MozRank is a link popularity score developed by Moz that measures the strength of a webpage’s backlink profile on a logarithmic scale from 0 to 10. It is calculated by analyzing both the quantity and quality of external links pointing to a page, giving greater weight to links from high-authority sources. Understanding what MozRank is and how it is calculated is essential for any SEO practitioner seeking to benchmark link authority and prioritize link-building efforts. A score of 3 is considered average for most web pages, while scores above 7 are reserved for exceptionally authoritative domains.
Key Takeaways
- › MozRank scores range from 0 to 10 on a logarithmic scale — small numerical gains represent large real-world authority jumps.
- › It is modeled on Google’s original PageRank algorithm, but calculated independently by Moz using its own web index.
- › Link quality outweighs link quantity — one link from a MozRank 8 page is worth more than hundreds of links from MozRank 2 pages.
- › MozRank differs from Domain Authority (DA) — MozRank is page-level, while DA measures an entire domain’s strength.
- › Moz deprecated the public MozRank metric in 2019, replacing it with Page Authority (PA) as the primary page-level score.
What Is MozRank? A Complete Definition
MozRank is a proprietary link-based authority metric created by Moz (formerly SEOmoz) that quantifies how authoritative a specific webpage is based on the quality and quantity of links pointing to it. Think of it as Moz’s independent interpretation of Google’s original PageRank concept — a numerical representation of how much “link equity” flows into a given URL from across the web.
The metric was introduced to give SEO professionals a transparent, accessible link authority score at a time when Google had stopped publicly updating its own Toolbar PageRank. MozRank filled that void and became one of the most referenced third-party SEO metrics for nearly a decade.
Because the scale is logarithmic, moving from a MozRank of 5 to 6 requires significantly more link equity than moving from 2 to 3. This mirrors how real-world link authority works — the top of the scale is exponentially harder to reach. For deeper context on how link authority metrics work in practice, see our guide on building high-quality backlinks for SEO.
How Is MozRank Calculated? Step-by-Step
MozRank is calculated through a link-graph analysis process that evaluates both the number of inbound links and the authority of the pages those links come from. The core principle is recursive: a page’s MozRank depends on the MozRank of the pages linking to it, which in turn depends on the pages linking to them, and so on across the entire web graph Moz has indexed.
- Web Crawling & Index Building: Moz’s web crawler (Rogerbot) continuously crawls the internet, discovering pages and recording all hyperlinks between them. This builds a massive link graph — a map of which pages link to which.
- Link Equity Distribution: Each page starts with a base level of link equity. When a page links out to other pages, it “votes” a share of its own equity to each linked page. Pages with fewer outbound links pass more equity per link.
- Iterative Propagation: Moz runs iterative calculations across the link graph, similar to how Google’s PageRank algorithm works. Each iteration refines the score of every page based on updated scores of its linking pages until values converge.
- Logarithmic Normalization: Raw link equity scores are normalized onto a 0–10 logarithmic scale. This compression means that the top 1% of pages occupy scores 8–10, while the vast majority of pages on the web score between 1 and 4.
- Score Assignment: The final normalized score is assigned as the page’s MozRank. This score updates whenever Moz re-crawls and recalculates its index — historically done on a monthly basis.
Key formula insight: MozRank(A) is proportional to the sum of MozRank(i) / OutboundLinks(i) for every page i that links to page A — the same recursive logic underlying the original PageRank algorithm.
“A single link from a page with MozRank 8 can deliver more ranking power than 1,000 links from pages with MozRank 2 — the logarithmic scale makes quality the dominant factor by an enormous margin.”
— Core principle of MozRank calculation
MozRank vs. Domain Authority vs. Page Authority
MozRank is frequently confused with Moz’s other authority metrics. Understanding the differences is critical for applying each metric correctly in an SEO workflow. The table below clarifies the key distinctions:
MozRank Score Benchmarks and What They Mean in Practice
Interpreting a MozRank score requires understanding the logarithmic distribution of pages across the web. According to historical Moz data, fewer than 0.1% of all indexed pages ever achieved a MozRank above 7. Here is a practical breakdown of what each score range signifies:
0 – 1
New or rarely linked pages. Little to no external link equity.
2 – 3
Average pages. Typical blog posts and small business pages with some links.
4 – 5
Above average. Established pages with consistent quality inbound links.
6 – 7
High authority. Major publications, popular resources, industry leaders.
8 – 10
Elite tier. Wikipedia, major government sites, global news homepages.
Even though Moz deprecated MozRank as a standalone public metric, understanding its calculation logic remains highly relevant because Page Authority (PA) — its successor — uses a similar link-graph foundation. Improving your PA today requires the same fundamental strategy: earning high-quality links from authoritative pages. Explore our resource on understanding Page Authority and Domain Authority to see how these modern metrics apply to your SEO strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions About MozRank
Is MozRank still used in 2024?
MozRank as a standalone public metric was deprecated by Moz in 2019. It is no longer displayed in Moz’s tools or API. Its functional successor is Page Authority (PA), which operates on a 1–100 scale and incorporates a broader set of signals. However, the conceptual framework of MozRank — link quality × quantity on a logarithmic scale — remains foundational to how all modern link authority metrics work.
What is the difference between MozRank and Google PageRank?
Both MozRank and Google’s PageRank use recursive link-graph analysis to assign authority scores, and both are logarithmic. The key differences are: (1) PageRank is calculated by Google using its full web index and directly influences Google search rankings, while MozRank was calculated by Moz using its own independent crawl. (2) PageRank’s public Toolbar score was discontinued in 2016, while MozRank remained public until 2019. (3) PageRank is one of hundreds of Google ranking signals; MozRank was purely a link metric with no direct impact on rankings.
How can I improve my page’s MozRank (or Page Authority)?
Since MozRank is driven by the quality and quantity of inbound links, the most effective strategies are: (1) earning editorial links from high-authority websites in your niche, (2) creating linkable assets such as original research, data studies, or comprehensive guides, (3) removing or disavowing toxic low-quality links that dilute your profile, and (4) building internal links from your own high-authority pages to boost equity flow to lower-authority pages on your site.
Why does MozRank use a logarithmic scale?
A logarithmic scale is used because the distribution of link equity across the web is highly skewed — a tiny fraction of pages attract the vast majority of all links. A linear scale would compress nearly all pages into the bottom range and make the metric useless for differentiation. The logarithmic scale spreads pages more meaningfully across the 0–10 range, making each point increment represent a proportionally larger real-world gain in link equity. This is the same reason Google’s PageRank and Moz’s Domain Authority also use logarithmic scaling.
What was a “good” MozRank score?
A MozRank of 3 was considered average for most web pages. A score of 4–5 indicated a well-linked, above-average page. Scores of 6–7 were achieved by major publications and industry authorities. Scores of 8 and above were extremely rare and belonged to pages like Wikipedia articles, major news outlets, and government homepages. For context, achieving a score above 6 typically required thousands of quality inbound links from diverse, authoritative sources.
The Bottom Line on MozRank and How It Is Calculated
Understanding what MozRank is and how it is calculated gives you a foundational grasp of how link authority flows across the web — knowledge that remains directly applicable to modern SEO even after the metric’s deprecation. MozRank was calculated by recursively propagating link equity through a web graph, normalizing the result onto a 0–10 logarithmic scale, and weighting link quality heavily over raw quantity. While Moz replaced it with Page Authority in 2019, the same core logic drives every major link authority metric used today. Focus on earning high-quality editorial links from authoritative pages, and you will improve not just PA, but your overall organic search performance across the board.
