Quick answer
Is Domains By Proxy legit, and what is an alternative?
Is Domains By Proxy legit? Yes: Domains By Proxy, LLC is GoDaddy's US privacy partner, and GoDaddy says the domain stays yours. The NomineeName Domains By Proxy alternative goes further: DomaineGoat LLC becomes the registrant of record, so the registry receives the company's details. A .com is $12.99, as of 19 October 2026.
Facts at a glance, 19 October 2026
| What Domains By Proxy is | GoDaddy's privacy partner: its contact details replace yours in the public record |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Legal holder with Domains By Proxy | You, per GoDaddy's help page |
| Disclosure | Answers US subpoenas, in about 30 days per a Vorys law firm article; proxy agreement revised on 4 January 2024 (Zoutons blog, secondary) |
| Legal holder with NomineeName | DomaineGoat LLC (Panama); you are the beneficial owner |
| NomineeName .com | $12.99/year, registration in our name included |
Domains By Proxy vs NomineeName
What each one changes in the record, and who can be asked for your details. A dash means nothing was found in the sources we read.
| GoDaddy + Domains By Proxy | NomineeName | |
|---|---|---|
| Name in public WHOIS / RDAP | Domains By Proxy, LLC | DomaineGoat LLC |
| Legal holder of the domain | You | DomaineGoat LLC; you are the beneficial owner |
| Your name and address held by | GoDaddy, behind the mask | Not collected: we keep one verified email per domain |
| Details sent to the registry | Depends on the extension | The company's, never yours |
| Country of the entity | United States | Panama |
| Published disclosure rule | US subpoenas, about 30 days (law firm article) | Only when Panamanian law requires it (a Panamanian court or prosecutor's order), or in a UDRP case |
| Takedown on complaint alone | — | No, for copyright, defamation, political or competitor complaints |
| ID check | — | None: no ID, no KYC |
| Accepted coins | — | BTC, USDT, USDC, ETH, SOL, LTC (crypto only) |
| .com per year | — (not checked) | $12.99, same to renew |
Facts checked on ; each competitor price carries its own date
Who owns Domains By Proxy, LLC?
Domains By Proxy, LLC is the US company GoDaddy uses for domain privacy. When you add privacy to a GoDaddy domain, GoDaddy swaps your contact details for those of this partner. Its help page says the domain still belongs to you.
So if you see Domains By Proxy in a WHOIS record, read it as: "this domain is at GoDaddy, and the holder bought privacy". It does not tell you who the holder is. Our registrant-of-record index lists this name with seven others.
Is Domains By Proxy legit?
Yes, it is a real service tied to a large registrar, and it does what it says: it keeps your details off the public record. Two limits matter.
- You stay the holder. GoDaddy keeps your name, address and phone behind the mask.
- US subpoenas reach it. A Vorys law firm article describes Domains By Proxy answering US subpoenas in about 30 days. Its proxy agreement was revised on 4 January 2024, per a Zoutons blog post (secondary).
None of this is a flaw. It is what a mask is built to do.
Why choose NomineeName instead of Domains By Proxy?
NomineeName is a nominee domain registration service from Panama: every domain is registered in the name of DomaineGoat LLC by default, so the registration record and WHOIS show the company, never you — no ID, no KYC, paid in crypto.
- Your name and address are never collected. We keep one verified email per domain, never published and never sent to the registry.
- Panamanian process decides. Customer data goes out only when Panamanian law requires it (a Panamanian court or prosecutor's order), or in a UDRP case. See the disclosure policy.
- Complaints need a judge. Copyright, defamation, political or competitor complaints need a decision from a Panamanian court. Phishing, malware, botnets and fraud that takes money from victims are acted on within 24 hours of a well-documented report, child sexual abuse material immediately.
- You keep control. DNS, renewals and transfers are managed from your account. Putting the domain in your own name is free, on request to support from your verified email address. This works where the registry accepts you as holder.
When is Domains By Proxy the better choice?
Keep GoDaddy's privacy if hiding your details from the public WHOIS page is all you need. You stay the direct legal holder, with no agreement in between. And we cannot hold .us, .eu, .fr, .it or .ca at all: see extensions we cannot hold.
How do I move a GoDaddy domain to NomineeName?
Unlock the domain at GoDaddy and copy its transfer (EPP) code. Top up your NomineeName balance in crypto from $25. Send the exact amount on the exact network; it is credited once the network confirms it. Then start the transfer from your account. A domain registered or transferred in the last 60 days usually has to wait, under ICANN's transfer rules. Our guide move a domain into our name covers each step.
Domains By Proxy alternative: FAQ
Who owns Domains By Proxy?
Domains By Proxy, LLC is the US company that GoDaddy uses as its privacy partner. When you add privacy at GoDaddy, its details replace yours in public WHOIS and RDAP. It does not own your domain: GoDaddy's help page says the domain stays yours, and GoDaddy keeps your real details behind the mask.
Can I find out who is behind a Domains By Proxy domain?
Not from WHOIS. The record shows GoDaddy as registrar and Domains By Proxy as contact. A Vorys law firm article describes Domains By Proxy answering US subpoenas in about 30 days. For abuse, use the registrar's abuse contact shown in the RDAP record. Our guide check who the registrant is explains the lookup.
Is NomineeName a privacy service like Domains By Proxy?
No. Domains By Proxy masks a registration that stays in your name. NomineeName registers the domain in the name of DomaineGoat LLC. The company is the registrant of record; you are the beneficial owner under our terms. The registry receives the company's details, never yours.
How much does NomineeName cost compared with GoDaddy privacy?
At NomineeName a .com is $12.99/year, with registration in our name included and the same price to renew. The optional Domain protection adds +$29/year per domain. We did not check GoDaddy's prices for this page, so we do not compare them. See all our prices on the pricing page.
Will a court order still reach my domain at NomineeName?
A Panamanian one will: we release the data we hold only when Panamanian law requires it (a Panamanian court or prosecutor's order), or in a UDRP case. Trademark cases go through the UDRP.
Do I need an ID to move from GoDaddy to NomineeName?
No. No ID, no KYC — only a verified email, kept private. ICANN requires a working contact, so we verify one email per domain. You pay in crypto from a prepaid balance, so no card or bank details are needed. The transfer itself needs only the code from GoDaddy. See domain registration without ID.
Sources (4)
- What is domain privacy? godaddy.com/help/what-is-domain-privacy-41145 — GoDaddy (checked 2026-10-19)
- Article on subpoenas served on Domains By Proxy — Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP (checked 2026-10-19)
- Domains By Proxy agreement update of 4 January 2024 (secondary) — Zoutons (checked 2026-10-19)
- Registrar Accreditation Agreement (2013 version) — ICANN (checked 2026-10-08)
Let a company hold the domain, not a mask
A .com is $12.99/year, registration in our name included. Crypto top-up from $25. No ID, no KYC.