Free OSINT tool
WHOIS lookup
Registrar, dates, domain age, nameservers, and abuse contact for any domain, straight from the registry over RDAP.
Runs RDAP by IANA and the domain registries (Public registry data). Not affiliated with the provider.
How WHOIS lookup works here
RDAP is the modern replacement for WHOIS: the same registration data, as structured JSON. IANA publishes which RDAP server answers for each top-level domain. We ask that registry, then follow its link to the registrar's server, which usually holds the contact details.
Contact fields that the registrar has redacted for privacy are left out rather than shown as REDACTED.
How to read the results
- Created
- When the domain was first registered. Domain age counts from here.
- Status
- EPP codes: transfer prohibited is a normal lock; pending delete or redemption means the domain is about to drop.
- Registrant
- Usually redacted since GDPR. An organisation name sometimes remains.
- Abuse contact
- Where to report phishing or malware on the domain.
What this free check cannot tell you
- Most registrant names and emails are redacted. Historic records from before redaction are not part of a live lookup.
- A few country-code domains have no RDAP server, so there is no free lookup for them.
- Shows the current record only, not past owners.
When the free check is not enough
A live lookup shows today's record, mostly redacted. Whoxy and WhoisXML on SearchIn add WHOIS history from before redaction and reverse WHOIS (every domain a person or email registered), and SecurityTrails adds DNS history.
What people use it for
- Check a domain's age before trusting a link or a supplier
- Find the registrar and abuse contact for a takedown
- Confirm nameservers and DNSSEC during an incident
Run WHOIS lookup on your own machine
For bulk runs, private networks, or the full feature set, install it yourself.
sudo apt install whois
whois example.comOther free tools
FAQ
WHOIS lookup, answered
What is the difference between WHOIS and RDAP?
Same data, different protocol. WHOIS returns free text that differs by registry; RDAP returns structured JSON with a standard layout. Registries for generic domains like .com are required to run RDAP.
Why is the owner hidden?
Since GDPR in 2018, registrars redact personal contact data by default. Historic WHOIS records captured before that often still have it, which is what WHOIS history services sell.
How do I find all domains someone owns?
That is reverse WHOIS: searching every record for a name, email, or company. It needs a historic database, such as Whoxy or WhoisXML on SearchIn.
How old is this domain?
Domain age is counted from the creation date. A domain that was deleted and registered again starts over, so a young age on an old name can mean it changed hands.
Do you store what I search?
No. The username, email, phone, or domain you enter is sent in the request body, never in a URL, and it is not logged. Results are cached for a few hours under a one-way hash of the input so a repeat search is fast, then they expire.
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