Top 10 Best Domain Registrars

Buying a domain name does seem like an easy job, but it’s not. You will need to consider different factors while choosing a domain name.

And while you buy a domain name, you will be flooded with many options. Choosing the best among those is not an easy task either. So, let’s discuss the Top 10 best domain Registrars in this article.

Many of us only look for the low-cost factor while buying a domain. Well, the cost is an important factor but you can not overlook other factors. For example, domain privacy protection.

You may get a domain for a dollar but won’t get the domain privacy protection. Your data will be available in the public domain and that is something you don’t want. Right? So make sure you buy a domain name with domain privacy protection.

Some domain name providers offer free business emails with the domain name. So, although the domain name would be a bit costly, you will save money on email hosting.

When we say that we are buying the domain name, we are not actually buying the domain but actually renting/leasing it. You need to pay the renewal fee every year. So, when you buy a domain, watch out for the renewal fee as well.

For example, if you buy a domain from GoDaddy for the first year, you may get the domain for a dollar, but the renewal fee is about $12. You need to consider that as well.

Some companies offer domain names for free with hosting. I believe that is the best bet as you will save domain renewal costs as long as you have business with them.

That is why I recommend Hostarmada, as they offer free domain names for all their shared hosting plans.

What Is A Domain Name?

A domain name is your online address. For example, consider the domain name as your online home address. When you build a website using any web hosting service, then it becomes your online home.

There are about 350 Million domain names registered, and thousands are getting registered every day.

What Is A Domain Name Registrar?

Domain name registrars are those companies that register your domain in the ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) database. ICANN is a nonprofit organization that manages your domain names.

You can consider domain name registers as a broker to ICANN. Domain name registrars handle your domain name on your behalf and, in return, charge a nominal fee.

How To Choose A Good Domain Name Registrar?

Following are the key things you should watch before deciding on a vendor for your domain name.

• The initial cost of the domain
• Renewal cost of domain
• Free Add ons
• Expiry Policy
• Customer support

Initial Cost of domain

Mostly, all vendors offer a great deal when you buy the domain for the first year. It can be anywhere between $1 to $15, depending on the extension you choose. Watch out for the best deal before you buy.

Renewal Cost of domain

As I said, you may get a very good deal when you buy a domain. But when you renew that, the cost may be way too high. That is why checking the renewal price while buying a domain name is always better.

Free Add Ons

Watch for free add-ons like free domain privacy, free DDoS protection, Free SSL, and Free email hosting when you buy a domain.

These free add-ons will save a lot of money that you can invest in other blogging tools

Expiry Policy

Your domain name will expire after one year if you don’t renew it. Some companies will give you one or two months of buffer time after domain expiry. So, you should choose a domain registrar that offers some buffer time.

Customer Support

Good customer support is crucial when deciding the best domain registrar. You need to see if the domain registrar has phone or chat support and how quickly they respond.

Top 10 Best Domain Registrar

Here is the list of the Top 10 Best Domain Registrars based on the initial cost, renewal cost, safety features, and customer service.

1. Cloudflare

Cloudflare DNS speed is the best in the World. DNS speed matters, too, when you buy a domain name. DNS speed affects your website loading time, too.

You can register any domain extensions with Cloudflare. However, Cloudflare does not offer a custom nameserver in the free plan.

That means if you buy a domain name from Cloudflare, you need to use Cloudflare CDN, too.

The best thing about the Cloudflare domain is that the initial and renewal prices are the same. You pay what you see.

A top-level .com domain costs about $9, which is great considering the renewal price is the same. On top of that, all security features come free of cost with Cloudflare.

Since most of us use free Cloudflare CDN, integrating your domain names with Cloudflare will be smooth.

2. Google Domains

You might not have heard about Google Domains, but Google also has its own domain business. Google domain is not as popular as other domain name providers.

The best part about Google domains is the flat pricing. Whatever extensions ( Except a few ) you want to buy, all are priced at $12. Their initial pricing and renewal pricing are the same. So, no unnecessary surprise.

Since it’s Google, so no issues with the security of your domain, and the DNS speed is also one of the best.

However, Google Domain does not offer many features as other domain name providers. The interface is also very boring.

3. NameCheap

If you want a domain name for dirt cheap, then NameCheap is the way to go. The .com domain name usually costs less than a dollar. The renewal cost is also very reasonable, between $12-$14 a year.

Domain privacy protection ( WHOIS privacy) is offered forever without any extra cost. Other vendors usually charge about $15 per year for this service. However, for DDoS protection, you need to pay a very reasonable amount.

Namecheap domains also have a free domain management tool that helps manage nameservers and DNS activities. Many vendors charge for this service.

You might wonder if customer service would be poor with all these offerings and very low price tags. But you are wrong.

The customer service is really good. You will get instant chat support for all your domain-related queries. However, there is no phone support.

4. GoDaddy

GoDaddy has been in the domain name business for many years and is one of the world’s best domain registrars.

Although GoDaddy’s business portfolio is wide, most bloggers choose Godaddy as their domain name partner.

Domain names from GoDaddy are relatively costly, but most of the time, they give offers. You can buy a domain name for as low as $2 for the first year. However, the renewal cost is way too high.

Like NameCheap, GoDaddy also offers WHOIS privacy protection for free, including the domain management tool.

If you want to sell your domain name, GoDaddy is the best option, as the GoDaddy domain auction platform is one of the best.

5. IONOS

Many people do not know about IONOS and their service, but let me tell you, if you want to buy a domain for cheap, then IONOS is the best option.

You may get a .com domain for as low as a dollar, including domain privacy protection.

You can save more if you bundle the domain name with their hosting service. The best part about IONOS is that their renewal fees are very low compared to other domain registrars.

Buying a domain from IONOS will give you a free business email account with 2 GB of storage. Not only that, but you will also get a free wildcard SSL certificate for your domain. What else can you expect from a domain name provider?

The customer service is not great, but it is still way better than that of other known players. Overall, I would say that if you are tight on budget, try IONOS for your domain name purchase.

6. Domain.com

Well, the pricing for a domain at domain.com is not the lowest, but you can save a lot if you buy the domain name for 5 5-year terms. The introductory price is around $9-$1,0 and the renewal price goes all the way up to $15.

There is no free domain privacy protection or DDoS protection. You can try domain.com for short-term projects.

Customer service is great at domain.com. You can get chat support as well as phone support.

7. Hostarmada

How about getting a domain name for free? Sounds exciting? Hostarmada offers a free domain name in all their shared hosting plans.

As long as you renew the hosting service with them, the domain will also be renewed for free.

If you choose to buy only the domain name and not the hosting, that option is also available. However, domain names are a little bit costly.

The good thing is that the initial price and the renewal price are the same. On top of that, you will get all the domain security features and free SSL.

8. Hostinger

Hostinger needs no introduction. Hostinger is one of the world’s best and cheapest web hosting service providers. All other shared hosting plans except the base plan come with a free domain name.

If you choose to buy the domain name separately, that option is also available.

9. BlueHost

Bluehost is one of the best domain registrars that offer a free domain for one year with all their shared hosting plans.

Bluehost is known for its excellent web hosting service. A free domain name adds a lot of value propositions to their service.

A free domain is available even in their basic plan. If you wish to buy a domain name separately, you can do that. But the price is a little high, and there is no free add-on except for domain privacy.

10. GreenGeeks

I used GreenGeeks for a long time, and they are one of the best web hosting service companies. Like other hosts, they offer a free domain name for a year with all their shared hosting plans.

The basic plan comes with a free domain name with 50 GB of storage to host one website. 50 email accounts you can host in the same account for free. Free SSL and Free CDN are standard across all plans.

Buying a domain name separately is impossible unless you buy any of their hosting plans.

Conclusion: Best Domain Registrars

So, by now, we have a fair idea of the top 10 best domain registrars. I have used Namecheap and Hostarmada extensively for my domain name, and I would recommend them.

I recently moved a few domains to Cloudflare, and the experience is very good.

But that does not mean that other domain registrars are bad. If you get a good deal, then you can go with any registrar, but make sure they offer basic domain privacy protection, which is very important.

Have I missed anything? If so, please share it in the comment section.

FAQ | Best Domain Registrar