Ahrefs DR4 CheckerDR3 vs DR4, side by side.
See your backlink profile through both models. Check Domain Rating for a domain or subdomain and compare Ahrefs DR3 vs DR4, side by side.
What changed in DR4?Check your Domain Rating
One host. Two models. A clearer picture.
Ahrefs DR3
Previous model—/ 100
Your score will appear after a lookup.
Ahrefs DR4
New model—/ 100
Your score will appear after a lookup.
Understand the number
A Domain Rating check with the context attached
An Ahrefs DR4 checker is useful when you want to look up a host and keep the model comparison close to the result. This page brings the lookup, an explanation of the difference, and practical reporting guidance into one place. Start with your own website, then repeat the same process for a small set of comparable sites. Write down the exact hosts you checked, especially when a company uses separate addresses for its product, documentation, and community.
Domain Rating describes relative backlink strength on Ahrefs’ logarithmic 0–100 scale. Treat the result as a research input. A single number cannot tell you whether a partnership fits your audience or whether a particular page answers a searcher’s question. Review it alongside the evidence needed for your decision. You can find projects to investigate in the community showcase, then return to the exact website address you want to examine.
For consistent notes, choose a repeatable routine: capture the host, record both model labels, save the timestamp, and describe why the site belongs in your comparison. Keep a blank or an explicit unavailable value when a lookup fails. If you publish your own project, the submission page provides a separate way to introduce it to the directory. A directory listing and a Domain Rating lookup serve different parts of that launch workflow. For an earlier step, try the App Name Generator to explore brand ideas before registering a domain.
How the DR4 checker works
Enter the host you want to check
Paste a domain or a full website URL into the checker. For a hosted project, enter its complete subdomain rather than the platform’s main address. A URL such as https://help.ahrefs.com/articles becomes help.ahrefs.com. Keeping the exact host makes your comparison easier to repeat and explain later.
Compare both Domain Rating models
Select Compare DR3 & DR4 to request both versions from Ahrefs. Each result has its own card, so you can read the older and newer models together. If a version cannot be retrieved, the card explains the problem while any successful result remains available. Try again when the provider is ready.
Save the result with its context
Read the point difference and copy the results into your notes or reporting sheet. The copied summary includes the host, both scores, the lookup time, and attribution. Keep those details together: a score without its host and model is much less useful when you revisit the research or share it with a teammate.
Built for a clear DR3 vs DR4 comparison
DR3 and DR4 in one view
Skip switching between separate lookups to assemble a comparison. The checker places each model in a clearly labeled card and calculates DR4 minus DR3 only when both scores are available. A difference of −6 means the new model returned six fewer points for this lookup; it does not describe what happened last month.
Exact domain and subdomain input
Check the address you actually care about, including a documentation site, community, or hosted project. The form preserves www and other subdomain labels instead of silently replacing them with a parent domain. Check the parent separately if your research needs both views, and record which host each result describes.
Useful results with transparent status
A zero is displayed as a valid numeric score when Ahrefs returns zero. Missing data has its own unavailable state. That distinction helps you avoid filling a spreadsheet with invented values. You can also copy an attributed result for a report, making it easier for another person to understand and reproduce your lookup.
What changes between DR3 and DR4?
| Topic | DR3 | DR4 |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Previous Domain Rating model | Fourth Domain Rating model |
| Subdomains | Often inherited the parent’s score | Broader independent host scoring |
| Influential sites | Broader domain pool | More selective domain pool |
| API selection | version=dr3 | version=dr4 |
Source: Ahrefs’ DR4 preview announcement, published November 5, 2026. Provider availability and supported versions can change.
When to use a Domain Rating checker
Founders checking a newly launched site
Add an authority check to your launch review alongside analytics, indexing, and feedback from visitors. Record your own host before comparing it with relevant peers. If you are still choosing a brand, the App Name Generator can help with naming; return here once you have a real domain to research.
SEO teams preparing a model transition report
Capture both versions for the same set of hosts and keep the lookup dates together. Separate a difference between models from a trend measured within one model. Write down the scope of the report, the hosts included, and any unavailable values so colleagues can review the comparison without guessing how it was assembled.
Researchers reviewing potential partnerships
Use the score as one input when shortlisting websites to investigate. Open each candidate, read its content, check audience relevance, and examine the actual placement being offered. A tidy comparison table can organize research, but the decision still needs evidence about the specific site and the people you want to reach.
Example: reading the point difference
These are illustrative numbers, not live scores for actual websites. A positive difference means DR4 is higher in this comparison; a negative difference means it is lower. Neither row describes growth or decline over a period of time.
A lower score
DR3 40 → DR4 35
−5 points
The same score
DR3 40 → DR4 40
0 points
A higher score
DR3 40 → DR4 43.5
+3.5 points
Ahrefs DR4 checker FAQ
What is Ahrefs DR4?
DR4 is Ahrefs’ fourth Domain Rating model. Its preview introduces a more selective pool of influential sites and broader independent subdomain scoring. Ahrefs describes the changes in its DR4 announcement. Use this checker to retrieve the DR4 value for your chosen host alongside the DR3 value, rather than estimating one from the other.
How do I check my DR4 score for free?
Enter your domain or website URL above and select Compare DR3 & DR4. The tool requests both scores from Ahrefs and displays the results with attribution. You do not need to enter your own API key or create a Lovable App account. Availability depends on the provider, and temporary limits may require you to retry later.
Why is my DR4 lower than my DR3?
Different models can assign different scores to the same backlink profile. Ahrefs says DR4 changes the influential domain pool and subdomain treatment. A smaller number by itself does not prove a recent loss of links or visitors. Compare the same host, inspect your backlinks, and use separate traffic data before drawing conclusions about performance.
Can I check a subdomain instead of the root domain?
Yes. Enter the full host, such as help.ahrefs.com, and the checker preserves it. If you paste a URL, its path is removed before querying. For a root-versus-subdomain review, run separate checks and label both results. Avoid substituting a platform’s main domain for the specific hosted project you are investigating.
How should I interpret the DR3 vs DR4 difference?
The difference is DR4 minus DR3 in score points. For example, DR3 40 and DR4 35 produces −5 points. It compares two models at lookup time, so it is not a historical trend or a percentage of lost authority. If either value is unavailable, no difference is calculated; a returned zero remains a valid score.
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