A WHOIS lookup shows public registration details for a domain: the registrar, when it was created, when it expires and which name servers it uses.
Most owner details are hidden today because of privacy rules, but the dates and registrar are still very useful.
How to use it
- Type the domain you want to look up.
- Press the orange button.
- Read the registrar, dates and name servers.
What you can learn
- Which company the domain is registered with, useful when you want to buy it.
- When it expires, so you never miss a renewal.
- Where it is hosted, from the name servers.
Tip
If you want to buy a domain that is taken, the registrar and expiry date tell you when it might drop and where to place a backorder.
Questions
Why can’t I see the owner?
Most registrars hide personal details by default to protect privacy.
What are name servers?
They point the domain to the DNS host, often your hosting company or a service like Cloudflare.
Is WHOIS the same as RDAP?
RDAP is the newer version of WHOIS. We use it because it gives cleaner data.