Every directory in the 0102.ai index has a DR score next to its name. Founders ask about this number more than anything else — so here's a clear, jargon-free explanation of what it means and how to use it.
What is Domain Rating?
Domain Rating (DR) is a metric created by Ahrefs — one of the leading SEO data companies — that measures the strength of a website's backlink profile on a scale of 0 to 100. The score is logarithmic, which means the difference between DR 70 and DR 80 is much larger than the difference between DR 20 and DR 30.
A backlink from a DR 90 site carries significantly more SEO weight than a link from a DR 30 site. When you list your product on a high-DR directory, you're getting a link that signals to Google: "a credible, high-authority site vouches for this URL."
DR vs DA vs PA — What's the Difference?
You'll see different authority scores across different SEO tools:
- DR (Domain Rating) — Ahrefs. Measures link authority. The industry standard for most practitioners.
- DA (Domain Authority) — Moz. Older metric, still widely referenced but less accurate than DR for most use cases.
- AS (Authority Score) — Semrush. Combines link data with traffic and engagement signals.
All three are correlated but not identical. We use Ahrefs DR at 0102.ai because it's the most commonly referenced metric in the founder community and the most transparent in its methodology.
DR Score Guide for Directories
- DR 80–100 — Tier 1. Backlink carries strong SEO weight. G2 (91), Capterra (89), Reddit (91), Product Hunt (87). Always worth the effort.
- DR 60–79 — Tier 2. Meaningful SEO value, especially combined. Futurepedia (70), Indie Hackers (79), BetaList (72). Submit if the audience fits.
- DR 40–59 — Tier 3. Lower SEO value individually, but useful for niche audience reach. Worth doing if approval is fast and audience is relevant.
- DR below 40 — Minimal SEO value. Only worth the time if the platform has a highly engaged audience that directly matches your ICP.
DR Is Not the Only Metric That Matters
This is the most common misunderstanding. Founders see a DR 90 site and assume it's automatically more valuable than a DR 60 site. That's wrong. What matters is:
- Audience relevance — A DR 65 AI-specific directory that sends 200 highly targeted visitors is worth more than a DR 85 general directory that sends 50 people who bounce.
- Traffic volume — A link from a site with 500k monthly visitors passes more contextual relevance than the same DR score from a site with 10k visitors.
- Link type — Do-follow links pass PageRank. No-follow links do not, but still drive traffic and awareness.
- Approval likelihood — A DR 90 site with a 3-month approval queue may be less valuable short-term than a DR 65 site that approves in 48 hours.
How to Use DR in Your Launch Strategy
The 0102.ai Stack Builder uses DR as one of several inputs to generate your personalised submission order. Here's the mental model we recommend:
- Start with the highest-DR platforms that accept your product type (G2, Capterra, Product Hunt).
- Layer in mid-tier DR platforms that have strong audience fit (AI directories if you built an AI tool; developer platforms if you built a dev tool).
- Use low-DR niche directories and community platforms for targeted audience reach, not SEO value.
- Never submit to directories that require you to add a backlink to your site in exchange for listing — this is a link scheme and Google penalises it.
The goal is a diverse, high-quality link profile — not just the most links. 20 submissions to relevant, high-DR platforms will outperform 200 submissions to low-quality directories every time.