NameSilo Review 2026
Overall 8.1Hands-on testing across renewal pricing, WHOIS privacy, DNS tools, security, support, transfer experience, and TLD coverage.
Verdict
Flat registration-equals-renewal pricing, free WHOIS privacy on every domain, a free API and strong bulk tools make NameSilo a favorite of domainers. Retail .com is not the cheapest, the UI is dated, and support is ticket-only.
Score breakdown
| Category | Score (0–10) | Bar |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 8.1 | |
| Pricing | 8.0 | |
| Renewals | 8.0 | |
| Pricing transparency | 9.0 | |
| WHOIS privacy | 9.5 | |
| DNS | 7.0 | |
| Security / 2FA | 7.5 | |
| Support | 6.5 | |
| Transfer experience | 8.5 | |
| TLD / ccTLD coverage | 8.5 | |
| Developer tools / API | 8.5 | |
| Beginner UX | 6.5 |
- Flat registration-equals-renewal pricing
- Bulk domain buyers and domainers
- Free WHOIS privacy on every domain
- Beginners who want polished UX
- Managed DNS power users
Pricing
| TLD | First-year | Renewal | 3-year cost | Transfer | WHOIS privacy | Checked |
|---|
How we verified this pricing
NameSilo's public pricing page (namesilo.com/pricing) returns HTTP 403 to automated fetches (anti-bot), so figures are not yet primary-verified by direct fetch. Per NameSilo's own pricing page and 2026 cost-comparison posts, retail .com is $17.29/year flat (registration equals renewal), reducible to about $11.05 via the Discount Program and to $8.75/year at 100+ domains and $7.75/year at 5,000+. WHOIS privacy is free on all domains. Confirm against the primary page before citing exact figures in a cost-comparison table.
Source: https://www.namesilo.com/pricing
Blocked by: HTTP 403 (anti-bot) on automated fetch of namesilo.com/pricing
Renewal pricing explained
First-year prices often look low because of promotional pricing. The renewal price is what you pay every year after that. For long-term value, weigh the renewal price and three-year cost over the first-year promo.
WHOIS privacy
Free, included on all domains
DNS tools
Functional managed DNS; no frills, supports DNSSEC
Security and 2FA
TOTP authenticator app
Support test
Channels: Ticket support, Knowledge base. We test live channels with timed questions about transfer-out and DNS configuration.
Transfer experience
Inbound and outbound transfers are tested on at least one TLD. Three-year cost on .com.
TLD and ccTLD coverage
Wide gTLD coverage (400+ extensions) at flat, no-gimmick pricing
Developer / API tools
Public API available for registration, DNS, and account workflows.
- Flat-rate pricing — registration and renewal cost the same, with no promotional first-year trap
- Free WHOIS privacy on all domains, for the life of the domain
- Bulk-friendly account tools and a free, well-documented API
- No hidden fees and no per-domain privacy renewal charges; a built-in Discount Program and volume tiers lower per-domain cost for large portfolios
- Retail .com (about $17.29/year) is higher than Porkbun or Cloudflare Registrar; the lowest rates require the Discount Program or holding 100+ domains
- Account UI looks dated compared with Porkbun or Spaceship
- Support limited to tickets and a knowledge base; no live chat or phone
- DNS feature set is functional but not advanced
Alternatives
FAQ
Is NameSilo a good domain registrar?+
Does NameSilo offer free WHOIS privacy?+
What 2FA options does NameSilo support?+
Does NameSilo have an API?+
How much does a .com renewal cost at NameSilo?+
Changelog
- 2026-06-28: Full review refreshed.
- 2026-06-28: Pricing re-checked.
Sources
- Pricing: https://www.namesilo.com
- ICANN accreditation: ICANN accredited registrar list
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NameSilo
- Methodology: https://best-domain-registrars.com/methodology/