ClouDNS
Free DNS hosting with a global anycast network, dynamic DNS, and email forwarding. Ranked #1 for raw DNS performance by DNSPerf.
Use Cases
Free Tier
1 DNS zone, 50 records, 500K queries/month, 4 Unicast servers, 1 DDNS hostname, 1 mail forward
How to Maximize the Free Tier
ClouDNS's free tier is generous for single-domain projects — you get 500K queries per month which covers most personal sites and small businesses. Use the Dynamic DNS hostname to keep a home server's IP updated automatically. The mail forward feature lets you route domain email to an existing inbox without running your own mail server. The main constraint is the 1-zone limit on the free plan — if you manage multiple domains, you'll need to upgrade to Premium ($2.95/mo) for additional zones. Watch your query count if your site gets traffic spikes, as queries are capped per month.
Getting Started
Sign up at cloudns.net → Add a new DNS zone → Enter your domain name → Update your domain's nameservers at your registrar to the ClouDNS NS records → Add A, CNAME, MX, and other records via the web dashboard → DNS propagates within minutes.
Pros
- Performance: Ranked #1 for raw DNS performance by DNSPerf — the same infrastructure serves free and paid users
- Extras included: Dynamic DNS hostname and email forwarding are included free — features other providers charge for
- 24/7 support: Live chat support available on the free plan, which is rare for free DNS services
Cons
- 1 zone limit: Free tier only allows 1 DNS zone — managing multiple domains requires the paid plan ($2.95/mo)
- Unicast only: Free plan uses Unicast servers, not the Anycast network — slightly higher latency than paid tiers
- 50 record cap: 50 records per zone can be tight for complex setups with many subdomains and services