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Head-to-head · Managed DNS Services

Gcore Managed DNS vs Alibaba Cloud DNS

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
Higher score Gcore Managed DNS #1 in Managed DNS Services 9.3/10 Free plan · 14-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 4 of 4 features Visit Gcore
Alibaba Cloud DNS #2 in Managed DNS Services 9.2/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit Alibaba Cloud

Gcore Managed DNS leads on 0 checks, Alibaba Cloud DNS on 0, and 5 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreGcore Managed DNS · 9.3/10
  • Free planboth
  • Free trialonly Gcore Managed DNS

Gcore Managed DNS scores higher on our rubric for managed dns services: 9.3 against 9.2 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #2.

Gcore Managed DNS is the better fit for teams seeking low-cost DNS with advanced routing. Alibaba Cloud DNS is the better fit for teams seeking feature-rich DNS at a low entry price.

  • Gcore Managed DNS fits best

    Teams seeking low-cost DNS with advanced routing

  • Alibaba Cloud DNS fits best

    Teams seeking feature-rich DNS at a low entry price

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Gcore Managed DNS 9.3/10 Visit ↗ Alibaba Cloud DNS 9.2/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.3 9.2
Ranking #1 in Managed DNS Services #2 in Managed DNS Services
Best for Teams seeking low-cost DNS with advanced routing Teams seeking feature-rich DNS at a low entry price
Pricing model Free plan + paid Free plan + paid
Starting price €2.49/mo $7/site/yr
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial 14 days —
Deployment Cloud Cloud
Platforms Web Web
Integrations 4 integrations 3 integrations
Features Gcore Managed DNS 4/4 · Alibaba Cloud DNS 4/4
DNSSEC support ✓ ✓
DNS health checks ✓ ✓
API access ✓ ✓
Secondary DNS ✓ ✓
Specs
Included zones Not checked yet Not checked yet
Traffic steering Advanced Advanced
Our review
Pros
  • Pro is priced at €2.49 per month, with a separate free plan.
  • Includes DNSSEC, DDoS-protected Anycast DNS, and advanced traffic routing.
  • Offers API access and integrations with Terraform, OctoDNS, and Kubernetes ExternalDNS.
  • Free public DNS and Personal Edition from $7 per domain per year
  • Routing by geography, region, ISP, custom IP ranges, weight, and latency
  • API and SDK access, DNSSEC, secondary DNS, and traffic analysis
Cons
  • Enterprise plan pricing is available by quotation.
  • The advertised Pro price excludes VAT.
  • The 14-day free trial is for Pro; the Free plan is not a trial.
  • Free Edition has a daily query limit and no SLA guarantee
  • Global Traffic Manager health checks and routing are separately billed
  • Enterprise-verified users cannot buy new Personal Edition instances
Our verdict

Gcore Managed DNS provides authoritative DNS hosting for businesses and infrastructure teams that need traffic steering and health checks alongside DNS hosting. It combines Anycast DNS with DDoS protection, DNSSEC signing, IPv4/IPv6…

Read the review →

Alibaba Cloud DNS provides managed authoritative DNS for individuals, developers, and enterprises. It covers public and private zones, DNS record management, traffic analysis, monitoring, and programmatic management through APIs and SDKs.…

Read the review →
  1. Gcore Managed DNSManaged DNS Services 9.3Free plan · 14-day trial
  2. Alibaba Cloud DNSManaged DNS Services 9.2Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Gcore Managed DNS — where it wins

    • Pro is priced at €2.49 per month, with a separate free plan.
    • Includes DNSSEC, DDoS-protected Anycast DNS, and advanced traffic routing.
    • Offers API access and integrations with Terraform, OctoDNS, and Kubernetes ExternalDNS.

    Where it doesn't

    • Enterprise plan pricing is available by quotation.
    • The advertised Pro price excludes VAT.
    • The 14-day free trial is for Pro; the Free plan is not a trial.

  • Alibaba Cloud DNS — where it wins

    • Free public DNS and Personal Edition from $7 per domain per year
    • Routing by geography, region, ISP, custom IP ranges, weight, and latency
    • API and SDK access, DNSSEC, secondary DNS, and traffic analysis

    Where it doesn't

    • Free Edition has a daily query limit and no SLA guarantee
    • Global Traffic Manager health checks and routing are separately billed
    • Enterprise-verified users cannot buy new Personal Edition instances
  • Gcore Managed DNS9.3/10 · Free plan · 14-day trial

    A low-cost managed DNS service with advanced routing, DNSSEC, health checks, and API access.

    Visit GcoreFull verdict →
  • Alibaba Cloud DNS9.2/10 · Free plan

    Free DNS and paid plans from $7 per domain yearly, with advanced routing options.

    Visit Alibaba CloudFull verdict →

More comparisons

All managed DNS services comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update