#1
Stacks BNS (.btc names)
Bitcoin Name System on Stacks: .btc names as SIP-09 NFTs, flat 2 STX burn for a ~5-year term, anchored to Bitcoin.
no KYC provable
from $0.620 per registration (~5-year term) min $0.620
Ethereum Name Service (ENS) Review: fees, KYC and how to sign up
The safest and only mainstream onchain naming system: NFT ownership, deep wallet/browser resolution and full governance disclosure, but it charges annual rent and short names renew at $160-$640 per year.
no KYC provable open source self-custody community-owned
site reachable · checked 11 h ago · daily check
// Review
by the bestcloudmining editorial desk · curated review · prose updated 2026-10-02 · facts as of 2026-10-02 · how we verify
Overview
Ethereum Name Service (ENS) is a decentralized naming/identity service from our database records on 2026-10-02 [1]. Ethereum's .eth naming protocol: NFT-owned names with per-year, length-tiered pricing and broad wallet/browser resolution. The operator is ENS DAO / The ENS Foundation (Cayman Islands) [2]. The safest and only mainstream onchain naming system: NFT ownership, deep wallet/browser resolution and full governance disclosure, but it charges annual rent and short names renew at $160-$640 per year. [3]. This review was fact-checked against live sources on 2026-10-02 [1].
What you can rent
Ethereum's .eth naming protocol: NFT-owned names with per-year, length-tiered pricing and broad wallet/browser resolution. The specific products available depend on the current service configuration [2]. From $5.0 per year [3]. See the Pricing section below for rates and the Contract section for terms.
Contract & terms
The operator is ENS DAO / The ENS Foundation, based in Cayman Islands [2]. KYC policy: none [3]. Terms of service were reviewed on our check date [1]. No refund policy was documented beyond standard provider terms [3]. Payment methods and pricing are documented in the Pricing section [3].
Proof & verifiability
The service was live and responding on 2026-10-02 [1]. The documentation was accessible and reviewed [2]. Key claims were verified against the operator's own published information [3]. What stays unverifiable depends on the depth of public documentation available from this provider [3].
Reliability & history
No critical issues were found during our verification pass [1]. Community feedback was checked for complaints and positive signals [3]. No fraud, exit or insolvency events were identified during our check [3]. The service status was live and operational on our check date [1].
Pricing
From $5.0 per year [3]. Payment methods and fees are documented per the operator's published pricing [2]. KYC policy: none [3]. No minimum deposit or purchase threshold beyond standard account creation [3] [4] [5].
++ What works
- $5/year for 5+ character names with no maximum duration
- Longest track record in naming (since 2017) with 35M+ names and 575+ integrations
- On-chain ERC-721 ownership, no revocation, transferable/sellable
- Real legal entity (Cayman Foundation) with published incorporation documents and DAO governance
-- What to watch
- Annual renewal required; no protocol auto-renew, so forgetting means expiry
- 3- and 4-character names renew at $640 and $160 per year
- After a 90-day grace period names enter a 21-day Dutch premium auction
- Prices are USD-denominated but paid in ETH, so gas and FX add cost
Pricing reality check
| Documented price | $5 per year · $640 per year (3-character name) |
|---|---|
| Minimum | $5 |
| Notes | USD-denominated but paid in ETH via the StablePriceOracle: 5+ characters $5/year, 4 characters $160/year, 3 characters $640/year; minimum name length 3. Renewal is the same per-year price, so short names are a recurring cost. No maximum registration duration; protocol fees go to the ENS Treasury; registration is commit-reveal with gas. |
Run the long math before paying: cloud mining calculator →
// How to get started with Ethereum Name Service
Built only from what is documented on this page as of 2026-10-02 - anything not documented stays a gap on purpose.
- Open the provider site
Everything happens on ens.domains - we count the click, nothing else changes for you.
- No ID check documented
KYC is documented as none as of 2026-10-02. Create the account with an email only; assume a check can still be requested before a large payout.
- Pick the smallest unit that still works
Price from $5 per year, minimum $5 - start with the minimum, not with the plan the checkout page pushes.
- Pay
Accepted: ETH. Check the network and the deposit address inside your account, never from an email.
- Read the term before you sign
365-day contract · maintenance · refund: No protocol-level refunds; registration/renewal fees are non-refundable. A term you did not read is money you cannot get back.
- Verify the output, not the dashboard
Proof is documented as yes - On-chain ERC-721 ownership in the BaseRegistrar with a separate Controller for pricing/registration. Compare the first payout with the pool or wallet before scaling up.
Then run the math: mining calculator · contract vs. HODL · all web3 names providers.
// Is Ethereum Name Service (ENS) legit?
Short answer: Based on our checks as of 2026-10-02: Ethereum Name Service (ENS) scores 7.9/10 in our weighted review. We logged no red flags. User reports and operator background are documented with dated sources in the meta-review below.
| Status | active |
|---|---|
| Operator | ENS DAO / The ENS Foundation · HQ Cayman Islands (high) |
| Founded | 2017 |
| Proof | published |
| KYC | none |
Red flags
No red flags logged as of 2026-10-02.
What "legit" does not mean
A real, operating provider can still lose you money: with a contract you own no hardware, revenue follows coin price and difficulty, and most published contracts are priced so the seller comes out ahead. "Legit" means the operator exists and pays what its terms promise - not that the deal is profitable. 14 dated sources back this page; they are listed under sources.
// Alternatives to Ethereum Name Service (ENS)
Same category, scored on the same criteria - so the comparison stays honest. Compare only in the same unit, and read the minimum, KYC and proof columns before switching.
#2
Basenames (Base)
ENS subnames on Base: length-tiered annual .base.eth rents in ETH, one free qualifying name, wallet-dependent resolution.
no KYC provable
from $0.270 per year
#3
Aptos Names
Aptos Labs-operated .apt names: length-tiered annual rents in APT, 30-day grace period, operator can revoke names.
no KYC provable
from $0.820 per year min $0.820
#4
Sui Name Service (SuiNS)
.sui names on Sui: length-tiered annual subscriptions (USD base, payable in NS/SUI/USDC) governed by the SuiNS DAO.
no KYC provable
from $10 per year min $5
Ready to try Ethereum Name Service (ENS)? Start small, verify one payout, and only scale up once the hashrate or compute actually matches what you paid for.
Visit Ethereum Name Service (ENS) or compare all providers →
// Ethereum Name Service (ENS) FAQ
Is Ethereum Name Service (ENS) legit?
Based on our checks as of 2026-10-02: Ethereum Name Service (ENS) scores 7.9/10 in our weighted review. We logged no red flags. User reports and operator background are documented with dated sources in the meta-review below.
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