PageRank Calculator
- Estimated PR score—
- Link equity per link—
- Total link equity received—
- Interpretation—
Build your PageRank on autopilot
MentionAgent finds relevant blogs, drafts personalized pitches, and earns editorial mentions, all on autopilot.
Start Getting Mentioned For $99/moWhat is PageRank?
PageRank is Google's original algorithm for ranking web pages, developed by Larry Page and Sergey Brin at Stanford University in 1996 (the original paper is still worth reading). (Fun fact: Stanford's .edu domain has one of the highest PageRanks on the web, which is one reason .edu backlinks are so valuable.) The core idea is simple: a page is important if other important pages link to it. Each link acts as a vote of confidence, and the value of that vote depends on the authority of the linking page and how many other pages it links to.
The algorithm assigns every page on the web a score from 0 to 10, with 10 being the highest possible authority. Most pages score between 0 and 3, while only the most authoritative sites on the internet (think Google, Wikipedia, major government sites) reach PageRank 9 or 10.
The PageRank formula
The simplified PageRank formula used by this calculator is:
PR(A) = (1 − d) + d × ∑ (PR(Ti) / C(Ti))
Where:
- PR(A) is the PageRank of page A
- d is the damping factor (0.85), representing the probability a user keeps clicking links
- PR(Ti) is the PageRank of each page linking to A
- C(Ti) is the number of outbound links on that linking page
In our simplified calculator, we approximate the summation by multiplying the number of inbound links by the average PageRank of linking pages divided by the average number of outbound links. This gives a useful estimate without needing to crawl the entire web graph.
A page has PageRank 6 and 3 outbound links. Another page has PageRank 6 and 100 outbound links. Which link passes more value to your page?
Right. PageRank is divided among all outbound links on a page. With 3 outbound links, each one passes 2.0 units of equity. With 100, each passes just 0.06. Fewer outbound links = more value per link.
PageRank is split among all outbound links. A PR 6 page with 3 outbound links passes 2.0 units per link. The same page with 100 outbound links passes only 0.06 per link. This is why links from pages with fewer outbound links are more valuable.
How PageRank works in modern SEO
While Google stopped publicly sharing PageRank scores in 2016, the algorithm is still used internally as a core ranking signal. Google has confirmed that a version of PageRank remains part of their ranking system, though it has been heavily refined over the years.
Modern PageRank is more sophisticated than the original formula. Google now considers factors like link relevance, anchor text, the topical authority of linking sites, and whether a link is editorial or manufactured. The concept of link equity, the ranking power passed through links, is directly derived from PageRank principles.
Third-party metrics like Domain Authority (Moz) and Domain Rating (Ahrefs) are essentially reverse-engineered approximations of how PageRank works. They use similar link graph analysis to estimate a site's authority.
Why PageRank still matters
Despite being over 25 years old, PageRank remains relevant for several reasons:
- Google still uses it: Internal PageRank calculations continue to influence rankings. Pages with more high-quality backlinks consistently rank higher and drive more organic traffic.
- It explains link value: PageRank helps you understand why a link from a high-authority page with few outbound links is worth more than a link from a low-authority page with hundreds of outbound links.
- It guides link building strategy: By understanding how PageRank flows, you can prioritize which links to pursue and which pages to strengthen on your own site.
- Internal linking matters: PageRank flows through internal links too. A well-structured site distributes PageRank effectively to the pages that need it most.
Google stopped showing public PageRank scores in 2016. What does this mean for SEO?
Correct. Google confirmed that PageRank is still part of their ranking system. They just stopped making the scores public. Links from high-authority pages still pass more value, exactly as PageRank predicts.
Google still uses PageRank internally as a ranking signal. They confirmed this. Domain Authority is a third-party metric from Moz, not a Google metric. The public toolbar score was removed, but the algorithm lives on.
How to improve your PageRank
Improving your PageRank comes down to earning more high-quality backlinks and managing how link equity flows through your site:
- Earn editorial backlinks: Focus on white-hat link building strategies that earn genuine editorial links from authoritative sites in your niche.
- Target high-authority pages: A single link from a page with PR 6 and few outbound links passes more value than dozens of links from PR 1 pages. Learn how to build high-quality backlinks that actually move the needle.
- Optimize internal linking: Distribute link equity to your most important pages by linking to them from your highest-authority pages.
- Reduce outbound link dilution: Be thoughtful about how many external links you place on each page, as each one dilutes the PageRank that page passes to other pages.
- Create linkable assets: Publish content that naturally attracts links, original research, free tools, in-depth guides, and data-driven studies.
Frequently asked questions
Is PageRank still used by Google?
Yes. While Google stopped publicly sharing PageRank scores in 2016, the algorithm is still used internally as one of many ranking signals. Google has confirmed that a version of PageRank remains part of their core ranking system.
What is the PageRank damping factor?
The damping factor (typically set at 0.85) represents the probability that a random web surfer will continue clicking links rather than jumping to a random page. It prevents pages with many inbound links from accumulating infinite PageRank and ensures every page has a minimum baseline score of 0.15.
How can I improve my PageRank?
To improve your PageRank, focus on earning backlinks from high-authority pages that have few outbound links. Quality matters more than quantity: one link from a high-PageRank page with few outbound links passes more value than dozens of links from low-authority pages with many outbound links.
What is the difference between PageRank and Domain Authority?
PageRank is Google's original link analysis algorithm that scores individual pages from 0 to 10. Domain Authority (DA) is a metric created by Moz that predicts how well a domain will rank in search results, scored from 0 to 100. While related, DA is a third-party estimate, whereas PageRank is Google's internal metric.