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DNS Hosting Services

Powerful DNS that is reliably available, secure and simple to use

  • 99.999% uptime guaranteed
  • Fast for optimal website performance
  • Protection from downtime, attacks & spoofing

Premium DNS

Enterprise DNS performance, security and management features, priced for everyone.

CAD$1.38/month
  • All the features of our Advanced DNS service, plus:
  • 15 DNS record types (8 more than Advanced DNS), including ALIAS
  • User-scheduled DNS record updates
  • Reusable zone file templates
  • Zone file version control & change tracking
  • Zone file import/export
  • Fully Automated DNSSEC
  • Easy Connect DNS templates for popular services
  • Global Anycast DNS network
  • Enterprise-grade DDoS attack protection
  • URL forwarding (with HTTPS and sub-domains)
  • Can be used with domains registered at any registrar

Advanced DNS

Connect your domain name to websites and services quickly with zero fuss.

CAD$0.42/month
  • 7 DNS record types, including A, AAAA, CNAME, TXT, MX & more
  • URL forwarding (with HTTPS), including to IP-less cloud providers
  • Custom time-to-live (TTL)
  • DNS change logs and email notifications
  • Easy Connect DNS templates for popular services
  • Business-grade DDoS attack protection
  • Built-in record validation
  • Easy to use control panel
  • Expert DNS support
  • Can be used with domains registered at any registrar

Webnames Advanced and Premium DNS Hosting services can be used for domain names registered with another domain name registrar. Looking for more information about our Anycast DNS service?

Need DNS for more than 50 domains?

Multi-Domain Premium DNS

Buy discounted Premium DNS in bulk, use it across multiple domains.

CAD$41.67$75.00$166.67$583.33/month
  • 15 DNS record types, including ALIAS, A, AAAA, CNAME, TXT,
    MX & more
  • User-scheduled DNS record updates
  • Reusable zone file templates
  • Zone file version control & change tracking
  • Zone file import/export
  • Fully Automated DNSSEC
  • Global Anycast DNS network
  • Enterprise-grade DDoS attack protection
  • Assign DNS Hosting to multiple domain names, as needed
  • Can be used with domains registered at any registrar

What You Get with Webnames DNS Hosting

User controls

Easy to Use for Beginners

Whether you need to connect a single domain to a website or email services, or manage complex zone file updates for an entire portfolio, our DNS management dashboard makes updates intuitive, easy and fast.

DNS server

Power Tools for Pro Users

Simplify & automate DNS management tasks with DNS update scheduling, reusable zone file templates, customizable TTL settings, bulk updates, HTTPS URL Forwarding with sub-domain support and more. Access flexible bulk-DNS with Multi-domain DNS Hosting.

Version control

Stress Free DNS Updates

Because mistakes can sometimes happen even to seasoned DNS administrators, our Premium DNS includes error alerts, version control, and the ability to rollback DNS records to a prior stable version.

Threat prevention

DNS Threat Prevention

DNSSEC cryptographically ensures that the response to a DNS query has not been altered or spoofed, protecting you from a variety of DNS-related cyber threats like hijacking, pharming, cache poisoning and man-in-the-middle attacks.

More about DNSSEC
Anycast network

Fast, Resilient Global Anycast Network

With a distributed global footprint and unparalleled presence close to Canadian population hubs, Webnames Anycast DNS amplifies the performance and speed of your DNS, increasing your website’s availability while protecting it from DDoS attacks and downtime.

More about Anycast DNS
DNS support

Expert DNS Support

Some DNS updates are easy-peasy, while others can be more high stakes. Whatever you need to get done, our experienced DNS experts standing by to help so you are never left wondering how to update, modify or change your DNS settings.

Uptime graphic

99.999% DNS Uptime Guarantee

Webnames Premium DNS hosting is backed by our guarantee of 99.999% uptime and 24×7 managed DNS support for corporate program clients.




Compare DNS Hosting Plans

Adv DNS Prem DNS Multi-Domain DNS
Included DNS Records
A (host address)
AAAA (IPv6 host address)
ALIAS (auto resolved alias)
CAA (certification authority authorization)
CNAME (canonical name for alias)
MX (mail exchange)
NAPTR (naming authority pointer)
NS (nameserver)
PTR (pointer)
RP (responsible person)
SOA (start of authority)
SPF TXT (sender policy framework)
SRV (service locator)
TLSA (transport layer security authentication)
TXT (descriptive text)
DNS Features
URL Forwarding (with HTTPS support)
Forward your URL to another website
Sub-domain URL forwarding
Update scheduling
Schedule DNS updates to take place at a prescribed time and receive email confirmation
DNS Templates
Create reusable DNS templates for speedy domain set-up and updating
Easy Connect DNS templates
Quickly connect your domain name to Amazon Web Services, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 (email and communication services), Shopify, Squarespace, Weebly, Wix, with more to come
Zone file version control & change tracking
Retain and reinstate prior zone file versions
DNSSEC
Secure DNS queries with a cryptographic key to ensure they are not altered or spoofed
Global Anycast DNS Network
Resilient, global DNS coverage that is optimized for Canadian websites. Featuring multiple anycast clouds, powerful security from DNS-targeted DDoS attacks and 100% uptime guarantee.
Built-in error notifications
Get instant alerts when incorrect formats or conflicting record types are entered
Subdomain URL Redirect
Easy to use control panel
Expert DNS support
From updates to ur team is standing by to assist you with all your DNS needs, from updates
99.999% uptime guarantee
Compatible with domain names registered at other domain registrars
HTTPS URL Forwarding
Bulk Pricing Discount
Enjoy discounted prices on your total DNS expenses, as compared to buying several single-domain Premium DNS
Max. Number of domains per DNS purchase 1 1 1000+

What is the Domain Name System?

With lots of different elements in play – nameservers, zone files, record types, IP addresses, domain names – the DNS can be a bit confusing for newbie domain name owners. Don’t worry, we’ve all been there!

At its most basic level, the Domain Name System is kind of like a phone book for the Internet. It allows us to use easy-to-comprehend domain names (like webnames.ca) instead of numeric IP addresses like 10.01.10.01 to reach websites and applications.

When you type a domain name into your browser, a Domain Name Server searches a vast database addresses to locate the corresponding IP address and then routes your browser to the website you’re wanting.

How the Domain Name System Works
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Why do I need DNS Hosting?

When a domain name is registered, its DNS settings need to be updated for it to direct to a website or be used for email services.

Webnames Advanced DNS and Premium DNS hosting provides authoritative nameservers for domains registered at Webnames, and secondary nameservers for users who operate their own DNS servers.

These nameservers host your domain’s DNS information, resolving it the correct IP address where its website, email or other services are hosted and providing additonal benefits like improved speed, availability and security.

More DNS Resources

DNS Glossary of Terms
DNS Hosting Knowledge Base

"Florent was courteous, knowledgeable and very efficient in helping me update my DNS. Thank you."

C. Buchanan


Frequently Asked Questions

DNS is a required service which connect a domain name to services such as Website Hosting or Email. All domain names and all services on the Internet require DNS to function. DNS is sometimes included as part of a website hosting service, however free/included services often have limited features. If you would like complete freedom to connect a domain name to any Website Hosting provider, any Email Service Provider, or to take advantage of advantage/unlimited features, then a dedicated DNS service is the right choice for you.

Yes. If you have a website hosting with another provider and would like to connect your domain name to it, then DNS hosting is the perfect solution for you.

Managing your DNS requires action by both your DNS Hosting provider as well as your Domain Registrar. When both of these roles are performed by Webnames, you gain simplicity and reliability. Webnames' DNS Hosting also has features that can't be found anywhere else at the same price point.

No. While there are management advantages to having your domain names and DNS services consolidated with a single trusted provider, Webnames world class DNS servics may be used with domain names registered at another domain registrar.

Both hosting services feature the same core functionality, however Premium DNS has the following notable features:

  • Zone File snapshots - easily roll back or recover your DNS records
  • Zone File templates - smart user-definable templates that can quickly (or automatically) be applied to multiple domains
  • Zone File Import and Export - Copy DNS records in or out of your zones via standard axfr dump txt files
  • Schedule Zone File Updates - Configure zone files changes and then schedule them to be applied at a later date/ time. Complete with success/fail email notifications
  • Anycast DNS - optional (but included) 24+ node global DNS Anycast network
  • DNSSEC - one-click fully automated and maintained DNSSEC
  • Additional supported DNS Record Types - ALIAS, NAPTR, RP, PRT, CAA, TLSA, SOA plus the ability to URL Redirect subdomains (in addition to your root domain)

Large scale or enterprise clients will always benefit from the additional management features and scaling of our Premium DNS Hosting. Smaller customers, or customers who do not make frequent mission-critical DNS changes will be well served by our Advanced DNS service.

Free usually comes with a catch - either it's limited features, or only free for a limited time. Either way, 'free' is meant to serve as a gateway to a paid service. Webnames services are full-featured and come with the reliability that only a paid DNS service can provide.

Our nameservers, which host your DNS records, are clustered (meaning each nameserver is actually a group of physical or virtual servers) and are run in a mix of physical and cloud environments. All are front-ended by robust DDoS mitigation services. Additional costs may by incurred for zones exceeding 10 million queries per month. See Anycast for more information.

No there is no limit to the number of DNS records that can be created per zone.

Our DNS Anycast service, which is part of our Premium DNS offering, adds an additional 24+ nodes of globally distributed enterprise-grade DNS service, capable of scaling up to 100+ million queries per month*.

If you manage DNS for hundreds of domains with an increasing domain portfolio, multi-domain DNS hosting offers a flexible and cost-effective option. With multi-domain DNS, you buy DNS in bulk and can assign it to your domain names as needed. This plan is ideal for large organizations or users with large domain portfolios. Our Corporate DNS page has more details about our specialized solutions for large organizations.




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