PTRDNS review
Affordable managed DNS with DNSSEC, automation, and primary or secondary zones.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
PTRDNS is a managed authoritative DNS service built on PowerDNS for infrastructure operators, hosting providers, agencies, and organizations managing domain zones. It supports primary, secondary, and native DNS zones through a web-based editor or API-driven workflows. The service is available through the web and API, with cloud deployment and authoritative nameservers across Europe and North America. Its standards-based feature set suits teams that need DNSSEC, AXFR transfers, dynamic updates, and multi-provider DNS configurations.
Pricing follows a freemium model. Free DNS includes one DNS zone, unlimited records, DNSSEC, Dynamic DNS, the PowerDNS API, and 200,000 monthly queries; the documented plan is currently unavailable. The Lithium plan costs €5 per month and adds primary and secondary DNS, full PowerDNS API access, DNSSEC, and unlimited records. Carbon costs €20 per month and includes everything in Lithium, while Oxygen costs €50 per month and adds detailed query statistics. A 14-day free trial is available, and yearly plans are discounted according to the vendor.
Automation and standards compliance are central to the product. PTRDNS supports standard AXFR zone transfers, RFC 2136 dynamic DNS updates, TSIG-secured transfers and updates, ALIAS records, and a PowerDNS-compatible HTTP API. Terraform, OctoDNS, acme.sh, nsupdate, Certbot, and lego integrations extend its fit with infrastructure and certificate workflows. Two-factor authentication is listed as a compliance feature, with email, ticket, and documentation support. PTRDNS is a strong choice for cost-conscious teams requiring standards-based authoritative DNS and automation. Organizations needing traffic steering or verified health checks should choose a service that provides those capabilities.
PTRDNS pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Free DNS includes DNSSEC, Dynamic DNS, API access, and unlimited records.
- PowerDNS API, Terraform, OctoDNS, and certificate-tool integrations support automation.
- Primary, secondary, and native zones support multi-provider DNS configurations.
- Where it doesn't
- The documented Free DNS plan is currently unavailable.
- No traffic steering or verified health checks are provided.
- Detailed query statistics start with the €50-per-month Oxygen plan.
PTRDNS fact sheet, pricing and score →
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