I got an email from DomainTools last week that they had made the decision to screw over all their long term platform customers. I have included the email below that details they gave just several weeks notice that their pricing is going to change significantly after June 25th 2016. Below is the second email they have sent reminding you that they are screwing you over!
Why I'm angry?
The cost of using their service will rise from my $13.50/month plan to $99/month is a 733% increase and none of the new features are anything I plan to use! This pricing policy change has to be some kind of joke, that is simply not acceptable! Also for long term members a 30% discount off your first month is a slap in the face!
I don't need enterprise features!
One of the annoying things about their change is they are now offering so many more features when I'm barely using all the current features they already have available. Sure they have a heap of domain based research tools in one place but I don't want or need to use most of the services they are offering.
You have lost a customer and platform evangelist!
I have personally been a paid DomainTools member since 22nd October 2007, that is over 8.5 years I have been paying to use their platform. I have mainly used the following features of their platform and will happily lose access to the stalker style Registrant Monitor feature.
- Whois
- Domain Monitor (check for DNS/Status changes)
- Registrant Monitor (monitor one particular individuals activity)
I just need a basic Whois service I don't need all the bells and whistles and certainly not going to pay $99/month so I have removed my billing details from your account so you will not be charging me $99/month I will find an alternative solution that does what I need it to do.
Really you would love to keep me as a customer... Really it takes 5 steps to cancel your account, this is not fair that they add in so many barriers to stop customers leaving on their own but are happy to throw them out when it suits their business.
Yep another step... please tell us why you are leaving and at the bottom there is a link for a FREE trial of their professional platform you can signup for again.
Sorry DomainTools but you have lost a long time evangelist of your platform I will no longer personally recommend your service to anyone looking for a domain research solution!
DomainTools Alternatives?
Some solutions I found after publishing this article by reading a few threads on on NamePros and DomainNamewire that might do the job are: