Back in 2009, I gamed the system.
I ranked a web hosting comparison site using nothing but dirt-cheap link packages from forums like Digital Point.
Those were the Wild West days.
No one cared, penalties were rare, and loopholes were everywhere.
But guess what?
It’s 2024 now.
Google’s evolved. AI, machine learning, and pattern recognition — all ensure that what worked in 2009 will crash and burn today.
Enough about me.
Let’s talk about you.
If you’re here, you’ve got these two burning questions:
- Where can you buy cheap backlinks?
- Are these cheap backlinks even safe?
I’ll give you the quick and dirty answer to the first: it’s not pretty.
Then we’ll dive deep into the second—because understanding the long-term risks is what separates the digital marketing winners from the losers.
1. Where Can You Buy Cheap Backlinks?
Let’s get this over with.
The usual suspects are:
- BlackHatWorld (BHW): Think of it as the flea market of questionable SEO deals.
- Fiverr & SEOClerks: Micro-job sites offering $5 backlinks—cheap, cheerful, and often worthless.
- Random Underground Forums & Reddit Threads: The r/SEO subreddit and other corners of the web, where users swap “secret” lists and half-baked strategies.
Of all these, BlackHatWorld stands out like a neon sign in a dark alley. You’ll find services promising “High DA Links” for pocket change.
Yes, it’s been around forever, and yes, some sellers have “5-star” reviews. Popular threads claim “2,000+ packages sold” or boast sales that continue even in 2024.
This popularity doesn’t mean quality—it means there’s a steady supply of uninformed or desperate buyers.
These testimonials often come from buyers who either:
- Don’t know better, or
- Don’t care if their site gets flagged.
These links often come from thin-content blogs, private blog networks (PBNs), or recycled guest posts on irrelevant sites.
They’re cheap for a reason.
Shortcuts usually lead straight into the penalty box.
2. Are Cheap Link-Building Packages Safe?
In short, NOOOOOOOO!
Listen, I get it.
In a world where OpenAI and GPT-powered tools churn out web copy faster than a Silicon Valley barista can whip up your double-shot espresso, everyone craves shortcuts.
Backlinks—those digital nods from one site to another—feel like they should be quick hacks to climb the ranks on Google.They’re not.
At least, not the cheap ones.
In 2025, the link-building game has changed. Google’s algorithm is now sharper than a ever – at least with judging link quality
- AI-powered detection tools can spot link-farms as easily as picking out cargo shorts in a San Francisco coworking space.
- Real human search quality raters are lurking, ready to penalize anything suspicious.
But, we see thousands are buying tens of thousands of links
Who are these people? Who buys these cheap backlinks?
- Local Businesses:
Clueless about SEO, hoping for a quick bump in rankings. - Shady E-Commerce Sellers:
Selling banned supplements, counterfeit products, and hoping to rank before Google catches on. - Affiliate Marketers:
Hunting long-tail keywords, willing to gamble on cheap links instead of building real content. - Fan Pages & Hobbyist Groups:
Confusing “any link” with “good link.” - Negative SEO Saboteurs:
Buying cheap links to harm competitors—like sabotaging someone else’s engine in a NASCAR race.
Common Traits of these desperate buyers are:
- No long-term strategy.
- No real brand.
- Just throwaway sites with low-quality content.
Though, I made it clear – cheap backlinks are not safe, I want to clearly highlight one more time –
Cheap backlinks aren’t safe for:
- Local businesses trying to rank “Dentist in Portland”
- Niche affiliate sites chasing quick commissions
- SaaS companies building trust with cloud computing audiences
- Social media business pages leveraging platforms like LinkedIn Pulse or Reddit
If you care about long-term brand health and stable search rankings, cheap links are digital poison.
Final Thoughts
Everyone wants to hack the system.
But in SEO, fast fixes and cheap tactics are like buying a $5 sushi roll from a gas station—it’s going to end badly.
If you’re serious about growing your brand, focus on building real value and Stay ahead of the curve:
- Invest in quality content that earns genuine links.
- Build relationships with industry influencers.
- Focus on long-term authority, not short-term shortcuts.
This is how you succeed in today’s SEO
Because in 2024 and beyond, great content + genuine authority = sustainable rankings.
No cheap link package will ever replace that.