DR vs DA: What’s the Difference and Which One Should You Trust

The We-Right team compared two of the most popular authority metrics: DR from Ahrefs and DA from Moz – to see which one deserves your trust. Although our review may affiliate links, you can be confident that all insights are confirmed by data and follow strict editorial standards.

Today, marketers rely on website authority metrics to evaluate link quality. That’s because authority scores have a direct impact on SEO growth and link-building strategies. Among these metrics, Domain Rating (DR) and Domain Authority (DA) are the most used tools. Both try to measure the trust and quality of a website backlink profile, but they do it in different ways.

Understanding these metrics is key for smarter SEO decisions. If you use DR and DA correctly, you can select better link opportunities, avoid wasting budget, and increase traffic more effectively. 

In this review, the We-Right team thoroughly tested both metrics. Our goal is simple: to show you the difference and guide you on which one you should trust more.

What is Domain Rating (DR)?

Domain Rating is a metric by Ahrefs that was launched in 2018. It runs on a 0–100 scale that measures backlink profile quality. A website with a higher DR typically has a stronger backlink structure, which means it’s more likely to pass link equity. Ahrefs updates DR daily by using live backlink data. This makes it a widely trusted metric in SEO.

How is DR Calculated

Ahrefs calculates it using link data from billions of crawled pages. The system checks not just numbers but also quality and context of links. Here’re what data the formula focuses on:

• Quantity of backlinks – total number of inbound links that point to your site;
• Referring domains – unique domains linking to your site, not just link volume;
• Link authority – how strong or trusted those linking domains are.

From our side at We-Right, we tested forbes.com. Its DR was 94, which shows how powerful the backlink profile can be. You’ll see the results below.

DR: Strengths and Limitations

We tested DR and found that it has both strong points and weak spots. Below is a quick table so you can see both sides clearly.

From our review, DR is a solid measure for backlink quality, but it’s not the final sample for rankings.

What is Domain Authority (DA)?

DA is a score that predicts how likely a site is to rank in search engines. The measurement also applies a 0–100 scale with a logarithmic curve, which means it gets harder to reach from 70 to 80 than from 20 to 30. Domain Authority estimation was created by Moz in 2010. DA remains one of Moz’s core SEO tools used by marketers worldwide.

How is DA calculated?

DA uses a machine learning model built by Moz. The system evaluates multiple factors beyond just backlinks. The score predicts the ranking potential of a domain by weighing link and site-level data. Here are the main signals:

• Link metrics – total inbound links pointing to the site;
• Site age – older domains often gain more trust;
• Site size – bigger websites with more indexed pages tend to score higher;
• Other SEO factors – elements like content quality and keyword presence.

DA updates occur less frequently than DR and can take weeks. From our side at We-Right, we tested forbes.com. Its DA was 94, similar to the DR test, despite the differences between the algorithms of both tools.

DA: Strengths and Limitations

We reviewed DA closely and saw positive points and weaker ones. Here’s a table that reveals them.

Read also our article: Top 10 Tips for iGaming Writing in 2025

DR vs DA: Major Differences

At We-Right, we tested both Domain Authority (DA) and Domain Rating (DR) under real outreach and SEO scenarios. To make the comparison clear, we lined up the metrics side by side based on our evaluations. This professional breakdown shows not only the technical differences but also how each metric performs in practice, helping you decide which one to trust for link building and SEO analysis.

Which Metric Should You Trust?

From our testing, we saw that both metrics are good in different areas. Neither is universally “better,” but each works best in specific contexts. Here’s how you can use them:

• Trust DR when checking backlink quality – it’s excellent for link-building campaigns. For example, if a blog has DR 70 but DA 40, it still sends good referral traffic because of its link equity.
• Trust DA when estimating domain strength – it helps gauge ranking chances. For instance, a DA 85 site often outranks a DA 50 competitor, even with fewer backlinks, demonstrating the predictive power of the score.

DR+DA: Combining Both Metrics for SEO Strategy

From our experience, tracking DR and DA together provides a more comprehensive view. DR shows backlink popularity while DA predicts ranking strength. If both are combined, the traffic rates will likely improve. At We-Right, we recommend using both tools simultaneously. This balance avoids a blind approach to link building and helps inform smarter SEO decisions.

Conclusion: DR or DA?

From our review, DR and DA serve different purposes. DR helps you judge backlink strength quickly. DA is better for estimating ranking chances of entire domains.

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