MonsterBacklinks describes itself as a freelance marketplace for SEO and digital services. Its current categories include link building, guest posts, blog comments, private blog networks, content writing, social-network promotion, Web 2.0 services and software. Sellers publish individual offers, while buyers select and purchase the services they want.

The platform says it has existed since 2010. Domain-registration records support that history: MonsterBacklinks.com was first registered in May 2010 and remains registered in 2026. The current website also contains service listings, buyer instructions, registration pages and an affiliate program.

What apparently happened around 2022?

Your recollection that MonsterBacklinks stopped operating around 2022 has a factual basis, although “permanently shut down” is stronger than the available evidence supports. In a May 2022 discussion on SEOClerks, users reported that MonsterBacklinks had disabled orders. Comments in that discussion also alleged months-long service reviews, unsuccessful attempts to reach support and order cancellations.

A separate Trustpilot review posted in April 2022 described the platform as good but said its withdrawal method was not functioning. That is only one public review and it is not independently verified, so it should be treated as an individual account—not proof of every user’s experience.

Together, those reports indicate that the platform may have experienced a substantial interruption affecting ordering, seller payments or administration. They do not establish the precise date operations stopped, whether the entire business closed, or when every function returned.

Is MonsterBacklinks operating now?

Public evidence points to a revival or relaunch. The current site calls itself “MBL 2.0,” displays numerous marketplace listings and offers buyer and seller registration. Its buyer guide says orders may be paid through PayPal, Stripe or Bitcoin, while its affiliate page advertises commissions on qualifying purchases.

Some current listings show older update dates or sellers who have not logged in recently. That is common on loosely managed marketplaces, but it means a visible listing should not be mistaken for proof that the seller is currently available or that the advertised service will be delivered as described.

The larger concern: what kind of backlinks are being sold?

A functioning marketplace can still contain services that create SEO risk. MonsterBacklinks currently displays offers involving private blog networks, mass blog comments, profiles, redirects and large backlink packages. Claims about domain authority, guaranteed indexing, algorithm safety or first-page rankings should not be accepted without evidence.

Google’s spam policies target links created primarily to manipulate search rankings. Google has also explained that its SpamBrain system can identify sites buying links and sites used to pass artificial linking credit. When unnatural links are detected, their ranking value may be neutralized, and serious spam-policy violations can lead to reduced visibility or removal from search results.

That does not mean every purchased marketing placement is prohibited. Relevant sponsorships, advertising, public relations and genuine editorial outreach can have legitimate business purposes. Paid links should be appropriately qualified—normally with rel="sponsored" or rel="nofollow"—instead of being sold as undisclosed ranking manipulation.

How to evaluate an offer before buying

If you decide to test the marketplace, start small. Do not deposit more money than you can afford to have temporarily unavailable, and do not build a business plan around unverified commissions or seller withdrawals.

• Ask for sample placement domains before ordering.
• Check whether the sites have real audiences, relevant content and identifiable ownership.
• Ask exactly how links are obtained and whether they are editorial, sponsored or automated.
• Confirm whether links are permanent, rented or subject to removal.
• Review the platform’s current refund, cancellation and dispute terms.
• Message the seller before paying and confirm that the offer is still active.
• Expect a transparent delivery report rather than a vague promise.
• Avoid services whose main selling point is an enormous quantity of links delivered immediately.
• Never give an unknown seller unnecessary administrator, hosting or domain access.

MonsterBacklinks review verdict

MonsterBacklinks appears to be online again after genuine reports of operational problems in 2022. Its long-registered domain and current marketplace pages show continuity, but they do not prove that the earlier ordering and withdrawal issues have been resolved for every user.

The platform may be useful as a directory of freelance SEO offers, but buyers should assess each seller and technique independently. Website owners should be especially cautious with mass PBN, comment, profile and redirect backlink packages whose primary purpose is to influence rankings.

Our conclusion is neither “definitely safe” nor “still closed.” The defensible conclusion is that the marketplace appears active again, while its current transactional reliability and the quality of individual services require fresh, small-scale due diligence.