A domain name is the gateway to the online world, and once you plan to create a website, the first thing you need to do is register a compelling domain name.
In order to purchase the domain name of your choice, you need to work with a domain registrar who manages the domain names behind all your websites. Most registrars offer similar features, but with different strengths and weaknesses. Next, we delve into the realities of each domain name registrar in order to give you an idea of how to choose the right brand, what to look for, and the pros and cons of those most popular registrars.
What is a domain name registrar
In short, a domain name registrar is an online service that allows you to register and purchase domain names that they have passed ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers)Authorities are certified and authorized to administer the Domain Name System.
Without the domain name system, all we have is a confusing, hard-to-remember IP AddressInstead of easy to use domain names. Now you can choose domain names with various extensions, such as .com, .net, .org, .co, .io, etc.
Buying and renewing a domain name is easy for most domain registrars.
How to choose the right registrar
Once you have found the perfect domain name for your needs, take care to purchase it through the right registrar, here are a few important factors you should consider.
- Domain Migration Domain migration is the process of transferring a domain name from one registrar to another. You may not be able to migrate a domain name immediately, but this may occur in the future. Be sure to check the migration details in the terms and conditions. Usually, you cannot perform the migration operation within 60 days after registration, and some registrars do not even allow the migration or will charge you for it. On the other hand, some vendors allow you to easily migrate your domain name without charging any fees.
- Duration and Pricing This is probably your main focus, various domain name registrars offer different pricing options and you can usually register for a one, three, five or even ten year term. If this is your first time registering a domain name, we recommend registering for only one year. Since you can enable auto-renewal, you don’t have to worry about your domain name expiring, and you are free to switch registrars as needed in the future.
- Customer Support When something goes wrong with your website, you definitely want help staff that is ready to respond and provide productive technical support. Among some of the best domain name registrars we reviewed, GoDaddy and Namecheap both do this well, but GoDaddy goes a step further by offering full Chinese language support.
- Additional Services In addition to allowing domain name registration, many companies offer additional services. If you want to host a domain name, build a website, and purchase an SSL certificate, most of them can help you achieve that goal. So, if you are looking for an all-in-one domain name registrar and want to keep all your content under one roof, then also compare the pricing of these bundled services.
- Expiration Reminder Sometimes, you may forget to renew your subscription, or have a low credit card balance, which can cause the domain name to expire and be bought by someone else. For whatever reason, the domain name now no longer belongs to you, which means your website and business are at risk. Many domain name registrars will serve you for a period of time to prevent this from happening, at least until it expires, and they will send reminders about it.
What to look for when choosing a domain name registrar
Now that you understand the key points to focus on, there are some considerations to follow. Some may be difficult to keep track of, but you’ll have to study the fine print. That said, all this work is worth it and you will end up with a better domain hosting platform.
- Additional Services Some registrars will offer additional services when you purchase a domain name, most commonly WHOIS registration and privacy protection. Therefore, when you see a domain name advertised as extremely cheap, it may not be the final price. Make sure you are not fooled into paying too much for anything else before placing your order. Many registrars have very simple pricing and do not add additional fees.
- Closing costs You may not want to stay with your current registrar forever, or, you may eventually plan to sell your existing domain name. Either way, you should be aware of the hidden transfer fees. Some registrars offer this service for free, while others charge a small fee.
- User Experience Once you have a domain name, you will need to perform certain actions to launch the new site, such as setting up DNS servers, installing content management systems like WordPress, Joomla, and creating the associated email addresses. This can be a headache if the domain name management system is difficult to use. So when registering a domain name, choose a platform that is easy to use.
Next, we take a look at these best domain name registrars.
Bob Parsons, so the brand has been around for over 20 years. The company is headquartered in ArizonaScottsdalewhich was originally named Jomax Technologies, but has now changed to GoDaddy Group Inc.
With over 17 million people worldwide using GoDaddy, they manage over 75 million domain names, making them the largest and most popular domain name registrar in the world. In addition to domain name registration, they also offer domain migration, email management (by Microsoft, web security, online marketing tools, and more. Another great advantage is the 24/7 global customer support that you can get via phone and live chat.
Namecheap was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in ArizonaPhoenix. Since Richard Kirkendall Since founding the company, they have amassed over 3 million customers and manage over 7 million domains.
Back in November 2010, Namecheap was Lifehacker It is rated as the best domain name registrar and was named the most popular domain name registrar in 2012. This company offers domain migration, application integration, SSL certificates, email, and is also a web hosting provider with shared hosting, reseller hosting, dedicated WordPress hosting, VPS, private email hosting, and other online services.
While not as popular as GoDaddy or Namecheap, NameSilo is still one of the best known, most reliable, and most trusted domain name registrars. Whether you’re looking to corner the market, buy common names, and perform domain name redirects, this is our #1 choice. As one of the fastest growing registrars in the world, this platform hosts over 3 million active domain names.
The more you buy, the lower the unit price for the initial registration. Other competitors offer similar services, but NameSilo’s rates are the most attractive. Best of all, you also get the privacy and protection of all your domains for free, which is a huge benefit. In addition, your registered domain name includes defensive protection, DNS management, mail forwarding, custom WHOIS records, and more.
Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Pulver, Utah, BlueHost is the best choice for the largest hosting group – EIG.
Since BlueHost is primarily a web hosting provider, it comes as no surprise that they offer a variety of hosting services such as shared hosting, WordPress hosting, VPS, dedicated servers, and reseller hosting. And when you buy any kind of hosting, you get a domain name for free.
Shopify is a popular e-commerce website building platform that allows anyone to easily launch a cross-border e-commerce self-build website without any technical knowledge. In addition, they are a popular domain name registrar that allows you to quickly set up a store using a custom domain name.
This company also comes with a powerful business name generator that helps you find available domains quickly and you can move them to other platforms. One of the disadvantages is that they don’t offer email services for domains, instead you can use email forwarders or you can use third party email hosting services.
Gandi has been in the domain name registration business for over 20 years and now manages over 2.5 million domains. In addition to its marketing creativity and long history of operation, this company stands out from its competitors with its beautiful user interface. The entire process, from purchase to renewal and transfer, is seamless, but Gandi is a bit more expensive than the other brands on this list.
The benefit of paying extra for .com domains is that prices don’t spike at renewal time. gandi also makes it easy to bundle multiple suffixes, and if you register three domains today, you can get discounts on the .us, .org and .net extensions. In addition to free privacy protection, all domains come with two mailboxes, unlimited aliases and forwarding, and a free SSL certificate.
HostGator was originally founded in 2002 and in 2012 by EIG has the same parent company and the main business is also web hosting. The hosting provider is headquartered in TexasHoustonThe majority of the servers are located in Pulver, Utah. As of 2013, they have over 400,000 customers and host over 9 million domains.
1&1 IONOS Founded in 1988 by a company called United Internet owned by its parent company, which is an Internet service company from Germany, headquartered inMontalbaur, inKarlsruhe, ,Zweibrücken, ,MunichandBerlinBoth have office locations. This company offers services such as domain migration, website builder, web hosting, WordPress hosting, cloud hosting, VPS hosting, and enterprise email management, among others.
A note on affiliates: Some of our stories include affiliate links to stores like Amazon, BlueHost, etc. These online stores share a small amount of revenue with us if you buy These online stores share a small amount of revenue with us if you buy something through one of these links, which helps support our work evaluating products.
