Get Your Human-Readable Identity

Set up NIP-05 for a professional, easy-to-share Nostr identifier like you@domain.com

What is NIP-05? 🆔

NIP-05 (Nostr Implementation Possibility #5) lets you have a human-readable identifier like you@domain.com instead of a long string of random characters.

The Problem It Solves

Before NIP-05:
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Follow: npub1xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  │
│ "Hey, follow me! I'm npub1abc123...xyz789"   │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────┘
                ↓
After NIP-05:
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Follow: alice@example.com                    │
│ "Hey, follow me! I'm alice@example.com"      │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────┘

What You Get

• ✅ Easy to share: “Find me at bob@nostrplebs.com”
• ✅ Looks professional: Clean, memorable identifier
• ✅ Trust signal: NIP-05 badge in many clients
• ✅ Easier to find: Search by your identifier

But Remember…

⚠️ NIP-05 is optional. You can use Nostr perfectly well with just your npub.

The NIP-05 identifier is a convenience, not a requirement. Your npub is your real identity on Nostr.

Why Get a NIP-05? ✨

Easier to Share

At a party:
"What's your Nostr?"

Without NIP-05:
"Uh... n-p-u-b-one-x-x-x... let me find it in my phone"

With NIP-05:
"Just alice@example.com"

Professional Appearance

• Businesses: support@yourcompany.com
• Creators: artist@yourdomain.com
• Developers: dev@opensourceproject.com

Trust & Authenticity

Many clients show a ✓ badge for NIP-05 users:

┌─────────────────────┐
│ 👤 Alice ✓          │
│ alice@example.com   │
│ "Bitcoin educator"  │
└─────────────────────┘

This helps people know they’re following the real you, not an impostor.

Do You Need One?

No. You can use Nostr perfectly fine without it.

But… it’s highly recommended if you’re:

• Building a personal brand
• Creating content
• Running a business
• Serious about Nostr long-term
• Tired of reading 63-character strings

Not Centralization!

Some worry NIP-05 means “centralized identity.” It doesn’t:

• You can have multiple NIP-05 identifiers
• You can change them anytime
• Your npub is still your real identity
• NIP-05 is just a pointer to your npub

Free Options 🎁

Several services offer free NIP-05 identifiers. Great for trying it out!

NostrCheck

Another great free option.

How to get one:

1. Visit nostrcheck.me
2. Create account
3. Set your NIP-05
4. Verify your npub

Pros:

• Also free
• Additional tools included

Other Free Providers

• bitcoiner.social: Bitcoin-focused community
• getalby.com: If you use Alby wallet
• stacker.news: For SN users
• NostrCheck.me - Additional tools included

Paid Options

NostrPlebs

One of the most popular paid NIP-05 providers. Pricing is based on username length and paid in Bitcoin satoshis (sats).

Cost:

Note: Some special names may have increased prices. Prices in USD are approximate based on current Bitcoin rates.

Domains Available:

• nostrplebs.com - Basic membership
• nostriches.net - Basic membership
• nostr.fan - Basic membership
• nostrich.zone - Basic membership
• nostrpurple.com - Premium membership

What’s Included:

• Human-readable NIP-05 identifier
• Lightning Address support (receive sats to your identifier)
• Email forwarding address
• Access to Nostr Plebs relay
• Verified checkmark badge in clients
• Directory listing to help others find you

Setup:

1. Visit nostrplebs.com
2. Choose your preferred domain
3. Enter your desired username
4. Pay the Lightning invoice
5. Add your npub via the management portal
6. Done!

Other Paid Providers

• NostrName.com - Various pricing tiers
• NostrID.com - Domain + NIP-05 packages
• Custom domain registrars - Many now offer NIP-05 setup

What you get:

• Professional appearance
• Better uptime guarantees
• Support if issues arise
• Often bundled with other services

Using Your Own Domain 🌐

For complete control and professionalism, use your own domain.

Step 1: Buy a Domain

Any domain registrar works:

• Namecheap
• Porkbun
• Cloudflare Registrar

Cost: Usually $10-15/year

Step 2: DNS Setup

Add a DNS record to point to your Nostr key:

Type: TXT
Name: _@ (or just @ for root)
Value:

"nostr": "<your-npub>"

Or use a redirect:

Type: CNAME
Name: nostr
Value: your-nostr-provider.com

Step 3: Create NIP-05 JSON

Host a file at https://yourdomain.com/.well-known/nostr.json:

{
  "names": {
    "alice": "<your-npub-here>",
    "bob": "<another-npub>"
  }
}

Your identifier becomes: alice@yourdomain.com

Example Setup Walkthrough

Scenario: You own alice.dev

1. Create the JSON file:

{
  "names": {
    "alice": "npub1abc123..."
  }
}

2. Upload to your server:

https://alice.dev/.well-known/nostr.json

3. Verify it works: Open in browser: https://alice.dev/.well-known/nostr.json

4. Add to your Nostr profile: In your client: Settings → Profile → NIP-05 → alice@alice.dev

Testing Your NIP-05 ✅

Check Your Identifier

Use our tool below or visit your identifier URL:

In Your Client

Most clients show NIP-05 status:

Damus/Amethyst:

• Settings → Profile → NIP-05 field
• Shows ✓ when set up correctly

Primal:

• Profile shows NIP-05 badge
• Click badge to see details

Troubleshooting Common Issues

“NIP-05 not working”

• Double-check your npub is correct in nostr.json
• Ensure the JSON is valid (use a JSON validator)
• Check that the file is accessible at the exact URL

“File not found”

• Make sure .well-known folder is created
• Check your server serves hidden directories
• Verify the path: /.well-known/nostr.json

“Domain not resolving”

• DNS changes can take up to 24 hours
• Clear your DNS cache
• Check with dig or nslookup command

“Client doesn’t recognize it”

• Some clients cache NIP-05 lookup results
• Try logging out and back in
• Wait a few minutes for propagation

“Verification Failed” Error

Possible causes:

1. JSON syntax error - Check for missing quotes or commas
2. Wrong file location - Must be at /.well-known/nostr.json
3. Caching - Wait 10-15 minutes and retry
4. HTTPS required - Must be served over HTTPS

Fix:

• Validate JSON at jsonlint.com
• Check file is at exact path
• Clear client cache
• Ensure SSL certificate is valid

“Not Found” Error

Possible causes:

1. File not uploaded to correct location
2. Server blocks dot-directories
3. Wrong domain

Fix:

• Verify file exists at exact URL
• Check .htaccess or server config allows dot-directories
• Confirm you’re using correct domain

Provider-Specific Issues

NostrPlebs:

• Check spam folder for verification email
• Ensure npub is correct (not nsec!)
• Contact support if stuck

Self-hosted:

• Verify DNS propagation: dig yourdomain.com
• Check server logs for errors
• Ensure file permissions allow reading

Advanced Tips 💡

Multiple Identities

You can have multiple NIP-05 addresses:

personal@yourdomain.com
work@yourdomain.com
blog@yourdomain.com

All point to the same npub, or different ones.

Subdomains

Use subdomains for organization:

alice@team.yourdomain.com
alice@community.yourdomain.com

Hosting Multiple Users

You can host multiple NIP-05 identifiers on one domain:

{
  "names": {
    "alice": "npub1alice...",
    "bob": "npub1bob...",
    "carol": "npub1carol..."
  }
}

Verifying Your Setup

Method 1: Your Client

1. Add the NIP-05 to your profile
2. Save changes
3. Look for a checkmark ✓ or “verified” badge
4. May take a few minutes to propagate

Method 2: Nostr Explorer

1. Visit a Nostr explorer like nostr.guru
2. Search for your NIP-05
3. Check if it resolves to your npub

Method 3: Direct Test (Command Line)

curl https://yourdomain.com/.well-known/nostr.json

What Success Looks Like:

• ✅ Client shows verification badge
• ✅ Others can find you by your NIP-05
• ✅ Your profile displays your human-readable name

Privacy Considerations

• NIP-05 links your npub to a domain
• This could deanonymize you if the domain has your real info
• Use free providers for pseudonymous accounts
• Use your own domain when you want to be identified

Test Your NIP-05 Knowledge

Think you understand NIP-05? Take the quiz:

Resources

• NIP-05 Specification
• NostrPlebs - Paid NIP-05
• NostrCheck - Free NIP-05 + tools
• NIP05 Generator - DIY tools