Domain Rating vs Domain Authority: Which Matters Most in 2025?

In the ever-evolving world of search engine optimisation (SEO), understanding the factors that contribute to your website’s ranking can make all the difference. Two key metrics that often cause confusion are Domain Rating (DR) and Domain Authority (DA). These two indicators are used to evaluate the strength of a website's domain, but they are calculated in different ways and used by different platforms. So, in 2025, which one should you be focusing on?

This topic was recently brought to my attention and whilst I've covered Domain Authority in the past in my post DA Scores Explained, I've never really touched on Domain Rating. Let's take a closer look at each to see which matters most. 

Disclosure: The FTC Disclosure Provision is a law that requires influencers to disclose when they are being paid to promote a product or service. So please know that if I'm not making money through affiliate links/sponsored content on the post you're currently reading, it's an oversight on my part and will be corrected soon. Read the full disclosure about all the legal stuff here.

What is Domain Rating (DR)?

Domain Rating (DR) is a metric created by Ahrefs that measures the strength of a website’s backlink profile. The higher the DR score, the more authoritative a website appears to search engines in terms of its backlink profile. DR ranges from 0 to 100, with 100 being the strongest possible score.

Ahrefs calculates DR based on the quantity and quality of backlinks pointing to a website and is therefore focused on off page SEO. These links are analysed and weighted according to the authority of the linking domains. Essentially, the more high-quality backlinks a site has, the higher its DR. DR is useful because it provides a clear indicator of the site’s backlink power and its potential to rank in search engine results pages (SERPs).

What is Domain Authority (DA)?

Domain Authority (DA), on the other hand, is a metric developed by Moz that attempts to predict a website’s ability to rank on search engines. Like DR, DA is scored on a 0 to 100 scale, with higher numbers indicating greater potential for ranking. However, DA doesn’t solely rely on backlinks. While links are certainly a factor, Moz’s DA algorithm also incorporates other data points such as the quality of the content, user experience, social signals, and the overall trustworthiness of the site.

Unlike DR, which primarily focuses on backlinks, DA considers a wider range of SEO factors, including on-page SEO and overall site health. This makes DA a more comprehensive indicator of a site's authority and ranking potential.

Key Differences Between DR and DA

While both DR and DA are important for understanding your website’s potential to rank, they differ in several key ways:

1. Focus Area: DR focuses almost entirely on backlinks and their quality, whereas DA includes a broader range of factors such as content quality, on-site optimisation, and social engagement.

2. Platform: DR is a metric created by Ahrefs, so it only applies within the Ahrefs ecosystem. DA, created by Moz, is Moz's proprietary metric but is widely used across the SEO community.

3. Calculation Method: The way these two metrics are calculated is distinct. DR uses an algorithm that evaluates backlinks specifically, while DA uses a combination of multiple factors, including link profile, content quality, and trustworthiness.

4. Benchmarking: DR is often used to gauge the link-building success of a website, while DA can be used to assess a site’s overall SEO health, including internal factors like site speed and mobile optimisation.

Which One Matters More in 2025?

Now that we’ve covered the basics of DR and DA, the question remains: Which one matters most in 2025?

The answer depends on your goals, your current SEO strategy, and the platform you’re working with. Here's a breakdown of when each metric might be more relevant:

1. Focus on DR if you’re backlink-focused:
   If your primary goal is to improve your site’s backlink profile and build authority through external links, DR might be the more important metric. If you’re looking to work with tools like Ahrefs to track your backlinks, DR will give you a clear understanding of your domain’s link power. Websites that thrive on organic link-building strategies will find DR more relevant.

2. Concentrate on DA for a well-rounded SEO strategy.:
   If you're adopting a comprehensive SEO strategy that encompasses content optimisation, site health, technical SEO, and user experience, DA is probably a more accurate indicator of your site's true SEO potential. Because DA incorporates multiple factors, it gives a more rounded picture of how well a website might perform in SERPs, making it a good metric for general site optimisation.

3. Use both metrics together for a comprehensive strategy:
   The best approach in 2025 is likely to be a combination of both metrics. While DR helps you track the strength of your backlinks, DA gives you a fuller understanding of your overall SEO health. Both metrics offer value, but relying on just one of them can provide a skewed view of your website’s SEO status.

The Role of Other Factors in 2025

While DR and DA are important metrics, they are not the only factors influencing search engine rankings. In 2025, Google’s algorithm continues to prioritise a variety of other signals, such as:

• User Experience (UX): Site speed, mobile optimisation, and intuitive design are crucial for keeping visitors engaged and encouraging Google to rank your site.

• Content Quality: High-quality, relevant, and regularly updated content is still a top-ranking factor.

• Technical SEO: Optimising your site’s structure, fixing broken links, improving site speed, and ensuring proper use of structured data are key.

• E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness): Google values authoritative and trustworthy content.

In other words, no single metric—whether DR or DA—can guarantee success. It’s the combination of quality backlinks, great content, excellent user experience, and strong technical SEO that will set you apart.

Conclusion: The Balanced Approach

In 2025, both Domain Rating and Domain Authority have their place in a robust SEO strategy. DR is an invaluable tool for measuring the quality of your backlink profile, while DA provides a broader overview of your site’s potential to rank.

Rather than focusing solely on one or the other, the key is to use both metrics in conjunction with a comprehensive SEO strategy that includes high-quality content, solid technical SEO, and a user-friendly experience. By keeping an eye on both DR and DA, you’ll be in the best position to improve your rankings and stay ahead of the competition in 2025.

So, the bottom line? Both matter, but a well-rounded approach is the key.

You might also like: A Guide to Image SEO: Boost Your Website’s Visibility with Smart Image Optimisation