If you've ever searched for a DA checker or website authority checker, you've encountered one of the most misunderstood metrics in SEO. Domain Authority, Page Authority, and Domain Rating are all third-party scores—not Google metrics—but they're incredibly useful for benchmarking your website against competitors.
The Three Authority Metrics Explained
Domain Authority (DA) — by Moz
Scale: 0–100 | Created by: Moz
What it measures: The likelihood of a domain ranking in Google search results. Based on linking root domains, total backlinks, and other factors.
Good score: 40+ is competitive, 60+ is strong, 80+ is authoritative.
Page Authority (PA) — by Moz
Scale: 0–100 | Created by: Moz
What it measures: The ranking strength of a single page (not the whole domain). Uses similar factors to DA but page-specific.
Good score: 30+ for competitive pages.
Domain Rating (DR) — by Ahrefs
Scale: 0–100 | Created by: Ahrefs
What it measures: The strength of a website's backlink profile. Focuses purely on backlinks, not content or other SEO factors.
Good score: 50+ is strong, 70+ is authoritative.
DA vs DR: What's the Difference?
| Metric | Domain Authority (DA) | Domain Rating (DR) |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | Moz | Ahrefs |
| Primary Factor | Links + other signals | Backlinks only |
| Update Frequency | Monthly | Real-time |
| Free Access | Limited (MozBar extension) | Requires paid plan |
| Used By Google? | No | No |
| Usefulness | General authority benchmark | Backlink strength benchmark |
Important: Neither DA nor DR is used by Google for ranking. They're third-party estimates useful for competitive comparison, not direct ranking factors.
How to Check DA and PA for Free
Here are the best ways to check website DA and PA scores without paying:
- SiteWorthIt — shows domain authority alongside traffic estimates, revenue projections, and global ranking. Free and unlimited.
- MozBar extension — free Chrome extension showing DA/PA for any page you visit
- Moz Link Explorer — 10 free queries per month for DA/PA data
- Small SEO Tools — bulk DA checker (limited accuracy)
How to Check DR for Free
Checking website DR is trickier since it's an Ahrefs proprietary metric:
- Ahrefs Free Backlink Checker — shows DR for any domain (limited to top 100 backlinks)
- Ahrefs Webmaster Tools — free DR for your own verified sites
- SiteWorthIt — provides an equivalent authority score as part of the free analysis
DA/PA Score Benchmarks by Website Type
| Website Type | Typical DA Range | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Brand new website | 1–10 | No authority yet, very few backlinks |
| Small blog (6-12 months) | 10–20 | Building initial authority |
| Established niche blog | 20–40 | Competitive in niche keywords |
| Successful business site | 40–60 | Strong authority, ranking for competitive terms |
| Major publication | 60–80 | High authority, extensive backlink profile |
| Top-tier domains (Google, etc.) | 80–100 | Maximum authority |
How to Improve Your Domain Authority
DA and DR are relative metrics—they compare your site against others. Here are proven strategies to improve your scores:
- Build quality backlinks — guest posts, digital PR, resource pages, broken link building
- Create linkable content — original research, data studies, infographics, free tools
- Remove toxic backlinks — disavow spammy links pointing to your site
- Internal linking — link between your own pages to distribute authority
- Improve technical SEO — fast load times, mobile-friendly, secure (HTTPS)
- Be patient — DA grows slowly over months, not days
The Authority Formula
Authority = Quality Backlinks × Content Quality × Time
There's no shortcut. Focus on earning links naturally through great content and outreach.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is domain authority?
Domain Authority (DA) is a metric developed by Moz that predicts how likely a website is to rank in search results. It scores from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater ranking potential. It's based primarily on backlink quality and quantity. Check any site's authority for free with the DA Checker.
What is a good domain authority score?
A good DA score depends on your niche: 0–20 is typical for new sites, 20–40 for growing sites with some authority, 40–60 for established sites, and 60–100 for major brands and news outlets. Focus on being higher than your direct competitors rather than chasing an absolute number.
How do I check domain authority for free?
Use SiteWorthIt's free DA Checker—enter any domain to see its authority score instantly with no sign-up. You can also use Moz Link Explorer (10 free queries/month) or check DR on Ahrefs' free backlink checker.
What is the difference between DA and DR?
DA (Domain Authority) is Moz's metric; DR (Domain Rating) is Ahrefs' metric. Both score 0–100 and measure similar things (backlink strength), but use different data sources. A site might have DA 45 but DR 52—always compare the same metric across sites.
Does Google use domain authority for ranking?
No. Domain Authority is a third-party metric, not a Google ranking factor. However, DA correlates with ranking ability because it measures the same signals (quality backlinks, site trustworthiness) that Google values in its algorithm.
Free SEO Tools from SiteWorthIt
Complete your SEO analysis with these free tools:
- Domain Authority Checker — check any site's authority score instantly
- SEO Checker — audit on-page SEO factors and get actionable recommendations
- Speed Checker — test Core Web Vitals and page load performance
- Backlink Checker — analyze backlink profiles and referring domains
- Keyword Checker — discover organic keywords driving traffic