Free Domain Rating (DR) Checker
Enter any domain to see its Ahrefs Domain Rating — a 0-100 score that measures the strength of a website's backlink profile compared to every other site in Ahrefs' database. Powered directly by Ahrefs' free public API, so the score matches what you'd see in their toolbar.
Check Domain Rating
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Try QuickSEO →What Is Domain Rating (DR)?
Domain Rating (DR) is a metric created by Ahrefs that scores a website's overall backlink authority on a logarithmic 0-100 scale. It looks at the quantity and quality of unique referring domains linking to a site — links from other high-authority, trusted domains carry far more weight than links from low-quality or spammy sites.
DR is a relative, site-wide metric (not page-specific), and it's one of the most widely used shorthand signals for how "authoritative" or link-worthy a domain is — used by SEOs, marketers, and link-building teams to prioritize outreach targets and benchmark competitors.
DR Score Ranges
Because the scale is logarithmic, moving from DR 20 to DR 40 is far easier than moving from DR 60 to DR 80. Rough benchmarks:
- 0-19: New or low-authority site with few quality backlinks.
- 20-39: Building authority — a growing backlink profile.
- 40-59: Established site with a solid, credible link profile.
- 60-79: Strong authority — well-linked by other reputable sites.
- 80-100: Elite authority, typically major brands, news outlets, and widely-referenced domains.
How to Use This Tool
- Enter a domain — type in any domain or URL, e.g.
example.com. - Click Check DR— the tool queries Ahrefs' official Domain Rating API in real time.
- Review the score— see the DR score along with what it means for that domain's backlink authority.
How to Increase Your Domain Rating
- Earn links from higher-DR domains: a single link from a strong, relevant site moves DR more than dozens of links from weak ones.
- Diversify referring domains: DR responds to the number of unique domains linking to you, not the total number of backlinks — ten links from one site count far less than ten links from ten different sites.
- Publish link-worthy content: original research, data studies, and genuinely useful tools tend to earn natural backlinks over time.
- Clean up toxic backlinks: disavow spammy or irrelevant links that could be dragging your profile down.
- Be patient: DR moves slowly, especially past DR 40-50 — sustainable link growth compounds over months, not days.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good Domain Rating?
It depends heavily on your niche and competitors. As a rough guide, DR 20-39 is typical for a newer site building its first links, DR 40-59 signals an established, credible domain, and DR 60+ generally belongs to sites with a large, diverse backlink profile. Compare your DR against direct competitors rather than an absolute number.
Is this the same Domain Rating as Ahrefs?
Yes. This tool calls Ahrefs' official free public Domain Rating API directly, so the score shown is identical to what you'd see in the Ahrefs toolbar or Site Explorer.
Is checking Domain Rating free?
Yes, this tool is completely free with no signup required. It uses Ahrefs' free public Domain Rating endpoint, which does not require an API key.
How is Domain Rating calculated?
Domain Rating measures the strength of a website's backlink profile compared to every other site in Ahrefs' database, on a 0-100 logarithmic scale. It's based on the quantity and quality of referring domains linking to the site — more links from other high-DR, relevant sites raise the score.
Why is my DR different from a competitor even though I have more backlinks?
DR weighs the authority of the linking domains far more than the raw number of links. A handful of links from high-DR, trusted sites will move your score more than hundreds of links from low-authority or spammy domains.
Domain Rating data provided by Ahrefs, used under the Ahrefs Domain Rating License.
Grow Your Organic Traffic from AI & Search Engines
Monitor your SEO performance and AI visibility in one dashboard. Track how ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity reference your brand and grow traffic from both AI and Google.
Try QuickSEO →
