There are dozens of tools out there claiming to measure your website’s authority—but which ones actually give you reliable results?
If you’ve ever searched for a domain authority checker, you’ve probably felt overwhelmed by the options. Some tools show just a number, others overload you with data, and many leave you wondering which one to trust.
That is why we built this guide—to help you find the top domain authority checker tools (free and paid) that actually work in 2025. Whether you are a beginner in SEO or an experienced SEO specialist, these tools will help you decide your site’s power, track your progress, and stay competitive.
Break it down for me—easy and simple.
What Is Domain’s Authority?
Domain authority is a way to understand how strong or influential your website is in terms of ranking potential. It reflects the overall trust, relevance, and credibility your site has built over time, based on things like backlinks, content quality, and structure.
But here’s the catch-
This isn’t something Google officially uses. It’s a score created by SEO platforms like Moz (DA), Ahrefs (DR), or SEMrush (Authority Score). Each one uses its own method to calculate it, so the numbers will vary from tool to tool.
It is like a “credit score” for your website. It doesn’t guarantee rankings, but it helps you compare sites, spot growth opportunities, and shape your SEO plan wisely.
Best Domain’s Authority Checker Tools (Free and Paid)
There are plenty of tools out there, but not all give accurate or detailed results. Below are 7 of the best domain authority checker tools—some are free, some are paid, and all are trusted by marketers and SEO pros.
Let’s take a look:
1. Moz Domain Authority Checker
Moz is the company that created the Domain Authority (DA) metric, so it makes sense that their tool is one of the most trusted. The Moz Domain Authority Checker lets you check your website’s DA score, the number of backlinks, and the number of linking domains—all for free.
You simply enter your website URL in the Moz Link Explorer, and it gives you a clear overview of your site’s authority, spam score, and backlink profile.
Features:
- Free domain authority checker (limited daily checks)
- See DA, spam score, and inbound links
- Compare your site with competitors
- Simple and beginner-friendly interface
Moz is perfect if you want a quick and reliable domain authority check without needing to pay upfront. For deeper insights, you can try their premium plan—but for basic use, their DA checker is one of the best in the game.
2. Ahrefs
Now that you are aware of Moz, another excellent tool to assess your website authority is Ahrefs. While Moz, however, deals with Domain Authority and Page Authority as two distinct measures, Ahrefs employs Domain Rating (DR) and URL Rating (UR). The nomenclature might be different, just like the names are, but the purpose is the same: both inform you of how powerful your website and some pages are.
One of the most helpful features in Ahrefs is its backlink analysis. When you enter a domain, it not only shows your DR score but also gives you a full list of linking websites and backlinks. You can even see which ones are do-follow, which carry more weight, and which are the most valuable for SEO.
This makes Ahrefs not just a domain rating checker but also a powerful tool for link building. You can analyze your competitors’ backlink strategies and find opportunities to build similar or better links for your own site.
Features:
- Domain and page-level authority tracking (DR and UR)
- In-depth backlink profile analysis
- See referring domains, anchor text, and link types
- Great for spying on competitor link-building strategies
Ahrefs is a paid tool, but it offers limited free access to its website authority checker—enough for small checks or occasional use.
3. SEMrush
If you prefer an SEO tool that serves as a domain authority checker too, SEMrush is another strong option. It doesn’t technically refer to a “Domain Authority,” but it does give you an “Authority Score” that does the same thing—it measures how well and well-respected a domain is based on backlinks, organic traffic, and overall SEO wellness.
Authority Score in SEMrush is built from a number of data points, so it’s a good measure of domain strength and the quality of a site in general.
What makes SEMrush stand out is how it ties everything together. When you enter a domain, you not only see its authority score, but you can also:
- Analyze backlinks
- Check referring domains
- Monitor competitor authority
- Get insights into keyword rankings and traffic
This makes it more than just a domain authority checker tool—it’s a full website authority and SEO performance dashboard.
Features:
- Custom “Authority Score” system
- Deep backlink and keyword analysis
- Track competitors’ domain performance
- Includes a free version with limited checks
Whether you’re doing a domain authority check for your own site or comparing it with others, SEMrush gives you a complete view.
📊 A Quick Look: How the Top 3 Tools Score the Same Website
Moz, Ahrefs, and SEMrush each offer their own way to check website authority—but their scores often don’t match. That’s because each uses different data sources and formulas to measure a site’s strength.
For example, here’s how outreachmonks.com is rated across the top tools:
SEMrush: Authority Score – 40
Ahrefs: Domain Rating (DR) – 74
The numbers vary, but they all reflect the same thing: a strong, trusted website with a healthy backlink profile.
👉 Tip: Stick to one tool for tracking progress. Comparing scores across platforms can be misleading—focus on trends within the same system.
4. Small SEO Tools
If you need a totally free domain authority checker, Small SEO Tools is the best option. It is a lightweight, no-signup-required tool that enables you to check the DA and PA (Page Authority) of any website within seconds.
You simply put the domain into the box, click “Check Authority,” and receive instant results. It even includes a multiple-domain bulk check, which comes in handy if you’re conducting outreach, audits, or link research.
It’s fast and convenient—ideal for quick checks without going deep into analysis.
Features:
- 100% free domain authority checker
- Shows DA, PA, spam score, and IP address
- No login required
- Bulk check option available
While it’s not as advanced as tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush, Small SEO Tools works great for freelancers, bloggers, and small website owners who need fast answers without paying for premium tools.
5. Website SEO Checker
Website SEO Checker is another handy tool that offers a free domain authority checker along with other useful SEO metrics. It’s simple to use and great for anyone who wants to analyze a site’s authority without getting overwhelmed by too much data.
Just enter your domain, and it instantly shows your Domain Authority, Page Authority, Moz Rank, backlinks, and even social signals—all on one clean dashboard.
What makes this tool helpful is that it gives you a well-rounded SEO snapshot, so you can understand how your domain performs beyond just DA.
Features:
- Free and easy-to-use domain authority check
- Includes DA, PA, backlink count, and page speed
- Good for quick audits and competitive research
- No sign-up is required for basic use
Whether you’re running a blog, doing SEO audits, or checking the health of your client’s site, Website SEO Checker is a useful option for getting fast and clear domain metrics.
6. SEO Review Tools
SEO Review Tools offers a wide range of free SEO utilities, and its Domain Authority Checker Tool is one of the most popular on the site. It’s powered by Moz, so the DA and PA scores you see are accurate and trusted.
Unlike some basic checkers, this tool also gives you insights into link metrics, social shares, and the number of referring domains—which makes it useful for both beginners and advanced users.
You can even compare multiple websites at once, making it a great option for outreach, competitive analysis, or quick audits.
Features:
- Free domain authority checker using Moz data
- Shows DA, PA, backlinks, social shares, and more
- Supports side-by-side competitor comparison
- No login required
If you’re looking for a free DA checker that goes beyond just a number, SEO Review Tools gives you real value with every search.
7. Majestic
Majestic is another powerful SEO tool that takes a slightly different approach from Moz or Ahrefs. Instead of using Domain Authority, it uses two unique metrics: Trust Flow and Citation Flow to measure website strength.
- Trust Flow reflects the quality of the backlinks pointing to your site.
- Citation Flow measures the quantity or influence of those links.
While Majestic doesn’t offer a DA score directly, its metrics serve the same purpose—to help you understand your website’s authority and link profile.
This makes it a great alternative for those who want deeper insights into link quality and want to check domain ranking in a different way.
Features:
- Uses Trust Flow & Citation Flow instead of traditional DA
- Shows detailed backlink data and referring domains
- Strong historical index for backlink tracking
- Free limited checker with paid plans available
Majestic is especially helpful for those focused on link audits, domain comparisons, and understanding the trustworthiness of backlinks—making it a unique but valuable domain authority checker tool.
How do you increase the authority of your domain?
Your domain authority score won’t improve overnight—but with the right strategies, you can steadily build a stronger, more trusted website that ranks better on search engines.
Here are some proven ways to increase your domain authority over time:
1. Get High-Quality Backlinks
Backlinks from reputable websites are one of the strongest signals for boosting domain authority. Focus on getting links from high-authority, relevant sites in your niche—not random or low-quality sources.
👉 Tip: Use tools like Ahrefs or Moz to analyze your backlink profile, identify gaps, and discover new link opportunities from your competitors.
2. Create Valuable, Link-Worthy Content
The easiest way to earn backlinks naturally is to create content that people want to share or reference. Think detailed guides, case studies, data-driven posts, and infographics.
When your content solves real problems or offers original insights, others will link to it without you even asking.
3. Fix Technical SEO Issues
Search engines like tidy, well-structured sites. Get your site to load quickly, be mobile-friendly, have a secure HTTPS address, and have no crawl errors or broken links.
Technical problems can quietly undermine your SEO performance, so consistent audits are the way forward.
4. Improve Internal Linking
Link your related blog posts, service pages, and resources together. This not only helps users navigate your site better but also spreads authority across pages.
A strong internal link structure boosts crawlability and keeps visitors engaged longer.
5. Avoid Spammy Link Building
Avoid shortcuts like buying backlinks, using link farms, or automating link placements. These may work temporarily, but they can also trigger penalties or DA drops.
Instead, stick to white-hat tactics and regularly use a domain authority checker tool to keep an eye on any harmful links.
6. Be Patient and Consistent
Domain authority doesn’t improve overnight. It’s the result of steady content creation, ethical link building, and ongoing SEO improvements.
Stay consistent with your efforts, and you’ll see your authority—and rankings—grow over time.
Want help building white-hat backlinks that actually improve your site’s authority?
👉 Let Outreach Monks help you build high-authority links that grow your rankings the right way.
Choosing the Right DA Checker
With so many tools out there, it can be tricky to pick the best one. Here’s what to look for when choosing a reliable domain authority checker:
- Accuracy: The tool should use trusted data sources and clear scoring metrics—like Moz’s DA or Ahrefs’ DR. You want numbers that reflect real SEO strength.
- Backlink Insights: A good checker doesn’t just give you a score. It also shows how that score was calculated—backlinks, referring domains, and link quality.
- Ease of Use: Whether you’re a beginner or expert, the tool should be easy to navigate. Clean dashboards and fast results matter.
- Free vs. Paid Access: If you’re just starting, a free domain authority checker may be enough. But for deeper tracking and competitor research, a paid tool is worth the investment.
- Extra Features: Some tools also offer keyword tracking, SEO audits, or site comparisons. Choose one based on what else you want to manage beyond DA.
Pick a tool that fits your workflow, not just one with the biggest score. The best checker is the one you’ll actually use.
Conclusion
Keeping track of your domain authority is one of the simplest methods of understanding where your website is—and where it’s going. The right tool can get you ahead of the pack, indicate link-building possibilities, and measure real SEO progress.
Whether you’re just starting or scaling up, consistently checking your domain strength helps you build smarter, not harder.
Measure smart. Rank stronger. Win the web.
FAQs About Domain Authority Checker Tools
Can I Fake Or Boost Domain Authority Quickly?
Trying to “hack” DA using spammy backlinks or shady tactics can backfire. It may lead to penalties or long-term harm. Genuine link-building and solid SEO practices are the only reliable ways to grow your authority.
Do DA Checker Tools Track Historical Changes?
Some paid tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush let you monitor changes in your domain authority over time. This can help you measure the impact of your SEO efforts and spot drops early.
Can I Use DA Tools To Evaluate Websites Before Link Building?
Yes. Many marketers use domain authority checker tools to qualify websites before guest posting, partnerships, or outreach. A higher DA or DR score often means better link value.
How Often Do Domain Authority Scores Update?
It depends on the tool. For example, Moz updates DA regularly but not daily. Ahrefs and SEMrush update their scores based on their own crawling and indexing schedules, which may vary weekly or monthly.
Does A High DA Guarantee High Rankings On Google?
No. A high domain authority can help, but it doesn’t guarantee top rankings. Google looks at page-level factors, content quality, user experience, and more.
Can Subdomains Have Different Domain Authority Scores?
Yes. Tools like Moz and Ahrefs treat subdomains (like blog.example.com) as separate entities. That means they can have different scores from the root domain.