Is NS1 worth the price?
NS1's pricing structure is fair, offering a generous free Developer tier for basic needs.
The Essentials tier at $250/month seems reasonable for growing businesses needing reliable connections, though it's a significant jump from free. The Custom Premium tier caters to enterprise-level demands, making it best for businesses of all sizes, from individual developers to large corporations.
Pricing Plans
Free TrialDeveloper
Free
- Limited traffic scale
- Full API access
- Primary or secondary DNS
Essentials
$250/month
- Growing businesses
- Fast reliable connections
- Available on AWS
Premium
Custom
- Scalable authoritative DNS
- Query volume based pricing
- Enterprise support
- Professional services
Hidden Costs & Gotchas
Query volume overages on Premium tier
Professional services likely add-on
Enterprise support may be tiered
AWS availability might incur separate AWS costs
Which Plan Do You Need?
Developers needing free DNS
Growing businesses requiring reliable connections
Enterprises with high query volumes
How NS1 Compares to Competitors
Compared to Cloudflare, which offers a robust free tier and Pro plans starting at $20/month, NS1's Essentials at $250/month is significantly higher for similar 'growing business' features. However, NS1's focus on advanced traffic management and enterprise solutions positions it against more specialized providers like Akamai, where custom pricing is standard.
NS1 Pricing FAQ
How much does NS1 cost?
NS1 starts at $250/month on the Essentials plan. A free plan is also available with limited features.
Does NS1 have a free plan?
Yes. NS1 offers a free plan called "Developer". It includes: Limited traffic scale, Full API access, Primary or secondary DNS.
Does NS1 offer a free trial?
Yes, NS1 offers a free trial. No credit card is typically required to start the trial, though this may vary.
Is there a cheaper alternative to NS1?
Yes. Popular alternatives to NS1 include Cloudflare, Akamai, Google Cloud DNS, DNSimple. Free alternatives include Cloudflare. Compare them side-by-side on Toolradar.
Cheaper alternatives to NS1
Direct competitors with similar features. Many offer free tiers or lower per-seat pricing.
