---
title: OpenSRS
slug: opensrs
url: "https://toolweight.com/tools/opensrs"
homepage: "https://opensrs.com"
categories: domain-api-providers
last_verified: 2026-07-23
dataset_version: 0738be72
license: CC-BY-4.0
---

# OpenSRS

> Tucows' wholesale platform, deep API, real OT&E, signed contract required

- Archetypal wholesale platform: XML over HTTPS with reusable contact handles and per-tier pricing for every TLD
- Pollable event queue and an OT&E that exercises transfers and renewals properly
- Coverage of awkward ccTLDs, .au included, is among the best available
- Getting in means an application, approved reseller agreement and a funded balance; opening deposit is quoted, not published

## Identity

|  |  |
| --- | --- |
| Name | OpenSRS |
| Company | Tucows |
| One-liner | Tucows' wholesale platform, deep API, real OT&E, signed contract required |
| Site | https://opensrs.com |
| Docs | https://domains.opensrs.guide/docs |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Funding | Public (NASDAQ: TCX) |
| Compared in | 1 |

## Where it is compared

### [Domain APIs](https://toolweight.com/compare/domain-api-providers)
Ranked **#5 of 15** on default weights.
| Field | Value | Confidence | Verified | Source | Note | Permalink |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Spend to first call | $500 up front | Community-reported | - | - | The OT&E sandbox is free on signup. A live reseller account needs an approved application and a funded balance; integrators commonly report an opening deposit around US$500. It is quoted by sales, never published, and varies by market. | https://toolweight.com/compare/domain-api-providers#opensrs--min_spend_to_api |
| Sandbox / OTE | ● | Vendor-claimed | 2026-07-23 | https://domains.opensrs.guide/docs | Full OT&E covering registration, transfer and renewal against a test registry. | https://toolweight.com/compare/domain-api-providers#opensrs--sandbox_env |
| Reseller contract | ● | Vendor-claimed | 2026-07-23 | https://domains.opensrs.guide/docs | - | https://toolweight.com/compare/domain-api-providers#opensrs--reseller_contract |
| Min prepaid balance | - | Unknown | - | - | Prepaid, but the required float is set per account during onboarding. | https://toolweight.com/compare/domain-api-providers#opensrs--min_prepaid_balance |
| ICANN accredited | ● | Inferred | - | - | - | https://toolweight.com/compare/domain-api-providers#opensrs--icann_accredited |
| API auth | api-key-ip-allowlist | Vendor-claimed | 2026-07-23 | https://domains.opensrs.guide/docs | Signed XML over HTTPS with a reseller username and key, and calls restricted to allowlisted IPs. Direct EPP is also offered. | https://toolweight.com/compare/domain-api-providers#opensrs--api_auth |
| TLDs offered | 800 TLDs | Inferred | - | - | - | https://toolweight.com/compare/domain-api-providers#opensrs--tld_count |
| .au support | ● | Inferred | - | - | Tucows is auDA accredited and OpenSRS carries the AU eligibility fields on registration. | https://toolweight.com/compare/domain-api-providers#opensrs--au_support |
| Register endpoint | ● | Inferred | - | - | - | https://toolweight.com/compare/domain-api-providers#opensrs--register_api |
| Bulk availability | ◐ | Inferred | - | - | Lookup is per name; the suggestion and premium search calls return sets but are not a straight bulk check. | https://toolweight.com/compare/domain-api-providers#opensrs--bulk_availability |
| Suggestion API | ● | Inferred | - | - | - | https://toolweight.com/compare/domain-api-providers#opensrs--suggestion_api |
| Transfer in/out | ● | Inferred | - | - | - | https://toolweight.com/compare/domain-api-providers#opensrs--transfer_api |
| DNS record API | ● | Inferred | - | - | - | https://toolweight.com/compare/domain-api-providers#opensrs--dns_record_api |
| EPP code via API | ● | Inferred | - | - | - | https://toolweight.com/compare/domain-api-providers#opensrs--epp_code_api |
| Auto-renew control | ● | Inferred | - | - | - | https://toolweight.com/compare/domain-api-providers#opensrs--auto_renew_api |
| Webhooks / events | ◐ | Inferred | - | - | A pollable event queue rather than pushed webhooks, you acknowledge events as you consume them. | https://toolweight.com/compare/domain-api-providers#opensrs--webhook_events |
| Contact model | reusable-handles | Vendor-claimed | 2026-07-23 | https://domains.opensrs.guide/docs | - | https://toolweight.com/compare/domain-api-providers#opensrs--contact_model |
| Privacy via API | paid-addon | Inferred | - | - | - | https://toolweight.com/compare/domain-api-providers#opensrs--privacy_api |
| Rate limit | - | Unknown | - | - | - | https://toolweight.com/compare/domain-api-providers#opensrs--rate_limit |
| Pricing basis | wholesale-tiered | Inferred | - | - | - | https://toolweight.com/compare/domain-api-providers#opensrs--pricing_basis |
| Renewal price in API | ● | Vendor-claimed | 2026-07-23 | https://domains.opensrs.guide/docs | Cost calls return your tier's registration, renewal and transfer price per TLD. | https://toolweight.com/compare/domain-api-providers#opensrs--renewal_price_api |
| .com renewal | $11.5/yr | Inferred | - | - | Approximate entry-tier wholesale; falls with volume. | https://toolweight.com/compare/domain-api-providers#opensrs--com_renewal_usd |
| MCP server | ○ | Inferred | - | - | - | https://toolweight.com/compare/domain-api-providers#opensrs--mcp_server |
| Machine-readable spec | ○ | Inferred | - | - | XML API with hand-written client libraries; no machine-readable schema. | https://toolweight.com/compare/domain-api-providers#opensrs--openapi_spec |
| API since | 1999 | Inferred | - | - | - | https://toolweight.com/compare/domain-api-providers#opensrs--api_since |
| Positioning | The incumbent wholesale platform for hosts and platforms reselling domains at scale. | Inferred | - | - | - | https://toolweight.com/compare/domain-api-providers#opensrs--positioning |

**Verdict.** The serious choice when domains are your product, despite a dated XML surface and an opaque opening deposit.

## Alternatives

- [Direct EPP (own accreditation)](https://toolweight.com/tools/direct-epp), Become the registrar: ICANN accreditation plus an EPP client per registry
- [Dynadot](https://toolweight.com/tools/dynadot), Domainer-oriented registrar with strong bulk tools and a built-in marketplace.
- [Gandi](https://toolweight.com/tools/gandi), European registrar with huge TLD breadth and post-2023 premium pricing.
- [GoDaddy](https://toolweight.com/tools/godaddy), The default registrar for people who have never compared registrars.
- [Hexonet](https://toolweight.com/tools/hexonet), Wholesale platform with 1,000+ TLDs, bulk checks and a free OT&E on signup
- [Internet.bs](https://toolweight.com/tools/internetbs), Old-school reseller API with published test credentials and no onboarding gate
- [Name.com](https://toolweight.com/tools/name-com), Clean REST API with streaming search, a dev environment and auth-code retrieval
- [Namecheap](https://toolweight.com/tools/namecheap), The mainstream cheap registrar: heavy first-year discounts, higher renewals.
- [NameSilo](https://toolweight.com/tools/namesilo), Flat renewals, free privacy and portfolio tooling for people holding hundreds.
- [Netim](https://toolweight.com/tools/netim), French registrar with unusually deep ccTLD coverage and corporate controls.
- [Porkbun](https://toolweight.com/tools/porkbun), Near-cost pricing with free privacy, SSL and forwarding, and a clean exit.
- [AWS Route 53 Domains](https://toolweight.com/tools/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/tools/opensrs
- Machine-readable: https://toolweight.com/tools/opensrs.md · https://toolweight.com/api/v1 · https://toolweight.com/mcp
- Toolweight takes no affiliate revenue and sells no placements.