Updated May 15, 2026 · ~6 min read · Honest comparison, not a takedown
The 30-second answer. Namelix is an AI-powered brand name generator — it invents short, made-up words (think "Lyft", "Stripe", "Calibrate") and pairs each suggestion with a generated logo via its sister product Brandmark. TinyTools' domain generator is a deterministic, in-browser tool that combines your keywords with prefixes, suffixes, and TLDs to surface available domains fast. If you want creative, brandable, sometimes-weird names with a logo preview, use Namelix. If you want fast keyword-driven domain ideas with no signup and no AI hallucinations, use TinyTools.
What each one actually is
Namelix launched in 2018 from the team behind Brandmark.io. You give it a few seed keywords, choose a style (short, real words, alternate spelling, compound, brandable, non-English, etc.) and a randomness level, and an LLM generates dozens of name candidates. Each candidate shows an auto-generated logo, a domain availability hint, and a one-line description. Browsing is free; the logo is a low-resolution preview, and turning it into a usable logo file pushes you to Brandmark (paid, roughly $25–$175 one-time depending on package). Signing in lets you save shortlists and improves future suggestions based on what you "like."
TinyTools' domain generator is one tool in a free, no-signup utility collection. You type a keyword or two, pick which TLDs you care about (.com, .ai, .io, .dev, .app, etc.), and it generates a list of permutations — prefixes, suffixes, related stems, plurals, double-words, and short brandable variants — and checks each against the DNS for availability. No account, no credits, no logo upsell. The output is a flat list of candidate domains you can copy or open in a registrar.
Side-by-side feature comparison
Feature
TinyTools
Namelix
Price (core features)
Free, forever
Free to browse names
Account / signup required
No
Optional (needed to save lists)
AI-generated brand names
Keyword permutations only
LLM-generated, often invented words
Style controls (short, compound, alt-spelling…)
Length + TLD filters
Multiple style presets
Domain availability check
Real-time DNS check
Hint shown, registrar handoff
Logo preview per name
No
Yes (Brandmark upsell)
Multiple TLDs (.ai, .io, .dev…)
Built-in filter
Mostly .com focus
Bulk export of shortlist
Copy from page
Save inside account
Trademark / USPTO check
No
No
Works offline / privacy
Runs in browser, no telemetry
Server-side LLM calls
Deterministic / reproducible results
Same input → same output
LLM output varies each run
Open source / source-visible
Static site, source visible
Closed product
Pricing comparison
Both products advertise as "free." That's true for browsing names — the difference is where the paywalls live.
Plan
TinyTools
Namelix (2026)
Browse / generate names
Free, unlimited
Free, unlimited
Save shortlist
Browser only (copy/paste)
Free with account
Logo file (usable resolution)
Not offered
Brandmark paid: ~$25 (Basic) to ~$175 (Enterprise) one-time
Brand kit / files
Not offered
Brandmark bundles include PNG, SVG, PDF, social kit at higher tiers
Domain registration
Hand-off to registrar of your choice
Affiliate hand-off (typically GoDaddy/Namecheap)
When Namelix is the better choice
Let's be straight: Namelix is excellent at what it does, and there are tasks where TinyTools simply doesn't compete.
You want a brandable, invented word. Names like "Zentiva," "Lumio," "Karver" — words that don't exist yet but feel like a brand. Namelix's LLM is well-tuned for this and TinyTools' keyword-permutation engine isn't trying to do it.
You want a logo preview alongside the name. Seeing the name in a generated wordmark next to an icon is a real shortcut for picking favorites. TinyTools has no logo feature at all.
You're stuck and want unfamiliar directions. Namelix's "alternate spelling" and "non-English" styles can break you out of the keyword rut when you've been staring at variations of the same word for an hour.
You don't care about exact keywords in the name. If "sounds great, looks great" matters more than SEO-ish keyword inclusion, the AI approach pulls ahead.
You're prepared to spend on the logo later. The Namelix → Brandmark pipeline is genuinely smooth if a $25–$175 one-time logo cost fits your budget.
When TinyTools is the better choice
The honest case for TinyTools' domain generator is narrower but real:
You want the keyword in the domain. If "AI cost calculator" is your tool, you probably want "aicostly.com" or "costlyai.io," not "Zentiva." Keyword-driven permutations beat AI invention here. (Related: our own AI cost calculator went through exactly this exercise.)
You don't want another login or upsell. No email, no Brandmark paywall, no "sign up to save your favorites." Open the page, get a list, leave.
You want repeatable results. AI generators are non-deterministic — re-run them and you get a different list, which is great for exploration but bad if you want to share "here are my 20 candidates" with a cofounder and have them see the same 20.
You care about non-.com TLDs. Namelix is heavily .com-oriented. TinyTools surfaces .ai, .io, .dev, .app, and .co alongside .com from the start, which matters more in 2026 than it did five years ago.
You want real-time availability for the exact TLDs you care about. TinyTools checks DNS for each candidate as it generates, so you don't waste time loving a domain that turns out to be parked.
Privacy and lightweight loading matter. A static page that runs in your browser will always load faster and leak less data than a server-side LLM call.
Three concrete use cases
1. SaaS founder naming a B2B tool
You want something keyword-adjacent, a clean .com or .io, and you'll handle the logo yourself in Figma later. Recommendation: TinyTools. Keyword permutations with live availability is the right shape for "we need a name and a domain by Friday."
2. DTC founder launching a consumer brand
You want a memorable, brandable, vibey name and a quick logo. Recommendation: Namelix. The invented-word style and inline logos are exactly built for this, and the Brandmark hand-off is reasonable if the brand sticks.
3. Indie hacker shipping a weekend project
Probably needs three names and a favicon by Sunday night. Recommendation: mixed. Use TinyTools' domain generator to find an available .ai or .io, then our favicon generator for the icon set. Namelix is overkill for a side project that may not survive the month.
Switching costs and lock-in
Neither tool has serious lock-in. Namelix stores your shortlists in its account, but the names themselves are just strings — you can export by copy-paste at any time. TinyTools doesn't store anything server-side, so there's literally nothing to leave. The bigger lock-in question is on the logo: if you commit to a Namelix name and buy the Brandmark logo, you're tied to that visual identity unless you redesign. TinyTools doesn't generate logos, so this isn't a risk on our side — but it also means you'll need to handle the logo yourself.
Verdict
These two are solving slightly different problems. Namelix is a brand generator first and a domain tool second — it'll happily suggest "Quivolt" without checking whether quivolt.com is actually buyable. TinyTools' domain generator is a domain generator first — it surfaces available domains around keywords you already care about, and leaves naming psychology to you.
If you came here looking for a free, no-signup tool that turns "ai cost tracker" into a list of buyable domains across modern TLDs, that's what TinyTools is built for. If you came here looking for invented, brandable words with a logo preview, Namelix is the right tool — and we'd rather say that than pretend otherwise.