Comparison
PNTR vs is-a.dev
is-a.dev is the reference point in this category — around 14,000 registered subdomains and roughly 22,000 merged pull requests, funded by a Cloudflare sponsorship. Its registration model is the whole difference: you open a pull request adding a JSON file, a human reviews it, and it merges. PNTR creates the record immediately over an API. Which is better depends entirely on whether you want a gatekeeper.
PNTR compared with is-a.dev
| Feature | PNTR | is-a.dev |
|---|---|---|
| How you register | Web form, REST API, CLI, or MCP — created immediately | Pull request against a public GitHub repository, reviewed by a maintainer |
| Time to a working record | Seconds | However long review and merge take |
| Changing a record later | API, CLI, dashboard, or MCP call | Another pull request |
| Programmatic access | REST API and API tokens | None — the repository is the interface |
| Record types | A, AAAA, CNAME, TXT, MX | A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, URL, SRV, TLSA; NS in approved cases |
| Request capture and email inbox | Included on the subdomain | Not offered — it is a DNS service only |
| Registration is public | No | Yes — your record lives in a public git history |
| Cost | Free tier, optional $5/month Premium | Free, with no paid tier |
| Funding model | Optional subscriptions | Cloudflare sponsorship |
is-a.dev pricing and limits last checked on . Check their site for current terms.
Choose PNTR when
- You want the subdomain now, not after a review queue.
- You want to create or change records from a script, a CI job, or an AI assistant.
- You want request capture or an email inbox on the same name — is-a.dev does DNS only.
- You would rather not have your subdomain registration in a public git history.
Choose is-a.dev when
- You want the longest track record in the category. is-a.dev has been running for years at a scale PNTR has not approached.
- You want a name on a domain other developers recognise. `you.is-a.dev` carries more signal in this community than `you.pntr.dev` does today.
- You value the review step. Human moderation is why is-a.dev's abuse rate has stayed very low, and an open registration API is a weaker defence.
- You need record types PNTR does not support, such as SRV, TLSA, or NS delegation.
- You want a service with no commercial incentive at all — is-a.dev has no paid tier and no plans for one.
Questions
- Is PNTR trying to replace is-a.dev?
- No. They solve the same problem with opposite philosophies. is-a.dev is a curated, community-reviewed registry; PNTR is an API. If you like the pull-request model, PNTR has nothing to offer you.
- Which is more likely to still exist in five years?
- An honest answer is that is-a.dev has the better track record and a Cloudflare sponsorship, while PNTR is much younger. Weigh that if you are putting something long-lived on the name.
- Can I use both?
- Yes. Nothing stops you holding a name in each, and it is reasonable insurance for a project you care about.
- Does PNTR review registrations?
- Registration is automated, with a reserved-name blacklist rather than human review of each request. That is faster and structurally weaker against abuse — the trade-off is deliberate but real.