Handshake vs Namebase: which should you pick in 2026?
Head-to-head on the facts that decide the purchase: real prices in the provider's own unit, minimum, KYC, proof, payment and terms - every number sourced in the linked reviews.
Short answer: Namebase wins overall (6.3/10 vs 5.6/10). Handshake is the better pick if you care most about track record. Facts checked 2026-09-24.
| Handshake | Namebase | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score (0-10) | 5.6 | 6.3 |
| Vertical | Web3 naming | Web3 naming |
| Type | naming registry | naming registry |
| Price from | unknown | $0.990 per year |
| Minimum | unknown | $0.990 |
| KYC | none | optional |
| Proof | published | partial |
| Payment | HNS | HNS, BTC |
| Contract term | 730 days | 365 days |
| Maintenance / fee | unknown | unknown |
| Operator | Handshake community (no legal entity) | Namebase |
| Facts checked | 2026-09-24 | 2026-09-24 |
// Score breakdown
Namebase leads on reliability (+1), ease of use (+3), support (+1.5).
why 5.6/10?
why 6.3/10?
// Handshake at a glance
A genuinely decentralised naming layer where names are auctioned and bids burned, but using a name still means running a custom resolver and trusting a thin, migrating registrar ecosystem - ownership without a company to call.
++ What works
- No registrar rent: names are won by auction and renewed every two years for a network fee only
- Winning bids are burned, returning value to the network rather than a registrar
- Fully open-source (hsd/hnsd) with transparent grant distribution of $10.2M to FOSS projects
- 100k existing TLD/Alexa names pre-reserved and claimable via DNSSEC
-- What to watch
- No legal entity to hold accountable and no formal support
- Names do not resolve in normal browsers without a custom resolver
- hnsd SPV light client is documented as incompatible with the hsd network protocol
- Main registrar Namebase is mid-migration; legacy custodial service closes 2026-10-01
- Very low HNS market cap (~$0.85M) and thin ecosystem activity
// Namebase at a glance
A relaunched non-custodial Handshake registrar with unusually explicit fees and no buyer-side markup, but ownership rests on third-party TLD operators, the legacy custodial platform is shutting down with a hard 2026-10-01 deadline, and the operator behind the brand is undisclosed.
++ What works
- Non-custodial: payments go buyer-to-TLD-owner with no Namebase markup and no account balances to freeze
- Handshake root with thousands of TLDs; registration terms of 1-10 years
- Very low list prices (from $0.99-$5/year on featured TLDs)
- Explicit published fees: buyer pays the owner's price; sellers pay 10% registry fee (floor $0.25/cap $10) and a $10/TLD/year listing fee
- Self-custody Namebase Wallet for HNS, auctions and on-chain DNS
-- What to watch
- Ownership is a registry record under a third-party TLD operator's on-chain delegation, not a claim on the TLD
- No renewal reminders; a 30-day post-expiry window then the name is released
- No refunds; payments are irreversible and go to the TLD owner
- Legacy custodial platform closes 2026-10-01 — remaining assets need a manual recovery process after that
- Operator entity not named and new owners undisclosed (Namecheap sold Namebase in January 2026); the brand and product were completely restructured
// FAQ
Which is cheaper, Handshake or Namebase?
Namebase publishes a price (from $0.990 per year); Handshake does not publish a comparable figure - and unknown is not free. Compare only the same unit before concluding anything.
Which is more verifiable, Handshake or Namebase?
Handshake publishes the stronger proof signal; Namebase relies more on operator claims.
Which needs less KYC, Handshake or Namebase?
Handshake is lighter on KYC (none required); Namebase is optional.
Which has the longer track record?
Only Handshake publishes a founding year (2018); the other has no verifiable history on file.
Scores and facts: meta-reviews with dated sources - Handshake · Namebase. Method: how we verify. More: all providers compared.