Two Metrics, Two Companies, One Confusion
If you've spent any time researching backlinks or evaluating websites for outreach, you've encountered two scores that look almost identical: Domain Authority (DA) and Domain Rating (DR). Both are displayed as a number from 0 to 100. Both claim to reflect a website's "strength." Yet they're calculated by competing companies using different methodologies — and conflating them can lead to costly mistakes in your SEO strategy.
Let's break down exactly what each metric measures, where it falls short, and how you should actually use these numbers.
What Is Domain Authority (DA)?
Domain Authority is a metric developed by Moz. It was originally designed to predict how well a domain would rank in search engine results. The score is calculated using a machine learning model that factors in:
- The number of unique referring domains linking to the site
- The quality and authority of those linking domains
- The overall link profile health (spam score, link patterns)
- MozRank and MozTrust signals
DA is a relative score — it's most useful for comparing two sites against each other, not as an absolute measure of ranking potential. Because Moz periodically reindexes its link database and recalibrates the algorithm, a site's DA can fluctuate even if its actual link profile hasn't changed.
What Is Domain Rating (DR)?
Domain Rating is a metric developed by Ahrefs. It focuses more narrowly on one thing: the strength of a site's backlink profile, specifically the quantity and quality of unique referring domains.
Ahrefs calculates DR on a logarithmic scale, meaning the difference between DR 70 and DR 80 is far greater than the difference between DR 20 and DR 30. Key factors include:
- How many unique domains link to the target site
- The DR of those linking domains
- How many other sites each linking domain points to (link equity distribution)
DR does not directly factor in on-page SEO, traffic, or content quality — it's purely a backlink-strength signal.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Domain Authority (Moz) | Domain Rating (Ahrefs) |
|---|---|---|
| Created by | Moz | Ahrefs |
| Scale | 0–100 | 0–100 |
| Primary input | Link profile + ML model | Referring domain strength |
| Scale type | Logarithmic | Logarithmic |
| Spam detection | Yes (Spam Score) | Limited |
| Update frequency | Periodic recrawls | Continuous crawl |
| Best used for | Competitive benchmarking | Evaluating link prospects |
Which Metric Should You Use?
The honest answer: neither metric is a substitute for Google's actual ranking signals. Google has never confirmed it uses DA or DR in its algorithm. These are third-party approximations — useful directionally, but not gospel.
That said, here's a practical framework:
- Use DR when evaluating potential link partners or guest post targets. Ahrefs crawls the web aggressively, so its backlink data tends to be more comprehensive and current.
- Use DA when comparing your site to competitors in the context of Moz's tools (like Link Explorer), or when clients/stakeholders are already familiar with the metric.
- Never rely on a single metric. Always cross-reference with organic traffic data (Ahrefs Traffic, SimilarWeb), topical relevance, and actual Google rankings for target keywords.
Common Mistakes When Using These Metrics
- Rejecting low-DR/DA sites automatically: A DR 25 site with highly targeted, engaged traffic in your niche can outperform a DR 70 generic site.
- Chasing metric increases as a goal: DA/DR should reflect real link building progress, not be gamed by acquiring bulk low-quality links.
- Confusing the two metrics in reports: Always specify which metric and tool you're referencing to avoid miscommunication with clients or teammates.
The Takeaway
Both DA and DR are useful directional signals. Use them as filters to prioritize outreach and benchmark progress — but always pair them with traffic data, relevance checks, and common sense. A strong backlink profile is built on quality and context, not on chasing a number.