Free Domain Rating Checker
Check the Domain Rating of up to 10 websites at once, with live scores from the official Ahrefs API, colour-coded tiers and CSV export.
Check Domain Rating
Enter up to 100 domains, one per line or separated by commas. Full URLs are fine, we clean them for you.
0 / 100
| # | Tier |
|---|
Domain Rating by Ahrefs
Quick answer
Domain Rating (DR) is an Ahrefs metric that scores the strength of a website’s backlink profile on a scale from 0 to 100. It is based on how many unique websites link to a domain and how strong those linking websites are. A higher DR means a stronger, more authoritative link profile.
What is Domain Rating (DR)?
Domain Rating is a score created by Ahrefs that shows how strong a website’s backlink profile is compared with every other site in the Ahrefs index. The scale runs from 0 to 100. A brand-new site with no links sits near 0, while the most linked-to websites in the world, such as major search engines, social networks and global news publishers, sit in the 90s.
DR measures the whole domain, not a single page. It looks at the unique domains that link to a site and the authority each of those domains carries. Because of that, a Domain Rating checker is one of the fastest ways to judge how competitive a website is before you pitch it, partner with it, or try to outrank it.
The scale is logarithmic. Moving from DR 10 to DR 20 is relatively easy, while moving from DR 70 to DR 80 takes a huge number of strong new links. That is why growth in DR naturally slows as a site matures.
Domain Rating score ranges
Use these bands to read the results in the Domain Rating checker above. Each row in the results table is colour-coded to match.
| DR | Tier | What it usually means |
|---|---|---|
| 71–100 | Elite authority | Global brands, major publishers and the most linked-to sites online. |
| 51–70 | Strong authority | Well-established sites with a deep, trusted link profile. |
| 31–50 | Established | A healthy, maturing backlink profile that competes in most niches. |
| 11–30 | Growing | Early-stage sites actively building links and visibility. |
| 0–10 | New / low | Brand-new domains or sites with very few backlinks so far. |
A score is always relative. DR 35 can be a leader in a local service niche and a newcomer in personal finance. The best way to judge any score is to check it beside the sites you compete with, which is why this tool lets you check up to 100 domains at once.
How to check a domain’s DR
1. Enter your domains
Paste up to 100 domains or full URLs into the box, one per line or separated by commas. The Domain Rating checker removes https://, www., paths and query strings automatically and drops duplicates, so you can paste straight from a spreadsheet or a list of prospects.
2. Run the check
Click Check Domain Rating. Each domain is looked up through the official Ahrefs API and the rows fill in one by one as results arrive. If a domain is not valid, only that row is flagged, and the rest of your list carries on.
3. Read and export the results
The summary strip shows how many domains were checked plus the highest, median and lowest DR. Click a column heading to sort, then use Copy results or Download CSV to move the data into your outreach sheet or report.
How is Domain Rating calculated?
Ahrefs builds DR from three main ingredients:
- Referring domains: the number of unique websites that link to the domain with at least one followed link. Ten links from ten different sites count for far more than ten links from one site.
- Authority of the linking sites: a link from a high-DR website passes more strength than a link from a low-DR one.
- Link dilution: a linking site shares its strength across every domain it links to. A site that links out to a handful of domains passes more to each than a site that links out to thousands.
Ahrefs combines these signals, then places the result on the 0 to 100 logarithmic scale. Because DR is relative to every site in the index, your score can move slightly even when your own links stay the same.
Domain Rating vs Domain Authority vs Authority Score
Several SEO platforms publish their own website authority score. They aim to answer the same question with different link data and formulas, so the numbers rarely match.
| Metric | Provider | Scale | Main inputs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domain Rating (DR) | Ahrefs | 0–100 | Referring domains, their authority and link dilution |
| Domain Authority (DA) | Moz | 0–100 | Link data modelled to predict ranking ability |
| Authority Score (AS) | Semrush | 0–100 | Backlinks, organic traffic and spam signals |
Pick one metric and stay consistent. Comparing a DR from one site with a DA from another leads to poor decisions. For link building and backlink prospecting, DR is the most widely quoted metric in the industry.
Domain Rating vs URL Rating (UR)
Domain Rating describes a whole website. URL Rating, also from Ahrefs, describes a single page. A page can have a high UR because it has earned many strong links of its own, even when the domain DR is modest. For outreach, check both: DR tells you how strong the publisher is, and UR tells you how strong the exact page carrying your link will be.
Is Domain Rating a Google ranking factor?
No. Domain Rating is a third-party metric created by Ahrefs, and Google does not use it. What Google does use is the backlinks themselves. Because DR is built from those same links, it is a reliable shorthand for how much link authority a site has, which makes it very useful for planning, prospecting and benchmarking.
How to increase your Domain Rating
Earn links from more unique domains
Breadth matters most. One new link from each of twenty relevant sites will lift DR far more than twenty links from a single site. Our link building services are planned around growing unique referring domains.
Publish guest posts on authoritative, relevant sites
Well-written guest articles on real publications earn contextual links from domains with their own strong DR. See our guest posting services.
Create linkable assets
Original data, free tools, in-depth guides and clear visuals attract links naturally, because other writers want to cite them.
Run digital PR campaigns
Newsworthy stories placed with journalists can earn links from very high-DR news sites in a short time. Explore our digital PR services.
Reclaim unlinked brand mentions
Many sites already mention your brand without linking. A short, friendly request often turns those mentions into links. See our brand mention reclamation services.
Add links inside articles that already rank
Contextual link insertions on established, indexed pages pass authority from the day they go live. Learn more about our link insertion services.
Why Domain Rating matters
- Competitor benchmarking: check your DR beside the sites ranking above you to see how much link authority you need to close the gap.
- Link prospecting: filter outreach lists quickly so your team spends time on publishers that can genuinely move rankings.
- Progress tracking: check your DR each month to confirm that link building is growing your authority over time.
- Partner and vendor checks: verify a website’s authority before you buy a placement, sponsor content or agree a partnership.
Frequently asked questions
Is this Domain Rating checker really free?
Yes. The Rank Shifters Domain Rating checker is completely free, needs no signup and no credit card. You can check up to 10 domains in a single run.
What is a good Domain Rating score?
It depends on your niche and competitors. As a general guide, DR 31 to 50 is an established site, 51 to 70 is strong, and 71 or higher is elite. The most useful benchmark is the DR of the sites ranking above you for your target keywords.
How is Domain Rating calculated?
Ahrefs calculates DR from the number of unique referring domains linking to a site, the DR of those linking domains, and how many sites each of them links out to. The result is placed on a logarithmic 0 to 100 scale.
What is the difference between Domain Rating and Domain Authority?
Domain Rating is the Ahrefs metric and Domain Authority is the Moz metric. Both score sites from 0 to 100 using backlink data, but each uses its own link index and formula, so the numbers for the same site usually differ.
What is the difference between DR and URL Rating (UR)?
DR measures the backlink strength of a whole domain. URL Rating measures the strength of a single page. A strong page on a modest domain can have a high UR while the domain DR stays moderate.
Can I check multiple domains at once?
Yes. Paste up to 10 domains, one per line or separated by commas. Results appear row by row as each lookup finishes, and you can copy them or download a CSV.
How accurate is the DR score?
The score comes directly from the official Ahrefs API, so it matches what Ahrefs reports. Like every third-party metric, it reflects the links Ahrefs has discovered, which is one of the largest link indexes available.
Does a higher Domain Rating mean more traffic?
Not on its own. DR describes backlink strength. Traffic comes from ranking for keywords people search, which also depends on content quality, relevance and search intent. A higher DR does make ranking for competitive terms easier.
Does Domain Rating affect my Google rankings?
Google does not use DR. It is a third-party metric. However, the backlinks that raise DR are a genuine ranking signal, so DR is a useful proxy for how competitive a site is.
How can I increase my Domain Rating?
Earn links from relevant, authoritative websites: create linkable assets, publish guest posts on quality sites, run digital PR, and reclaim unlinked brand mentions. Links from many unique domains move DR more than many links from one site.
Where does this tool get its data?
Every score comes from the official Ahrefs public Domain Rating endpoint. Domain Rating by Ahrefs is shown with attribution beneath the results.
How often is Domain Rating updated?
Ahrefs refreshes DR continuously as it crawls the web. This tool caches each result for 24 hours, because DR moves slowly and the cache keeps the tool fast for everyone.
Do I need an Ahrefs account to use this?
No. You can check Domain Rating here without any account. Just paste your domains and run the check.
Other free tools
Found problems you would rather not fix yourself?
Send us the scan output. We will tell you which issues actually affect rankings, and quote the work if you want it handled.