Best Free Domain Authority Checker Tools in 2026
Explore 16 SEO tools for Domain Authority, Domain Rating, backlink analysis and competitor research. Filter the directory, compare what each service measures, and build your own competitor benchmark.
16 Authority and Backlink Research Tools
The directory includes original metric providers, broader SEO platforms and lightweight third-party checkers. Filter by task rather than relying on an arbitrary ranking.
Moz Link Explorer
Check Moz Domain Authority and investigate inbound links. Best when a report specifically requires DA.
Ahrefs Authority Checker
Check Domain Rating, Ahrefs’ backlink-profile strength metric, for a quick comparison of domains.
Semrush Authority Checker
View Authority Score, which draws on link signals, estimated organic traffic and spam-related indicators.
Ubersuggest
Explore authority-style metrics alongside keyword, traffic and backlink estimates.
Small SEO Tools
Convenient domain-authority lookups for quick screening; verify important scores with the original provider.
PrePostSEO
A lightweight option for checking domain metrics; suitable for initial screening rather than final decisions.
Majestic
Research Trust Flow and Citation Flow—Majestic’s own link-focused metrics, not Moz DA.
SE Ranking
Broader competitor and backlink research with domain-level SEO data and tracking tools.
Serpstat
Investigate domain visibility, keywords and backlink data within a broader SEO research workflow.
Seobility
Combine website audits and backlink checks to assess technical issues alongside off-page signals.
OpenLinkProfiler
A backlink-oriented service to investigate when researching link sources; check current availability and terms.
Ahrefs Backlink Checker
Inspect a limited backlink snapshot to add context to a domain’s DR score.
Semrush Backlink Analytics
Review referring domains and backlink trends as context for Semrush Authority Score.
Google Search Console
Inspect Google’s Links report for verified properties. It does not supply DA, DR or competitor scores.
Search Console Performance
Review clicks, impressions, queries and pages for a verified site. These real search metrics complement authority estimates.
Similarweb
Estimate traffic and audience patterns to complement link-based authority research; it does not provide Moz DA.
Editorial classification: “Free” means a public tool or no-cost service exists, not unlimited access. Product limits and availability can change. This is a use-case directory, not a tested performance ranking.
DA, DR and Authority Score Are Not the Same
A score of 40 from one provider cannot be converted reliably into a score of 40 from another. Compare domains using the same metric and roughly the same observation date.
Moz Domain Authority
Predictive, relative domain metric developed by Moz, reported on a 1–100 scale. Use the original Moz service when a report asks for DA.
Ahrefs Domain Rating
Ahrefs’ 0–100 logarithmic measure of relative backlink-profile strength. It is not a traffic estimate or a Google metric.
Semrush Authority Score
A proprietary 1–100 metric using link-related information, estimated organic traffic and indicators of unnatural link patterns.
Which Tool Should You Use?
| Your question | Best starting point | Why | Important caveat |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is my Moz DA? | Moz Link Explorer | Original DA metric provider | Free access is restricted |
| How strong is a backlink profile? | Ahrefs Authority Checker | Direct DR lookup | DR is not a quality guarantee |
| What is Semrush Authority Score? | Semrush checker | Original AS metric provider | Separate methodology |
| Which domains link to a site? | Ahrefs Backlink Checker / Semrush | Backlink context | Free reports may be partial |
| How is my verified website doing on Google? | Google Search Console | Clicks, queries and indexing | Not competitor data or DA |
| How does competitor traffic compare? | Similarweb / SEO research platforms | Estimated market context | Third-party traffic estimates vary |
Build a Competitor Authority Benchmark
Copy real scores from one provider, then compare them here. No live scores are generated or submitted.
| Domain / site | Score (0–100) | Referring domains (optional) | Research note |
|---|---|---|---|
This is an offline-in-page worksheet. Scores are entered manually and are not fetched from Moz, Ahrefs or Semrush. Numerical differences do not predict rankings.
How to Compare SEO Competitors Properly
Identify search competitors
Search your target queries and note sites ranking for the same topics, not only companies selling similar products.
Use one consistent metric
Choose DA, DR or AS, then obtain each score from the same provider close to the same date.
Record the results
Use the worksheet to compare your site with three competitors. Keep notes on topic and audience relevance.
Inspect link quality
Look at relevant referring domains, suspicious patterns and whether links are editorially earned.
Check real search demand
Use Search Console for your own clicks, impressions and queries. Authority alone cannot explain performance.
Improve what matters
Prioritize content usefulness, crawlability, internal links and legitimate references—not an arbitrary DA target.
Why a High Domain Authority Score Does Not Guarantee Rankings
Domain Authority, Domain Rating and Authority Score are independent third-party models. They can help organize competitor research, but Google does not use those proprietary scores as its own ranking factors. A lower-scoring domain can rank above a higher-scoring one for a particular query when its page better satisfies search intent.
For example, a specialist website with fewer referring domains may provide a clearer tutorial, original screenshots and more relevant answers than a larger general-purpose publisher. Authority scores alone cannot establish which page is more useful to searchers.
What to review beyond a score
- Search intent: Does the page answer the actual query?
- Original usefulness: Does it offer first-hand examples, explanations, calculations or helpful functionality?
- Link relevance: Are referring websites connected to the site’s subject?
- Organic performance: Are there meaningful search queries and impressions?
- Technical access: Can search engines crawl and index the content?
- Spam signals: Are there unnatural links or misleading SEO claims?
How to interpret an increase or decrease
A score can change when links are gained or lost, when a provider updates its index or when its calculation changes. It is not necessarily evidence of a Google penalty or an improvement in rankings. Check real search performance and the underlying link data before drawing conclusions.
Why we do not rank these tools by an invented score
CreatorToolly groups these services by practical use case. No hands-on speed tests, independent accuracy benchmarks or paid-plan comparisons are claimed here. Tool limits and product availability can change, so the official service should be checked before making a purchase or committing to a workflow.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free Domain Authority checker?
If you need Moz DA, use Moz Link Explorer. If you want a quick free backlink-strength indicator, Ahrefs offers a Domain Rating checker. They measure different things.
Are Domain Authority and Domain Rating the same?
No. Moz DA and Ahrefs DR have different methodologies and datasets. You cannot directly convert one to the other.
Does Google use DA or DR for ranking?
No. These are proprietary third-party scores, not official Google ranking factors.
Why are my scores different across SEO tools?
Each provider has its own link index, data updates and model. Different scores are expected.
Is 20 or 30 Domain Authority good for a new website?
There is no universal threshold. Compare with relevant competitors in your niche using the same metric, and review search performance separately.
Can I check competitor backlinks for free?
Some services provide limited free backlink previews. Detailed historical data, exports and full reports often require payment.
Does Google Search Console show Domain Authority?
No. It reports data about verified properties, including search performance and links, but not Moz DA, Ahrefs DR or Semrush Authority Score.
How often should I check my authority?
Monthly or quarterly reviews are usually more useful than daily checks. Focus on meaningful changes in links, search visibility and content performance.
Read the Metric Definitions
Moz: Domain Authority ↗ · Ahrefs: Domain Rating ↗ · Semrush: Authority Score ↗ · Google: Helpful content guidance ↗
Related CreatorToolly Resources
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