What this calculator does
A dofollow link passes the usual signal a search engine uses to weigh one page's endorsement of another; a nofollow link (or the related sponsored and UGC attributes) tells the search engine not to treat the link that way. Both are common in a natural backlink profile, and the mix between them is one of the things reviewed when auditing where a site's links come from.
A profile made up entirely of dofollow links looks unusual, because ordinary web activity, such as comments, forum posts, social shares and directory listings, generates a share of nofollow links as a matter of course. This calculator turns raw counts from a backlink tool into that ratio and percentage split.
The formula
Add the dofollow and nofollow counts together for the total, then divide each type by that total and express it as a percentage. The ratio expresses the same two numbers reduced to their simplest whole-number form.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Dofollow link | A backlink that passes the normal link-based signal between the linking page and the linked page. |
| Nofollow link | A backlink carrying a rel attribute (nofollow, sponsored or ugc) that tells search engines not to pass that signal in the usual way. |
| Ratio | The dofollow and nofollow counts reduced to their simplest whole-number form, such as 2:1. |
The inputs explained
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Dofollow backlinks | The number of dofollow backlinks reported by your backlink tool. |
| Nofollow backlinks | The number of nofollow backlinks (including sponsored and UGC) reported by the same tool. |
When to use it
Auditing a backlink profile
Checking the dofollow/nofollow split alongside other signals, such as referring domain diversity and anchor text, is a standard part of reviewing whether a site's link profile looks natural.
Tracking a link-building campaign
Comparing the ratio before and after an outreach push shows whether the new links being earned are mostly dofollow, mostly nofollow, or a mix, which affects how much of that work is expected to influence rankings.
Benchmarking against a competitor
Running a competitor's backlink counts through the same calculation gives a like-for-like comparison of how their link profile is composed.
Worked examples
Every figure in the tables below is produced by this page’s own calculator at build time, so the numbers and the tool always agree. Select any row to load that scenario.
How the split changes as nofollow links grow at a fixed dofollow count
A fixed 340 dofollow links, against a range of nofollow counts.
| Nofollow backlinks | Dofollow share | Nofollow share | Ratio (dofollow:nofollow) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 100.0% | 0.000% | 340:0 |
| 85 | 80.0% | 20.0% | 4:1 |
| 170 | 66.7% | 33.3% | 2:1 |
| 340 | 50.0% | 50.0% | 1:1 |
| 680 | 33.3% | 66.7% | 1:2 |
| 1,360 | 20.0% | 80.0% | 1:4 |
Questions
Is there an ideal dofollow to nofollow ratio?
No specific ratio is published or confirmed as ideal. The more useful check is whether the mix looks consistent with how the links were actually earned, rather than matching it to a fixed target.
Do nofollow links have any value?
Yes, even setting aside any indirect ranking effect: they can still send referral traffic, build brand visibility, and contribute to a link profile that looks like ordinary web activity rather than a manufactured one.
How do I find out which of my backlinks are nofollow?
Most third-party backlink tools report the follow status of each link they find, usually as a filter or column in the link list.
Why would an all-dofollow profile be a concern?
Because it does not resemble how links accumulate naturally across blogs, forums, social platforms and directories, a profile with an unusually high share of dofollow links can draw closer scrutiny during a backlink audit.
To check the anchor text feeding those same backlinks, see the anchor text diversity calculator.