The ontolo Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about ontolo in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
ontolo
The Insider’s Guide
Prospecting crawler that finds link-building and marketing targets
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among link building tools, read from ontolo’s own pages.
Made by ontolo LLC · checked Oct 23, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from ontolo’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on ontolo’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
1.4
GPA, above 0 of the 50 other link building tools we grade
ontolo is a prospecting tool for link builders and marketers. It gathers pages from more than 80 sources or from lists you upload, crawls them and sorts them into prospect types such as guest post pages, resource lists, forums and affiliate publishers. For each prospect it pulls out contact emails, contact pages, social accounts and outbound links, and exports the results to Excel or CSV.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about ontolo, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You build searches, upload lists from Moz, Ahrefs or Majestic and work through multi-tab Excel exports, so there's a lot to learn first.
- 1
Best for crawling huge lists of link prospects
ontolo crawls 80+ sources, or lists you upload, and sorts pages into 90+ prospect types with emails and social accounts pulled out.
- 2
Paid plans start at $97 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $97 per month for 1,000,000 URLs in your index.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
Prospects from 80+ sources
Searches more than 80 sources at once and expands a prospect type, such as guest posts, into 20 or more query variations behind the scenes.
- 5
Upload your own lists
Crawl prospect lists exported from Moz, Ahrefs, Majestic or anywhere else, uploaded as a CSV or plain text file.
- 6
90+ prospect types
Sorts pages into types across link building, content, social, community, advertising, affiliates, e-commerce and technical features.
- 7
A 1.4 GPA, above 0 of 50
That is against the other link building tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
To replace ontolo you would be making a library of papers and sources to search. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
ontolo at a glance
- Pricing
- Paid, from $97 per month for 1,000,000 URLs in your index
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- ontolo LLC, since 2008
- Category
- Backlinks & Link Building
- Our grade
- 1.4 GPA, weak
The report card
Best for crawling huge lists of link prospects
ontolo crawls 80+ sources, or lists you upload, and sorts pages into 90+ prospect types with emails and social accounts pulled out. But its site hasn't been updated since 2016 and still lists dead sources like Google Plus and Vine, it sends no outreach, and it's $97 a month with no trial.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Pro is $97 a month for 1,000,000 URLs in your index, right at the edge of the dearer quarter of this category. It buys prospecting only, with no outreach, from a site untouched since 2016. |
| Free plan and trial | F | Nothing free: no free plan and no trial. There's a 30-day money-back guarantee, but that isn't a trial, and the terms rule out prorated refunds once a billing period has started. |
| Features | D | 80+ sources, 90+ prospect types, page-section parsing, and contacts with outbound link data, exported to Excel or CSV. But it's one part of the job with no outreach of its own, and a site last updated in 2016 that lists dead sources makes it hard to trust it's current. |
| Ease of use | C | No rating on record. You build searches, upload lists from Moz, Ahrefs or Majestic and work through multi-tab Excel exports, so there's a lot to learn first. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web only. It reads lists exported from Moz, Ahrefs and Majestic and exports to Excel, but there's no API or live connection to anything on record. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who ontolo is for
- Fits if you need thousands of guest post and resource page targets at once
- Works for crawling prospect lists you've exported from Ahrefs, Moz or Majestic
Who it is not for
- Watch out: the site hasn't changed since 2016, and sources it lists, like Google Plus and Vine, no longer exist
- Skip it if you want outreach in the same tool, as contacts are exported for use elsewhere
- Not for you if you want to try it first: there's no free plan or trial, only a 30-day money-back guarantee
- Pricey if you run small campaigns, at $97 a month, with Agency at $297
- Tight if you cancel partway through, as the terms rule out prorated refunds once a billing period starts
Good to know
Good for
- Link builders compiling large lists of guest post and resource page targets
- Agencies that crawl prospect lists exported from backlink tools
- Researchers mining many sites for contact details and social accounts
Worth knowing
- The site has not been updated since 2016, and some listed sources, such as Google Plus and Vine, no longer exist.
- There is no free plan or trial; plans carry a 30-day money-back guarantee instead.
- It finds and qualifies prospects but has no email outreach of its own; contacts are exported for use elsewhere.
- The terms rule out prorated refunds after a billing period starts, apart from charges made after a cancellation.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$97
A month to start
ontolo is a paid product, starting at $97 per month for 1,000,000 URLs in your index.
Nothing free: no free plan and no trial.
Pro
$97
per month for 1,000,000 URLs in your index
Up to 200,000 new URLs crawled a day, with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Agency
$297
per month for 5,000,000 URLs in your index
Up to 1,000,000 new URLs crawled a day, with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Custom
Custom
Custom code and data work for problems the standard plans do not cover, by contacting the company.
Read from ontolo.com on Oct 23, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Prospecting crawler that finds link-building and marketing targets. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: research, link outreach.
It reads lists exported from Moz, Ahrefs and Majestic and exports to Excel, but there's no API or live connection to anything on record.
- Prospects from 80+ sources
- Searches more than 80 sources at once and expands a prospect type, such as guest posts, into 20 or more query variations behind the scenes.
- Upload your own lists
- Crawl prospect lists exported from Moz, Ahrefs, Majestic or anywhere else, uploaded as a CSV or plain text file.
- 90+ prospect types
- Sorts pages into types across link building, content, social, community, advertising, affiliates, e-commerce and technical features.
- Page-section parsing
- Separates article text, comments and navigation, so a keyword in a footer does not count as a match and links are attributed to the right part of the page.
- Contacts and link data
- Collects email addresses, contact form URLs and social accounts per prospect, plus its followed and nofollowed outbound links.
- Excel and CSV exports
- Exports each search as a multi-tab, color-coded Excel workbook, or as a CSV.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Moz
- Ahrefs
- Majestic
- Microsoft Excel
ontolo is made by ontolo LLC, and has been around since 2008.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
0/50
Other link building tools it is graded above
ontolo's GPA of 1.4 is higher than 0 of the 50 other link building tools we grade.
It stands best on value for money (C, above 8 of 50) and worst on free plan and trial (F, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $97 a month, against a middle price of $49 for the category: 29 of the 41 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 1.7 out of 4. 31 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 51 link building tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. ontolo’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 8 of 50
- FFree plan and trialAbove 0 of 50
- DFeaturesAbove 0 of 50
- CEase of useAbove 0 of 50
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 50
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 45 link building tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. ontolo is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace ontolo you would be making a library of papers and sources to search. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 50 of the 50 other link building tools grade higher. It costs $1,164 a year.
What you could make
- Link outreach: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- A library of papers and sources to search.
What this rests on. ontolo’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Pitchbox, BuzzStream and Ahrefs
The 3 tools ontolo is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.0GPA
Pitchbox
Free trial · from $210/mo
Outreach platform for link building and digital PR teams.
- ontolo also covers research.
- Pitchbox also covers workflow automation and reports.
- 2.2GPA
BuzzStream
Free trial · from $49/mo
Outreach CRM for link building and digital PR.
- Only BuzzStream lists a browser extension.
- ontolo also covers research.
- BuzzStream also covers reports.
- 2.0GPA
Ahrefs
Free plan · from $29/mo
SEO toolset for backlinks, keyword research, audits and rank tracking.
- Ahrefs has a free plan. ontolo does not.
- Only Ahrefs lists a browser extension.
- ontolo also covers research and link outreach.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is ontolo free?
No. ontolo is a paid product, starting at $97 per month for 1,000,000 URLs in your index.
How much does ontolo cost?
ontolo lists 3 plans. Pro: $97 per month for 1,000,000 URLs in your index.
What platforms does ontolo work on?
ontolo is available on Web.
Does ontolo have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 23, 2026. ontolo is listed for Web.
Does ontolo have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 23, 2026. ontolo is listed for Web.
Is ontolo open source?
ontolo is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 23, 2026.
What does ontolo integrate with?
ontolo's listing names Moz, Ahrefs, Majestic and Microsoft Excel. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes ontolo?
ontolo is made by ontolo LLC. It dates from 2008.
What are the alternatives to ontolo?
The closest alternatives to ontolo in our directory are Pitchbox, BuzzStream and Ahrefs.
How does ontolo compare with other link building tools?
ontolo's GPA of 1.4 is higher than 0 of the 50 other link building tools we grade.
Is ontolo good value for money?
ToolGPA grades ontolo C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $97 a month, against a middle price of $49 for the category: 29 of the 41 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of ontolo?
To replace ontolo you would be making a library of papers and sources to search.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from ontolo’s own pages on Oct 23, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 23, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from ontolo's own pages on 23 October 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by ontolo LLC. Prices change, so check ontolo.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- ontolo, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/ontolo
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "ontolo: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 23, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/ontolo
Know someone choosing between link building tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/ontolo/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded link building tools after ontolo, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Backlinks & Link Building Insider's GuideEvery one of the 51 link building tools we grade, compared
- LinkCheck Insider's GuideFree backlink monitor for up to 5,000 links you import3.0 GPA
- HARO Insider's GuideFree email digest of journalist requests for expert sources2.8 GPA
- Internal Link Juicer Insider's GuideWordPress plugin that builds internal links from your keywords2.8 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what ontolo’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. ontolo is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by ontolo LLC. Prices and plans change: check ontolo.com before you buy.