---
title: Name.com
slug: name-com
url: "https://toolweight.com/options/name-com"
homepage: "https://www.name.com"
categories: domain-api-providers
last_verified: 2026-07-23
license: CC-BY-4.0
---

# Name.com

> Clean REST API with streaming search, a dev environment and auth-code retrieval

Name.com's v4 API is the most conventionally modern of the free-tier options: JSON REST, HTTP Basic auth with a username and token, and a separate development host that mirrors production. It streams domain search results rather than making you poll, and it returns auth codes to an API call. Retail pricing is unremarkable, so it suits products where developer experience matters more than per-name margin.

## Identity

|  |  |
| --- | --- |
| Name | Name.com |
| Company | Identity Digital |
| One-liner | Clean REST API with streaming search, a dev environment and auth-code retrieval |
| Site | https://www.name.com |
| Docs | https://docs.name.com/ |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Brand | https://toolweight.com/vendors/Name.com |
| Compared in | 1 |

## Where it is compared

### [Domain APIs](https://toolweight.com/compare/domain-api-providers)
Ranked **#3 of 15** on default weights.
| Field | Value | Confidence | Verified | Source | Note |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Spend to first call | $0  up front | Vendor-claimed | 2026-07-23 | https://docs.name.com/ | Token is generated from the account; the development environment needs a separate free account. |
| Sandbox / OTE | ● | Vendor-claimed | 2026-07-23 | https://docs.name.com/ | A dedicated development host mirrors the production API. |
| Reseller contract | ○ | Inferred | - | - | A separate reseller programme exists, but the standard API is open to any account. |
| Min prepaid balance | $0  float | Inferred | - | - | - |
| ICANN accredited | ● | Inferred | - | - | - |
| API auth | basic-auth | Vendor-claimed | 2026-07-23 | https://docs.name.com/ | HTTP Basic with username and API token. No IP allowlist requirement. |
| TLDs offered | 500  TLDs | Inferred | - | - | - |
| .au support | - | Unknown | - | - | Not confident .com.au is in the catalogue, and no eligibility-field documentation was found either way. |
| Register endpoint | ● | Inferred | - | - | - |
| Bulk availability | ● | Vendor-claimed | 2026-07-23 | https://docs.name.com/ | Multiple names per availability call, plus a streaming search endpoint that returns results as they resolve. |
| Suggestion API | ● | Inferred | - | - | - |
| Transfer in/out | ● | Inferred | - | - | - |
| DNS record API | ● | Vendor-claimed | 2026-07-23 | https://docs.name.com/ | Per-record CRUD, not whole-zone replacement. |
| EPP code via API | ● | Vendor-claimed | 2026-07-23 | https://docs.name.com/ | A dedicated endpoint returns the auth code to the caller. |
| Auto-renew control | ● | Inferred | - | - | - |
| Webhooks / events | ○ | Inferred | - | - | - |
| Contact model | inline-per-order | Inferred | - | - | - |
| Privacy via API | paid-addon | Inferred | - | - | - |
| Rate limit | - | Unknown | - | - | - |
| Pricing basis | retail | Inferred | - | - | - |
| Renewal price in API | ● | Inferred | - | - | - |
| .com renewal | $14.99 /yr | Inferred | - | - | Approximate. |
| MCP server | ○ | Inferred | - | - | - |
| Machine-readable spec | ◐ | Inferred | - | - | - |
| API since | 2015 | Inferred | - | - | - |
| Positioning | Developer-facing retail registrar; the API is treated as a product, not a support burden. | Inferred | - | - | - |

**Verdict.** The best free-tier developer experience here by a clear margin: streaming search, per-record DNS, auth codes returned to the caller, a working dev environment and no allowlist. You pay for it in retail pricing, which is fine until domains become the margin.

## Alternatives

- [Direct EPP (own accreditation)](https://toolweight.com/options/direct-epp), Become the registrar: ICANN accreditation plus an EPP client per registry
- [Dynadot](https://toolweight.com/options/dynadot), Domainer-oriented registrar with strong bulk tools and a built-in marketplace.
- [Gandi](https://toolweight.com/options/gandi), European registrar with huge TLD breadth and post-2023 premium pricing.
- [GoDaddy](https://toolweight.com/options/godaddy), The default registrar for people who have never compared registrars.
- [Hexonet](https://toolweight.com/options/hexonet), Wholesale platform with 1,000+ TLDs, bulk checks and a free OT&E on signup
- [Internet.bs](https://toolweight.com/options/internetbs), Old-school reseller API with published test credentials and no onboarding gate
- [Namecheap](https://toolweight.com/options/namecheap), The mainstream cheap registrar: heavy first-year discounts, higher renewals.
- [NameSilo](https://toolweight.com/options/namesilo), Flat renewals, free privacy and portfolio tooling for people holding hundreds.
- [Netim](https://toolweight.com/options/netim), French registrar with unusually deep ccTLD coverage and corporate controls.
- [OpenSRS](https://toolweight.com/options/opensrs), Tucows' wholesale platform, deep API, real OT&E, signed contract required
- [Porkbun](https://toolweight.com/options/porkbun), Near-cost pricing with free privacy, SSL and forwarding, and a clean exit.
- [AWS Route 53 Domains](https://toolweight.com/options/route53-domains), SigV4 domain registration inside AWS, with no sandbox and hard throttling

## Licence and attribution

Data from toolweight (https://toolweight.com), licensed CC-BY-4.0.

- Licence: [CC-BY-4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
- Canonical HTML: https://toolweight.com/options/name-com
- Machine-readable: https://toolweight.com/options/name-com.md · https://toolweight.com/api/v1 · https://toolweight.com/mcp
- toolweight takes no affiliate revenue and sells no placements. Corrections: https://toolweight.com/suggest