dotchk review
A focused bulk domain discovery CLI with regex searches, multi-TLD scans, and CSV export.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
dotchk is an open-source command-line tool for developers, startups, and domain researchers who need to check domain availability directly or discover domain names in bulk. It supports regex-style pattern searches, multi-TLD scans using predefined groups or custom TLD lists, and file-based domain checking. Windows, macOS, and Linux are supported, making it suitable for users who prefer a cross-platform command-line workflow over a graphical research application.
Its strongest area is pattern-based bulk discovery. Configurable parallelism and query timeouts help shape how checks run, while DNS response caching can reduce repeated queries. Users can filter for available results, review summary statistics, and export search results as CSV. These features give dotchk a practical workflow for scanning domain variations across multiple TLDs, especially when the input begins as a list or a repeatable naming pattern.
The main limitation is the nature of its availability checks. dotchk queries DNS nameservers rather than registration status, so results can include false positives and should be verified with WHOIS before purchasing a domain. It also has no AI features and focuses on command-line discovery rather than the broader feature set of leading research suites. Choose dotchk for free, open-source, pattern-driven bulk checking across Windows, macOS, and Linux. Choose an alternative if you need a more feature-rich research environment or a direct registration-status workflow.
dotchk pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Regex-style discovery and multi-TLD scanning
- Bulk file input with configurable parallelism and timeouts
- Available-only filtering, statistics, caching, and CSV export
- Where it doesn't
- DNS checks can produce false positives
- Results should be verified with WHOIS before purchase
- CLI workflow is narrower than broader research suites
dotchk fact sheet, pricing and score →
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