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You can check backlink authority metrics for 1,000 domains with Python, but there is no universal “domain authority” score and no verified pay-per-use alternative in the available evidence. Ahrefs provides a documented Python API for its Domain Rating (DR); its Batch Analysis supports up to 100 targets per request, so 1,000 targets require at least ten batches at that maximum. Access is plan-based, not simply a per-check purchase, and actual API-unit costs depend on the request route.

What “domain authority” means

“Domain authority” is often used as a generic label for a domain-level backlink-strength score. Providers calculate their own metrics: Moz Domain Authority, Ahrefs Domain Rating, and Serpstat Domain Rank are distinct measures, not interchangeable versions of one standard score. This workflow uses Ahrefs DR specifically.

Ahrefs describes DR as a relative, logarithmic score from 0 to 100 based on the quantity and quality of external backlinks, including referring domains and the strength of linking sites. As Ahrefs puts it, “Domain Rating is a relative metric by definition.” A score is not an absolute grade, and Ahrefs says DR is not a Google ranking factor. A reported correlation does not establish that DR causes search rankings. Ahrefs’ Domain Rating explainer

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Use the score as one comparative backlink indicator, not as a verdict on whether a site is good or worth contacting. Link quality, topical relevance, organic traffic, content quality, and the likely durability of a prospect all matter.

Choose a route for 1,000 domains

Ahrefs Site Explorer API: documented Python access

Ahrefs documents the Domain Rating endpoint as GET /v3/site-explorer/domain-rating. It requires a date and a target, uses bearer-key authentication, and includes a Python example using the requests library. The official SDK also provides a typed Python call for the same endpoint. See the Domain Rating endpoint reference and the official Ahrefs Python SDK.

Ahrefs Batch Analysis: fewer requests, not necessarily lower unit costs

Ahrefs documents a maximum of 100 targets per Batch Analysis request. At that maximum, a 1,000-domain list needs at least ten requests. The API introduction lists a default rate limit of 60 requests per minute; confirm the endpoint’s applicable constraints and handle HTTP 429 responses rather than assuming every request will succeed immediately. Ahrefs Batch Analysis documentation

Batching reduces the number of requests compared with sending each domain separately. It does not establish that the total unit charge falls in proportion to the lower request count: endpoint-specific batch costs may differ. Check the cost calculation for the exact request type before running a large list.

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Public or free DR endpoints

Ahrefs also catalogs public or free Domain Rating endpoints. Their existence alone does not establish that they support the same volume, access pattern, or service guarantees as paid Site Explorer API calls. Consult the endpoint-specific documentation before relying on one for a bulk job. Ahrefs API documentation

Hosted pay-per-use alternatives

A surfaced example describes a Python checker for 1,000 sites using an Apify actor and Serpstat Domain Rank. That is a different provider metric from Ahrefs DR and Moz DA. The actor’s current availability, price per run, implementation, and service terms are not established here, so it cannot be recommended as a verified pay-per-use option. The DEV Community search result

Estimate Ahrefs API access and units before running the job

Ahrefs currently lists API access in monthly plans; Free and Starter plans do not include it. The listed plan amounts and unit allowances are vendor pricing that can change:

Plan Listed monthly price API units
Lite $129/month 200,000
Standard $249/month 800,000
Advanced $449/month 2 million
Enterprise $1,499/month 4 million plus custom units

These are listed plan prices, not a quoted per-run fee. Confirm current eligibility, included units, and any applicable overage terms on Ahrefs’ pricing page.

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The API documentation gives a 50-unit minimum request cost. For the DR endpoint, it documents two units per row subject to a 50-unit base request cost. Therefore, 1,000 separate one-row DR requests imply at least 50,000 units before any other costs: that is arithmetic from the documented minimum, not a vendor estimate for a batched job. Batch Analysis may use a different endpoint-specific calculation. Ahrefs API unit and usage documentation

Before submitting the list, compare the exact metric, endpoint, batch cap, request limits, unit calculation, plan eligibility, and overage rules. Do not treat “1,000 domains” as synonymous with “1,000 API calls,” or assume that batching reduces unit costs by the same factor as request count.

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Prepare and run a Python check

For the documented single-target DR endpoint, Ahrefs’ reference requires a target and date and shows bearer-key authentication. Keep the API key out of source control and avoid printing it in logs. A minimal pattern based on the documented endpoint is:

import os
import requests

url = "https://api.ahrefs.com/v3/site-explorer/domain-rating"
headers = {"Authorization": f"Bearer {os.environ['AHREFS_API_KEY']}"}
params = {"target": "example.com", "date": "2025-01-01"}

response = requests.get(url, headers=headers, params=params, timeout=30)
response.raise_for_status()
print(response.json())

Use a date accepted by the endpoint for the data snapshot you need; the example date above is illustrative, not a claim of current availability. The endpoint reference is authoritative for accepted parameters, response fields, and current request syntax. The single-target example does not turn 1,000 domains into one call: use the documented Batch Analysis route for multi-target requests, respecting its 100-target maximum.

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  1. Normalize the input list. Put one target per row, remove blank lines and duplicates, and retain a mapping to the original row so results can be joined back to your source list.
  2. Split targets into batches of no more than 100. This yields at least ten requests for 1,000 targets when using the documented maximum; smaller batches may be appropriate for your workflow.
  3. Send requests with authentication and a timeout. Follow the chosen endpoint’s exact schema rather than assuming the single-target parameters also describe Batch Analysis.
  4. Check status and response data. Record failed batches and target-level errors separately; do not silently treat missing results as a DR score of zero.
  5. Handle throttling and retry deliberately. Respect the documented default limit, back off after HTTP 429 responses, and retry only failures that are safe to repeat.
  6. Save results with provenance. Keep the domain, returned score, provider, endpoint, and data date together so a later export does not lose what the number represents.

Interpret results without overstating them

DR can help compare backlink profiles, but a higher score does not establish that a site will rank better, attract relevant visitors, or be a better partner. Compare like with like using the same provider and a consistent data date; do not rank Moz DA, Ahrefs DR, and Serpstat Domain Rank in one undifferentiated column. For decisions such as link outreach or acquisition, review the underlying links and assess relevance, traffic, content, and durability alongside the score.

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