Domain Authority vs Domain Rating are two major metrics for determining the authority of a website, which can predict the success of a website based on its search engine ranking. While both of them provide insight into the strength of a website, their origin and mode of calculation differ completely. Domain Authority is developed by Moz and represents a score from 1 to 100, depending upon various factors like the number and quality of backlinks, the authority of linking domains, and on-page SEO.
On the other hand, Domain Rating by Ahrefs refers to a different set of signals, such as the number and quality of backlinks, Ahrefs Rank of referring domains, and the backlink profile. You need to know about the key differences between authority and rating metrics to make your website become more visible and rank higher. In short, we can view DR and DA as tools for the “trust score” of a website.
What are Domain Authority and Domain Rating?
Domain Rating (DR), developed by Ahrefs, is a score (0-100) that predicts a website’s ability to rank in search results based on the strength of its backlink profile. DR primarily focuses on the quantity and quality of backlinks, giving more weight to links from authoritative sources. A higher DR generally indicates a stronger backlink profile and a greater potential to rank well in search results.
Domain Authority (DA), created by Moz, is a score (1-100) that predicts a website’s overall ranking potential. DA considers a broader range of factors than DR, including:
- Backlink Profile: The number and quality of backlinks, including the authority of linking domains.
- On-Page SEO: Factors like website content quality, keyword optimization, and technical SEO.
- Website Age and Size: The age and size of the website can also influence DA.
Domain Authority Vs Domain Rating: What Are The Differences?
The focus and uses of DR and DA vary from each other, with DR purely based on a website’s strength of its backlink profile or all about the number and quality of links. At the same time, the DA predicts the chances that one site will outrank the rest based on numerous SEO metrics which come within as organic traffic, root domains, and social signals. While DR is more suited for assessing backlink-building efforts, DA is valuable for competitor analysis and understanding relative SEO performance indicators. DR is an absolute metric, while DA is comparative; hence, they are complementary and not opposing tools.
The two metrics DR and DA are important pillars of the SEO but not standalone solutions themselves. They should be applied with more holistic approaches, such as producing quality content, building links in an appropriate context, competitive keyword optimization, and painstaking audits, to achieve meaningful results. The results for effective SEO campaigns will require a combination of inbound and outbound link strategies, engaging social media content, and pay-per-click campaigns that dominate the search engine rankings pages.
Here’s a table summarizing the key differences between Domain Authority and Domain Rating:
| Domain Authority (DA) | Domain Rating (DR) | |
| Calculation Method | Machine learning model using MOZ’s link index. | According to the number of unique domain links to the website. |
| Update Frequency | Moz’s Domain Authority (DA) score is typically updated around once a month. | Ahrefs updates its Domain Rating (DR) score approximately every 5 to 7 days. |
| Reflects | It evaluates a website’s “authority” based on link data and estimates its potential to rank in search engine results. | It evaluates a website’s “popularity” based on its backlink profile. |
| Inclusion of Internal Links | Internal links are not factored into the DA calculation. | Unlike Domain Authority (DA), DR includes internal links in its calculation. |
| Influence of High-Quality Links | Acquiring high-quality backlinks can greatly enhance a website’s DA. | While DR focuses more on the quantity of unique referring domains, high-quality links have a lesser impact compared to DA. |
| Prediction Capability | DA assesses the ranking potential of an entire domain or subdomain. | DR does not predict rankings but reflects the site’s link popularity due to its link-oriented nature. |
| Weightage of Links | It takes into account both the link quality and quantity without assigning specific weight to either. | A backlink from a site with a higher DR score carries more weight in the calculation. |
| Range | DA and Domain Rating (DR) use a logarithmic scale ranging from 1 to 100, making it easier to increase from 20 to 30 than from 70 to 80. | Both DA and DR follow a logarithmic scale ranging from 1 to 100, making it easier to progress from 20 to 30 than from 70 to 80. |
| Factors Considered | Elements like link profile quality, MozRank, MozTrust, and domain age are all important contributors to DA. | DR primarily analyzes backlink data, including the number of unique domains and the DR scores of linking websites. |
3 Methods To Check Domain Authority And Domain Rating
Below are 3 suggested tools that you may find useful to check your DA and DR:
1. Loganix DA Checker
Loganix DA Checker is a multi-tool highly recommended both for freshers and SEO experts. Even though branded as a Domain Authority Checker, the tool tends to measure so much more in-depth, looking into over 12 SEO metrics. It checks a web page, a competitor site, or prospect websites that provide a link back to it. For example, in the case of creating backlinks, Loganix can help you analyze publishing sites in a second by looking into their DR, citation flow, and trust flow.Â
An inspiration from Google PageRank, it provides the required insights in the most presentable manner. The best part is that Loganix DA Checker is free, therefore you can analyze up to 10 domains every 24 hours. Simply enter URLs, verify captcha, and click “Lookup” to get extended results in a dashboard.
2. Ahrefs Website Authority Checker
Ahrefs, the originator of Domain Rating, has an “Ahrefs Website Authority Checker” for accurate DA checks. It analyzes key metrics using machine learning and a robust SEO database to provide results in just a few seconds. Quite simply, users can access a site’s DR score, a breakdown of the number of backlinks, and linking domains by typing in the domain within the tool and then clicking “Check Website Authority” after captcha verification.
Ahrefs’s tool also provides total backlinks distribution so it is widely used by link-building specialists. A more in-depth look at backlinks is available through a dedicated Backlink Checker on Ahrefs, but for full access, you need to buy a membership.
3. Moz Domain SEO Analysis Tool
Moz’s Free Domain SEO Analysis Tool is the ideal tool for Domain Authority checks. This very handy tool enables you to build a site’s DA score and basic SEO metrics with no account needed. You just need to insert your domain and click on “Analyze Domain”; in a while, it will present a report that includes DA, the number of linking root domains, ranking keywords, and the proportion of spammy links. The tool by Moz is ideal for immediate Site Authority insights.
Final Thoughts
Domain Authority vs Domain Rating can be very helpful in analyzing the strength of a website and the potential for ranking in search engines. Though different, both metrics will provide great insight into your website credibility.
After acknowledging what drives these scores and how to improve them, you’ll see improved visibility for your site in search results and achieve your SEO goals. These metrics are just part of the whole SEO puzzle. Focus on high-quality content creation, strong backlink profile building, and a great user experience to ensure success in the long run in the competitive online landscape.
