Looking for the best domain registration sites for 2024? Domain registration sites are the companies responsible for registering and managing domain names for all websites around the world.
Choosing the right domain name registration site is very important because there are lots of ways to be deceived. In this article, we'll show you how to choose the best domain registration site by comparing their pros and cons.
Quick summary: Do you want to go directly to our choice of expert? According to our research, the best domain registration site is Namecheap if you are only buying a domain name, or Bluehost if you are looking to create a website because they offer you a domain name for free.
What is a domain name registration site?
A domain name registration/purchase site or platform is a platform that allows you to buy and register domain names. All domain name registrars are accredited by theICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers), a non-profit organization responsible for managing domain names.
Domain names make the Internet easy for everyone to use. Without domain names, you would have to enter long sets of numbers called IP addresses to visit websites.
Domain names solve this problem by allowing websites to choose addresses using words that are easy to remember, for example, agencode.com or google.com.
How do domains workFor more information, check out our beginner's guide to what a domain name is and how does it work?
To make domain names widely available, ICANN allows businesses to apply for accreditation and become domain registration sites.
These ICANN-accredited businesses then compete to sell domain name licenses, allowing you to get better service, features, and tools when you buy your domain name.
What do these domain registration sites really do?
All domain name registrations are stored in a centralized database called a registry. For a domain name to be recognized, it must be added to this database with all the information concerning it.
A domain name registration site is authorized by ICANN to make changes to your domain name information in the database on your behalf. A domain name registration site also provides easy to use tools to make these changes through your web browser.
That being said, let's take a look at how to easily choose the best domain registration site for your website address.
How to choose the right domain registration site
Not all domain registrars are licensed to sell all domain name extensions. For example, some domain registration sites can only sell domain names with country-specific extensions (like.io, .in, or.ly).
Each domain registration site may offer different services in addition to registering domain names. Some registrars may offer low-cost domains as part of their promotional offer, while others may offer free add-ons to attract customers.
When choosing the best site, we looked at the following four criteria:
- Price and registration period
The first thing you want to check is the price of domain names. For example, some domain registration sites may offer low prices initially for the first year of registration, but their renewal prices may be different and significantly higher.
You can register a domain name for a minimum period of 1 year. However, some businesses may require a longer registration period, such as a minimum of 2 years. You can register a domain name for up to 10 years at a time.
If you buy a new web address, we recommend registering your domain name for 1 year. You can enable automatic renewal so your domain doesn't expire.
You should also check for additional fees for domain transfers, renewals, and other charges.
- Domain transfers
Domain names can be moved from one registration site to another. Normally, you won't need to transfer your domain name right away, but if you're not happy with your domain registrar, this option should be readily available.
The first thing to keep in mind is that you can't transfer a domain name during the first 60 days of registration. This initial period is decided by ICANN. After that, you are allowed to move it to any other domain registration site you want.
Most domain registration sites make it easy to transfer domain names at no additional cost. However, some may try to complicate the task or charge additional fees to remove the domain lock.
Be sure to review the domain transfer policy before buying a domain name from a registrar.
- Domain expiration policies
Domain names are registered for a specific period of time. You can renew your domain registration before it expires. However, if you forget to renew your domain name, it expires and anyone can register it.
For businesses, this means that someone can take ownership of their domain name. To avoid this, you can set up automatic renewals for your domain name.
Even if you use the automatic renewal feature, it's a good idea to check the expiration policy of your registration site. Some domain registrars offer a grace period even after expiration. This grace period allows you to renew your expired domain name.
Whereas bad domain registration services will immediately auction your expired domain to the highest bidder.
- Complementary services
You may also want to look at what other services a domain registration site offers. Even if you don't need these services right now, it's good to know that they do.
These additional services may include domain privacy, domain parking, extended expiration protection, and more.
Some platforms may even sell WordPress hosting services, email hosting services, website builders, email marketing services, and more.
The top 3 things to look out for when choosing a domain name registration site
Because of the competition in the domain registration industry, you will encounter businesses with very attractive offers. While these offers may seem good, there may be some downsides that you won't notice right away.
Here are a few things to look out for when choosing a domain name registration platform.
- Service prices
Some domain name sites may automatically pre-check additional services when you buy a domain name. If you don't uncheck these options, they will significantly increase your bill.
As a general rule, a .com domain name shouldn't cost you more than $14.99/year. If that's the case, it should raise a red flag.
You should pay attention to the checkout page and uncheck any additional services or upsells that you don't need, such as WHOIS Guard, site builder, security features, and so on. On top of that, it's always a good idea to check the total amount you're charged on your credit card statements.
- Poor user experience
Most domain registration sites try to make their website easy to use in order to keep you as a customer. However, some domain registrars do just the opposite.
This will make it difficult for you to change your domain name settings like name servers. You'll need to do this if you want to transfer a domain to a new host or domain registrar.
The easiest way to check this is to look for reviews online on the domain registration platform. Keep in mind that very few happy customers leave online reviews, so it's important to read reviews carefully.
- Hidden fees
You may also need to look for hidden costs and fees when choosing a domain registration site.
Some domain registration sites may have special offers for cheaper domains for first time signups. Most newbies don't realize this, but domain renewal costs are often very different and even higher.
All good domain registration sites make it easy to transfer your domain name to another business and have a transparent pricing policy. However, some will add additional fees.
With that being said, let's take a look at some of the best domain name registration platforms and how they compare to each other.
The best domain registration sites to buy a domain name
Choosing the right domain registration site saves you from possible future problems. This helps you protect your brand and makes it easy to move your website to a new host or service provider.
Based on the criteria we discussed earlier, here are the best domain registration sites to buy your domain name.
Namecheap
Namecheap is definitely the best site for buying top-tier domains. They have a powerful domain search tool that helps you find the right domain name and makes suggestions when your preferred domain name isn't available.
They also offer complementary domain services like domain privacy and premium DNS. Their domain management area is easy to learn and easy to use.
A great thing about Namecheap is that they offer free WHOIS privacy with all of their domain purchases.
Namecheap is also the site for buying domain names offering the best rates.
We personally use Namecheap to buy our domain names and it is the one we recommend first to our customers.
Domain.com
Domain.com - Domain names, hosting and website builder Created in 2000, Domain.com is one of the most popular domain name registration sites. They allow you to register all top-level domain name extensions (TLDs) and even dozens of top-level country code domains (ccTLDs).
Domain.com has a fast domain search tool that you can use for your domain name search. Their research also shows you premium domains.
You have access to all the domain management tools you could expect from a leading domain registration site, including private registration, WHOIS privacy protection, free WHOIS, bulk registration, easy transfers, easy transfers, easy DNS management, easy DNS management, email account, email forwarding, and other additional services. You can even buy web hosting from them if you want to.
If you have any questions, you can contact their helpful customer support team via phone, live chat, or email. They also have an extensive knowledge base with useful guides.
If you only need to register a domain name without web hosting, we also recommend Domain.com.
Bluehost
Bluehost is one of the biggest hosting companies in the world and they are an official WordPress hosting partner. As part of their web hosting service, they also offer domain name registration.
Basically, you can start for $2.75 per month and get a new domain name for free.
They also have lots of features that website owners need, such as the ability to add an unlimited number of subdomains, malware protection for websites, professional emails via G Suite (Google Workspace), SEO tools to improve your rankings, and more.
If you need help with anything, you can always contact them via live chat support or call their 24/7 phone number.
DreamHost
DreamHost is another popular domain name registration platform and web hosting service provider. They offer our readers a free domain name with domain privacy included for anyone signing up for their unlimited shared hosting plan.
You can also register a domain name without buying hosting from them for $8.99/year, which also includes free private registration.
DreamHost offers over 400 TLDs and comes with all the domain management tools you could expect from a major domain provider like DreamHost.
In addition to shared hosting, DreamHost also offers managed WordPress hosting called DreamPress, which is ideal for larger websites.
Network Solutions
Network Solutions is one of the largest domain registration sites on the planet, with over 7 million registered domains. You can register a wide variety of domain extensions, including the popular.com, .net, .org, .biz, .info, and virtually every other niche TLD.
Since Network Solutions is one of the largest domain registration sites, their services include web hosting, a website builder, website security tools, a professional email address, online marketing, SEO services, and even IT support.
Basically, as a small business, they can be your one-stop shop for your online web presence.
You can get started by using their domain name search tool to quickly see which domains are available. They also show you premium domains in their results.
Their platform comes with all the domain features you could expect from a major domain provider like Network Solutions, such as DNS management, private registration, WHOIS privacy, and more.
Note that the promo code is case sensitive and all uppercase.
You can also get a free domain from Network Solutions when you buy their WordPress hosting plans or other website/eCommerce hosting packages.
GoDaddy is one of the oldest and most popular domain registrars. They manage over 84 million domain names for over 20 million customers.
They offer a wide variety of popular domain name extensions to choose from. They offer competitive prices, and you could even get a big discount in the first year of your domain registration.
For professionals, GoDaddy offers a premium membership to the Domain Club, which offers discounted domain prices. This makes sense if you're registering or managing hundreds of domain names.
GoDaddy has a powerful and fairly easy to use domain management interface that allows you to transfer your domain name, change name servers, update contact information, manage bulk domain renewals, and customize various other domain settings.
GoDaddy also offers a suite of other web services, including hosting, website developer, email marketing, and more.
Hostinger
Hostinger is a fast-growing domain registration site and web hosting company for small businesses. They offer a free domain name with the purchase of any web hosting plan on their website.
In addition to a free domain name, you also have access to a free professional email address, a free SSL certificate to secure your website, and other business growth tools.
Bonus: HostGator
HostGator is another popular company offering website owners a one-stop shop for domain names and shared website hosting. They offer a nice selection of extensions, domain privacy, and easy to use DNS management tools.
They have an easy to use domain search tool that helps you quickly find a domain name that's right for your business. Their domain management area is beginner-friendly and well-documented, making it easy to transfer domains if needed.
In addition to domain name and hosting, they also introduced a brand-new drag-and-drop website builder called Gator. They offer a free domain name and hosting with all of their website builder plans.
