How to Get a Free Permanent Domain with ClouDNS (Cloudflare Compatible)

Looking for a free domain that actually sticks around? Unlike those "free for a year" deals that leave you scrambling when renewal time hits, ClouDNS offers genuinely permanent free domains. And here's the kicker—you can host them on Cloudflare for that sweet CDN performance boost.

What Makes ClouDNS Worth Your Time

ClouDNS is a global DNS hosting provider that's been around long enough to prove it's not going anywhere. They handle everything from GeoDNS and Anycast DNS to DDoS-protected DNS services. Think of them as the reliable friend who shows up when everyone else flakes out.

The best part? Their free tier isn't some stripped-down version designed to frustrate you into upgrading. You get actual DNS hosting with features that work.

Getting Started: Registration Walkthrough

Head over to the ClouDNS homepage and look for the registration option. You'll need an email address—nothing fancy, just the usual sign-up routine.

Once you've submitted your info, check your inbox for their activation email. Click the link, and you're in. No credit card required, no hidden catches.

Setting Up Your DNS Zone

After logging in for the first time, you'll see a welcome screen asking if you want to create a DNS zone. Click "Yes" and let's get rolling.

This is where things get interesting. Instead of paying for domain registration, you're about to claim a subdomain that functions like the real deal.

Picking Your Free Domain

Click the "Create Zone" button, and you'll see options for free domain suffixes. ClouDNS offers several choices, including .ip-ddns.com and others. Pick whichever one looks good to you—they all work the same.

Now comes the fun part: naming your domain. Let's say you choose 88in.ip-ddns.com. That's your domain now, and it's yours to keep.

👉 Looking for more advanced DNS management features? Check out ClouDNS premium options for enhanced control

Configuring DNS Records

Once your domain is created, you'll land on the DNS management page. This is your control center.

Hit the "+ Add new record" button in the top right corner. Here you can add whatever records you need—A records for IPv4 addresses, AAAA for IPv6, CNAME for aliases, you name it.

The free tier gives you access to all the essential DNS record types, plus extras like mail forwarding. It's surprisingly complete for a no-cost service.

The Cloudflare Integration Trick

Here's where things get a bit technical, but stick with me—it's worth it.

To host your ClouDNS domain on Cloudflare, you'll need to do more than just change your nameservers. ClouDNS domains have a quirk: any subdomain you want to use (like www.88in.ip-ddns.com) requires its own NS records pointing to Cloudflare's nameservers.

For Cloudflare's edge certificate validation, there's a clever workaround. Normally, Cloudflare requires TXT records that need updating every three months. Instead, add two NS records for the _acme-challenge subdomain pointing to Cloudflare's nameservers. This achieves the same validation but doesn't require quarterly maintenance.

👉 Need help with complex DNS configurations? ClouDNS support documentation has you covered

Your DNS records should include:

• Main domain NS records pointing to Cloudflare

• Subdomain-specific NS records for each prefix you want to use

• Two NS records for _acme-challenge pointing to Cloudflare's nameservers for SSL validation

Why This Setup Works

The beauty of this arrangement is permanence. No annual renewals, no surprise charges, no domain expiration emails filling your inbox. Your domain just works, year after year.

Pairing it with Cloudflare gives you enterprise-grade CDN performance, DDoS protection, and SSL certificates—all without spending a cent. It's the kind of setup that makes you wonder why everyone isn't doing this.

The only real limitation is that you're working with a subdomain rather than a top-level domain. But for personal projects, development environments, or testing platforms, that's rarely a problem. Most visitors won't even notice the difference.

If you've been putting off projects because domain costs seemed like a hassle, this eliminates that excuse entirely. Set it up once, and forget about it.