What is the difference between Domain Authority and Domain Rating?

DA is Moz's prediction of overall ranking potential using machine learning on multiple link metrics. DR is Ahrefs' measure of backlink profile strength using a PageRank-like algorithm. DA considers more factors; DR focuses purely on links.

Should I use DA or DR?

Use both. DA gives a broader prediction of ranking potential, while DR gives a focused measure of link profile strength. When both metrics agree, you can be more confident in your assessment. When they diverge, investigate why.

Why is my DA higher than my DR?

This often happens with content-heavy sites that have fewer backlinks. DA considers more factors beyond just links, while DR is purely link-focused. A site with good content but a moderate link profile may have higher DA than DR.

Can DA and DR be very different for the same site?

For most sites, DA and DR are within 10-15 points of each other. Larger discrepancies indicate unusual characteristics — such as lots of links but poor content (DR higher) or good content with few links (DA higher).

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SEO2026/07/13

Domain Authority vs Domain Rating - DA vs DR Compared

Domain Authority (Moz DA) vs Domain Rating (Ahrefs DR) — complete comparison of how each is calculated, their differences, score ranges, and which metric you should use for SEO analysis.