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Pricing, plan names, free plan availability, and trial details are checked against official provider pages before being used in ProPicked scores. Vendor relationships do not change rankings, scores, or recommendations.
Provider Pricing Facts
Provider pricing facts: easyDNS starts at $12/mo; NS1 (IBM) offers a free plan.
Source and Freshness Note
Source and freshness note: pricing, free-plan, and feature signals are compared from public provider data and updated comparison records. Last checked May 2026.
easyDNS vs NS1 (IBM): Honest Comparison (2026)
easyDNS
Independent Canadian DNS provider with strong privacy and uptime focus
NS1 (IBM)
Enterprise intelligent DNS with traffic steering and real-time analytics
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Quick Verdict:
NS1 (IBM) wins with 8.3/10 vs 7.5/10. Choose easyDNS for overall value. Choose NS1 (IBM) for better value for money.
NS1 (IBM) wins this comparison with a score of 8.3/10 vs 7.5/10. NS1 (IBM) offers a free plan. Choose easyDNS for features, or NS1 (IBM) for better value. This is confirmed by our feature analysis where NS1 (IBM) also scores higher (8.7/10).
| Feature | easyDNS | NS1 (IBM) |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 7.5/10 | 8.3/10 |
| Ease of Use | 7.8/10 | 7.8/10 |
| Features | 7.2/10 | 8.8/10 |
| Value for Money | 7.0/10 | 7.5/10 |
| Customer Support | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 |
| Free Plan | No | Yes ✓ |
| Starting Price | $12/mo | $175/mo |
| Feature Score | 4.5/10 | 8.7/10 |
| Best For | easyDNS is best forteams that need dns management with proven reliability and a clear pricing model. With a starting price of $12/mo | NS1 (IBM) is best forteams that need dns management with proven reliability and a clear pricing model. With a generous free tier and starting price of $175/mo |
| Winner | NS1 (IBM) (8.3/10) | |
What is easyDNS?
Independent Canadian DNS provider with strong privacy and uptime focuseasyDNS is the privacy-first Canadian domain registrar and DNS provider founded in 1998, used by 130K+ customers including Cloudflare, AOL, and TIME magazine. Strong free privacy WHOIS, DNSSEC, FreeDNS tier (5 domains), and best-in-class outage transparency. Hosts authoritative DNS for many top sites. Pricing: Domains from $20/year, DNS from $20/year (Standard) to $200/year (DNS Pro).
- •easyDNS is best forteams that need dns management with proven reliability and a clear pricing model. With a starting price of $12/mo
- •it suits small businesses through enterprise.Specifically
- •easyDNS works well for:(1)hosting authoritative DNS
What is NS1 (IBM)?
Enterprise intelligent DNS with traffic steering and real-time analyticsNS1 (now part of IBM) provides an intelligent DNS and traffic management platform. Its filter chain technology enables sophisticated traffic steering decisions based on real-time data, making it the choice for high-traffic applications requiring intelligent load balancing. Rated 8.3/10 across 290+ reviews. With a free plan available. And paid plans starting at $175/mo.
- •NS1 (IBM) is best forteams that need dns management with proven reliability and a clear pricing model. With a generous free tier and starting price of $175/mo
- •it suits individuals exploring the category as well as small businesses through enterprise.Specifically
- •NS1 (IBM) works well for:(1)hosting authoritative DNS
easyDNS vs NS1 (IBM): Key Differences
easyDNS vs NS1 (IBM): Quick Verdict
Decision Summary
Who wins in each scenario? A quick look at how easyDNS and NS1 (IBM) compare across different buyer needs.
Scores 8.3/10 vs 7.5/10
Scores 7.5/10 on value vs 7.0/10
Both score 7.8/10 for ease of use
Features + support avg: 8.7/10 vs 7.8/10
Free plan available + 7.5/10 value
Free plan available vs $12/mo
Which One Should You Choose?
Based on features, pricing, and ratings — here's when each tool is the better pick.
Choose easyDNS If
- →Budget is your priority — easyDNS starts at $12/mo vs $175/mo
- →You want to test before committing — easyDNS offers a 30-day free trial
Choose NS1 (IBM) If
- →You need a free plan to get started — NS1 (IBM) offers one, easyDNS does not
- →You want the higher-rated overall solution (NS1 (IBM): 8.3 vs easyDNS: 7.5)
- →Value for money is a key factor — NS1 (IBM) delivers stronger ROI
- →You need the most comprehensive feature set (NS1 (IBM): 8.8/10)
Choose easyDNS if you need...
- ✓Better ease of use (7.8/10)
- ✓Lower starting price ($12/mo vs $175/mo)
Choose NS1 (IBM) if you need...
- ✓Better ease of use (7.8/10)
- ✓More comprehensive features (8.8/10)
- ✓Good value for money (7.5/10)
- ✓A free plan to get started
Our Take: easyDNS vs NS1 (IBM)
NS1 (IBM) edges ahead with a 8.3/10 vs 7.5/10. The gap is noticeable but not dramatic — both are legitimate options depending on what you prioritize.
Where they differ: NS1 (IBM) takes the lead in feature depth and value for money. These aren't minor differences — they reflect fundamentally different product philosophies.
NS1 (IBM) has a free plan, giving it a lower barrier to entry. If you're not sure yet, start there.
easyDNS vs NS1 (IBM) Score Comparison
| Category | easyDNS | NS1 (IBM) |
|---|---|---|
🏆Overall Score | 7.5 | ▲8.3 |
💫Ease of Use | 7.8 | 7.8 |
⚙Features | 7.2 | ▲8.8 |
💰Value for Money | 7.0 | ▲7.5 |
💬Customer Support | 8.5 | 8.5 |
Who Should Use easyDNS vs NS1 (IBM)?
easyDNS is ideal for
- •easyDNS is best forteams that need dns management with proven reliability and a clear pricing model. With a starting price of $12/mo
- •it suits small businesses through enterprise.Specifically
- •easyDNS works well for:(1)hosting authoritative DNS
- •(2)managing global DNS routing
- •(3)running DNSSEC.It isless idealfor solo creators on a strict zero-budget setup (no free tier)
NS1 (IBM) is ideal for
- •NS1 (IBM) is best forteams that need dns management with proven reliability and a clear pricing model. With a generous free tier and starting price of $175/mo
- •it suits individuals exploring the category as well as small businesses through enterprise.Specifically
- •NS1 (IBM) works well for:(1)hosting authoritative DNS
- •(2)managing global DNS routing
- •(3)running DNSSEC.It isless idealfor solo creators on a strict zero-budget setup
easyDNS vs NS1 (IBM) Decision Framework
Choose based on what matters most to you
NS1 (IBM)easyDNSNS1 (IBM)NS1 (IBM)easyDNS vs NS1 (IBM) Pricing
| Pricing Feature | easyDNS | NS1 (IBM) |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Starting Price | $12/mo | $175/mo |
| Free Trial | 30 days | Not available |
| Number of Plans | 3 | 3 |
| Value Rating | 7.0/10 | 7.5/10 |
easyDNS Plans
- ✓1 domain
- ✓DNS hosting
- ✓URL forwarding
- ✓Email forwarding
- +1 more
- ✓1 domain
- ✓Advanced DNS features
- ✓Secondary DNS
- ✓DNSSEC
- +1 more
- ✓1 domain
- ✓Everything in Premium
- ✓Failover DNS
- ✓API access
- +1 more
NS1 (IBM) Plans
- ✓500K queries/mo
- ✓50 records
- ✓1 zone
- ✓Basic DNS
- +1 more
- ✓10M queries/mo
- ✓Unlimited records
- ✓Filter chains
- ✓DNS analytics
- +1 more
- ✓Unlimited queries
- ✓Dedicated infrastructure
- ✓24/7 support
- ✓Custom SLA
- +1 more
What You Get: Plan Feature Comparison
Comparing easyDNS's Premium ($25/mo) vs NS1 (IBM)'s Growth ($175/mo)
| Feature | easyDNS | NS1 (IBM) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 domain | ✓ | ✗ |
| Advanced DNS features | ✓ | ✗ |
| Secondary DNS | ✓ | ✗ |
| DNSSEC | ✓ | ✗ |
| Priority support | ✓ | ✗ |
| 10M queries/mo | ✗ | ✓ |
| Unlimited records | ✗ | ✓ |
| Filter chains | ✗ | ✓ |
| DNS analytics | ✗ | ✓ |
| Email support | ✗ | ✓ |
Which Should You Choose?
easyDNS
NS1 (IBM)
Quick Buyer's Guide
Based on our analysis, here's who each tool is best suited for
easyDNS is best for:- ✓easyDNS is best forteams that need dns management with proven reliability and a clear pricing model. With a starting price of $12/mo
- ✓it suits small businesses through enterprise.Specifically
- ✓Teams with tighter budgets ($12/mo vs $175/mo)
NS1 (IBM) is best for:- ✓NS1 (IBM) is best forteams that need dns management with proven reliability and a clear pricing model. With a generous free tier and starting price of $175/mo
- ✓it suits individuals exploring the category as well as small businesses through enterprise.Specifically
- ✓Users who want a free plan to start with
easyDNS vs NS1 (IBM): The Bottom Line
NS1 (IBM) earns the edge at 8.3/10 vs 7.5/10 — here's what that means in practice.
Bottom line: go with easyDNS (7.5/10) if you value solid reliability and good value. Choose NS1 (IBM) (8.3/10) if you need a focused tool that does specific things well. Either way, take advantage of trials before committing. easyDNS at 7.5/10 is still competitive and may be the better fit depending on your specific requirements and budget.