Head-to-head · Secondary DNS Services
ice.domains Secondary DNS vs SecondDNS
ice.domains Secondary DNS leads on 1 check, SecondDNS on 0, and 4 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 scoreice.domains Secondary DNS · 9.2/10
- Free planonly ice.domains Secondary DNS
- Free trialonly SecondDNS
- Most featuresice.domains Secondary DNS · 3 of 4
ice.domains Secondary DNS scores higher on our rubric for secondary dns services: 9.2 against 8.6 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #7.
ice.domains Secondary DNS offers free plan; SecondDNS doesn't.
ice.domains Secondary DNS is the better fit for unlimited free secondary DNS. SecondDNS is the better fit for managed synchronization and monitoring.
- ice.domains Secondary DNS fits best
Unlimited free secondary DNS
- SecondDNS fits best
Managed synchronization and monitoring
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Side by side
| Feature | ice.domains Secondary DNS 9.2/10 Visit ↗ | SecondDNS 8.6/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 9.2 | 8.6 |
| Ranking | #2 in Secondary DNS Services | #7 in Secondary DNS Services |
| Best for | Unlimited free secondary DNS | Managed synchronization and monitoring |
| Pricing model | Free | Paid |
| Starting price | Free | €3/mo |
| Free plan | ✓ (best) | — |
| Free trial | — | 90 days |
| Deployment | Cloud | Cloud |
| Platforms | Web | Web |
| Support | Email, Docs | Email, Community, Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Features ice.domains Secondary DNS 3/4 · SecondDNS 2/4 | ||
| Health checks | Not checked yet | ✓ (best) |
| DNSSEC support | ✓ (best) | Not checked yet |
| API access | ✓ | ✓ |
| IPv6 support | ✓ (best) | Not checked yet |
| Specs | ||
| Transfer protocols | Not checked yet | Axfr_and_ixfr |
| Zone limit | Not checked yet | 20 zones |
| Secondary nameservers | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Our review | ||
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| Cons |
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| Our verdict | ice.domains Secondary DNS provides independent authoritative nameservers alongside a primary DNS provider. It is designed for e-commerce businesses, SaaS companies, email-critical domains, developers, small businesses, and personal… Read the review → |
SecondDNS is a hosted secondary DNS service for developers, small businesses, agencies, hosting providers, and infrastructure teams. It keeps read-only copies of DNS zones synchronized from a primary server through AXFR, with IXFR… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
ice.domains Secondary DNS — where it wins
- Unlimited zones and records on the Free plan
- DNSSEC, REST API, Anycast, and edge DDoS mitigation
- Independent nameservers alongside a primary DNS provider
Where it doesn't
- Records may require manual mirroring or REST API updates
- Primary-primary operation adds synchronization responsibility
- Health-check capabilities are not part of the listed feature set
SecondDNS — where it wins
- AXFR and IXFR synchronization across paid tiers
- REST API, dashboard, health checks, and alerts
- Integrations for cPanel, Plesk, and monitoring tools
Where it doesn't
- No ongoing free plan after the three-month trial
- IXFR starts only on Pro and higher plans
- Premium support and custom SLA require the top tier
- ice.domains Secondary DNS9.2/10 · Free plan
A free secondary DNS service with unlimited zones, records, DNSSEC, API access, and Anycast.
Visit ice.domainsFull verdict → - SecondDNS8.6/10 · 90-day trial
A focused secondary DNS service with monitoring, automation, and hosting-panel integrations.
Visit SecondDNSFull verdict →
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All secondary DNS services comparisons → · Full ranking →
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update






