Domain Rating Checker
Check the Domain Rating (DR) of any website instantly. See how strong a site's backlink profile is on a 0-100 scale.
How to use Domain Rating.
Domain Rating is a relative metric - it tells you how a site's backlink profile compares to others in the Ahrefs index. Use it primarily for competitive analysis: compare your DR to sites ranking for your target keywords to gauge whether you need more link building investment.
Remember that DR alone does not determine rankings. A page on a DR 30 site can outrank a DR 80 site if it has better content, more relevant page-level backlinks, and stronger topical authority. DR is one input, not the full picture.
Compare against SERP competitors
Check the DR of the top 10 results for your target keyword. If they are all DR 60+ and you are DR 20, you need a realistic link building plan before targeting that keyword.
Track DR over time
Monitor your DR monthly. Consistent growth of 1-3 points per month indicates healthy link acquisition. Sudden drops may signal lost backlinks or a Google penalty.
DR is logarithmic
Going from DR 10 to 20 is much easier than going from 70 to 80. Each point at the top requires exponentially more high-quality links. Do not compare absolute gains across ranges.
Page-level metrics matter too
A single page can outperform its domain's DR if it has strong page-level backlinks. Use DR for domain-level analysis, but check URL Rating (UR) for page-level competitive analysis.
Frequently asked questions.
What is Domain Rating?
Domain Rating (DR) is a metric developed by Ahrefs that measures the strength of a website's backlink profile on a logarithmic scale from 0 to 100. A higher DR indicates more authoritative and diverse backlinks pointing to the domain. It is one of the most widely used proxies for a site's overall link authority.
How is DR calculated?
DR is calculated based on the quantity and quality of external backlinks pointing to a domain. The formula considers how many unique domains link to the target, the DR of those linking domains, and how many other sites each linking domain also links to. The scale is logarithmic, meaning it gets exponentially harder to increase your DR as you climb higher.
What's a good Domain Rating?
It depends on your niche. For most small-to-medium businesses, a DR of 30-50 is solid. Major brands and news sites typically have DR 70-90+. A new website starts at 0. More important than the absolute number is your DR relative to competitors ranking for your target keywords.
How can I improve my DR?
Build high-quality backlinks from authoritative, relevant websites. Focus on earning links from sites with high DR themselves. Guest posts, digital PR, creating linkable assets (original research, tools, infographics), and building genuine relationships in your industry are the most effective strategies. Avoid buying links or participating in link schemes.
Is this the same as Domain Authority (DA)?
No. Domain Rating (DR) is Ahrefs' metric, while Domain Authority (DA) is Moz's metric. Both measure backlink profile strength on a 0-100 scale, but they use different formulas and data sources. Neither is used by Google directly - they are third-party proxies for estimating a site's link authority.
Is this tool free?
Yes. This tool uses the Ahrefs public API and is completely free with unlimited checks. No signup, no daily limits. Identical domain queries are cached for 24 hours for faster results.
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