Domain Rating is a score from 0 to 100, made by the SEO tool Ahrefs, that estimates how strong a website's backlink profile is. Domain Authority is a similar score from Moz. Neither is used by Google.
The scale is logarithmic: going from 10 to 20 takes far fewer links than going from 70 to 80. A new site starts at 0 and usually reaches the teens or twenties with a few dozen decent backlinks.
Because these are third-party estimates, a rising score does not guarantee rankings. It is a rough way to compare sites and to watch whether your link building is doing anything.
Why it matters for a launch
Makers use DR to decide which directories and launch platforms are worth submitting to, and to track their own progress in the first months. Treat it as a compass, not a goal.
Read more: Free dofollow backlinks for a new site