domains": 210
      }
    ],
    "history": [
      {
        "month": "2026-08",
        "backlinks": 733,
        "referring_domains": 383,
        "new_referring_domains": 57,
        "lost_referring_domains": 6
      }
    ]
  }
}

Errors: not_found, rate_limited, scope_missing, unauthorized

Watch a backlink profile

POST/api/v1/backlinks/domains

Scope backlinks:write

Refused when it would pass the plan's domain limit, or when the chosen cadence would plan more refreshes a month than the plan includes.

Parameters

Name	In	Type	Required	Description
`domain`	body	string	yes	Any domain.
`cadence`	body	string (one of: weekly, monthly, manual)	no	How often the backlink profile is refreshed. A weekly domain uses about 4.3 refreshes a month, monthly 1; "manual" only when you ask. Default: `weekly`.

Example

curl -s -X POST "https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks/domains" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $PBN_API_KEY"

import os
import requests

headers = {"Authorization": "Bearer " + os.environ["PBN_API_KEY"]}
r = requests.post("https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks/domains", headers=headers, timeout=120)
print(r.status_code, r.json())

const res = await fetch("https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks/domains", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.PBN_API_KEY}`}
});
console.log(res.status, await res.json());

Response

201

{
  "data": {
    "id": 77,
    "domain": "mysite.com",
    "cadence": "weekly",
    "authority": 249,
    "backlinks": 881,
    "referring_domains": 461,
    "dofollow": 820,
    "nofollow": 61,
    "broken": 635,
    "spam_score": 27,
    "new_referring_domains": 4,
    "lost_referring_domains": 1,
    "last_refresh_at": "2026-09-22T03:00:00Z",
    "refreshes": 12
  }
}

Errors: payment_required, rate_limited, scope_missing, unauthorized, validation_failed

Stop watching a backlink profile

DELETE/api/v1/backlinks/domains/{domain_id}

Scope backlinks:write · destructive

Stops watching the profile: no more scheduled refreshes, and it no longer counts towards your plan. Nothing is charged.

Parameters

Name	In	Type	Required	Description
`domain_id`	path	integer	yes	The watched domain id.

Example

curl -s -X DELETE "https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks/domains/domain_id" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $PBN_API_KEY"

import os
import requests

headers = {"Authorization": "Bearer " + os.environ["PBN_API_KEY"]}
r = requests.delete("https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks/domains/domain_id", headers=headers, timeout=120)
print(r.status_code, r.json())

const res = await fetch("https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks/domains/domain_id", {
  method: "DELETE",
  headers: {Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.PBN_API_KEY}`}
});
console.log(res.status, await res.json());

Response

200

{
  "data": {
    "deleted": true,
    "id": 77
  }
}

Errors: not_found, rate_limited, scope_missing, unauthorized

Refresh a backlink profile now

POST/api/v1/backlinks/domains/{domain_id}/refresh

Scope backlinks:write

Uses one profile refresh of the monthly allowance, unless a recent shared snapshot of that domain can be reused, in which case it costs nothing. At most once a day per domain.

Parameters

Name	In	Type	Required	Description
`domain_id`	path	integer	yes	The watched domain id.

Example

curl -s -X POST "https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks/domains/domain_id/refresh" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $PBN_API_KEY"

import os
import requests

headers = {"Authorization": "Bearer " + os.environ["PBN_API_KEY"]}
r = requests.post("https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks/domains/domain_id/refresh", headers=headers, timeout=120)
print(r.status_code, r.json())

const res = await fetch("https://app.pbn.ltd/api/v1/backlinks/domains/domain_id/refresh", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.PBN_API_KEY}`}
});
console.log(res.status, await res.json());

Response

200

{
  "data": {
    "id": 77,
    "domain": "mysite.com",
    "cadence": "weekly",
    "authority": 249,
    "backlinks": 881,
    "referring_domains": 461,
    "dofollow": 820,
    "nofollow": 61,
    "broken": 635,
    "spam_score": 27,
    "new_referring_domains": 4,
    "lost_referring_domains": 1,
    "last_refresh_at": "2026-09-22T03:00:00Z",
    "refreshes": 12
  }
}

Errors: not_found, rate_limited, scope_missing, unauthorized, unavailable