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PageRank is a link analysis algorithm developed by Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin at Stanford University in 1996. Named after Larry Page, this revolutionary algorithm fundamentally changed how search engines rank web pages by treating links as votes of confidence. The core idea is simple: if many high-quality websites link to your page, your page must also be valuable and authoritative.
Originally, PageRank was displayed publicly on a scale of 0 to 10 through the Google Toolbar. While Google stopped updating the public PageRank score in 2016, the underlying concept of link-based authority remains a cornerstone of modern search engine optimization. Today, various third-party metrics like Domain Authority, Domain Rating, and Open PageRank provide similar insights into website authority.
The PageRank algorithm works by counting the number and quality of links to a page to determine a rough estimate of how important the website is. The underlying assumption is that more important websites are likely to receive more links from other websites.
Key principles of the algorithm:
The simplified PageRank formula is:
PR(A) = (1-d) + d × (PR(B)/L(B) + PR(C)/L(C) + ...)
Where:
In practice, modern search engines use far more complex variations with hundreds of additional signals.
The traditional PageRank scale ranges from 0 to 10, with each level representing approximately a 6-8x increase in authority. Here's what each score typically indicates:
| Score | Classification | Typical Websites |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1 | New / Low Authority | New websites, personal blogs with few backlinks, pages with thin content |
| 2-3 | Developing | Small business sites, niche blogs, local websites building their presence |
| 4-5 | Established | Popular blogs, mid-size company websites, well-established niche sites |
| 6-7 | High Authority | Major news outlets, large corporations, popular online publications |
| 8-9 | Very High Authority | Top news sites (CNN, BBC), major tech companies, government portals |
| 10 | Maximum Authority | Extremely rare - historically only Google.com, Facebook.com, and a few others |
While Google stopped publicly displaying PageRank scores in 2016, the underlying principles remain crucial to modern SEO. Here's the current state:
Google confirmed in 2017 that PageRank is still one of their ranking signals, though it's now one of hundreds of factors in their algorithm.
Backlinks remain one of the top 3 ranking factors. Quality links from authoritative sites continue to significantly impact rankings.
Third-party metrics like Domain Authority (Moz), Domain Rating (Ahrefs), and Open PageRank provide modern equivalents.
The foundation of any link building strategy is creating content that people naturally want to link to:
Focus on earning links through legitimate methods:
Distribute PageRank effectively throughout your site:
Regularly review and maintain your backlink profile:
Since Google stopped publishing PageRank, several third-party metrics have emerged to fill the gap:
| Metric | Provider | Scale | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open PageRank | Open PageRank Initiative | 0-10 | Uses the original PageRank formula with data from Common Crawl |
| Domain Authority (DA) | Moz | 1-100 | Predicts how well a domain will rank, based on link profile |
| Domain Rating (DR) | Ahrefs | 0-100 | Shows the strength of a website's backlink profile |
| Trust Flow | Majestic | 0-100 | Measures the trustworthiness of a site based on link quality |
| Authority Score | Semrush | 0-100 | Compound metric based on backlinks, traffic, and spam signals |
Note: These metrics are created by third-party companies and are not used by Google. They're useful for competitive analysis and tracking progress, but should not be the sole focus of your SEO strategy.
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