How to Check Backlink DA and DR Before You Buy (2026 Tutorial)

To check a backlink before buying it, look up the site's DA (Moz) and DR (Ahrefs), then confirm both scores against real organic traffic, link growth and topical relevance. The two scores should roughly agree, and a large gap is a warning sign. Google does not use either metric, so treat them as filters, not guarantees.

TL;DR

• DA (Domain Authority, Moz) and DR (Domain Rating, Ahrefs) are third-party estimates of link strength. Google does not use them as ranking factors.
• Compare them: DA 50 with DR 45 looks consistent, while DA 50 with DR 5 usually means something is off.
• Always cross-check with organic traffic, link velocity and topical relevance before paying for a link.
• For most buyers, DR 20+ is a sensible floor, and DR 40+ is a better target for competitive niches.

Related: How to identify quality backlinks: 10 metrics that matter

DA vs. DR: what is the difference?

DA and DR both score a domain from 0 to 100 on a logarithmic scale, so moving from 70 to 80 is much harder than moving from 20 to 30. They come from different companies with different link indexes and formulas, which is why the same site can score very differently in each tool.

	DA (Moz)	DR (Ahrefs)
What it estimates	How likely a domain is to rank, based on its link profile	The strength of a domain's backlink profile compared with others
Main inputs	Linking domains, link quality and other link signals	Number of unique domains linking in, weighted by their own DR
Scale	1–100, logarithmic	0–100, logarithmic
Free check	Moz Link Explorer and the MozBar extension	Ahrefs Website Authority Checker

Semrush has its own equivalent, called Authority Score. The principle is identical: it is a proxy built from link data, not a number Google reads.

Does Google use DA or DR?

No. Domain Authority and Domain Rating are third-party metrics, and Google has said it does not use outside authority scores in its rankings. They are useful because a site with a strong link profile tends to be one Google trusts, but the correlation is imperfect. That is exactly why you should never buy a link on a single number.

How do I check DA and DR step by step?

This is the five-step check we run when vetting a publisher. It takes a few minutes per site.

Step 1: Pull DA and DR from both tools

Install the free MozBar extension to see DA on any page, then paste the domain into Ahrefs' free authority checker to see DR and the top backlinks. Write both numbers down. If the seller only quotes one of them, ask yourself why.

Step 2: Compare the two scores

The gap between DA and DR tells you more than either number alone.

Pattern	What it usually means
DA and DR within roughly 10 points	Consistent profile, a green light
DA far above DR	Possible inflated or stale link profile, investigate further
DR far above DA	Often a fast-growing or newer site, check the trend
Both very low on an old site	Little real authority, even if the design looks polished

A gap is a reason to dig deeper, not an automatic rejection. New sites in particular can score low in one tool while the other index catches up.

Step 3: Verify organic traffic

This is the step most buyers skip, and it is the most important one. In Ahrefs Site Explorer or Semrush, look at the estimated organic traffic and, more importantly, the trend. A site with a high DR but almost no search visitors is a classic sign of a link-selling site. Remember that tool traffic figures are estimates, so look for direction and order of magnitude rather than exact numbers.

You can also run a quick sanity check in Google itself:

1. Search site:example.com to see roughly how many pages are indexed.
2. Search the site's brand name and confirm it ranks for it.
3. Search two or three topics the site covers and see whether any of its pages show up.

Step 4: Check the link growth trend

Open the referring domains chart over the last 12 to 24 months.

• Gradual climb: natural growth, which is what you want. For a deeper look at pacing, see link building for new sites.
• Sudden spike: often bulk link buying or a spam attack.
• Sharp drop: can signal a penalty, a lost network or a site that has been abandoned.

Step 5: Check relevance and neighborhood

Skim a few recent articles on the site. Does the topic fit yours? Where does the site link out to? A blog that links to casinos, adult sites and unrelated pills in the same sentence is a bad neighborhood, whatever its DR says. Moz's Spam Score is a handy extra filter here.

What is a good DA or DR for buying a backlink?

For a paid placement, DR 20 or higher is a reasonable minimum, and DR 40 or higher is a better target for competitive niches. Sites above DR 70 are usually news outlets, universities and major publications, which are rarely available through ordinary link buying. Contentor's own minimum is DR 20+ on Ahrefs, plus real organic traffic.

Your situation	Sensible target
New or small site	DR 20+ with real traffic and a related topic
Established site in a competitive niche	DR 40+ with strong topical fit
Brand authority push	DR 70+ (usually earned through PR, not bought)

Relevance beats raw score. A DR 35 site in your exact niche, with visitors who might actually click, will usually do more for you than a DR 60 site on an unrelated topic.

Why can't I rely on a single metric?

Every authority score can be misled or can simply lag reality. DA can look healthy on a site whose traffic has collapsed. DR can be propped up by a few strong links that no longer drive any visibility. Traffic estimates can be wrong in either direction.

This is the original rule we apply: never accept a site that fails two of the five checks, and never reject one on a single borderline number. Triangulating DA, DR, traffic, trend and relevance is what separates a link that helps from one that only looks good in a spreadsheet.

If you trust one thing above the rest, trust organic traffic. When Google sends real visitors to a site, it is a strong sign Google considers that site worth showing.

Do DA and DR matter for AI search?

Indirectly. AI assistants and features such as Google AI Overviews and ChatGPT search lean on web results and trusted sources, so links and mentions on respected, relevant sites can make your pages easier to discover and cite. Citations are never guaranteed, though. Strong link signals work best when your own pages are also clear and source-worthy, which we cover in SEO for AI search.

How much is a link at a given DR worth?

Price follows authority, relevance and niche, and it varies widely by seller. Rather than quote ranges we cannot back up, here is a reference point: Contentor sells permanent, in-content links at a flat price per link on vetted DR 20+ sites, starting at $49 per link in standard niches (see the backlink prices guide for how pricing works across the market). If you would rather skip the per-site vetting, you can buy backlinks from a vetted pool instead.

FAQ

What is the difference between DA and DR?

DA is Moz's score and DR is Ahrefs' score. Both rate a domain from 0 to 100 using link data, but they use different indexes and formulas, so the same site can score differently. Neither is a Google metric. Compare both, then confirm with organic traffic before you buy a link.

Which is better to trust, DA or DR?

Neither alone. Many SEOs lean on DR because Ahrefs' link index is large and its score is harder to inflate, but the safest approach is to use both as a cross-check and then verify traffic, link trend and topical relevance. A big mismatch between them is itself useful information.

Is DR 20 high enough to buy a backlink?

DR 20 is a workable floor for new and small sites, provided the site has real organic traffic and a related topic. For competitive niches, aim for DR 40 or more. Always check traffic and neighborhood too, because a DR 20 site with genuine visitors beats a DR 50 link farm.

Can DA or DR be faked?

Both can be inflated with tactics such as buying links or building networks, so a high score on its own proves little. That is why you cross-check the two scores against organic traffic, the link growth trend and the outgoing links on the site before paying for a placement.

Are the free tools enough to check a site?

For a first pass, yes. The free Ahrefs authority checker, Moz Link Explorer and MozBar show DA, DR and top links. Paid tools add traffic history and deeper link data, which helps when you are vetting many sites or spending real money.

Skip the vetting

Checking DA, DR, traffic and relevance for every placement takes time. If you would rather hand that part off, Contentor's backlink service places permanent, contextual links on sites that already clear DR 20+ with real organic traffic, with free replacement for six months. And once the links are live, Contentor helps you create the SEO articles they point to and track the results in Google Search Console.