Free DNS Hosting
Which DNS hosting providers a startup can host its domain's DNS with for free today, how many domains and records the free plan covers, whether a card is needed and what the first paid plan costs, read from each provider's own page.
Free allowances read on each provider's own pages, all checked on or after . DNS providers change their free plans from time to time: confirm the terms on the provider's page before you rely on it.
DNS providers a startup can host its DNS with for free today include Cloudflare DNS (Free DNS services), Porkbun Free DNS (Free DNS, powered by Cloudflare), deSEC (Free DNS hosting for everyone), Namecheap FreeDNS (Free DNS for domains registered elsewhere), and ClouDNS (Free DNS hosting, free forever). Each of the 11 free plans below links to the provider's page that states it, with its main limit, its domain and record caps, whether a card is needed and what the first paid plan costs.
Every domain needs DNS: the records that point your website, email and apps to the right servers. Managed DNS providers host those records on fast global networks, many for free, and most registrars include free DNS with a domain you register there.
The headline rarely tells you how far it goes. Free plans cap zones, records or queries, keep DNSSEC or an API for paid plans, or work only with domains registered at the same company. Each provider below shows what is free, its main limit, its domain and record caps, whether a card is needed and what the first paid plan costs, quoted from the provider's own page with the date we read it.
Which providers we picked and the order they appear in are our editorial choices; the terms are the providers'. Some of these providers pay us a referral commission when someone signs up through our link: those links are labeled, and they play no part in which providers are listed or where.
Managed DNS hosting with a free plan
Host any domain's DNS on a fast, managed network, free to start.
- 1
Cloudflare DNS
Free DNS with no cap on DNS queries
Cloudflare offers free DNS services and never caps DNS queries. A zone created after September 2024 holds up to 200 records, and no credit card is needed to start.
- Payment card
- No credit card required (source: cloudflare.com)
Start free at CloudflareTerms read on developers.cloudflare.com on Cloudflare DNS: the free allowance and how to start - 2
deSEC
Free DNS hosting for anyone, with an API
deSEC is free for everyone to use, and its API is rate limited per account. Domains under dedyn.io are limited to one per account.
- Domains and records
- 1 dedyn.io domain per account (source: desec.readthedocs.io)
- 3
ClouDNS
One small site on one zone, free forever
ClouDNS offers forever-free DNS hosting with dynamic DNS, with 1 DNS zone and 50 records on the Free plan. Premium DNS starts at $2.95 a month.
- Domains and records
- 1 zone and 50 records on Free (source: cloudns.net)
- First paid plan
- Premium DNS: from $2.95 a month (source: cloudns.net)
- 4
Hurricane Electric Free DNS
Accounts that run several domains for free
Hurricane Electric's Free DNS hosting portal supports multiple domains per account. The page lists no paid plan.
- What's free
- Free DNS hosting (source: dns.he.net)
Start free at Hurricane ElectricTerms read on dns.he.net on Hurricane Electric Free DNS: the free allowance and how to start - 5
Hetzner DNS Console
Teams already on Hetzner who want free DNS zones
Hetzner Console is completely free. By default you can add up to 25 zones, and the console does not include DNSSEC support yet.
- Domains and records
- Up to 25 zones by default (source: hetzner.com)
Start free at HetznerTerms read on hetzner.com on Hetzner DNS Console: the free allowance and how to start - 6
DigitalOcean DNS
Apps already hosted on DigitalOcean
DigitalOcean says DNS management is free. It does not create DNSSEC (DS) records, and the number of domains you can add depends on your account limits.
- Domains and records
- Set by your account's resource limits (source: docs.digitalocean.com)
Start free at DigitalOceanTerms read on docs.digitalocean.com on DigitalOcean DNS: the free allowance and how to start - 7
Akamai Cloud DNS Manager
Teams already running a Linode server
Akamai's DNS Manager is available at no charge across all regions, but the account must have at least one active Linode. Each domain supports up to 12,000 DNS records.
- Domains and records
- Up to 12,000 DNS records per domain (source: techdocs.akamai.com)
Start free at Akamai (Linode)Terms read on techdocs.akamai.com on Akamai Cloud DNS Manager: the free allowance and how to start
Free DNS from domain registrars
Free DNS hosting that comes with a domain you register or move there.
- 1
Porkbun Free DNS
Domains registered with Porkbun
Porkbun's DNS management, powered by Cloudflare, is free and comes with every Porkbun domain. The page lists no paid DNS plan.
Start free at PorkbunTerms read on porkbun.com on Porkbun Free DNS: the free allowance and how to start - 2
Namecheap FreeDNS
Domains registered at another registrar
Namecheap's FreeDNS is free of charge for a domain registered elsewhere that has no DNS. It supports A, AAAA, CNAME, NS, MX, TXT and SRV records.
Start free at NamecheapTerms read on namecheap.com on Namecheap FreeDNS: the free allowance and how to start - 3
Gandi Free DNS
Domains registered with Gandi
Gandi includes free DNS with every domain name registered there, on its free DNS servers. The free DNS covers only domains registered at Gandi.
- 4
Dynadot Free DNS
Domains registered with Dynadot
Dynadot includes free DNS management with every domain registration. The page names no paid DNS plan.
Start free at DynadotTerms read on dynadot.com on Dynadot Free DNS: the free allowance and how to start
Also useful for cloud and hosting
Referral links, picked for fit and ordered by fit (70%) and what a signup earns us (30%), at no cost to you. They never change this page's ranking.
Compare the top options
How this comparison is built
The list covers DNS hosting providers a founder can use for free today without applying to a program. The order and the "best for" notes are our editorial reading of each provider's terms. Every term comes from the provider's own pricing or help page on the date shown, never from a third-party list; follow each link for the full conditions. A cap on domains or records, DNSSEC or API access kept for paid plans, a free plan only for domains registered with the provider can matter more than the headline, so the comparison quotes them wherever the provider states them. Some of these providers pay StartupPerks a referral commission, and their links are labeled as referral links; that decides neither whether nor where a provider appears, and no provider pays for a placement on this page.
Read the full methodologyCommon questions
What is the best free DNS hosting?
By the terms each provider states, Cloudflare offers free DNS with no cap on DNS queries, deSEC hosts DNS free for everyone, ClouDNS's free plan covers 1 zone and 50 records with 500K queries a month, and Hetzner's DNS Console allows up to 25 zones by default.
Is Cloudflare DNS free?
Yes. Cloudflare's DNS is free with no cap on DNS queries, and zones created from September 2024 hold up to 200 records on the free plan; its Pro plan is $20 a month billed annually.
Can I use free DNS with a domain registered elsewhere?
Yes. Managed DNS providers such as Cloudflare, deSEC and ClouDNS host any domain, and Namecheap FreeDNS hosts domains registered elsewhere; Porkbun's, Gandi's and Dynadot's free DNS work only with domains registered there.
Is DigitalOcean DNS free?
Yes. DigitalOcean's DNS management is free within your account's resource limits, but it does not support DNSSEC (DS) records.
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