Unstoppable Domains vs ENS for Sybil-Resistant Identity

One-time payment model: Pay once, own the domain forever with no renewal fees. This matters for mass consumer adoption where predictable costs are critical.

• Multi-chain by default: Domains resolve natively across 8+ chains (Polygon, Ethereum, Solana).
• Integrated partner ecosystem: Direct logins with 750+ apps like Brave and Shopify.

Corporate-controlled namespace: Unstoppable Domains Inc. manages the root registry and pricing. This matters for projects prioritizing speed and integrated features over decentralization.

• Centralized resolution updates: Company can update domain records without on-chain transactions.
• Trademark protection program: Actively enforces trademarks, reducing namespace squatting.

Fully decentralized governance: ENS DAO controls the root and treasury (~$100M+). This matters for credible neutrality and censorship resistance in DeFi and DAOs.

• Annual renewal fee model: ~$5/year for a .eth name (paid in ETH). Aligns with sustainable protocol economics.
• Ethereum-native standard: The dominant identity primitive for Ethereum dApps like Aave and Uniswap.

Open, permissionless system: Anyone can integrate resolver contracts or create subdomains programmatically. This matters for advanced Sybil-resistance tools like Gitcoin Passport.

• Rich text records: Supports over 15 record types (AVATAR, URL, BTC, LTC).
• L2-ready architecture: Native support for Layer 2 resolution via CCIP-Read.

Permanent ownership: Pay once for a domain, no renewal fees. This matters for mass adoption and user onboarding, as it removes the recurring cost barrier and mental overhead for non-crypto-native users. Ideal for consumer apps where predictable, lifetime costs are a priority.

Built-in interoperability: Domains resolve natively across 8+ chains (Polygon, Ethereum, Solana). This matters for multi-chain application stacks, as it reduces integration complexity. Developers can use a single identity layer without managing cross-chain bridges for ENS's L2 wrapper system.

Fully on-chain governance: ENS DAO controls the root key and protocol upgrades. This matters for protocols requiring censorship resistance, as no central entity can revoke or alter domains. The system is governed by token holders (over 200K+), aligning with Ethereum's credibly neutral ethos.

Rich record types: Supports 100+ standardized text records (avatar, email, socials) via EIPs. This matters for building complex identity graphs, as developers can attach arbitrary data (e.g., com.discord, description). The ecosystem includes libraries like ensjs and tools like Etherscan for verification.

Corporate control: Unstoppable Domains Inc. maintains the smart contract upgrade keys and pricing. This matters for long-term protocol risk, as the company could theoretically change terms or be compelled by regulators. The system is not governed by a decentralized DAO.

Annual renewal fees: Users must pay yearly (≈$5/year for .eth). This matters for user retention and churn, as lapsed payments can lead to domain loss. While it prevents namespace squatting, it adds ongoing management overhead for both users and applications.

On-chain, non-custodial standard: ENS domains are ERC-721 NFTs on Ethereum, controlled by your private key. This enables native integration with DeFi (Aave, Uniswap), DAOs, and cross-chain resolvers via CCIP-Read. This matters for protocols requiring censorship-resistant, self-sovereign identity.

Single payment for life: Pay once, own forever with no renewal fees. This reduces long-term cost and management overhead. This matters for mass-market applications (gaming, social) where user acquisition is sensitive to recurring costs.