Best DNS Providers: Ten Options Compared
DNS points your domain at your server, so an outage there takes the whole site offline. I compared ten options from vendor pages read in Nov 2026. I did not measure DNS speed or uptime, so I compare prices and limits only.
- Vendor pages read, Nov 2026
- Only listed prices quoted
- No speed tests run
// disclosure I do not sell DNS and no provider can pay for a place or a score. Read the full disclosure.
| provider | listed price |
|---|---|
| Cloudflare | DNS on every plan incl. Free |
| ClouDNS | Free (1 zone); from $2.95/mo |
| Route 53 | $0.50/zone/mo; $0.40 per million queries |
| DNSimple | Free plan; $0.50/zone/mo |
// quick answer Most sites do fine on a free DNS service. Pay for more zones, query volume or failover checks. Whatever you choose, lower the TTL before a change and keep a copy of your records. See my domain registrars and CDN comparison.
How I chose
I read vendor pricing pages and scored price clarity, free tier, limits and fit. Scores are editorial out of 10. I ran no speed, latency or uptime tests, which matter most for DNS. Unread providers score about 6.0.
Comparison table
| Provider | Entry price | Free option | Limits stated | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cloudflare | $0 | Yes | None on page | 8.4 |
| ClouDNS | $2.95/mo | 1 zone, 50 records | Zones, records, queries | 7.8 |
| Amazon Route 53 | $0.50/zone/mo | None listed | Per zone and query | 7.6 |
| DNSimple | Free Solo plan | Yes | $0.50/zone/mo | 7.2 |
| Registrar DNS | Usually included | Not verified | Not verified | 6.4 |
| NS1 | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | 6.0 |
| Google Cloud DNS | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | 6.0 |
| Azure DNS | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | 6.0 |
| Hurricane Electric DNS | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | 6.0 |
| Host-provided DNS | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | 6.0 |
The ten reviews
Cloudflarefree plan
DNS and CDN
- FREE
- $0/mo
- PRO
- $20/mo annual or $25 monthly
- BUSINESS
- $200/mo annual or $250 monthly
- CONTRACT
- Custom, billed annually
The plans page lists DNS as a feature on every plan including Free, and states no DNS limits or DNSSEC details, so check those separately.
- Free DNS
- Limits not stated on page
ClouDNSfree plan
DNS specialist
- FREE
- 1 zone, 50 records, 500K queries/mo
- PREMIUM S
- $2.95/mo: 5 zones, 200 records, 5M queries, 1 failover check
- PREMIUM M
- $4.95/mo: 50 zones, 2,000 records, 150M queries
- PREMIUM L
- $14.95/mo: 400 zones, 20,000 records, 500M queries
- ENTERPRISE
- Quote
Yearly prices are listed for the Premium plans, for example Premium S at $35.40 a year.
- Clear limits
- Cheap tiers
- Free tier is small
Amazon Route 53
Cloud DNS
Hosted zones cost $0.50 a month for the first 25 zones, then $0.10 for each extra; charges are not prorated. Standard queries are $0.40 per million for the first billion a month, then $0.20. The page lists no free tier but notes up to 50 health checks for AWS endpoints and alias queries to supported AWS services are free.
- Pay-as-you-go
- No free tier listed
DNSimplefree plan
DNS and domains
- SOLO
- Free, 1 user
- SOLO PRO
- $19/mo
- TEAMS
- $29/mo, includes 1 seat
- HOSTED ZONES
- $0.50 per zone per month on every listed plan
The page offers a 30-day free trial and does not state yearly prices or the number of zones included.
- Free plan
- Trial
- Plan inclusions unclear
Registrar DNSNot verified
Included with the domain
Most registrars provide basic DNS, but I did not verify any provider’s terms. See my registrar comparison.
- No extra service
- Features vary
NS1Not verified
Managed DNS
Not read; no price or limits given.
- Traffic steering reported
- Unverified
Google Cloud DNSNot verified
Cloud DNS
Not read; no price or limits given.
- Cloud integration reported
- Unverified
Azure DNSNot verified
Cloud DNS
Not read; no price or limits given.
- Cloud integration reported
- Unverified
Hurricane Electric DNSNot verified
Free hosted DNS
Not read; no price or limits given.
- Free reported
- Unverified
Host-provided DNSNot verified
Included with hosting
Many hosts include DNS, but I verified none. Your host’s DNS ties you to that host.
- Convenient
- Lock-in risk
A safe DNS change in five steps
- Export or copy every existing record.
- Lower the TTL a day before the change.
- Recreate records at the new provider, including mail records.
- Switch the nameservers at your registrar.
- Verify the site and email, then raise the TTL.
Six mistakes to avoid
Forgetting mail records
Email stops.
High TTL before a switch
Slow changeover.
No record backup
Hard to restore.
Single point of failure
One provider down means site down.
Ignoring query pricing
Costs scale with traffic.
Choosing on price only
Reliability matters.
What this guide does not tell you
I measured no DNS speed, latency or uptime, so this is a price and limits comparison, not a performance ranking. NS1, Google Cloud DNS, Azure DNS, Hurricane Electric and host DNS were not read. Cloudflare’s page stated no DNS limits.
FAQ
Does DNS affect SEO?
Only indirectly: an outage can make the site unreachable.
Is free DNS good enough?
For many sites, yes; paid plans add zones and checks.
How is Route 53 priced?
$0.50 per zone a month plus $0.40 per million queries, per its page.
Does ClouDNS have a free plan?
Yes: 1 zone, 50 records and 500K queries a month.
Do I need to change nameservers?
Yes, at your registrar, when moving DNS providers.
Are prices current?
They were read in Nov 2026 and may change.
How this guide is funded
No provider can pay for a place or a score. Scores are editorial opinions from public vendor pages. The site sells SEO services, so I have a commercial interest in SEO topics. Vendors are named, not linked.
