Key Takeaways
- Domain Rating is Ahrefs' measure of the strength of a website's backlink profile, scored on a logarithmic scale from 0 to 100.
- Domain Authority is Moz's score predicting how likely a domain is to rank in Google search results, also on a 0-100 logarithmic scale.
- Here is the practical breakdown of how the two metrics differ across the dimensions that matter most.
- People expect a site to have roughly the same DR and DA.
- For most teams, we recommend tracking Domain Rating as your primary link-strength metric, with two main reasons.
- DR and DA are cousins, not twins.
- Domain Rating (DR) is Ahrefs' 0-100 score measuring the strength of a website's backlink profile, while Domain Authority (DA) is Moz's 0-100 score predicting how likely a site is to rank in Google.
The core of the domain rating vs domain authority question is simple: both are 0-100 scores that estimate the strength of a website's backlink profile, but they come from different companies and measure slightly different things. Domain Rating (DR) is Ahrefs' metric, built purely on the size and quality of a site's backlink profile. Domain Authority (DA) is Moz's metric, a machine-learning score designed to predict how well a domain will rank in Google. Neither is a Google ranking factor. They are third-party estimates you use to compare sites and track link-building progress.
If you have ever pulled up a competitor and seen "DR 62" in one tool and "DA 48" in another, you have run into this exact confusion. The numbers rarely match because the two scores are calculated by separate companies using separate link indexes and separate formulas. That is normal. Below we break down what each one actually measures, where they diverge, and which one is worth tracking.
What is Domain Rating (Ahrefs DR)?
Domain Rating is Ahrefs' measure of the strength of a website's backlink profile, scored on a logarithmic scale from 0 to 100. The score is driven almost entirely by one thing: the quantity and quality of dofollow links from unique referring domains. A site that earns links from many strong, diverse domains will have a high DR.
The mechanics matter here. Per Ahrefs' own documentation, DR works by looking at every domain that links to a target site, checking how many other sites each of those linkers connects to, then passing a proportional amount of "DR juice." Only the first link from each referring domain counts toward DR; ten links from the same site do not help more than one. Nofollow links are ignored. Because the scale is logarithmic, moving from DR 20 to DR 30 is far easier than moving from DR 70 to DR 80.
One important caveat: DR does not judge whether your links are spammy or legitimate. It counts the link math, not the editorial quality. If you want to see your own number, you can check your domain rating in seconds using our free tool, which pulls live Ahrefs data.
What is Domain Authority (Moz DA)?
Domain Authority is Moz's score predicting how likely a domain is to rank in Google search results, also on a 0-100 logarithmic scale. Where DR is essentially a direct measure of backlink strength, DA is a machine-learning model. Moz trains it against actual Google search results, feeding in dozens of link-based signals — including its own Linking Root Domains and total link counts — and tuning the model so its output correlates with real-world rankings.
This is the key conceptual difference. DA is calibrated to predict ranking ability, so Moz periodically retrains the underlying algorithm. When that happens, your DA can shift up or down even if your backlink profile did not change, simply because the model was recalibrated against a new snapshot of the SERPs. Moz is explicit that DA is best used as a comparative metric — measuring you against competitors — rather than an absolute score.
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DR vs DA: the side-by-side comparison
Here is the practical breakdown of how the two metrics differ across the dimensions that matter most.
| Dimension | Domain Rating (DR) | Domain Authority (DA) |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | Ahrefs | Moz |
| Scale | 0-100, logarithmic | 0-100, logarithmic |
| What it measures | Strength of the backlink profile | Predicted likelihood of ranking in Google |
| How it's built | Direct link calculation (dofollow links from unique referring domains) | Machine-learning model trained against Google SERPs |
| Which links count | First dofollow link per referring domain; nofollow ignored | Link-based signals across the full profile |
| Update frequency | Continuously, as Ahrefs recrawls the web | Periodic algorithm refreshes plus index updates |
| Google ranking factor? | No | No |
The headline takeaway: DR is a cleaner, more transparent measure of pure link strength, while DA bundles link signals into a black-box prediction of ranking ability. Both are useful, but they answer slightly different questions.
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Check your DR free →Why DR and DA never match
People expect a site to have roughly the same DR and DA. It almost never does, and there are three good reasons.
- Different link indexes. Ahrefs and Moz each run their own web crawlers. They discover different sets of backlinks, so the raw input to each score is different before any math even happens.
- Different formulas. DR is a direct link calculation; DA is a predictive model. Even with identical link data, the outputs would diverge by design.
- Different update cadence. DR shifts continuously as Ahrefs recrawls the web. DA jumps in steps when Moz refreshes its model or index. A site checked on the same day can look "ahead" in one tool and "behind" in the other.
So a DR of 55 and a DA of 40 for the same domain is not a contradiction — it is two companies measuring overlapping but distinct things. The mistake is comparing your DR to a competitor's DA. Always compare like-for-like: DR to DR, DA to DA.
Ahrefs DR vs Moz DA: which should you track?
For most teams, we recommend tracking Domain Rating as your primary link-strength metric, with two main reasons.
First, DR is more transparent. It measures one clear thing — backlink profile strength — so when your DR moves, you know it is because your link profile (or a competitor's) changed. DA's machine-learning recalibrations make movement harder to interpret; a DA drop might mean nothing about your actual links.
Second, Ahrefs' link index is widely regarded as one of the largest and most frequently updated in the industry, which makes DR a responsive signal for ongoing link-building work. Google's own SEO documentation never references either score, so treat both as directional tools, not targets.
That said, DA still has a place. If your reporting, client, or outreach workflow is built around Moz, DA is the right number to track for consistency — and Moz's DA documentation is a solid reference. The worst approach is mixing the two. Pick one metric, track it over time, and compare yourself only to competitors measured by the same tool. To set a realistic goal, see What Is a Good Domain Rating? DR Benchmarks Explained, and for the bigger picture of how these scores fit into overall site trust, read Website Authority: What It Is and How to Check It.
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The verdict
DR and DA are cousins, not twins. Both estimate backlink strength on a 0-100 scale, both are third-party metrics, and neither feeds Google's algorithm. DR (Ahrefs) is a clean, link-focused calculation; DA (Moz) is a predictive ranking model. If you are starting fresh, track DR — it is the more direct and interpretable signal. Whatever you choose, measure consistently and compare like-for-like.
FAQ
What is the difference between domain rating and domain authority?
Domain Rating (DR) is Ahrefs' 0-100 score measuring the strength of a website's backlink profile, while Domain Authority (DA) is Moz's 0-100 score predicting how likely a site is to rank in Google. DR is a direct link calculation; DA is a machine-learning model. Different companies, different formulas, different numbers.
Is DR or DA more accurate?
Neither is objectively "more accurate" because they measure different things. DR is more transparent for tracking pure backlink strength, since it reflects one clear input. DA aims to predict ranking ability but is harder to interpret because Moz periodically retrains the model. For link-building progress, most SEOs find DR the cleaner signal.
Why is my DR higher than my DA?
Because Ahrefs and Moz use separate crawlers, separate link indexes, and separate formulas. A site can show DR 55 and DA 40 at the same time, and that is completely normal. The two scores are not designed to match, so never compare your DR against a competitor's DA — compare DR to DR and DA to DA.
Are DR and DA Google ranking factors?
No. Neither Domain Rating nor Domain Authority is used by Google to rank pages. Both are third-party metrics created by Ahrefs and Moz to estimate backlink strength and authority. They are useful for comparison and tracking, but Google does not reference either score in its ranking systems.
Can I check my DR for free?
Yes. We built a free Domain Rating Checker that returns any domain's Ahrefs-based DR instantly, with no signup. Just enter a domain and you will see its live DR score pulled from Ahrefs data.
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Written by
Anjan LuthraManaging Partner, Indexed
Anjan Luthra is Managing Partner at Indexed. He has spent over a decade inside high-growth companies building organic search into their primary acquisition channel, and writes about SEO strategy, AI search, and revenue a…