Free Domain Authority Checker — Instant DA and DR Scores
Check Domain Authority, DR, Page Authority, and Spam Score for any website. Enter a domain below for instant results.
Get Your Links — WhatsApp Us NowWhat Is Domain Authority and Why Does It Matter?
Domain Authority (DA) is a search engine ranking score developed by Moz that predicts how well a website will rank on search engine result pages. The score ranges from 1 to 100, with higher scores corresponding to a greater ability to rank. When you use a domain authority checker, you are measuring your website's competitive power.
Think of DA as your website's reputation score. Just as a Harvard degree carries more weight than an unknown college, a link from a high-DA website passes more authority than one from a low-DA site. This is why SEO professionals obsess over DA — it directly correlates with ranking potential.
Our domain authority checker gives you four critical metrics: Domain Authority (Moz), Domain Rating (Ahrefs), Page Authority, and Spam Score. Together, these paint a complete picture of your website's authority health.
How to Use Our Domain Authority Checker
Using our DA checker is straightforward. Enter any domain name in the field above and click check. Within seconds, you will see four key metrics:
- Domain Authority (DA): Moz's 0-100 score predicting ranking ability
- Domain Rating (DR): Ahrefs' 0-100 score based on backlink strength
- Page Authority (PA): The authority of the specific page (usually homepage)
- Spam Score: Percentage indicating risk of Google penalty (lower is better)
Use this data to benchmark your site against competitors, track progress over time, and identify whether your link building efforts are working. Check your domain authority monthly to stay on top of changes.
DA vs DR: Understanding the Difference
When you check domain authority, you will see both DA and DR scores. Here is the difference:
Domain Authority (Moz)
DA considers over 40 factors including linking root domains, total number of links, and machine learning predictions about ranking potential. It is a holistic measure that attempts to mirror Google's own ranking calculations. DA is most useful for comparing your site to competitors in the same niche.
Domain Rating (Ahrefs)
DR is purely backlink-based. It looks at how many unique domains link to you and the DR of those linking domains. It is logarithmic — meaning DR 80 is exponentially stronger than DR 40, not just double. DR is excellent for evaluating pure link building progress and backlink profile strength.
Which Should You Track?
Track both. DA gives you the competitive picture. DR shows pure link building ROI. If your DR is climbing but DA is stagnant, you are building links but may have other SEO issues. If both are rising, your SEO strategy is firing on all cylinders.
What Is a Good Domain Authority Score?
Domain Authority is relative, not absolute. A DA of 30 might be excellent in a niche where competitors average DA 20, but terrible in a space where leaders have DA 70. Here is a general framework:
- DA 1-20: New websites or those with minimal SEO effort
- DA 20-40: Small business sites, local businesses, niche blogs
- DA 40-60: Established sites with solid backlink profiles
- DA 60-80: Major industry players, large publications
- DA 80-100: Dominant sites like Wikipedia, Amazon, major news outlets
The goal is not to reach DA 100. The goal is to have higher DA than your direct competitors for your target keywords. When you check domain authority, always compare apples to apples.
Understanding Spam Score
Spam Score is a critical but often overlooked metric. It represents the percentage of sites with similar features that have been penalized by Google. Here is how to interpret it:
- 0-30%: Low risk — your site looks natural to Google
- 31-60%: Medium risk — audit your backlinks and fix issues
- 61-100%: High risk — immediate action required to avoid penalties
If your Spam Score is elevated, use our toxic backlink checker to identify harmful links and disavow them. Then focus on building high-quality, natural links to offset the toxic ones. We can help with both.
How to Increase Your Domain Authority
Increasing DA requires a strategic approach to link building. Here is what works:
1. Build High-Quality Backlinks
This is the fastest way to increase DA. Focus on links from sites with DR 40+ in your niche. Guest posting, digital PR, and creating linkable assets (original research, tools, comprehensive guides) are proven strategies. Every quality backlink nudges your DA upward.
2. Improve Internal Linking
Link equity flows through your site via internal links. A smart internal linking structure ensures authority reaches your most important pages. Link from high-DA pages (like your homepage) to key money pages to boost their Page Authority.
3. Fix Technical SEO Issues
Slow loading speeds, mobile usability problems, and crawl errors hurt your DA indirectly by reducing your ability to earn and retain links. Run regular technical audits and fix issues promptly. A technically sound site retains link equity better.
4. Remove Toxic Links
Low-quality links drag down your DA. Use our toxic backlink checker to identify harmful links, then disavow them through Google Search Console. Removing the bad is often as important as adding the good.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Domain Authority?
Domain Authority (DA) is a search engine ranking score developed by Moz that predicts how likely a website is to rank on search engine result pages. DA scores range from 1 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater ability to rank. It is calculated by evaluating multiple factors including linking root domains and total number of links.
What is Domain Rating (DR)?
Domain Rating (DR) is Ahrefs' metric that shows the relative strength of a website's backlink profile on a scale from 0 to 100. Unlike DA, DR is based purely on the quantity and quality of backlinks pointing to a domain. It is logarithmic, meaning it is much harder to move from DR 70 to 80 than from DR 20 to 30.
How do I check my domain authority for free?
Use our free domain authority checker tool above. Simply enter your domain name and click 'Check Authority.' You'll instantly see your DA score, DR score, Page Authority, and Spam Score. No registration or credit card required.
What is a good Domain Authority score?
DA scores are best used comparatively rather than in absolute terms. Generally: DA 1-20 is typical for new sites, DA 20-40 is common for small business sites, DA 40-60 indicates strong authority, and DA 60+ is excellent (major sites). Compare your DA to direct competitors rather than chasing an arbitrary number.
Why is my Spam Score high?
A high Spam Score (above 30%) indicates your site shares characteristics with sites that have been penalized by Google. Common causes include: low-quality backlinks, exact-match anchor text over-optimization, thin content, or technical SEO issues. If your Spam Score is high, audit your backlink profile and disavow toxic links.
How can I increase my Domain Authority?
The most effective way to increase DA is building high-quality backlinks from authoritative websites. Focus on: guest posting on relevant blogs, earning editorial mentions, creating linkable assets (studies, tools, guides), digital PR campaigns, and fixing technical SEO issues. Avoid buying links or using black-hat tactics as these can harm your authority.
Ready to Increase Your Domain Authority?
You have checked your domain authority. Now you know exactly where you stand. The next step is building the high-DR backlinks that will push your scores higher. At Backlinky.io, we specialize in exactly that — building authority-boosting links that move the needle on DA and DR. Message us on WhatsApp and let's build your authority together.
Want to Increase Your DA?
We build the high-authority backlinks that increase Domain Authority and Domain Rating. Guest posts, niche edits, and authority links starting at $150.
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