Difference between the links shown in "link:mysite.com" and those in webmaster tools?

Hi, I've been doing some work in google webmaster tools recently, and found a total of 97 links to my site, 57 to my index page. These are google backlinks so, when I query "link:mysite.com", why does it not show even a fraction of the links shown in webmaster tools? Thanks for any ideas

 

It doesn't show them as policy. It disabled the link operator many years ago.

 

I think none of them show accurate results. Webmaster tools need to have all those links in their database to reflect them in the statistics. It often happens much later than actual links appear.

 

Google's just limit showing one's backlinks, index and other information to the public, maybe to avoid manipulation or any other strategies can be done by competitors.

 

If they show the total backlinks with "link:mysite.com" then every one can use those websites from where your website got backlinks. They got the specific list of websites. and if you know all backlinks from "link:mysite.com" thn wht is the need of "google webmaster" So google also do this for their service.

 

as far as i know google webmaster tool is more accurate than the link: command..

 

The link shown in tag "link:" in Google is only those which are new and there is nothing to with quality of links. Google only shows few links and this is only to curb spam.

The link shown in webmaster tool is all those links coming to your website even those are no-follow or do-follow. To what i have experienced, the links shown in webmaster tool is not all those which you have built for your website.

 

yes man, you can not see the links in google because spam issue
webmaster tool is really nice but not accurate i think, just use it as a reference

 

Each SEs has its own method to get and show links are indexed. That's why you see that diffrence.

 

webmaster tools doesn't show all the backlinks.

 

Thanks to everyone who's replied. My question has been answered