Newsletter Sign Up
Backlinko readers get
access for 14 days. 55+ tools.
Tools / Free Website Authority Checker
Free Website Authority Checker
Check any domain's overall quality and SEO performance. See its Authority Score, backlinks, keywords, and top competitors, powered by Semrush.
3 / 3
Try it on:
How to Use the Website Authority Checker
- 1Enter any domain in the field above
- 2Click "Analyze" to get a free authority report
- 3Compare your score with your competitors
Check Any Site's Authority Score at a Glance
To raise your authority, start with your score. Enter a domain to get it right away, with no setup and no signup.
- Get the site's Authority Score, Semrush's 1-100 metric
- See how many keywords the site ranks for
- Count its referring domains and total backlinks
- Benchmark the score against any competitor
To see the site's traffic and AI visibility, try Domain Overview.
See What's Behind the Score
Authority Score is based on links, traffic, and spam signals. See the links and trends behind the number.
- See the site's top backlinks and their anchor text
- Check which links are follow and which are nofollow
- Track referring domain growth over the past year
- See whether the site is gaining or losing backlinks
For the full backlink profile, try Backlink Analytics.
Compare Your Authority Score with Competitors
Authority Score means the most next to the sites you compete with. See who they are and your numbers compare.
- See the site's main organic competitors
- Check how many keywords you share with each one
- Run a competitor to compare their numbers with yours
- Find the gap between you and the sites ahead of you
To find keywords they rank for and you don't, try Keyword Gap.
See Which Pages and Keywords Drive Traffic
Authority isn't only about links. See where a site's organic traffic actually comes from.
- See the site's top pages by organic traffic
- Check how many keywords each top page ranks for
- See its top keywords, with rank and search volume
- Gauge each keyword's difficulty and CPC
For every keyword a site ranks for, try Organic Research.
Check Any Website's Authority Score
See any site's Authority Score, backlinks, keywords, and top competitors in one free report.
Powered by:
What Does the Authority Checker Show?
Seven free data points, plus traffic and AI data in Semrush
- Free
Authority Score
Semrush's 1-100 score for the overall quality of a site, based on link power, organic traffic, and spam signals.
- Free
Organic keywords
The number of keywords the domain ranks for in Google's top 100, added up across every country.
- Free
Referring domains
The number of unique websites that link to the domain. Often more telling than total backlinks.
- Free
Backlinks and growth
The total number of links to the domain, plus 12 months of backlink and referring domain history.
- Free
Top backlinks
The four strongest links the report finds, each with its anchor text and follow or nofollow status.
- Free
Organic competitors
The site's two closest organic competitors, with their shared keywords and competition level.
- Free
Top pages and keywords
The site's top two pages and top three keywords in the US, ranked by the organic traffic they bring in.
- In Semrush
Traffic and AI visibility
Monthly visits, organic and paid traffic estimates, and AI Visibility, in Semrush.
Who Should Use the Website Authority Checker?
Backlinko's free website authority checker gives anyone a fast read on how strong a site is, whether it's yours or a competitor's.
- Link builders: vet link prospects before you pitch
- SEO agencies: benchmark clients against competitors
- Site owners and bloggers: see how your site stacks up
- PR and content teams: vet sites before you partner
Vetting a long list of sites? Check each one’s links and anchor text in Backlink Analytics.
Definition
What Is Website Authority?
While website authority does matter and can correlate with higher SERP placement, it's not the only factor.
Website authority measures how likely a site is to rank in search. Higher-scoring sites are more likely to end up in the top SERPs and pass authority on to sites they link to.
Each SEO tool measures it with its own score:
- Semrush's Authority Score
- Moz's Domain Authority
- Ahrefs' Domain Rating
How to Use Your Website Authority Report
Your score is a starting point. Here's how to turn your report into a plan.
Compare, don't grade
Authority Score has no pass mark, so compare it with the sites ranking for your target keywords. A sneaker blog should measure itself against other sneaker blogs, not news sites. The gap between you and them matters more than the number.
Treat the score as a guide
Google doesn't use Authority Score or any other third-party authority metric. These scores estimate ranking strength, so use them to spot gaps and trends, not as a goal. For what Google actually rewards, follow its guidance in Google Search Central.
Watch the trend lines
The 12-month referring domains and backlinks charts show whether a site's link profile is growing or shrinking. A steady climb is a good sign. A sudden spike can mean spammy or paid links, so check the new ones in Backlink Analytics.
Earn links from more sites
Links from more relevant, trusted sites are the most direct way to raise your score. Linkable assets like original data, digital PR, and outreach all work. Find more ideas in our 170+ link building strategies.
Grow your organic traffic
Authority Score also weighs organic traffic. Pages that rank and earn clicks help your score, so publish helpful content that matches what your audience searches for, and keep your best pages up to date.
Keep your link profile clean
Spam signals pull your score down, like many linking sites on the same IP network or far more links than traffic. Skip paid link schemes, which go against Google's guidelines, and audit your backlinks now and then to catch spammy links early.
Check your AI visibility too
Authority Score doesn't show how often AI tools mention your brand. Run your domain through AI Visibility Toolkit, then compare it with your SEO numbers to see if your authority carries over to AI answers.
Recheck every few weeks
Semrush updates Authority Scores every two weeks, so daily checks won't show much change. Rerun your domain monthly, or after a link building campaign, and compare your referring domains and score.
Go Beyond Your Authority Score with Semrush
This free tool gives you a fast snapshot. For a deeper look at any domain, Semrush gives you the full picture.
- Get traffic, keyword, and backlink data in Domain Overview
- See how AI tools talk about a brand with AI Visibility Toolkit
- Find sites linking to competitors, not you, with Backlink Gap
- Track new and lost backlinks with Backlink Analytics
Frequently Asked Questions
How the authority checker works, what your score means, and how to raise it.
Ready to Check Your Website Authority?
Get any site’s Authority Score in seconds. Free, no signup, three checks a day.
Powered by:
Try Backlinko’s Other Free SEO Tools
Find keywords, check rankings, audit pages, analyze backlinks, and see how AI search surfaces your brand.
SEO Checker
Audit 38 on-page SEO signals and get prioritized fixes.
AI Brand Visibility Checker
Check whether ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity recommend you.
Keyword Research Tool
Get keyword ideas with volume, difficulty, CPC, intent, and trends.
Backlink Checker
Check referring domains, anchor text, and link quality for any site.
AI Agent Readiness Checker
Check whether AI systems can access, understand, and cite your site.
Website Traffic Checker
Estimate any site’s traffic and benchmark it against competitors.
Competitor Analysis Tool
See competitors’ top keywords, backlinks, and traffic sources.
Agentic Browsing Readiness Checker
See if AI agents can reach, read, and interact with any page.
Be found wherever your customers search
Grow your visibility in Google and AI answers with clear opportunities to improve your content and site.
Start My 14-Day Free TrialOne Solution to Win Every Search