Domain Authority vs Domain Rating: How to Read the Scores

A prospect has Moz Domain Authority of 42 and Ahrefs Domain Rating of 58. You do not need to decide which number is correct. You need to decide which metric your workflow uses and what evidence you need beyond the score.

DA and DR are proprietary estimates built from different datasets and methods. Neither is a Google ranking factor, a quality certificate, or a forecast of where a page will rank. They can help compare domains within one measurement system, especially when you already have a consistent baseline.

The numbers in this opening are illustrative, not measurements of a particular website.

What each metric measures

Moz explains its model in its Domain Authority guide. Ahrefs explains its link-based calculation in its Domain Rating guide. Use those definitions when a stakeholder asks what a number represents; a general label such as “authority” hides meaningful differences.

Both scales are nonlinear. A ten-point difference does not represent a fixed number of additional links or a fixed improvement in ranking prospects. Neither score tells you whether a particular linking page reaches your audience.

Why the same domain gets different scores

Different crawlers discover different pages. They also revisit pages on different schedules, interpret links within their own systems, and use different formulas to summarize the resulting graph. A score can change because the provider's data or model changes, even if you have not run a campaign.

This means a DA of 42 and a DR of 58 are not a disagreement you can resolve by averaging them to 50. The result would be a number with no defined methodology.

A difference also does not diagnose a hidden problem with the domain. To investigate a meaningful discrepancy, compare the underlying referring domains or linking pages with matching scope and dates. Our guide to why SEO tools show different numbers explains how to make that comparison.

Choose the metric your decision actually needs

If a client explicitly requests Moz DA, use Moz DA. A different provider's 0–100 score is not the requested measurement, even if you prefer its pricing or interface.

If your team already uses Ahrefs for competitor research, DR can provide a consistent additional signal within that research. If you have two years of Moz reporting, keeping that series is often more useful than switching merely because another score looks higher.

For either choice, record:

• The provider and full metric name.
• The target and scope, such as root domain versus a specific URL.
• The observation date.
• The business question the score is supporting.

Do not treat the domain score as the score of every page on that website. A neglected page on a strong domain may provide little useful context for your work.

A practical example: reviewing two potential links

Suppose a fictional outdoor-equipment business is considering two publications:

These illustrative scores are context, not the decision rule. A minimum score would discard the specialist publication before you assessed its relevance. Equally, relevance alone does not establish a legitimate opportunity: inspect the page, editorial context and proposed placement.

Use this backlink-quality review for that judgment. There is no universal DA or DR threshold below which a link is useless or a site cannot rank.

Reporting a score change without overstating it

“DR rose from 31 to 36” is an observation. “Our campaign caused rankings to improve because DR rose” is a causal claim that the score cannot establish.

A more useful update is:

Our recorded DR increased over this period. We also found several newly observed referring domains. We have verified two relevant editorial links; the others remain under review. Search performance is reported separately, with changes in content and seasonality noted.

This separates provider measurements, your verification, and business performance. If the score drops, inspect the source data and provider methodology before declaring that links were lost or that Google penalized the site.

Avoid setting a score target as the only campaign objective. It encourages chasing the proxy rather than useful coverage, qualified visits or relevant editorial relationships.

What about RankParse's authority score?

RankParse has its own score based on referring domains in a quarterly public-web snapshot. It is neither Moz DA nor Ahrefs DR. Label it “RankParse authority score” in a spreadsheet; do not put it into a column named “Moz DA.” The endpoint documentation describes its formula and response behavior.

A null score means the authority measurement is unknown. A zero can reflect no data in the snapshot. Neither proves that a business is illegitimate or a website is worthless. This distinction matters when enriching a CSV of domains.

Common questions

Does Google use DA or DR?

No. These are vendor metrics. Google's own ranking systems do not become visible simply because a third-party tool provides a score.

Is a higher score always better?

It indicates a stronger result under that provider's model. It does not guarantee better content, relevant readers, safer links or higher rankings for your target query.

Can I convert DA into DR?

There is no reliable universal conversion. Keep separate fields if you collect both, and use one consistent provider for each trend series.

What should I do next?

Choose the metric required by your workflow, label it accurately, and document the additional evidence needed for the decision. If you are evaluating an outreach prospect, inspect the actual linking opportunity before using a score to sort your list.