First off, what is a Dynamic DNS? A Dynamic DNS (DDNS or DynDNS) is a system to map domain names to IP addresses. This allows a single web address to point to a changing IP address, which is great for home users since IP addresses don't always stay the same.

If you want to remotely connect to your PC or set up a home web server, then a dynamic DNS is one of the easiest ways to set things up. So, what are the best free dynamic DNS options? Are they worth using? Here's everything you need to know.

1. Dynu

Dynu DDNS chart

Dynu's dynamic DNS service allows both top-level domains (using your own domain) and third-level domains (grabbing a subdomain on dynu.com). Top-level domains will work, no matter which country the domain belongs to. Coupled with its convenience features, Dynu is easily the best free dynamic DNS service today.

The great thing is that Dynu makes setup easy by providing a Dynu Client that runs on your computer in the background. Any time your IP address changes, the client will automatically update Dynu, so you don't ever have to worry about being out of sync.

For more account security, Dynu allows you to set up two-factor authentication via a TOTP app. If you want to try different TOTP options, check out the best alternatives to Google Authenticator.

Free accounts can have up to four subdomains. Upgrade to a paid account for $9.99 per year to unlock 500 subdomains total and advanced Dynu features like 500 web redirects, logging, 500 custom DNS records, DNSSEC, backup and restore, and much more.

2. afraid.org

Afraid.org Dynamic DNS

Don't let the strange name of afraid.org scare you away. This free dynamic DNS service–which offers other kinds of free hosting as well–is easily one of the best free dynamic DNS services out there.

You get five free subdomains on afraid.org's domain options. You can also use an unlimited number of your own domains if you want, plus 20 subdomains for each one. Account setup takes less than five minutes, DNS pointing is instant, and there are over 30,000 domains to choose from thanks to the tool's shared domain pool. Free URL redirection is available as well.

Premium accounts, which start at $60 per year, get an additional 50 subdomains, unlimited wildcard DNS, and three stealth flags to hide your domains from any kind of sharing mechanism through the service.

If you pay for the higher premium options ($120/year, $300/year, $600/year) you can also increase your subdomain and stealth flags further. The $300 and $600 per year tiers offer professional branding too.

After a period of inactivity, afraid.org accounts will be marked as dormant. However, after logging back in, users are given the option to restore their account to active.

3. DuckDNS

Duck Dynamic DNS

DuckDNS is a free DDNS service built using Amazon's AWS infrastructure. Its website is extremely basic, but that's fine because dynamic DNS is such a simple service that it doesn't really call for extravagance. DuckDNS is really one of the best free dynamic DNS providers.

That being said, the weak design of this website is indicative of what it offers. DuckDNS only does one thing, and it focuses all of its efforts on it. It makes sense once you realize that DuckDNS is only run by two software engineers (albeit engineers with a lot of industry experience).

What's great is that it has a bunch of written tutorials that will help you get DuckDNS set up on a variety of platforms. The tool supports Windows, OS X, Linux, DD-WRT, Amazon EC2, and even the single-board Raspberry Pi.

Accounts can have up to five subdomains on DuckDNS. Plus, it keeps as little of your data as possible and stores all necessary details in a private database that will never be sold.

4. No-IP

No-IP Dynamic DNS limit

No-IP was always one of DynDNS's biggest competitors in the free dynamic DNS market, and when DynDNS went down, it was in a good position to take the crown. Unfortunately, it has slowly shifted toward becoming a premium service in the past few years.

Free users get three subdomains on a limited selection of domain name options. But these subdomains will never expire as long as you confirm activity every 30 days. To keep your hostname, click on the hostname confirmation link sent to your email seven days before its expiration.

If you don't catch this in time, No-IP still allows you to confirm your hostname within seven days after expiration before putting it up for redemption.

No-IP also offers port forwarding and URL redirection, which can be useful depending on your use case. To help you get started with Dynamic DNS, No-IP also walks the user through configuration via its device configuration assistant. To keep your hostname updated to the most current IP address, No-IP also offers a Dynamic Update Client that checks for any IP changes.

For $5.99 per month, you can upgrade to 25 subdomains on 80+ domain names options and eliminate the need to confirm activity to keep your subdomains. If you want to use your own domain, you'll need to upgrade to the $19.99 per month package, which also offers three DNS zones.

5. ClouDNS

ClouDNS plan options

While the ClouDNS page hits you immediately with its plan options, its free dynamic DNS service is worth the effort. You'll see what it offers right on the front page–a secure dynamic DNS for absolutely free.

After a quick account creation, the ClouDNS dashboard provides a quick categorical breakdown of domain names, DNS hosting, monitoring records, SSL certificates, and Google Workspace accounts. For DNS hosting, you're free to quickly check from the available name servers with both IPv4 and IPv6 addresses.

As a free user, you're able to manage one DNS zone with the option to add 50 DNS records. With ClouDNS's premium options, there's the option to try a 30-day trial for their $2.95 per month, $4.95 per month, and $14.95 offerings. You'll also be available to get discounted rates when purchasing multi-month and yearly subscriptions.

Depending on the amount of DNS zones, records, and mail forwards, they'll scale appropriately. For the mid-priced and highest priced premium plans, there's also an unlimited amount of DNS queries per month. But if you have any more questions, you're free to reach out to their 24/7 chat support.

6. Dynv6

Dynv6 DNS launch page

Of the many free DDNS services, Dynv6 is one of the most direct in functionality. After registering and confirming your email, you can get started creating your own zones. Rather than prompt the user with explanations or membership options, Dynv6 offers application and API instructions only after creating a zone.

Like other options, Dynv6 supports both IPv4 and IPv6 addresses. While you can choose between the six pre-available domains, there's also the option to add your delegated domain name to its nameservers.

For any follow-up questions, reach out in the community section of DynV6, but expect a mix of English and German. If you need to brush up on DNS, check out what is a DNS server.

Which Free Dynamic DNS Service Is Right for You?

If you ever want to set up a server on the web using a home box, there's a good chance you'll have to deal with a dynamic IP address that could change at any moment. Just remember that a dynamic DNS allows you to use one single address that can point to you, regardless of what your IP address actually is.

For those after the best free dynamic DNS, there's an ever-growing list of options that offer DDNS and more. If you stay flexible and take advantage of different free accounts, you can find a service that fits your needs with limited constraints.