FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Answers to common questions about OneDollarDNS.
Monitoring
What DNS record types are monitored?
OneDollarDNS monitors A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, NS, SRV, TXT, and CAA records for every host under your domain. All record types are checked on every monitoring run — there's no need to select which ones you care about.
How often is my domain checked?
By default, every domain is checked every hour. If you need more frequent checks, the Frequent Monitoring add-on lets you mark up to 50 Priority Hosts for 5-minute checks for +$1/domain/month.
Do you query authoritative nameservers or use cached results?
We query the authoritative nameservers for your domain directly, bypassing any caching resolvers. This means you see DNS changes as soon as they're live at the source, regardless of TTL or downstream cache state.
Can I monitor multiple domains?
Yes. You can add as many domains as you need from a single account. Each domain is charged separately at $1/month, and add-ons are configured and priced individually per domain.
What is domain discovery?
When you add a domain, OneDollarDNS automatically probes a comprehensive list of common subdomains and record names to find all active hosts. Any hostname that returns at least one DNS record is added to your monitored host list. CNAME targets that point back to your domain are followed automatically. See How It Works for full details.
Can I add a hostname that wasn't discovered automatically?
Yes. From the domain detail page, click Add host and enter the subdomain portion (e.g., internal to monitor internal.example.com). Manually added hosts are monitored on the same schedule as auto-discovered ones.
Can I import hosts in bulk from a zone file?
Yes. If you have a BIND-format zone file for your domain, you can upload it to import all your hosts at once. Click Upload zone file on the domain detail page, or attach a zone file when first adding the domain. The importer skips SOA records, wildcards, and out-of-zone entries, and won't create duplicates if a host already exists. Files up to 512 KB are accepted.
Can I trigger a check manually?
Yes. On the domain detail page, click Check now to queue an immediate DNS check for all hosts in that domain. This is useful right after making a deliberate DNS change to verify it's propagated correctly.
Alerts
How will I be notified when something changes?
By default, you'll receive an email to the address on your account whenever a change is detected. With the Smart Alerts add-on, you can also route alerts to Slack or additional email addresses on a per-domain basis.
What information is included in an alert?
Each alert includes the affected domain, host name, record type, change type (added/removed/modified), the previous value, the new value, and the time the change was detected. For removed records, the new value is omitted; for added records, the old value is omitted.
Will I get spammed if my TTL causes repeated changes?
No. Alerts are generated by comparing snapshots from consecutive monitoring runs. TTL values are stored in each snapshot, but a TTL change alone doesn't generate an alert unless the record value itself changed. Repeated identical checks produce no new alerts.
What does "acknowledging" an alert mean?
Acknowledging marks an alert as reviewed. It clears the active alert indicator for that host and keeps your dashboard clean. The alert record is preserved in the history — acknowledging doesn't delete anything.
Account & billing
Is there a free trial?
Yes — new accounts get a 7-day free trial with full access to all features. A credit card is required, but you won't be charged until the trial ends. Cancel before the trial expires and you pay nothing.
How does billing work if I add domains mid-cycle?
Billing changes are not prorated. Adding or removing a domain takes effect immediately, but the cost is adjusted at the start of your next billing cycle.
Can I cancel at any time?
Yes. You can cancel at any time from the Stripe customer portal, accessible via the Billing page in your account. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period. Your domains continue to be monitored until then.
What happens to my data when I cancel?
Your domains are marked inactive and monitoring stops at the end of your billing period. If you choose to delete your account, go to Settings → Profile — this is immediate and cannot be undone.
Is two-factor authentication available?
Yes. You can enable TOTP-based two-factor authentication from Settings → Security. Recovery codes are provided when you enable 2FA — store them somewhere safe.
I have a question not covered here.
Email us at [email protected] and we'll get back to you.