Domain Authority, Page Authority and Domain Rating sound alike but measure different things. Here's what each one means, why the same site scores differently on each, and which metric to actually use.
DA (Domain Authority) is Moz's 1–100 score for a whole domain's ranking potential. PA (Page Authority) is Moz's same-style score for a single page. DR (Domain Rating) is Ahrefs' 0–100 score for a domain's backlink strength only. All three are third-party metrics — none are used by Google. They run on different indexes and formulas, so a site at DA 42 might show DR 58. Use DA/PA for Moz-based ranking-potential comparisons, and DR for pure backlink-strength and link-building progress.
They're all "authority" scores on a 1–100 scale, but they answer different questions.
Predicts how likely an entire website is to rank in search. Built from a machine-learning model using backlinks, referring domains and spam signals — a broader, more stable metric.
The same modelling as DA, but for one specific page rather than the whole site. A strong homepage can have high PA while a new blog post on the same domain starts low.
Measures the strength of a domain's backlink profile only — driven by unique referring domains and their authority. Deliberately ignores traffic, spam and age. Updates very fast.
The quick reference. Remember: scores are not interchangeable between tools.
| DA (Moz) | PA (Moz) | DR (Ahrefs) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Created by | Moz | Moz | Ahrefs |
| Measures | Whole-domain ranking potential | Single-page ranking potential | Backlink-profile strength |
| Scope | Entire domain | One page | Entire domain |
| Scale | 1–100 (logarithmic) | 1–100 (logarithmic) | 0–100 (logarithmic) |
| Based on | Links + spam + 40+ signals | Page-level link signals | Referring domains & their authority only |
| Update speed | ~Monthly, more stable | ~Monthly | Very fast (multiple times/week) |
| Google ranking factor? | No | No | No |
| Best for | Long-term ranking comparisons | Judging a specific page | Link-building progress & prospecting |
Also worth knowing: Ahrefs' URL Rating (UR) is the page-level version of DR (Ahrefs' answer to PA), and Semrush's Authority Score (AS) is its own blend that also factors in traffic — and runs ~15–20% lower than Moz DA.
Because each tool crawls its own web index and uses its own formula. Ahrefs has one of the largest link databases and updates constantly; Moz uses a different index and a machine-learning model with 40+ signals. So they're genuinely measuring slightly different things, with different data.
That's why a site can sit at DA 42 on Moz but DR 58 on Ahrefs — and both numbers are "correct" on their own terms. They're independent estimates of the same broad idea (authority), not one truth measured two ways. The practical takeaway: never compare a Moz DA against an Ahrefs DR directly, and pick one tool to track consistently over time.
None of them are Google's scores. Google has confirmed it doesn't use DA, PA or DR in its algorithm. They're third-party proxies — useful for comparison and link decisions, but not levers Google reads directly. The signals behind them (quality backlinks) do influence rankings, though.
Use DA. Its broader model and stability make it the standard for benchmarking your site against competitors over time — and it's the metric most clients, guest-post sellers and agencies recognise.
Use PA (or Ahrefs UR). A page's own authority matters most for the pages you actually want to rank — like a service or landing page.
Use DR. Because it's pure backlink strength and updates fast, it's the quickest way to see whether new links are landing — handy when vetting guest-post targets.
Use whichever your tools and clients use, and track it consistently. But don't chase the number itself — all three are proxies. The real benchmark is the score of the sites already ranking for your target keywords, and the real goal is building genuine authority that earns rankings.
BoostMyDA increases your Moz Domain Authority to 40+ in 14–21 days with safe, white-hat backlinks (which lift your DR too) — or your money back.
Boost My DA — ₹1,999Both are Moz metrics on a 1–100 scale. DA measures the authority of your whole domain; PA measures a single page. A site's homepage often has higher PA than its newest blog post, even though they share the same DA.
DA is Moz's broader ranking-potential score (links plus spam and other signals). DR is Ahrefs' pure backlink-strength score. They use different indexes and formulas, so the same site scores differently on each — neither is more "correct."
Neither is inherently more accurate — they measure different things. DR is best for raw, up-to-date backlink strength; DA is better for broader, more stable ranking-potential comparisons. Use the one that fits your decision.
Not directly — the scales aren't interchangeable. DA 50 does not equal DR 50. Compare DA to DA and DR to DR, using the same tool across the sites you're benchmarking.
No. All three are third-party metrics, and Google has confirmed it doesn't use them in its algorithm. However, the quality backlinks behind these scores are signals that do influence real rankings.
For most businesses, DA is the most widely recognised benchmark — clients, agencies and guest-post hosts all know it. Track DA consistently, and use DR alongside it when you're actively building links.
The same work lifts all three: earn quality backlinks from diverse, trusted domains and keep your link profile clean. See our guide to increasing DA, or let BoostMyDA do it for you.
Sources & further reading: Moz — Domain Authority · Moz — Page Authority · Ahrefs — Domain Rating. External links open in a new tab and are marked nofollow.