Free Domain Names for Side Projects: DigitalPlat FreeDomain

By Prahlad Menon Published 2026-07-24 4 min read

Need a domain for a side project but don’t want to pay $12/year for something you might abandon in a month? DigitalPlat FreeDomain gives you a real, working domain name for free.

What Is It?

DigitalPlat FreeDomain is a free domain registration service that lets you claim subdomains under several TLDs:

.us.kg
.dpdns.org
.qzz.io
.xx.kg
.qd.je

These aren’t dynamic DNS hacks or URL shorteners — they’re actual DNS delegations. You point them at your own nameservers (Cloudflare, Vercel, etc.) and manage records however you want.

The Origin Story

This started as a hobby project by Edward Hsing when he was 15. A friend asked to use a subdomain, then another friend, then it snowballed. Today it powers 500,000+ registered domains with 150K+ GitHub stars.

The source code is open: DigitalPlatDev/Domain-OSS

Quick Start: Get Your Free Domain

Step 1: Create an Account

Go to dash.domain.digitalplat.org and sign up with GitHub (recommended — it speeds up verification).

Step 2: Register a Domain

Pick your subdomain name and choose a TLD. For example: myproject.us.kg or api.qzz.io.

Step 3: Connect Your Nameservers

This is where FreeDomain differs from traditional registrars — they don’t host your DNS. You need an external DNS provider.

Best free options:

Provider	Setup Time	Notes
Cloudflare	5 min	Best overall, free SSL, CDN
Vercel	2 min	If already using Vercel
Netlify	2 min	If already using Netlify
deSEC	10 min	Privacy-focused, German non-profit

Step 4: Point FreeDomain to Your Nameservers

In the FreeDomain dashboard, enter your provider’s nameservers. For Cloudflare, it looks like:

ns1.cloudflare.com
ns2.cloudflare.com

Wait 5-30 minutes for propagation.

Step 5: Add DNS Records at Your Provider

Now go to your DNS provider (Cloudflare, etc.) and add the records you need:

A     @       → 76.76.21.21        (your server IP)
CNAME www     → your-app.vercel.app
TXT   @       → "v=spf1 ..."       (email verification)

That’s it. Your free domain is live.

Practical Use Cases

1. Side Project Landing Pages

Instead of myproject.vercel.app, get myproject.us.kg. Looks more legit, costs nothing.

2. API Endpoints

Running a personal API? api.yourname.qzz.io beats an IP address or Heroku subdomain.

3. Development/Staging Environments

Use free domains for staging: staging.myapp.dpdns.org. Keep your production domain clean.

4. Portfolio Sites

yourname.us.kg for a portfolio you’re not sure you’ll maintain. If it takes off, migrate to a paid domain later.

5. Webhook Receivers

Need a stable URL for webhooks during development? Free domain + Cloudflare Tunnel = permanent webhook endpoint.

Cloudflare Setup Walkthrough

Since Cloudflare is the most popular choice, here’s the exact flow:

Add site in Cloudflare → Enter your FreeDomain (e.g., myproject.us.kg)
Get nameservers → Cloudflare gives you two (e.g., ada.ns.cloudflare.com)
Update FreeDomain → Paste those nameservers in the dashboard
Wait for propagation → Usually 5-15 minutes
Add DNS records → A, CNAME, whatever you need
Enable SSL → Cloudflare does this automatically (Full Strict mode)

Limitations to Know

No .com/.org/.io — These are subdomains under specific TLDs
Renewal required — Domains expire, you need to renew (free, but manual)
Abuse monitoring — FreeDomain actively monitors for spam/phishing
No guaranteed uptime SLA — It’s a free service run by volunteers

When NOT to Use This

Production apps with paying customers → Get a real domain
Business email → Your @company.us.kg emails might get spam-filtered
Anything requiring brand credibility → Free TLDs look… free

The Verdict

For side projects, experiments, and dev environments — this is genuinely useful. I’d recommend:

Cloudflare + FreeDomain for most use cases
Vercel/Netlify native domains if you’re already on those platforms
Paid domain once something gets traction

The 15-year-old who started this built something legitimately valuable. 500K domains later, it’s proven infrastructure.

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