DA vs PA vs DR: What's the Difference? (Explained Simply)

DA vs PA vs DR comes down to scope and source. Domain Authority (DA) scores a whole domain using Moz data. Page Authority (PA) scores one page using Moz data. Domain Rating (DR) scores a whole domain using Ahrefs data.

All 3 use a 0 or 1 to 100 scale and all 3 describe link strength, so they get mixed up constantly. The differences matter when you're choosing a link target, reporting to a client or comparing yourself with a competitor.

DA vs PA vs DR at a glance

The short version, side by side:

• Domain Authority (DA): whole domain, made by Moz, 1 to 100, built by a machine learning model from Moz's link index.
• Page Authority (PA): one URL, made by Moz, 1 to 100, built by the same kind of model applied to a single page.
• Domain Rating (DR): whole domain, made by Ahrefs, 0 to 100, built from Ahrefs' link index.

None of the 3 is used by Google. Each is a vendor's estimate of link strength, and each is logarithmic, so higher points are harder to earn.

What is Domain Authority (DA)?

Domain Authority is Moz's prediction of how well an entire domain can rank, based mainly on the number and quality of unique domains linking to it. When someone asks for "your DA", they mean this number.

DA is a good choice for comparing whole sites. It changes slowly, so it's stable enough to track month to month. Our full guide to Domain Authority explains how Moz builds it.

What is Page Authority (PA)?

Page Authority is Moz's ranking prediction for one specific URL. It uses the same approach as DA, scoped to the links pointing at that page.

PA matters because authority is uneven across a site. A homepage with 2,000 linking domains might have PA 60, while a blog post on the same domain with no links might have PA 20. Both pages share one DA.

That gap is why PA is the better number when you're judging a specific placement. A guest post on a fresh, unlinked page passes less value than a mention on a page that already earns links. Moz explains the metric on its Page Authority page.

What is Domain Rating (DR)?

Domain Rating is Ahrefs' score for the strength of a domain's backlink profile on a 0 to 100 scale. Ahrefs looks at how many unique domains link to a site with followed links and how strong those linking domains are.

Ahrefs counts only one followed link per linking domain, so 500 links from the same site don't add up to more than 1 link. Ahrefs documents the calculation in its Domain Rating guide. The page-level counterpart in Ahrefs is URL Rating (UR), which plays the same role as PA.

Why DA and DR give different numbers for the same site

DA and DR differ because Moz and Ahrefs run separate crawlers, keep separate link indexes and use different formulas. A link Ahrefs has found may be missing from Moz, and the reverse is also common.

Typical patterns you'll see:

• Close but not equal. Many established sites land within 5 to 15 points of each other on DA and DR.
• DR higher on small sites. DR often runs ahead of DA in the low and mid range.
• Big swings after updates. Each vendor updates on its own schedule, so one score can move while the other stays flat.

Neither one is the "correct" score. They're 2 independent estimates. Pick one and stay consistent when tracking over time.

How to use DA, PA and DR together

Each metric answers a different question. Use them in this order:

1. Screen with DA or DR. Filter a long list of sites to the ones with enough link strength to be worth your time.
2. Cross-check with the other. If DA is 45 and DR is 8, something is off. Look closer before trusting either.
3. Judge the page with PA. For a placement, check the PA of the exact URL where your link will sit.
4. Add Spam Score and traffic. Authority numbers can be inflated. Check Spam Score and whether the site gets real search traffic.

Our guide to evaluating backlink quality walks through the full checklist.

Which metric should you track?

Track DA or DR for your own domain, and use PA only when judging individual pages. A domain-level score is steadier and easier to compare with competitors over months.

If you report to clients, say which metric you use and stick with it. Switching from DA to DR halfway through a year makes progress look random.

You can check all 3 at once (plus Spam Score) with our free DA PA checker, or place up to 5 sites side by side with the domain comparison tool. If you only need Ahrefs' number, the DR checker shows it on its own.

Frequently asked questions

Is DA or DR more accurate?

Neither is more accurate in general. DA and DR are separate estimates from different link indexes, and either can miss links the other has found.

Is a high PA possible with a low DA?

Yes. A single page that earns many links, such as a popular tool or study, can have a higher PA than the domain's DA.

Does Google use DA, PA or DR?

No. All 3 are third-party metrics. Google uses its own systems and does not read Moz or Ahrefs scores.

What is the Ahrefs version of Page Authority?

URL Rating (UR) is Ahrefs' page-level score. It plays the same role as Moz's Page Authority.

Conclusion

DA vs PA vs DR comes down to two questions: whole domain or single page, and Moz or Ahrefs data. DA and DR compare sites, and PA judges a specific URL.

Use one domain metric consistently, add PA for placements and back both up with traffic and spam checks.