# DNS Lookup - Bulk DNS Records & DNSSEC (`blackfalcondata/dns-lookup`) Actor

Bulk DNS record lookup: A, AAAA, MX, TXT, CNAME, NS, SOA and CAA records plus DNSSEC status for every domain, with per-record-type control and incremental change tracking. WHOIS, SSL, HTTP and email-auth checks available for a full domain audit. $1 per 1,000 domains.

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

## Pricing

from $1.00 / 1,000 results

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/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
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.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## 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.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

### What does DNS Lookup do?

DNS Lookup resolves the full DNS record set for any list of domains in a single run. It returns A, AAAA, MX, TXT, CNAME, NS, SOA and CAA records plus DNSSEC status, with per-record-type control. It also supports incremental change tracking across runs. Paste bare domains or full URLs — they're auto-cleaned to the apex. Pick the record types you need, and turn on monitoring to detect DNS changes over time. WHOIS, SSL, HTTP and email-authentication checks are available too for a full domain audit.

**New to Apify?** [Sign up free](https://console.apify.com/sign-up?fpr=1h3gvi\&fp_sid=ctaplain) and use the included $5 monthly platform credit to test this actor.

### Key features

- **📇 All record types** — A, AAAA, MX (priority-sorted), TXT, CNAME, NS, SOA and CAA resolved for every domain, with per-type selection so you fetch only what you need.
- **🔐 DNSSEC status** — checks whether each domain is DNSSEC-signed (validated AD flag), the signal registrars and security teams look for.
- **♻️ DNS change monitoring** — incremental mode flags NEW / UPDATED domains and detects record changes (new A records, MX moves, TXT edits) since the previous run.
- **⚡ Fast bulk resolution** — native resolver, high concurrency, no browser — resolve hundreds of domains per run.
- **🧩 Full audit option** — enable WHOIS, SSL/TLS, HTTP and email-authentication checks for complete domain data alongside the DNS records.
- **🔔 Notifications** — push new findings to Telegram, Discord, Slack, WhatsApp or a generic webhook (n8n / Make / Zapier).
- **📦 Compact + MCP output** — a compact at-a-glance mode and MCP-connector export for AI-agent and automation workflows.

### What data can you get for each domain?

Each result includes Core domain fields (`domain`, `inputUrl`, `securityScore`, `flags`, `dns`, `whois`, `ssl`, and `http`, and more). In standard mode, all fields are always present — unavailable data points are returned as `null`, never omitted. In compact mode, only core fields are returned.

Enable detail enrichment in the input to get richer fields such as full descriptions where the source provides them.

### Input

The main inputs are a result limit. Additional filters and options are available in the input schema.

Key parameters:

- **`domains`** — Domains or full URLs to inspect — one per line, or paste a JSON array. Full URLs are auto-cleaned to the apex domain (https://www.example.com/path → example.com).
- **`checks`** — Which inspections to run per domain. Defaults to DNS records only; enable WHOIS/SSL/HTTP/email/blacklist too for a full audit. (default: `["dns"]`)
- **`recordTypes`** — Which DNS record types to resolve when the DNS check is enabled. (default: `["A","AAAA","MX","TXT","CNAME","NS","SOA","CAA"]`)
- **`dkimSelectors`** — DKIM cannot be enumerated, so common selectors (default, google, selector1/2, k1…) are probed automatically. Add your ESP's selector here to catch custom setups. (default: `[]`)
- **`timeoutMs`** — Timeout for each individual DNS/WHOIS/SSL/HTTP lookup. (default: `8000`)
- **`compact`** — At-a-glance verdict only (domain, security score, email grade, flags) — drops the raw record blocks. Ideal for AI-agent / MCP workflows. (default: `false`)
- **`excludeEmptyFields`** — Drop null, empty-string, and empty-array fields from each record before push. Smaller payloads for AI agents and dashboards. (default: `false`)
- **`incrementalMode`** — Compare each domain against the previous run and flag changes (NEW / UPDATED / UNCHANGED). Detects cert renewals, WHOIS expiry, DNS changes, email-auth drift and blacklist appearances over time. stateKey is optional — defaults to a stable key derived from the domain list + checks. (default: `false`)
- **`stateKey`** — Optional. Stable identifier for the monitored domain set. Leave empty to auto-generate from the domain list + checks.
- **`emitUnchanged`** — When monitoring, also output domains whose signals did not change since the last run. Off = only NEW and UPDATED domains are emitted. (default: `false`)
- **`telegramToken`** — Telegram bot token (from @BotFather). Required for Telegram notifications.
- **`telegramChatId`** — Telegram chat or channel ID (e.g. "-100123456789"). Required when telegramToken is set.
- ...and 15 more parameters

### Input examples

**Resolve DNS records for a list of domains** — Paste bare domains or full URLs and pick the record checks you need.

→ One record per domain with the selected record types resolved.

```json
{
  "domains": [
    "github.com",
    "cloudflare.com"
  ],
  "checks": [
    "dns"
  ]
}
```

**Incremental change monitoring** — Only emit domains whose DNS records changed since the previous run with this `stateKey`.

→ First run builds the baseline; later runs emit only new or changed domains.

```json
{
  "domains": [
    "github.com",
    "cloudflare.com"
  ],
  "checks": [
    "dns"
  ],
  "incrementalMode": true,
  "stateKey": "dns-tracker"
}
```

**Compact output for AI agents** — Return only core fields for AI-agent and MCP workflows.

→ Small payload with the most important fields — ideal for piping into LLMs without token overhead.

```json
{
  "domains": [
    "github.com",
    "cloudflare.com"
  ],
  "checks": [
    "dns"
  ],
  "compact": true
}
```

### Output

Each run produces a dataset of structured domain records. Results can be downloaded as JSON, CSV, or Excel from the Dataset tab in Apify Console.

### Example domain record

```json
{
  "domain": "github.com",
  "inputUrl": "github.com",
  "securityScore": 0,
  "dns": {
    "records": {
      "A": [
        "140.82.121.3"
      ],
      "NS": [
        "ns-1707.awsdns-21.co.uk",
        "dns1.p08.nsone.net",
        "dns2.p08.nsone.net",
        "dns3.p08.nsone.net",
        "dns4.p08.nsone.net",
        "... 3 more items"
      ],
      "SOA": [
        {
          "nsname": "ns-1707.awsdns-21.co.uk",
          "hostmaster": "awsdns-hostmaster.amazon.com",
          "serial": 1,
          "refresh": 7200,
          "retry": 900,
          "expire": 1209600,
          "minttl": 86400
        }
      ],
      "CAA": [
        {
          "critical": 0,
          "issuewild": "letsencrypt.org"
        },
        {
          "critical": 0,
          "issuewild": "sectigo.com"
        },
        {
          "critical": 0,
          "issue": "digicert.com"
        },
        {
          "critical": 0,
          "issue": "globalsign.com"
        },
        {
          "critical": 0,
          "issue": "letsencrypt.org"
        },
        "... 2 more items"
      ],
      "MX": [
        {
          "priority": 0,
          "exchange": "github-com.mail.protection.outlook.com"
        }
      ],
      "TXT": [
        "shopify-verification-code=t1YPwcmvnxZyBycaCpk1MPyWoFs72o",
        "krisp-domain-verification=ZlyiK7XLhnaoUQb2hpak1PLY7dFkl1WE",
        "miro-verification=d2e174fdb00c71e0bcf58f8e58c3da2dd80dcfa9",
        "facebook-domain-verification=39xu4jzl7roi7x0n93ldkxjiaarx50",
        "serval-domain-verification-ydryhj=qbkiEakpwEpTvHh5fIiCqtaue",
        "... 17 more items"
      ]
    },
    "dnssec": false,
    "errors": {
      "AAAA": "ENODATA",
      "CNAME": "ENODATA"
    }
  },
  "checkedAt": "2026-07-18T13:11:15.778Z",
  "source": "dns-lookup"
}
```

### Incremental fields

When incremental mode is on, each record also carries:

- `changeType` — one of `NEW`, `UPDATED`, `UNCHANGED`, `REAPPEARED`, `EXPIRED`. Default output covers `NEW` / `UPDATED` / `REAPPEARED`; set `emitUnchanged: true` to opt into the others.

### How to audit domains

1. Go to [DNS Lookup](https://apify.com/blackfalcondata/dns-lookup?fpr=1h3gvi) in Apify Console.
2. Configure the input.
3. Set `maxResults` to control how many results you need.
4. Enable `includeDetails` if you need full descriptions.
5. Click **Start** and wait for the run to finish.
6. Export the dataset as JSON, CSV, or Excel.

### Use cases

- Bulk-resolve DNS records for a large list of domains for inventory, auditing or migration verification.
- Verify a DNS migration or propagation by comparing record sets across domains, and monitor for changes over time.
- Check MX and TXT records across many domains to validate mail routing and verification tokens.
- Audit CAA and DNSSEC coverage across a domain portfolio as a security-hygiene signal.
- Combine with WHOIS, SSL and email-auth checks for a full security-posture review of a domain portfolio.

### How much does it cost to audit domains?

DNS Lookup uses [pay-per-event](https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/paid-actors/pay-per-event) pricing. You pay a small fee when the run starts and then for each result that is actually produced.

- **Run start:** $0.00005 per run
- **Per result:** $0.001 per domain record

Example costs:

- 10 results: **$0.01**
- 25 results: **$0.025**
- 100 results: **$0.1**
- 200 results: **$0.2**
- 500 results: **$0.5**

#### Example: recurring monitoring savings

These examples compare full re-scrapes with incremental runs at different churn rates. Churn is the share of domains that are new or whose tracked content changed since the previous run. Actual churn depends on your query breadth, source activity, and polling frequency — the scenarios below are examples, not predictions.

Example setup: 100 domains per run, daily polling (30 runs/month). Costs scale linearly with the number of domains.

| Churn rate | Full re-scrape run cost | Incremental run cost | Savings vs full re-scrape | Monthly cost after baseline |
|---|---:|---:|---:|---:|
| 5% — stable niche query | $0.10 | $0.00505 | $0.10 (95%) | $0.15 |
| 15% — moderate broad query | $0.10 | $0.02 | $0.09 (85%) | $0.45 |
| 30% — high-volume aggregator | $0.10 | $0.03 | $0.07 (70%) | $0.90 |

Full re-scrape monthly cost at the same cadence: $3.00. First month with incremental costs $0.25 / $0.54 / $0.97 for the 5% / 15% / 30% scenarios because the first run builds baseline state at full cost before incremental savings apply.

Platform usage is included in the per-result fee shown above.

### FAQ

#### How many domains can I check per run?

Every domain in your input list is checked — there is no fixed cap, so the number of domains per run is limited only by your list size and the run's time budget.

#### Does DNS Lookup support recurring monitoring?

Yes. Enable incremental mode to only receive new or changed domains on subsequent runs. This is ideal for scheduled monitoring where you want to track changes over time without re-processing the full dataset.

#### Can I integrate DNS Lookup with other apps?

Yes. DNS Lookup works with Apify's [integrations](https://apify.com/integrations?fpr=1h3gvi) to connect with tools like Zapier, Make, Google Sheets, Slack, and more. You can also use webhooks to trigger actions when a run completes.

#### Can I use DNS Lookup with the Apify API?

Yes. You can start runs, manage inputs, and retrieve results programmatically through the [Apify API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2). Client libraries are available for JavaScript, Python, and other languages.

#### Can I use DNS Lookup through an MCP Server?

Yes. Apify provides an [MCP Server](https://apify.com/apify/actors-mcp-server?fpr=1h3gvi) that lets AI assistants and agents call this actor directly. Use compact mode, a single `descriptionFormat`, and `excludeEmptyFields` to keep payloads manageable for LLM context windows.

#### Is it legal to audit domains?

This actor queries publicly available DNS, WHOIS, certificate and reputation data for the domains you provide. Looking up public domain data is generally legal, but you should ensure your use complies with applicable laws and the queried services' terms, including GDPR where relevant.

#### Your feedback

If you have questions, need a feature, or found a bug, please [open an issue](https://apify.com/blackfalcondata/dns-lookup/issues?fpr=1h3gvi) on the actor's page in Apify Console. Your feedback helps us improve.

### You might also like

- [Domain Intelligence Scraper](https://apify.com/blackfalcondata/domain-intelligence-scraper?fpr=1h3gvi) — All-in-one domain audit: DNS, WHOIS, SSL, HTTP, email authentication and blacklist checks with a.
- [Email Deliverability Checker](https://apify.com/blackfalcondata/email-deliverability-checker?fpr=1h3gvi) — SPF, DMARC, DKIM and DNSSEC audit with an A-F inbox-readiness grade for sending domains.
- [SSL Certificate Monitor](https://apify.com/blackfalcondata/ssl-certificate-monitor?fpr=1h3gvi) — Bulk SSL/TLS certificate check: issuer, expiry, chain validity and SANs with expiring-soon alerts.

### Getting started with Apify

New to Apify? [Create a free account with $5 credit](https://console.apify.com/sign-up?fpr=1h3gvi\&fp_sid=ctaplain) — no credit card required.

1. Sign up — $5 platform credit included
2. Open this actor and configure your input
3. Click **Start** — export results as JSON, CSV, or Excel

Need more later? [See Apify pricing](https://apify.com/pricing?fpr=1h3gvi).

### Disclaimer

This actor accesses only publicly available data on dns lookup. You are responsible for how you use the extracted data — in particular any personal information such as names, phone numbers, or email addresses — and for complying with DNS Lookup's terms of use, applicable data-protection law (including the GDPR where it applies), and the anti-spam rules of your jurisdiction.

This actor is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to DNS Lookup.

### Search keywords

dns lookup scraper, dns lookup api, apify dns lookup, dns lookup data extraction.

# Actor input Schema

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

Domains or full URLs to inspect — one per line, or paste a JSON array. Full URLs are auto-cleaned to the apex domain (https://www.example.com/path → example.com).

## `checks` (type: `array`):

Which inspections to run per domain. Defaults to DNS records only; enable WHOIS/SSL/HTTP/email/blacklist too for a full audit.

## `recordTypes` (type: `array`):

Which DNS record types to resolve when the DNS check is enabled.

## `dkimSelectors` (type: `array`):

DKIM cannot be enumerated, so common selectors (default, google, selector1/2, k1…) are probed automatically. Add your ESP's selector here to catch custom setups.

## `timeoutMs` (type: `integer`):

Timeout for each individual DNS/WHOIS/SSL/HTTP lookup.

## `compact` (type: `boolean`):

At-a-glance verdict only (domain, security score, email grade, flags) — drops the raw record blocks. Ideal for AI-agent / MCP workflows.

## `excludeEmptyFields` (type: `boolean`):

Drop null, empty-string, and empty-array fields from each record before push. Smaller payloads for AI agents and dashboards.

## `incrementalMode` (type: `boolean`):

Compare each domain against the previous run and flag changes (NEW / UPDATED / UNCHANGED). Detects cert renewals, WHOIS expiry, DNS changes, email-auth drift and blacklist appearances over time. stateKey is optional — defaults to a stable key derived from the domain list + checks.

## `stateKey` (type: `string`):

Optional. Stable identifier for the monitored domain set. Leave empty to auto-generate from the domain list + checks.

## `emitUnchanged` (type: `boolean`):

When monitoring, also output domains whose signals did not change since the last run. Off = only NEW and UPDATED domains are emitted.

## `telegramToken` (type: `string`):

Telegram bot token (from @BotFather). Required for Telegram notifications.

## `telegramChatId` (type: `string`):

Telegram chat or channel ID (e.g. "-100123456789"). Required when telegramToken is set.

## `discordWebhookUrl` (type: `string`):

Discord incoming webhook URL. Server Settings → Integrations → Webhooks → New Webhook.

## `slackWebhookUrl` (type: `string`):

Slack incoming webhook URL. api.slack.com/messaging/webhooks.

## `notificationLimit` (type: `integer`):

Maximum number of domains included in each notification message (1–20).

## `notifyOnlyChanges` (type: `boolean`):

When monitoring is on, only send notifications for NEW and UPDATED domains. No effect otherwise.

## `whatsappAccessToken` (type: `string`):

WhatsApp Cloud API permanent access token (System User token from Meta Business). Recipient must have messaged the business number within the last 24h (service-conversation window — free since Nov 2024).

## `whatsappPhoneNumberId` (type: `string`):

Your WhatsApp Business phone-number ID (numeric, from Meta dashboard). Required when whatsappAccessToken is set.

## `whatsappTo` (type: `string`):

Recipient phone in E.164 format without + (e.g. "436641234567"). Recipient must have messaged your business number within last 24h.

## `webhookUrl` (type: `string`):

Receives a JSON POST with {metadata, items} after each run. Universal escape hatch for n8n / Make / Zapier / custom backends.

## `webhookHeaders` (type: `object`):

Optional JSON object of custom headers (e.g. {"Authorization":"Bearer ..."}).

## `appConnector` (type: `string`):

Optional. Pick a connected app under Settings → API & Integrations to receive your results. Best-effort across MCP connectors as Apify expands its catalog.

## `mcpIssueTeam` (type: `string`):

Only when the connected app is an issue tracker: the team (name or ID) the summary issue is created under, if that app requires one.

## `descriptionFormat` (type: `string`):

Choose which representation of the listing description to include. `all` keeps every variant; the others keep only the selected one.

## `maxResults` (type: `integer`):

Maximum number of listings to return per run. Set to 0 for unlimited.

## `startUrls` (type: `array`):

One or more direct search or listing detail URLs to process. When set, other search filters are ignored.

## `includeDetails` (type: `boolean`):

Fetch the detail page for each listing to retrieve the full description text and contact information. Increases run time and cost. Leave off for a fast, low-cost run.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "domains": [
    "github.com",
    "cloudflare.com"
  ],
  "checks": [
    "dns"
  ],
  "recordTypes": [
    "A",
    "AAAA",
    "MX",
    "TXT",
    "CNAME",
    "NS",
    "SOA",
    "CAA"
  ],
  "dkimSelectors": [],
  "timeoutMs": 8000,
  "compact": false,
  "excludeEmptyFields": false,
  "incrementalMode": false,
  "emitUnchanged": false,
  "notificationLimit": 5,
  "notifyOnlyChanges": false,
  "descriptionFormat": "all",
  "maxResults": 5,
  "includeDetails": false
}
```

# Actor output Schema

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

No description

# 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": [
        "github.com",
        "cloudflare.com"
    ],
    "excludeEmptyFields": false,
    "descriptionFormat": "all",
    "maxResults": 5,
    "includeDetails": false
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("blackfalcondata/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": [
        "github.com",
        "cloudflare.com",
    ],
    "excludeEmptyFields": False,
    "descriptionFormat": "all",
    "maxResults": 5,
    "includeDetails": False,
}

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

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"])
for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).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": [
    "github.com",
    "cloudflare.com"
  ],
  "excludeEmptyFields": false,
  "descriptionFormat": "all",
  "maxResults": 5,
  "includeDetails": false
}' |
apify call blackfalcondata/dns-lookup --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "mcp-remote",
                "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=blackfalcondata/dns-lookup",
                "--header",
                "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR_API_TOKEN>"
            ]
        }
    }
}

```

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/F17az2qosC3Vj5hnr/builds/9bby4Tb4pKkqoZwt9/openapi.json