Bunny.net eliminates query fees for DNS service, introducing free tier for up to 500 domains
The move removes query limits and usage-based charges for DNS hosting, subject to a $1 monthly minimum spend, as the company pivots to position DNS as the core integration point for its security and content delivery network.
Bunny.net has removed all query fees for its Bunny DNS service, eliminating per-request billing and query limits for users. The provider now offers free DNS hosting for up to 500 domains per account, a significant shift from its previous model. While the service is free of usage-based charges, accounts remain subject to a standard $1 monthly minimum spend. The change aims to simplify infrastructure costs and integrate DNS more deeply with the company’s content delivery network (CDN) and security offerings.
Originally developed as an internal routing engine to direct traffic to optimal destinations for the Bunny CDN, the standalone service launched four years ago. It was initially released with a generous free tier alongside paid options. Today, the platform powers over 300,000 domains and handles nearly 200 billion queries monthly. The provider operates a global network spanning 119 locations, which supports more than 1.5 million websites.
The updated service includes smart records and health monitoring without requiring enterprise plans. New features include automatic zone scanning for migrating users, which reconstructs zones based on common record names and types, and "1-Click Acceleration" to enable the CDN directly from DNS records. Additionally, "1-Click Security" allows instant enabling of Bunny Shield to filter traffic and absorb distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks.
Technical enhancements include support for dual-stack IPv4 and IPv6 resolution without additional configuration. DNSSEC implementation uses "NSEC Black Lies" to prevent zone walking while maintaining validation. The platform now supports advanced record types such as HTTPS, SVCB, TLSA, CDS, and CDNSKEY, allowing developers to manage certificate validation and security settings more effectively.
The long-term financial impact of removing usage-based charges on Bunny.net's overall revenue model is not disclosed. The specific technical implementation details of "NSEC Black Lies" are proprietary and not fully explained in the source. The extent to which "automatic zone scanning" will accurately reconstruct complex existing zones without manual intervention is also not quantified.
