Domain Due Diligence
Report for Webnovel.com
Why we think so
Webnovel.com is a popular online platform for reading and publishing web novels, with about 24 million monthly visits and a global traffic rank near 1,600. It operates primarily in the United States and is well integrated with several major advertising and technology services like Amazon AWS and Google Analytics. The site uses reputable infrastructure including GeoTrust SSL certificates and Cloudflare DNS. Although automated safety tools and domain reputation sources rate it as safe and trustworthy, significant user reviews and author reports highlight serious concerns such as manipulation of reviews, exploitative author contracts with delayed or reduced payments, censorship, and customer service issues. There are no verified scams or phishing detections, but contractual and ethical disputes with contributors have triggered community warnings. Users should proceed with caution and carefully review contract terms and community feedback if engaging beyond casual reading.
Risk Insights
Strong Technical Foundation 🛡️
User and Creator Concerns ⚠️
Contradictory Signals
Technical safety does not fully reflect user trust or ethical business behavior.
Signal A: Strong technical legitimacy and no malware/phishing
Signal B: Multiple reports of unethical business practices and poor customer support
Category Scores
Red Flags & Warnings
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Multiple complaints about fake reviews, censorship, plagiarism, and exploitative contracts from authors and community members indicate serious ethical concerns.
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Contractual clauses impose harsh penalties and non-transparent royalty calculations that can harm authors financially.
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Customer support is reported as unhelpful in resolving issues, which exacerbates user and author dissatisfaction.
🔎 Detailed Checks & Analysis
Domain age and registrar reputation
Domain age and registrar reputation
"Established domain age reduces risk of scam or phishing."
Reason: The domain webnovel.com was registered in 2005 with a reputable registrar and has continuous registration, supporting trustworthiness.
Technical infrastructure quality
Technical infrastructure quality
"Robust infrastructure reduces risk of technical vulnerabilities."
Reason: The site uses strong SSL encryption, reliable CDN services, and industry-standard advertising and analytics technology.
Blacklist and phishing detection
Blacklist and phishing detection
"Absence of technical blacklists indicates low risk."
Reason: No listings in phishing or malware databases and no hits on crypto scam or blacklist services.
User reviews and community reputation
User reviews and community reputation
"Community feedback raises serious ethical and trust concerns."
Reason: Numerous user and author reports indicate problems with fake reviews, censorship, plagiarism, and exploitative contracts.
Legal and disputes transparency
Legal and disputes transparency
"Legal structure limits user recourse and transparency."
Reason: Disputes mainly resolved through restrictive arbitration; contract terms are controversial and have led to dissatisfaction.
Your Next Steps
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1If you are an author considering publishing with Webnovel, carefully review and consider the contract terms before signing.
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2Monitor community feedback and third-party reviews for updates on the platform's business practices.
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3Report any clear instances of copyright infringement or unfair treatment to relevant authorities or industry groups.
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4For readers, exercise caution regarding premium payments and be aware of potential issues with content quality and transparency.
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5Use standard online safety practices such as verifying URLs and maintaining updated security software.
Evidence & Citations
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Webnovel.com site tech and traffic profile from SimilarTech
Technical infrastructure and traffic data indicate a well-established, high-traffic site.
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Webnovel.com traffic and engagement statistics via SimilarWeb
Demonstrates significant monthly visits and user engagement metrics supporting legitimacy.
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Webnovel.com WHOIS and SSL details
Domain registered since 2005 with reputable registrar and valid SSL certificate.
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User and author complaints about Webnovel.com on multiple forums and blogs
Highlights issues such as fake reviews, censorship, contract exploitation, and payment disputes.
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Automated threat detection services show no risks on Webnovel.com
No phishing or malware threats detected by Google Safe Browsing.
🕵🏻 Keep investigating
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