Domain Authority is a score that predicts how likely a website is to rank in search results, based on its backlink profile

Domain Authority (DA) is a number from 1 to 100 created by Moz, a SEO software company. It estimates how well a domain will perform in Google search rankings. The score is based almost entirely on the quality and quantity of other websites linking to it — not on the content itself, not on traffic, not on how old the site is. A site with a DA of 65 will typically outrank a site with a DA of 35 in the same search, all else equal.

You check Domain Authority using free tools or paid SEO platforms. The most direct route is Moz's own free checker at moz.com/domain-analysis. You enter a domain name, and it returns the DA score plus related metrics like spam score and backlink count. Other tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Ubersuggest also display Domain Authority, though they may charge for full reports.

The score updates monthly, not in real time. If you checked a site yesterday and it had a DA of 42, checking it again today will show 42. The next update happens on the first day of the following month. This matters if you are tracking changes — you will not see results of a new link campaign for weeks.

Key Takeaways

  • Domain Authority ranges from 1 to 100 and is calculated by Moz based on backlinks pointing to a domain, not on content quality or traffic.
  • You can check any website's Domain Authority free at moz.com/domain-analysis by typing in the domain name.
  • The score updates once per month on the first day, so checking the same site multiple times in one week will show the same number.
  • A higher DA does not may provide better rankings — it is a prediction tool, and Google's actual algorithm considers hundreds of other factors.

Using Moz's Free Domain Authority Checker

Go to moz.com/domain-analysis. In the text box labeled "Enter a domain", type the full domain name — for example, nytimes.com or techcrunch.com. Do not include "www" or "https". Click the button to check.

The page will load a report showing the Domain Authority score at the top, usually in large text. Below that you will see Spam Score (a percentage representing how likely the domain is to be penalized by Google), Linking Domains (the number of unique domains linking to this site), and Links (the total number of backlinks). You will also see a chart showing how the DA has changed over the past year.

This free version does not show you which specific sites are linking to the domain. For that, you need Moz's paid plan or a different tool like Ahrefs or SEMrush. But the free checker gives you the score itself and enough context to understand whether the site is well-established or new to the web.

What Domain Authority Actually Predicts

Domain Authority predicts search ranking potential, not traffic or authority in the real world. A news site with a DA of 78 will likely rank higher than a blog with a DA of 22 for the same keyword. But DA does not measure whether the content is accurate, useful, or trustworthy to humans. A site can have a high DA and publish false information. Conversely, a small site with a low DA can have better, more honest content.

Google does not use Domain Authority in its ranking algorithm. Moz created the metric as a tool to help SEO professionals understand competitive landscapes. Google uses its own signals — including links, but also content relevance, user behavior, page speed, and many others. A site with a DA of 50 might outrank a site with a DA of 60 if the lower-DA site has better content for that specific search.

Think of DA as a rough proxy for "how much link equity does this domain have," not as "how good is this website" or "how much should I trust this site." It is useful for competitive analysis and for understanding why a competitor ranks above you, but it is not a report card on the site itself.

Other Tools That Show Domain Authority

Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Ubersuggest all display Moz's Domain Authority score in their reports. If you already use one of these platforms for other SEO work, you can check DA without visiting Moz separately. However, these tools charge subscription fees — typically $100 to $400 per month depending on the plan. They offer more detailed backlink analysis than Moz's free checker, but for a one-time DA lookup, Moz's free tool is sufficient.

Some browser extensions also display DA as you browse. MozBar is Moz's official extension for Chrome and Firefox. When you install it, a small icon appears in your browser toolbar. Click it on any page, and it shows the DA of that domain plus page-level metrics. The free version of MozBar shows basic data; the paid version unlocks more detailed reports.

If you are checking DA for dozens of sites at once, a paid tool may save time because you can upload a list and get results in bulk. For occasional checks, the free Moz checker is the fastest route.

How Domain Authority Relates to Your Own Site

If you are building a new website, expect a DA of 1 or "not set" for the first few months. As other sites link to you, your DA will gradually increase. A site with one year of backlinks might have a DA of 15 to 25. A site with five years and consistent link growth might reach 40 to 60. Reaching a DA above 70 typically requires years of work and significant link acquisition.

Improving your DA means earning backlinks from other domains. You cannot directly increase it through on-page changes, keyword optimization, or traffic growth. The only lever is link quality and quantity. A single link from a site with a DA of 70 is worth more than ten links from sites with a DA of 10. This is why SEO professionals focus on link building and outreach — it is the primary way to move the needle on Domain Authority.

Monitoring your own site's DA over time can show whether your link-building efforts are working. If your DA has been flat for six months, your backlink profile is not growing. If it rises by 5 points month over month, you are making progress. But remember: DA is a lagging indicator. It updates monthly, and the underlying data Moz uses is often weeks old. Do not expect to see changes immediately after earning a new link.

Common Mistakes When Interpreting Domain Authority

The biggest mistake is treating DA as a quality score. A site with a DA of 80 is not necessarily better, more trustworthy, or more useful than a site with a DA of 30. It simply has more backlinks. A Wikipedia article might have a very high DA because thousands of sites link to Wikipedia. A small independent journalist's site might have a low DA but publish the most accurate reporting on a specific topic.

Another mistake is assuming that a higher DA guarantees better rankings. It does not. Google's algorithm considers hundreds of factors. A site with a DA of 45 and highly relevant, well-written content can outrank a site with a DA of 65 and thin, generic content. DA is one signal among many, and it is not even a signal Google officially uses.

A third mistake is checking DA too frequently and expecting to see changes. Because the score updates monthly, checking a site three times in one week will show the same number three times. This can feel like nothing is happening when in fact the data simply has not refreshed. Set a calendar reminder to check once per month if you are tracking progress.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Domain Authority the same as Page Authority?

No. Domain Authority is the score for an entire domain (example.com). Page Authority is the score for a single page (example.com/blog/article). Moz calculates both separately. A domain can have a DA of 50 while one of its pages has a PA of 75 if that page has earned many backlinks.

Can I check Domain Authority for a competitor's website?

Yes. Domain Authority is public information. You can check any website's DA using Moz's free tool or any other SEO platform. This is how competitive analysis works — you see what backlink profile your competitors have built and use that to inform your own link-building strategy.

Does Domain Authority affect how Google ranks my site?

No. Google does not use Domain Authority in its ranking algorithm. Moz created DA as a prediction tool for SEO professionals. Google uses its own internal metrics based on links, content, user behavior, and other signals. Improving your DA is useful for competitive analysis, but it is not a direct ranking factor.

How long does it take to increase Domain Authority?

There is no fixed timeline. It depends on the quality and quantity of backlinks you earn. A new site might gain 5 DA points in six months with consistent link building. An established site might need a year to gain 5 points because the score becomes harder to move at higher levels. Focus on earning quality backlinks rather than watching the DA number.

Should I avoid linking to sites with low Domain Authority?

Not necessarily. Linking to a low-DA site does not hurt your own rankings. What matters is whether the linked site is relevant and useful to your readers. Link to the best resource for the topic, regardless of its DA. Google rewards relevance and user value, not link distribution based on DA scores.