DNS monitoring is only half the picture

DNS monitoring tools are good at one thing: watching records. But domain management is more than DNS - it is expiry dates, renewal costs, email security, and portfolio visibility.

COMPARISON

DNS monitoring tools vs Tidy Names

DNS record monitoring

Core feature - watches for record changes

Full DNS viewer for every domain, synced every 6 hours

Expiry tracking

Not included - you need a separate tool

Configurable alerts at 30, 14, 7, and 1 day before expiry

Multi-registrar sync

Monitors domains you add manually

Auto-imports every domain from connected registrar accounts

Email security

May check individual records on request

Portfolio-wide SPF, DKIM, and DMARC analysis

Cost tracking

Not included

Renewal costs synced from each registrar

Team management

Varies - often limited or absent

5 roles with 25 granular permissions

Domain discovery

You add domains manually

New domains appear automatically when added at the registrar

Portfolio reporting

DNS-focused reports only

Full portfolio view with search, filters, tags, and exports

	DNS monitoring tools	Tidy Names
DNS record monitoring	Core feature - watches for record changes	Full DNS viewer for every domain, synced every 6 hours
Expiry tracking	Not included - you need a separate tool	Configurable alerts at 30, 14, 7, and 1 day before expiry
Multi-registrar sync	Monitors domains you add manually	Auto-imports every domain from connected registrar accounts
Email security	May check individual records on request	Portfolio-wide SPF, DKIM, and DMARC analysis
Cost tracking	Not included	Renewal costs synced from each registrar
Team management	Varies - often limited or absent	5 roles with 25 granular permissions
Domain discovery	You add domains manually	New domains appear automatically when added at the registrar
Portfolio reporting	DNS-focused reports only	Full portfolio view with search, filters, tags, and exports

THE GAPS

What DNS monitoring misses

DNS tools solve one problem well. These are the problems they leave behind.

Blind to expiry dates

DNS monitoring tools watch records, not renewal dates. A domain can expire and go dark without any warning from a tool that only monitors DNS.

No registrar integration

Without API connections to your registrars, DNS tools cannot pull cost data, auto-discover new domains, or give you a complete portfolio view.

Manual domain list

Most DNS monitoring tools require you to add each domain by hand. Add a domain at your registrar and forget to add it to the monitor - it is invisible.

WHEN TO USE WHAT

DNS monitoring vs domain management

Use a DNS monitoring tool when

You only need real-time record change alerts
You already track expiry dates and costs elsewhere
Your domain list rarely changes

Use Tidy Names when

You manage domains across multiple registrars
You need expiry alerts, cost tracking, and DNS in one place
Your team needs shared access with role-based permissions
You want new domains to appear automatically

See the full picture, not just DNS

Connect your registrars and get expiry tracking, DNS records, email security analysis, and cost data - all in one dashboard. Free for up to 5 domains.

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Free for up to 5 domains. No credit card required.