DA vs DR: Which Metric Actually Matters for Link Building in 2025?

Two metrics dominate link building conversations in 2025: Moz Domain Authority (DA) and Ahrefs Domain Rating (DR). Understanding both — and when to use each — is critical for building effective link campaigns.

What Is Domain Authority (DA)?

Domain Authority is a metric developed by Moz, scored 0–100, that predicts how well a domain will rank in search results. It is calculated using a machine learning model that correlates hundreds of factors with Google rankings, primarily based on link profile quality and quantity.

What Is Domain Rating (DR)?

Domain Rating is Ahrefs' equivalent metric, also scored 0–100. DR measures the strength of a website's backlink profile on a logarithmic scale — moving from DR 70 to 80 is significantly harder than moving from DR 20 to 30.

Key Differences

• Data source: DA uses Moz's link index; DR uses Ahrefs' index — both are large but capture different links
• Calculation: DA correlates to ranking ability; DR purely measures link profile strength
• Volatility: DA can fluctuate more with algorithm updates; DR is generally more stable
• Industry standard: Both are widely used — most agencies report on both

Which Should You Use for Link Building?

Use both together — they tell different parts of the story. A site with DA 40 and DR 35 that has real organic traffic is a strong link prospect. A site with high DA but no organic traffic may be inflated and worth less as a placement.

At Adbell Media, we report both DA and DR alongside actual organic traffic estimates for every link placed. View our backlinks pricing for tier details.