# Domain WHOIS & DNS Lookup – Bulk RDAP, Age, Expiry (`siftwright/domain-whois-dns-lookup`) Actor

Bulk domain WHOIS via RDAP (with WHOIS fallback for .io, .co, .de and more) plus DNS: registrar, creation and expiry dates, domain age, days to expiry, status, nameservers, A, MX, SPF and DMARC. $1 per 1,000 domains; failed lookups are free.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/siftwright/domain-whois-dns-lookup.md
- **Developed by:** [Siftwright](https://apify.com/siftwright) (community)
- **Categories:** Developer tools, Lead generation, SEO tools
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

$1.00 / 1,000 domain looked ups

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

## Domain WHOIS & DNS Lookup – Bulk RDAP, Age, Expiry

Look up **who registered a domain, when, until when, and how it's set up**, for a whole list at once. Each domain comes back as one clean JSON row: **registrar, creation date, expiry date, domain age, days until expiry, status codes, nameservers, DNSSEC**, plus **DNS records** (A, AAAA, MX, NS, SPF, DMARC, TXT).

Registration data comes from the official **RDAP** service of each registry (the modern, structured replacement for WHOIS). For popular TLDs without RDAP, like **.io, .co, .so and .de**, it falls back to the registry's classic **WHOIS** server automatically.

**Price: $1 per 1,000 domains ($0.001 each).** Invalid inputs, duplicates and failed lookups are **free**.

![Input and per-input summary from a real run: 9 inputs, 1 duplicate removed, 8 charged](https://siftwright.com/whois-1.png)
![Real dataset: registrar, created, expires, age and nameservers for 8 domains via RDAP and WHOIS](https://siftwright.com/whois-2.png)
![One real domain item for stripe.com with registration data and DNS records](https://siftwright.com/whois-3.png)

*Screenshots are rendered from a real run on 2026-10-01 (run input, SUMMARY record and dataset), not mock-ups.*

### Why use this lookup

| | |
|---|---|
| 💵 **Price** | **$1 per 1,000 domains**, no monthly rental (plus Apify's tiny per-run start fee) |
| 🛡️ **Pay only for answers** | Invalid inputs, duplicates, unsupported TLDs and failed lookups cost **$0** |
| 🏛️ **Official sources** | RDAP from the registry (IANA bootstrap), WHOIS fallback for .io, .co, .so, .de, .me, .tv and more |
| 📆 **Ready-made numbers** | `ageDays` and `daysUntilExpiry` computed for you, ISO 8601 dates |
| 📬 **DNS & email setup included** | A/AAAA, MX, NS, SPF, DMARC and TXT records at no extra charge |
| 🔎 **Availability hint** | Unregistered domains come back with `registered: false` / `likelyAvailable: true` |
| 🧹 **Accepts messy input** | URLs, subdomains and mixed case are reduced to the registrable domain (`https://www.bbc.co.uk/news` → `bbc.co.uk`) |
| 🤖 **AI-agent ready** | Callable from Claude, ChatGPT & Cursor through Apify's MCP server |

### What you can use it for

- 🛡️ **Security & brand protection** – spot newly registered look-alike domains (low `ageDays`) and check their registrar and nameservers.
- 🧾 **Portfolio management** – find domains expiring in the next 30 days across all your registrars.
- 🎯 **Lead qualification** – domain age is a quick trust signal; MX tells you Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365.
- 📧 **Email deliverability audits** – which domains lack SPF or DMARC.
- 🔍 **Domain research** – check whether names on a shortlist are registered.

### How to use

1. Click **Try for free**.
2. Paste domains or URLs into **Domains**.
3. Click **Start** and download the results from the **Output** tab as JSON, CSV or Excel.

### Input example

```json
{
  "domains": ["stripe.com", "https://www.bbc.co.uk/news", "github.io", "spiegel.de"],
  "includeDns": true
}
```

| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| `domains` | Domains or URLs; reduced to the registrable domain, duplicates removed |
| `includeDns` | Add DNS records for registered domains (default `true`, no extra charge) |
| `maxConcurrency` | Domains looked up in parallel (default 5; registries rate-limit) |
| `timeoutSecs` | Per-lookup timeout, 5–60 seconds (default 15) |

### Output example

A real item from a run on 2026-10-01 (TXT records shortened):

```json
{
  "input": "stripe.com",
  "domain": "stripe.com",
  "tld": "com",
  "registered": true,
  "likelyAvailable": false,
  "registrar": "SafeNames Ltd.",
  "registrarIanaId": "447",
  "registrarAbuseEmail": "abuse@safenames.net",
  "registrantOrganization": null,
  "registrantCountry": null,
  "createdAt": "1995-09-12T04:00:00Z",
  "updatedAt": "2025-10-01T01:39:51Z",
  "expiresAt": "2027-09-11T04:00:00Z",
  "ageDays": 11341,
  "daysUntilExpiry": 345,
  "statuses": [
    "client delete prohibited",
    "client transfer prohibited",
    "client update prohibited",
    "server delete prohibited",
    "server transfer prohibited",
    "server update prohibited"
  ],
  "nameservers": [
    "ns-1087.awsdns-07.org",
    "ns-1882.awsdns-43.co.uk",
    "ns-423.awsdns-52.com",
    "ns-705.awsdns-24.net"
  ],
  "dnssec": false,
  "source": "rdap",
  "sourceUrl": "https://rdap.verisign.com/com/v1/domain/stripe.com",
  "dns": {
    "a": [
      "198.202.176.111",
      "198.137.150.111"
    ],
    "aaaa": [],
    "mx": [
      "aspmx.l.google.com",
      "alt1.aspmx.l.google.com",
      "alt2.aspmx.l.google.com",
      "aspmx2.googlemail.com",
      "aspmx3.googlemail.com"
    ],
    "ns": [
      "ns-1087.awsdns-07.org",
      "ns-1882.awsdns-43.co.uk",
      "ns-423.awsdns-52.com",
      "ns-705.awsdns-24.net"
    ],
    "spf": "v=spf1 ip4:198.2.180.60/32 ip4:13.111.2.227/32 include:spf1.stripe.com include:greenhouse-outbound-mail.stripe.com include:_spf.qualtrics.com ~all",
    "dmarc": "v=DMARC1; p=reject; pct=100; fo=1; rua=mailto:dmarc-reports@stripe.com; ruf=mailto:dmarc-forensics@stripe.com;",
    "txt": [
      "whimsical=253112f9add9790f3a27b9d9893626451fc4cda1",
      "z4mthhzk10l6qc0rg4211mnnppkh2y5b"
    ]
  },
  "checkedAt": "2026-10-01T02:04:19.752Z"
}
```

Also saved: a `SUMMARY` record in the run's key-value store with the status of every input (`ok`, `duplicate`, `invalid` or `error` with the reason).

### Test results

Real runs on 2026-10-01: 9 inputs (8 domains + 1 duplicate) across .com, .co.uk, .io, .co, .de, .dev, .so → 8 rows, 8 charged, about 4 seconds. Three invalid inputs → 0 rows, **$0**. A run with a $0.0025 maximum cost stopped at exactly 2 domains.

### Limits you should know about

- **Registrant names and emails are usually redacted** (GDPR and registrar privacy). `registrantOrganization` is filled only when the registry publishes it.
- **Some registries publish very little.** .de (DENIC) gives nameservers, status and last-changed date but no creation or expiry date; a few ccTLDs have neither RDAP nor public WHOIS and are reported as errors, for free.
- `likelyAvailable` means the registry has no record. Premium, reserved or blocked names can still be unavailable to register.
- Registrable-domain detection uses a built-in list of common second-level suffixes (co.uk, com.au, co.jp…); rare ones may need the exact domain.
- Registries rate-limit heavy use; very large lists run more reliably with modest concurrency.

### Pricing

Pay-per-event: **$0.001 per domain looked up** (= $1 per 1,000), registered or not. Invalid inputs, duplicates and failed lookups are free, and runs respect your *maximum cost per run* exactly. Apify's free plan includes monthly credits, so you can try it at no cost.

### Quick start in Python

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

client = ApifyClient("YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN")
run = client.actor("siftwright/domain-whois-dns-lookup").call(run_input={
    "domains": ["stripe.com", "github.io", "bbc.co.uk"],
})
## apify-client 3.x (pip install apify-client); on 2.x use run["defaultDatasetId"]
for d in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(d["domain"], d["registrar"], d["createdAt"], d["daysUntilExpiry"])
```

### Use it via API

```bash
curl -X POST "https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/siftwright~domain-whois-dns-lookup/run-sync-get-dataset-items?token=YOUR_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"domains":["stripe.com","github.io"],"includeDns":false}'
```

Works with Python and JavaScript API clients, Make, Zapier, n8n, LangChain and LlamaIndex. **AI agents** (Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor) can call it through [Apify's MCP server](https://mcp.apify.com): `https://mcp.apify.com?tools=siftwright/domain-whois-dns-lookup`.

### FAQ

**What is RDAP?** The Registration Data Access Protocol: the official, JSON-based successor to WHOIS that ICANN requires for gTLDs. It returns structured data, so dates and registrars are reliable instead of scraped from free text.

**Why is the registrant name empty?** Since GDPR, most registries and registrars redact personal data. We return what the registry publishes and never guess.

**Am I charged for domains that are not registered?** Yes, that is a valid answer ($0.001). Invalid inputs, duplicates and lookups that fail are free.

**Is it legal?** It queries the public registration services that registries operate for exactly this purpose. Use the data in line with applicable law and the registries' terms.

**Something broke or you need a TLD added?** Open an issue on the **Issues** tab or email support@siftwright.com.

# Actor input Schema

## `domains` (type: `array`):

Domains or URLs, one per line, e.g. stripe.com or https://www.bbc.co.uk/news. Subdomains and paths are reduced to the registrable domain; duplicates are removed before lookup.

## `includeDns` (type: `boolean`):

Also return A, AAAA, MX, NS, SPF, DMARC and other TXT records for registered domains. No extra charge.

## `maxConcurrency` (type: `integer`):

How many domains to look up at the same time. Registries rate-limit, so keep this modest.

## `timeoutSecs` (type: `integer`):

How long to wait for a registry before retrying or giving up. Timeouts are free.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "domains": [
    "stripe.com",
    "github.io",
    "bbc.co.uk"
  ],
  "includeDns": true,
  "maxConcurrency": 5,
  "timeoutSecs": 15
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

One row per domain looked up: registration data and DNS records.

## `summary` (type: `string`):

Status for every input, including invalid inputs, duplicates and failed lookups (which are free).

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "domains": [
        "stripe.com",
        "github.io",
        "bbc.co.uk"
    ]
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("siftwright/domain-whois-dns-lookup").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = { "domains": [
        "stripe.com",
        "github.io",
        "bbc.co.uk",
    ] }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("siftwright/domain-whois-dns-lookup").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "domains": [
    "stripe.com",
    "github.io",
    "bbc.co.uk"
  ]
}' |
apify call siftwright/domain-whois-dns-lookup --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,siftwright/domain-whois-dns-lookup"
        }
    }
}
```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/MbbDtlOlyTwsFxf0E/builds/5VvFTDJfSxTKpMmWL/openapi.json