What Is a Good Domain Authority / DR Score?
"Is my Domain Authority good?" feels like it should have a simple answer — a number to hit and celebrate. It doesn't, and understanding why will make you far better at using these metrics. Here's how to judge whether a DA or DR score is actually good, with rough benchmarks and the one comparison that really matters.
Why there's no universal "good" score
Domain Authority (Moz) and Domain Rating (Ahrefs) are both relative, logarithmic scores from 0 to 100. "Relative" means a score only has meaning compared to other sites. "Logarithmic" means the scale is compressed at the top — the gap between 70 and 80 represents far more authority than the gap between 20 and 30. So a flat number like "40" tells you little until you ask: 40 compared to whom?
Rough benchmarks (use with caution)
With that caveat firmly in mind, here are the bands people generally use as a loose guide for both DA and DR:
| Score | Rough interpretation |
|---|---|
| 0–20 | New or small site — normal for the first year or two |
| 20–40 | Moderate — an established site building authority |
| 40–60 | Strong — a well-linked, credible site |
| 60–80 | High authority — major sites in competitive niches |
| 80–100 | Elite — large global brands and institutions |
Treat these as orientation, not targets. A DA of 35 might be excellent in a small local niche and unremarkable in a cut-throat one.
The only comparison that matters: your competitors
The genuinely useful question isn't "what's a good score?" but "how do I compare to the sites I'm trying to outrank?" Pull up the websites ranking on page one for your target keywords, check their scores, and see where you sit. If they're all DR 50 and you're DR 20, you know you have an authority gap to close. If you're already in their range, your focus should shift to content and relevance rather than more links. To find who ranks, our SERP Checker shows the current results for any keyword.
How to benchmark your score, free
Checking is quick. Run your own site and your top competitors through our Domain Authority Checker for Moz's DA, or the DR Checker for Ahrefs' DR — the DR Checker lets you check up to 10 domains at once, so you can line yourself up against a whole competitor set in a single run. Just remember to compare like-for-like: DA to DA, DR to DR, never one against the other. (Why? See DR vs DA.)
Why chasing a round number backfires
Setting a goal like "reach DA 50" feels concrete, but it can lead you astray — tempting you toward low-quality links or shortcuts just to nudge a number that Google doesn't even use. A site with DA 35 and excellent, relevant content can outrank a DA 55 site that's coasting. Authority scores are a diagnostic, not a scoreboard. If you want to raise yours the right way, see how to increase domain authority and how to increase Domain Rating.
Does a higher score guarantee better rankings?
No. DA and DR are third-party estimates, not Google ranking factors. They correlate with ranking ability because both reflect a strong backlink profile, but a high score doesn't guarantee top positions — relevance, content quality, and user experience all matter. We cover this fully in is domain authority a ranking factor?
Frequently asked questions
What is a good Domain Authority score?
There's no fixed number. As a rough guide, 40–60 is strong, but "good" really means matching or beating the sites you compete with for your keywords.
What is a good DR score?
The same logic applies — DR uses the same 0–100 logarithmic scale. Judge it against competitors in your niche rather than a universal figure.
Is DA 30 good?
It can be, depending on your niche and how long your site has existed. For a newer site or a small market, 30 is a solid foundation; in a competitive space it may be on the low side.
Should I aim for DA 100?
No. Scores near 100 belong to global institutions, and the logarithmic scale makes the top nearly unreachable for most sites. Aim to out-score your actual competitors instead.
Benchmark your score now
Check your DA and DR against your competitors with our free Domain Authority Checker and DR Checker — then decide whether your next move is more links or better content.