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Head-to-head · Blockchain Domain Services

Namecoin vs Rootstock Name Service (RNS)

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
Higher score Namecoin #2 in Blockchain Domain Services 8.2/10 Open source ✓ 2 of 3 features Visit Namecoin
Rootstock Name Service (RNS) #7 in Blockchain Domain Services 7.5/10 Paid ✓ 2 of 3 features Visit Rootstock RNS

Namecoin leads on 0 checks, Rootstock Name Service (RNS) 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 scoreNamecoin · 8.2/10

Namecoin scores higher on our rubric for blockchain domain services: 8.2 against 7.5 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #7.

Namecoin is the better fit for users who want established .bit naming and privacy. Rootstock Name Service (RNS) is the better fit for rootstock users seeking wallet and website naming.

  • Namecoin fits best

    Users who want established .bit naming and privacy

  • Rootstock Name Service (RNS) fits best

    Rootstock users seeking wallet and website naming

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Side by side

Feature Namecoin 8.2/10 Visit ↗ Rootstock Name Service (RNS) 7.5/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.2 7.5
Ranking #2 in Blockchain Domain Services #7 in Blockchain Domain Services
Best for Users who want established .bit naming and privacy Rootstock users seeking wallet and website naming
Pricing model Free Paid
Starting price Open source —
Free plan Not checked yet —
Free trial — —
Deployment Self-hosted, Desktop Cloud
Platforms Windows, Linux, macOS Web
Support Community, Docs Docs
Built for Solo, Small business Solo, Small business
Features Namecoin 2/3 · Rootstock Name Service (RNS) 2/3
Wallet resolution ✓ ✓
Web3 website hosting Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Identity features ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Specs
Supported blockchains 1 Not checked yet
Domain extensions 1 1
Our review
Pros
  • Manage .bit names, including registration, transfer, updates, and renewal
  • Bridge .bit lookups to DNS with ncdns
  • Support private lookups and decentralized TLS validation
  • Maps readable .rsk names to addresses across multiple chains
  • Supports reverse lookup, subdomains and ownership transfers
  • Links names to IPFS/IPNS websites and integrates with wallets
Cons
  • Requires desktop or self-hosted setup rather than a turnkey hosted service
  • Name operations require NMC and a dynamically determined transaction fee
  • Support is community- and documentation-based
  • Focused on .rsk names rather than a broad range of extensions
  • Requires paid registration and renewals; no free plan
  • Access is through a web manager, with documentation as the support channel
Our verdict

Namecoin is open-source blockchain software for registering and managing names with associated data. Its `d/` namespace supports `.bit` domain names, while other namespaces can hold identity and other name types. The product suits…

Read the review →

Rootstock Name Service (RNS), also called RIF Name Service, is a decentralized naming service for Rootstock users who want readable names in place of blockchain addresses. Its .rsk names can resolve to wallet and other blockchain…

Read the review →
  1. NamecoinBlockchain Domain Services 8.2Open source
  2. Rootstock Name Service (RNS)Blockchain Domain Services 7.5Paid

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Namecoin — where it wins

    • Manage .bit names, including registration, transfer, updates, and renewal
    • Bridge .bit lookups to DNS with ncdns
    • Support private lookups and decentralized TLS validation

    Where it doesn't

    • Requires desktop or self-hosted setup rather than a turnkey hosted service
    • Name operations require NMC and a dynamically determined transaction fee
    • Support is community- and documentation-based

  • Rootstock Name Service (RNS) — where it wins

    • Maps readable .rsk names to addresses across multiple chains
    • Supports reverse lookup, subdomains and ownership transfers
    • Links names to IPFS/IPNS websites and integrates with wallets

    Where it doesn't

    • Focused on .rsk names rather than a broad range of extensions
    • Requires paid registration and renewals; no free plan
    • Access is through a web manager, with documentation as the support channel

More comparisons

All blockchain domain services comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update