DNS Backup for DNSimple
Why back up DNSimple DNS
DNSimple is a clean, well-built DNS provider. But it doesn’t offer change history, diffing, or automated scheduled backups. If a record gets deleted or overwritten, there’s no undo. You’re restoring from whatever export you last remembered to download.
BackupMyDNS connects to DNSimple with read-only OAuth access, captures a full zone snapshot every time a record changes, and stores the diff. Every record, every version, downloadable as a standard BIND zone file.
What permissions we need
BackupMyDNS uses read-only OAuth authorization. When you connect your DNSimple account, we request only read access to your domains and zones. We cannot create, modify, or delete any records or domains.
The OAuth token is stored AES-256 encrypted. You can revoke access at any time from your DNSimple account settings.
What DNSimple’s export misses
DNSimple has one of the better zone export features among DNS providers. You can download a clean zone file from the dashboard. But there are still gaps:
No change tracking. The export gives you the zone as it exists right now. There’s no history of what it looked like last week, or what record was removed three months ago. BackupMyDNS stores every version and lets you diff any two snapshots.
No automated scheduling. You have to manually click Export. If you manage 20 domains, that’s 20 manual exports every time you want a current backup. Nobody sustains this.
ALIAS records don’t export cleanly. DNSimple supports ALIAS records — a provider-specific record type that acts like a CNAME at the zone apex. Standard BIND zone files don’t have an ALIAS type. These records get lost or mangled in a standard export. BackupMyDNS captures them as they exist in DNSimple’s API.
URL records disappear. DNSimple’s URL record type provides HTTP redirects via DNS. It’s a convenience feature, not a standard record type. A zone file export won’t include these. If you rely on URL records for redirects, losing them means broken redirects with no trace of what they pointed to.
DNSimple-specific gotchas
One-click services. DNSimple’s one-click services (Google Workspace, Fastmail, Heroku, etc.) automatically add DNS records to your zone. These records are easy to forget about because you didn’t type them in manually. During a migration, people export their zone, move to another provider, and discover that email stopped working because the MX and TXT records from a one-click service weren’t in their mental model of the zone.
ALIAS at the apex. If you’re using an ALIAS record at the zone apex to point to a CDN or load balancer, this record type doesn’t exist at most other providers. Your backup needs to clearly show this so you know to handle it differently during a migration.
Delegation and vanity nameservers. If you’re using DNSimple’s domain registration alongside their DNS, nameserver delegation records are managed automatically. These need to be accounted for if you move DNS hosting elsewhere.
Pricing
Your first domain is free with daily checks and 30 days of retention. Pro plans start at $14/mo for up to 100 zones with hourly checks and 1 year of retention. Business plans at $49/mo cover 1,000 zones with 10-minute checks and unlimited retention.
All data is AES-256 encrypted at rest. Fort Knox mode available — we email you the backup and delete it from our systems.
Get started
Connect your DNSimple account with read-only OAuth. Setup takes under two minutes.