Free DNS for Any Registrar

Use free DNS hosting with a domain registered at GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains, Cloudflare, or any other registrar. Step-by-step nameserver instructions included.

Last updated July 11, 2026

You don't have to transfer your domain to use ice.domains free DNS. DNS hosting and domain registration are separate services: your domain can stay registered at GoDaddy, Namecheap, Squarespace, or anywhere else, while our anycast network answers its DNS queries - free, with unlimited records. The only change is two nameserver entries at your current registrar.

How it works

Every registrar lets you set custom nameservers for your domain. Point them at ns1.ice.domains and ns2.ice.domains, and from that moment DNS questions about your domain are answered by our network, managed from your free ice.domains dashboard. Registration, renewals, and ownership stay exactly where they are - see what a nameserver change does and doesn't do.

Step-by-step for popular registrars

GoDaddy

  1. Add your domain in the ice.domains dashboard and recreate/import your DNS records.
  2. In GoDaddy: My Products → your domain → Manage DNS → Nameservers → Change.
  3. Select "I'll use my own nameservers" and enter ns1.ice.domains and ns2.ice.domains. Save.

Namecheap

  1. Prepare the zone at ice.domains first (records in place).
  2. In Namecheap: Domain List → Manage → Nameservers, switch "Namecheap BasicDNS" to Custom DNS.
  3. Enter both ice.domains nameservers and confirm with the green checkmark.

Squarespace (former Google Domains)

  1. Open Domains → your domain → DNS → Domain Nameservers.
  2. Choose "Use custom nameservers" and enter the ice.domains pair.

Any other registrar

The screens differ, the concept never does: find Nameservers → Custom, replace the current entries with ns1.ice.domains and ns2.ice.domains. If the panel demands more than two entries, the two are enough - leave the rest empty.

Zero-downtime checklist

  • Recreate all records first. Website (A/CNAME), email (MX + SPF/DKIM TXT), and any verification records must exist in the ice.domains zone before you switch.
  • Expect a propagation window. Registries cache NS records up to 48 hours; both providers answer identically during that time, so users see nothing. Details in our propagation guide.
  • Verify afterwards: dig NS yourdomain.com +short should list the ice.domains nameservers.

Why bother switching DNS if the registrar's DNS is "fine"?

  • Performance: most registrars run small unicast DNS farms; ice.domains answers from a global anycast network with 50+ PoPs.
  • Features: unlimited records, ALIAS at the apex, one-click DNSSEC, REST API, free dynamic DNS, and query analytics - registrar DNS panels rarely offer half of that.
  • Independence: your DNS stops being welded to wherever the domain happens to be registered - move registrars anytime without touching a single record.
  • Price: $0, no tiers. Everything is listed on the free DNS hosting page.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. DNS hosting is independent from domain registration. Keep your domain at its current registrar and just change its nameservers to ns1.ice.domains and ns2.ice.domains.

No. Nameserver changes only control where DNS queries are answered. Your registrar, renewal dates, and ownership stay exactly the same.

Registrars push nameserver updates to the registry within minutes, but resolvers may cache the old nameservers for up to 48 hours. Most domains are fully switched within a few hours.

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