DNS provider lookup
Find which company hosts the DNS of a domain, and who handles its email, before you change a record.
Why you need to know the DNS provider
The records that point your domain at a website, a mail service or a verification token live at one DNS provider. If you edit them somewhere else, nothing changes, because the internet only reads the provider named in the domain's NS records. Finding the real DNS provider first saves the common mistake of changing records in a dashboard that no longer controls the domain.
It matters just as much when you inherit a domain, audit a client's setup or move a site. The registrar where the domain was bought is often not where its DNS is hosted, and the answer is one lookup away.
How to read the answer
- Look at the DNS headlineIt names the provider when every nameserver belongs to the same one, and says so when DNS is split between two. A provider we do not recognise is reported by its nameserver names instead.
- Check the nameserver listEach nameserver is shown with the provider pattern it matched. Several nameservers from one provider are normal and give redundancy.
- Read the email sideThe MX records say who receives the domain's email: Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, a forwarding service or the domain's own server. A null MX record means the domain says it takes no email.
| Nameserver or MX host looks like | Provider |
|---|---|
ada.ns.cloudflare.com | Cloudflare DNS |
ns-123.awsdns-45.com | Amazon Route 53 |
ns1.digitalocean.com | DigitalOcean DNS |
ns57.domaincontrol.com | GoDaddy DNS |
dns1.registrar-servers.com | Namecheap DNS |
aspmx.l.google.com | Google Workspace (mail) |
example-com.mail.protection.outlook.com | Microsoft 365 (mail) |
Moving DNS to another provider
- Copy every record first. Recreate A, CNAME, MX and TXT records at the new provider before you change the nameservers. Missing one is the usual cause of a broken site or lost mail.
- Lower the TTL a day ahead. A short TTL on the records and on the NS records at the registrar makes the switch quicker and easier to undo.
- Turn DNSSEC off, or update it, before the move. If the domain is signed, the old DS record at the registrar no longer matches the new provider's keys, and validating resolvers will refuse the domain.
- Change the NS records at the registrar. Then check again with this page and the NS lookup until every resolver sees the new provider.
- Keep the old zone for a few days. Resolvers that cached the old answer keep using it until the TTL ends.
How the lookup works
We ask a public resolver for the NS and MX records of the domain's registrable name, even if you entered a subdomain, and compare each host name with a short list of provider patterns kept by hand. The same page also resolves the website's own addresses and shows the web host, which the who hosts this website page explains in detail. LookupOwl itself sends nothing to the domain's own servers, apart from the optional single request to the site.
dig +short NS example.com
dig +short MX example.comQuestions people ask
How do I find out who hosts the DNS for a domain?
Look up its NS records and see which company the nameservers belong to. For example, nameservers ending in ns.cloudflare.com mean Cloudflare, and ones that start with ns- and contain awsdns mean Amazon Route 53. This page does the lookup and names the provider for you, with the pattern that matched.
Is the DNS provider the same as the registrar?
Not always. A registrar registers the name and keeps it renewed. Many registrars also host DNS by default, so the two often match, but a domain can be registered at one company and use another for DNS. Changing the NS records at the registrar is what points a domain at a new DNS provider.
Why do I see nameservers that are not recognised?
The provider list is short and kept by hand, so a small provider, a reseller or a company running its own nameservers will not match. The nameserver names are still shown. If they sit under the same domain as the site, the domain runs its own DNS.
Why is DNS split between two providers?
Some domains list nameservers from two providers on purpose, so that DNS keeps working if one provider has an outage. It only works if both providers hold the same records. If you find a split by accident, check that nothing was left behind at the old provider.
How can I tell which email service a domain uses?
Read its MX records. Hosts under aspmx.l.google.com mean Google Workspace, and hosts ending in mail.protection.outlook.com mean Microsoft 365. Forwarding services and security gateways show up too. The page lists each MX host with its provider and shows the order of preference.
What is a null MX record?
A null MX record is a single MX with the host . and preference 0. It is how a domain says that it never receives email, so senders can give up at once instead of retrying. It is common for domains used only for a website or kept parked.
Can the DNS provider differ for a subdomain?
Yes. A subdomain can be delegated to a different provider with its own NS records. This page reads the nameservers of the main domain. To check a delegated subdomain, use the DNS lookup with the subdomain name.
Use it from AI, the API or the command line
Every LookupOwl tool is also a free API and an MCP tool, with no key and no account. This one is website_hosting. Please be kind to the rate limits.
curl "https://lookupowl.com/api/v1/tools/website-hosting?q=www.cloudflare.com"claude mcp add --transport http lookupowl https://lookupowl.com/mcp