I Want a Spam Domain List for Ahrefs Best Links — Where Do I Get One?

If you’ve been working with Ahrefs Site Explorer and the Best links feature, you’ve probably noticed one thing: spam backlinks can seriously inflate your backlink metrics. That means your link profile looks better than it actually is — not great when you’re trying to get a clear picture for SEO decisions.

In this post, I’ll walk you through why it matters, how you can get a solid spam domain list for filtering your Ahrefs Best links, and why filtering instead of blanket disavowals is the smarter move. Spoiler: I recently curated a list of 3,192 spam domains that you can use to clean up your backlink data and save tons of time.
Why Spam Backlinks Inflate Ahrefs Metrics
Ahrefs calculates many metrics based on backlinks — Domain Rating (DR), URL Rating (UR), Ahrefs Rank (AR), and more. But those numbers only tell you the story if your backlink data is solid. Spam backlinks and link farms can skew those numbers upwards, often dramatically.
Link farms and PBNs: These are websites with large numbers of outbound links, often unrelated to your niche, created mainly to push link juice. Fake metrics: Spammy domains tend to have inflated Domain Ratings because they are linked from many other spammy sites, which tricks Ahrefs’ proprietary ranking algorithms. Misleading profile strength: When your profile includes these spam links, you might think you have a strong backlink profile when you don’t.
So, while Ahrefs’ Best links feature is helpful to identify your strongest backlinks, it can also rank spam backlinks as “best” if they have inflated metrics. Hence, cleaning that list with a trusted spam domains list for filtering is essential.
Using the Ahrefs Best Links List with a Custom Exclusion List
Ahrefs provides the “Best links” report inside Site Explorer — a handy view aggregating your website's highest quality backlinks based on Ahrefs’ internal signals like Domain Rating and traffic potential.

But raw Best links lists will often include spammy domains, especially if those domains have spoofed metrics. This is where a custom exclusion list of spam domains comes into play.
Extract your Best links list from Ahrefs Site Explorer. Cross-reference with your spam domains list — in my most recent audit, I compiled 3,192 spam domains typical of low-quality networks, expired domains, and obvious PBN footprints. Exclude those domains from your Best links report so you get a more accurate picture of your legitimate authority backlinks.
Cleaning your Best links data this way helps your SEO strategy by:
Removing false positives that appear as high-quality links. Preventing investment of time in disavowing links that aren’t actually harmful. Allowing you to focus on true link-building opportunities. Example: 3,192 Spam Domains Total
To give you a sense of scale, in one internal audit, my team identified 3,192 spam domains that repeatedly appeared in Best links lists across various clients. These domains included expired sites previously used for PBNs, link farms identified via their low content value and extreme outbound link counts, and domains flagged as toxic in multiple SEO tools.

Using this specific list to filter Best links reports, we saw sometimes a 25-35% reduction in backlinks that falsely inflated the metrics.
How to Save a Default View in Ahrefs Site Explorer
One nice feature of Ahrefs Site Explorer is the ability to save custom reports or views. This capability is a big time saver if you’re consistently filtering out spam domains or specific link types.

Here’s how to save a default view that includes your spam domain filters:
Run your Site Explorer report for the target domain. Use the backlink filters to exclude domains present in your spam domain list. For example, apply filters excluding specific domains or wildcard filtering for your known spam domains. Adjust sorting to focus on Metrics you care about (e.g., DR or Traffic). Click the Save default view button usually located at the top of the report. Name your view something like “Best links filtered (excl. spam domains).”
Next time you load the report, your custom filters and column setups will load by default, saving you dozens of clicks daily.
Filtering Vs. Disavow — Why It Matters
A common misconception is to simply disavow all spam backlinks you find. I call that the shotgun approach, and here’s why it’s problematic:
Disavow files are a blunt tool: Google uses the disavow tool to discount certain backlinks when evaluating your site. But if your list includes good links or borderline links, you could hurt your rankings. Not all spam links merit disavowal: Some spam domains are inactive or ignored by search engines, causing no harm. Filtering in tools like Ahrefs is safer: By filtering spam domains in your reports and analysis first, you can focus disavow efforts only on URLs that matter.
Think of it like cleaning your desk: filtering spam backlinks out of your reports keeps your workspace tidy. Disavowing is more like throwing away clutter you’re certain is harmful.
Best Practices for Managing Spam Backlinks Maintain an up-to-date spam domain list — the 3,192 spam domains list I mentioned is a great starting point. Filter your Ahrefs Best links reports using that list — this keeps your link metrics more accurate. Save custom views in Site Explorer to automate filtering. Disavow only after careful review of filtered links that pose a real risk. Summary Table: Spam Domains Impact and Best Link Filtering Aspect Without Spam Domain Filtering With 3,192 Spam Domains Filtering Estimated Spam Domains in Best Links Up to 25-35% Filtered out completely Ahrefs Metrics Accuracy Often inflated/falsely high More realistic, reliable Time Saved in Link Audits Low — manual review required High — bulk exclusion saves clicks Risk of Disavowing Good Links High — due to noise and misinterpretation Low — focused disavow process Where To Get the Spam Domain List for Ahrefs Best Links?
So you’re wondering: where do I get a quality spam domain list to use with Ahrefs? Here’s what I recommend:
Build your own over time: Use your Ahrefs audits to identify recurring spam domains — collect and update your list regularly. Leverage public blacklists: Domains flagged by multiple SEO platforms and public toxic domain lists can be starting points. Use internal resources: At my agency, for example, we maintain a personal blocklist of over 3,000 spam domains validated across clients and industries. Consider trusted third parties: Some SEO consultants and services offer regularly updated spam domain listings designed specifically for Ahrefs filtering.
The best practice is always to vet and tailor the list to your niche and clients — a “one size fits all” list can miss niche-specific spam or falsely flag good domains.
Final Thoughts
Using the Ahrefs Best links feature without filtering can lead to misleading backlink metrics because spam domains inflate the data. By applying a custom exclusion list — like the curated 3,192 spam domains example — you can get cleaner, more actionable insights.

Remember: filtering your backlink reports in Ahrefs is the first line of defense. Disavowing comes later, once you’ve separated wheat from chaff. And saving fourdots.com https://fourdots.com/blog/how-to-filter-spam-links-in-ahrefs-site-explorer-using-best-links-feature-11059 that filtered view in Site Explorer saves you precious click time and mental load over hundreds of audits.

If you want to get started on cleaning your link profile, begin compiling your spam domain list today — or get in touch if you’d like an anonymized version of my 3,192 spam domains list for filtering your Best links reports.

No more guesswork, no silly buzzword garbage — just solid steps and proper data.