How it works
When you open a site, your device asks a resolver (run by your internet provider, or a public one such as Cloudflare's 1.1.1.1 or Google's 8.8.8.8) for the domain's address. The resolver works down the hierarchy: the root servers point to the servers for .com, which point to the domain's own nameservers, which hold the actual answer. Answers are cached along the way for as long as their TTL (time to live) allows, so repeat lookups come back in a few milliseconds.
Caching is also why DNS changes are not instant: old answers linger until their TTL runs out, so lowering the TTL a day before a planned move helps. DNSSEC signs answers so they cannot be forged, and DNS over HTTPS (DoH) encrypts lookups so the local network cannot see or tamper with them.
DNS pricing
Free
Usually free with your registrar or Cloudflare. AWS Route 53 charges about $0.50 a month per domain plus about $0.40 per million lookups.
DNS pricing page (opens in a new tab)Approximate, checked September 2026.What the other tools cost
DNS vs the alternatives
Related terms
More in How the web works
Names and addresses