I think 500$ per year is a large requirement for API usage as it discourages small and medium hosting business owners from embracing Dynadot as a vendor.
I would like to propose to lower the entry bar, or plainly remove it to allow small hosters to use your API services. For example, Rackspace and Linode offer free access to their API's, which is a fresh and encouraging initiative. I think Dynadot falls in the same line of service providers in terms of quality, so it would make sense to offer the same.
If the limitation was implemented to prevent abuse, an API key could be used to control usage.
[This post has been edited by creationmw on Oct 2, 2011 4:32pm.]
I've done a lot of research on the "free API" registrars. Thus far, none of them have been what they seem. Fabulous has long offered "free API" underneath a scam where they charge people not placed in a reseller bracket 25$/domain.
I would like to commend Dynadot's efforts on behalf of all the Expired Domain Snatchers out there in helping to deliver this unprecedented service of free API.
And I ask all of you rookie drop-catchers out there to please not abuse the API. When you build a drop-catcher, you do not use the API for WHOIS availability polling, you use it for instant registration when availability is determined :)
I think so, reducing the min yearly spent to access the API will not only encourage small businesses to grow, but will help Dynadot to have a long-term customers.