Alibaba Cloud DNS
Domain registration providers
Managed DNS providers software
- Features
- Ease of use
- Ease of management
- Quality of support
- Affordability
- Market presence
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What is Alibaba Cloud DNS
Alibaba Cloud DNS is a managed DNS service within Alibaba Cloud that hosts and manages DNS zones and records for internet domains. It is used by IT teams and developers to configure authoritative DNS, route traffic to applications, and manage DNS changes through a web console and APIs. The service supports common DNS record types and integrates with other Alibaba Cloud services for operational workflows. It is typically adopted by organizations already using Alibaba Cloud infrastructure or operating in regions where Alibaba Cloud has strong presence.
Cloud console and API management
It provides DNS zone and record management through the Alibaba Cloud console and programmatic APIs. This supports automation for common tasks such as record updates, environment provisioning, and CI/CD-driven changes. Centralized access control and auditing can be applied using Alibaba Cloud identity and permission tooling. This is useful for teams managing multiple domains or frequent DNS updates.
Integration with Alibaba Cloud services
It fits into the broader Alibaba Cloud ecosystem, which can simplify operations when applications, load balancers, or security services also run on Alibaba Cloud. Teams can align DNS changes with infrastructure changes using the same account structure and tooling. This reduces the need to coordinate across separate vendors for DNS and hosting-related workflows. It can be a practical choice for organizations standardizing on one cloud provider.
Supports common DNS record needs
It supports standard DNS record types and typical zone management features needed for websites and applications. This covers common use cases such as directing traffic to web hosting, email services, and application endpoints. The service is designed for authoritative DNS hosting rather than only domain purchase management. For many organizations, this meets baseline managed DNS requirements without additional tooling.
Domain registration not the core
Although it relates to domain operations, the product’s primary focus is managed DNS rather than end-to-end domain registration workflows. Organizations that want a single interface optimized for purchasing domains, renewals, privacy options, and bundled hosting may find the experience less aligned with domain-registrar-first providers. Some domain lifecycle features may require separate Alibaba Cloud services or different processes. This can add operational steps for teams that primarily need registrar tooling.
Ecosystem and regional dependence
The strongest operational fit is typically for customers already using Alibaba Cloud accounts, billing, and IAM. Teams centered on other cloud platforms may see less benefit from the integrations and may need additional configuration to align with existing tooling. Regional considerations (such as where teams operate and where Alibaba Cloud is the preferred provider) can influence support expectations and procurement. This may reduce suitability for organizations standardizing on a different primary cloud.
Advanced DNS features vary by tier
Some advanced managed DNS capabilities (for example, sophisticated traffic policies, enhanced protection options, or higher availability configurations) can depend on service tier and add-on selections. This can complicate cost forecasting compared with simpler DNS offerings bundled with basic hosting plans. Buyers may need to validate which features are included for their required scale and resiliency. Procurement often requires careful review of the specific Alibaba Cloud DNS edition and limits.
Plan & Pricing
Public Zone (tiered / subscription)
| Plan | Price | Key features & notes |
|---|---|---|
| Free Edition | Free | Testing/dev only; no SLA; limited nodes and peak queries; suitable for non-production. |
| Personal Edition | $7 per domain/year | Paid edition for individual developers (enterprise users cannot purchase new Personal Edition instances). Optional DNS protection add-on. |
| Enterprise Ultimate Edition | $81 per domain/year | Paid edition for production; requires DNS protection (see protection prices). |
| Premium Edition | $4,287 per domain/year | Premium/Exclusive edition; includes Full DNS protection by default; for large/enterprise needs. |
DNS Protection (add-on for Public Zone)
| Protection level | Price |
|---|---|
| Basic (DNS Attack Defense Basic) | $86 per domain/year |
| Advanced (DNS Attack Defense Advanced / Full) | $429 per domain/year |
Examples (from official billing rules)
- Personal Edition + Basic protection = $93 per domain/year.
- Enterprise Ultimate Edition + Basic protection = $167 per domain/year.
- Enterprise Ultimate Edition + Advanced protection = $510 per domain/year.
Global Traffic Manager (GTM)
| Plan (subscription option) | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| GTM Standard Edition (subscription) | $20 per month | Subscription billing example on official docs. |
| GTM Ultimate Edition (subscription) | $140 per month | Subscription billing example. |
GTM (pay-as-you-go, GTM 3.0) — usage-based items (official docs also list a pay-as-you-go model)
Pricing model: Pay-as-you-go Billable items / example prices: Configured domains: $0.015 per domain/day; DNS resolution requests: $0.004 per 10,000 requests; Health checks: $1.5 per 10,000 checks; SMS alerts: $0.225 per message.
Private DNS (PrivateZone) — usage-based
Pricing model: Pay-as-you-go Free tier/trial: Private DNS provides default recursive resolution free of charge before activation for ECS and VPC endpoints (see notes). Billable items / prices: Number of zones: $0.015 per zone per day; Number of requests (back-to-origin): $0.004 per 10,000 requests.
Traffic Analysis (Public Zone) — usage-based and resource plans
Pricing model: Pay-as-you-go (with optional yearly data plans) Pay-as-you-go: Store and analyze by Alibaba Cloud DNS: $0.03 per 10,000 entries (other delivery options and combined prices available). Data plans (subscription resource plans, yearly):
- 1,000 (10,000 queries units) — $21 (unit price $0.021 per 10,000 queries)
- 10,000 — $182 (unit price $0.0182 per 10,000 queries)
- 100,000 — $1,680 (unit price $0.0168 per 10,000 queries)
- 1,000,000 — $14,000 (unit price $0.014 per 10,000 queries)
On-premises DNS (Self-hosted / resolution nodes)
Pricing model: Pay-as-you-go Example prices: Resolution service node (50,000 QPS) — $7.5 per day per node; Resolution service node (100,000 QPS) — $15 per day per node.
Notes & scope
- The above prices are taken directly from Alibaba Cloud's official product and billing documentation for "Alibaba Cloud DNS" (Public Zone, GTM, PrivateZone, Traffic Analysis, and On-premises DNS). Some items are subscription-based, others are pay-as-you-go. Exact billing formulas, constraints (e.g., requirement that Enterprise Ultimate Edition must include DNS protection), free-edition limits, and trial eligibility are documented on the vendor site and referenced below.
Seller details
Alibaba Group Holding Limited
Hangzhou, China
1999
Public
https://www.alibabagroup.com/
https://x.com/AlibabaGroup
https://www.linkedin.com/company/alibaba-group/
