Status labels

  • Available No RDAP registration or DNS signals were found. This can still be wrong if a registry is unavailable, a registrar has fresher data, or a premium/reserved-name rule applies.
  • Active The domain appears registered and has resolving DNS, mail records, certificate history, a reachable website, or substantial page content.
  • DNS Set The domain is registered or configured, but SiteFind does not have enough evidence to call it active, held, parked, or resale-oriented.
  • Held The domain appears registered with little visible public use. This often means an owner is reserving it, preparing a launch, or using records not visible in the scan.
  • Parked The domain resolves to content or nameservers that resemble a parking page, but the evidence is not strong enough to call it a resale trap.
  • Resale Marketplace hosts, sale language, or parking infrastructure suggest the domain may be offered for sale.
  • Cyber Squatter Strong resale signals, such as direct marketplace redirects or explicit sale copy, deserve extra caution. The label describes public signals, not a legal conclusion about the owner.
  • Zombie RDAP registration exists, but no public A or AAAA records were found. The name has a registration record but no obvious web address at scan time.

Why WHOIS alone is not enough

Registration data answers whether a domain is in a registry database. It does not tell you whether a website is live, whether the owner accepts offers, whether mail is configured, or whether the name is parked behind a marketplace. That is why SiteFind combines RDAP with DNS and website signals.

Confidence and false positives

Confidence is a score derived from the available evidence. High confidence usually means multiple signals point in the same direction. Low or medium confidence means the result needs manual review. False positives can happen when a parked page uses generic language, when a site blocks automated fetches, when RDAP servers are unavailable, or when DNS changes have not propagated.

Practical review workflow

  1. Start with the label, but read the evidence notes before clicking out.
  2. Confirm the exact domain at the registrar, including premium pricing.
  3. Check renewal cost, transfer lock, and privacy options before purchase.
  4. Search for existing trademarks or brand conflicts before using the name publicly.