How to Choose the Best Domain Registrar in 2023 (Compared)

adminMarch 19, 2023

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Are you looking for the best domain registrars of 2023? Domain registrars are the companies responsible for registering and managing domain names for all websites around the world.

Choosing the right domain name registrar is very important as there are so many ways to to be tricked. In this article, we will show you how to choose the best domain registrar by comparing its pros and cons.

Reading: How to create a public domain website

Brief summary: Would you like to skip reading and get our expert picks? According to our research, the best domain registrar is either Domain.com if you’re just buying a domain name, or Bluehost if you’re looking to build a website because they give you a domain name for free.

For those among you who prefer a thorough research, here is a brief overview of the things you will learn in this guide:

What is a Domain Name Registrar
What domain registrars really are?
How to choose the right domain registrar
Things to look out for when choosing a domain name registrar
Best domain name registrars
Frequently asked questions about domain name registrars

What is a domain name registrar

A domain name registrar is a company that allows you to buy and register domain names. All domain name registrars are accredited by ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers), a non-profit organization responsible for the administration of domain names.

Domain names make the Internet user-friendly for everyone. Without domain names, you have to type long strings of numbers called IP addresses to visit websites.

Domain names solve this problem by allowing websites to choose addresses with easy-to-remember words, such as B.wpbeginner. de or google.com.

For more information, see our beginner’s guide What is a domain name and how does it work?

To make domain names widely available, ICANN allows companies to apply for accreditation and become domain registrars

These companies then compete with each other to sell domain name licenses, giving you better service and tools when purchasing your domain name.

What do domain names do? Registrars really?

All domain name records are stored in a centralized database called the registry. In order for a domain name to be recognized, it must be added to this database with all its associated information.

A domain name registrar is granted permission by ICANN to make changes to your domain name’s information in the database on your behalf. A domain name registrar also provides easy-to-use tools that allow you to make these changes through your web browser.

Let’s see how you can easily choose the best domain registrar for your website address.

How to choose the right domain registrar

Not all domain registrars are licensed to sell all domain name extensions. For example, some domain registrars may only sell domain names with country-specific extensions (such as .io, .in, or .ly).

Each domain registrar may offer different services along with domain name registration. Some registrars may offer cheap domains as a promotional offer, while others offer free add-ons to attract customers.

When choosing the best domain name registrar, we consider the following four criteria:

1. Pricing and Registration Period

The first thing to check is domain name pricing. For example, some domain registrars offer low upfront registration prices for the first year, but their renewal prices may differ and be significantly higher.

You can register a domain name for a minimum period of 1 year. However, some companies may require a longer registration period, e.g. B. at least 2 years. You can register a domain name for up to 10 years at a time.

If you are purchasing a new web address, we recommend registering your domain name for 1 year. You can turn on auto-renewal to keep your domain from expiring.

You also need to look for additional fees for domain transfers, renewals, and other fees.

2. Domain transfers

Domain names can be moved from one domain registrar to another. Normally, you wouldn’t need to transfer your domain name right away, but if you’re unhappy with your domain registrar, this option should be readily available.

The first thing to keep in mind is that you need to transfer a domain name in the first Cannot transfer 60 days after registration. This initial period will be determined by ICANN. After that, you can move it to any other registrar.

Most domain registrars make it easy to transfer domain names with no additional fee.However, some try to make it complicated or charge an additional fee to remove the domain lock.

Make sure you read the domain transfer policy before transferring a domain name from a Buy Registrar.

3. Domain Expiration Policy

Domain names are registered for a specified period of time. You can renew your domain registration before its expiration date. However, if you forget to renew your domain name, it will expire and anyone can register it.

For businesses, this means anyone can take over their domain name. To ensure this doesn’t happen, 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 your domain registrar’s expiration policy. Some domain registrars offer a grace period even after it expires. This grace period allows you to renew your expired domain name.

While bad domain registration services will immediately auction your expired domain to the highest bidder.

We’ve heard dozens of horror stories about business owners losing their domain name, because their credit card expired and their registrar didn’t have a grace period. This is one of the many reasons why it is extremely important to choose the right domain name registrar.

4. Additional Services

You can also check what other services your domain registrar offers. While you may not need these services right now, it’s good to know they have them.

These additional services can include domain privacy, domain parking, advanced expiration protection, and more. Some domain registrars may even sell WordPress hosting service, email hosting service, website builder, email marketing services and more.

Top 3 things you should pay attention to when choosing a domain name registrar

Due to the competition in the domain registration business, you will come across companies with some very attractive offers. While these deals may look good, there can be some downsides that you may not notice right away.

The following are some things to look out for when choosing a domain name registrar.

1. Add-On Pricing

Some domain name registrars may automatically pre-screen add-on services when you purchase a domain name. Not unchecking these options would increase your bill significantly. Typically, a .com domain name shouldn’t cost you more than $14.99/year. If this is the case, a red flag should be raised.

You must pay attention to the checkout page and disable any additional registration services or upsells that you do not need, such as: B. WHOIS Guard, Site Builder, etc. In addition, it’s always a good idea to double-check the total amount charged to you on your credit card statement.

2. Bad user experience

Most domain registrars try to make their website user-friendly so that they can keep you as a customer. However, some domain registrars do exactly the opposite.

This would make it difficult for you to change your domain name settings such as name servers. You need to do this if you want to transfer the domain to a new host or domain registrar.

The easiest way to find this is to look for the domain registrar’s online reviews. Remember that very few satisfied customers leave online reviews, so it is important to read the reviews thoroughly.

3. Hidden Fees

You may also need to look for hidden costs and fees when choosing a domain registrar.

Some domain registrars may have special offers on cheaper domains for the Beginning-time registrations. Most beginners don’t know it, but domain renewal costs are often quite different and even higher.

All good domain registrars make it easy to transfer your domain name to another company. However, some charge an additional fee.

That being said, let’s take a look at some of the best domain name registrars and how they compare to one another.

Best domain registrars to buy a domain name

Choosing the right domain registrar will save you potential future problems. Not only does it help you protect your brand name, but it also makes it easy to move your website to a new host or service provider.

Based on the criteria we discussed earlier, these are the top -Domain registrars you should buy domain names from.

1. Domain.com

Founded in 2000, domain.com is one of the most popular domain name registrars in the world. They allow you to register all top-level domain name extensions (TLDs) and even dozens of country code top-level domains (ccTLDs).

Domain.com has a fast domain search tool that you can use for your domain name research. Your search will also show you premium domains.

You get access to all the domain management tools you would expect from a top domain registrar including private registration, whois privacy, free whois, bulk registration, easy transfers, easy DNS management , e-mail account, e-mail forwarding , and other additional services. You can even buy web hosting from them if you want.

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 helpful guides.

Domain.com is offering WPBeginner readers a 25% discount on domain products. All you have to do is either click on the link from our website or use our domain.com promo code: nameboy

If you just need to register a domain name with no web hosting then we recommend Domain . com. However, if you want to start a blog or website, option 2 might be better for you as you can get a free domain name.

2. Bluehost

Bluehost is one of the largest hosting companies in the world and an official WordPress hosting partner. They also offer domain name registration as part of their web hosting service.

With our Bluehost promo code, WPBeginner users can get a free domain name, free SSL certificate and a discount on web hosting, which includes a The perfect deal for anyone looking to create a new website.

Basically, you can get started for $2.75 per month and get a new domain name for free.

→ Click here, to claim this Exclusive Bluehost Offer ←

We use Bluehost as our web hosting provider for several of our small websites. Their interface is intuitive for beginners, it comes with WordPress pre-installed, and their chat support is very helpful when needed.

They also have many features that website owners need, such as: B. the ability to add unlimited subdomains, malware protection for websites, professional email via G Suite (Google Workspace) and more.

If you need help with anything, you can always get it via the live Contact chat support or call their 24/7 phone number.

3. Hostinger

Hostinger is a fast growing small business domain registrar and web hosting company. They offer a free domain name with the purchase of any web hosting plan on their website.

Along with a free domain name, you also get access to a free business email address, a free SSL certificate to secure your making website safe, and other tools for business growth.

Hostinger allows you to quickly create your website with just a few clicks, using either WordPress or their own website builder.

Our team of experts did a detailed analysis of Hostinger reviewed and found that they offer one of the fastest WordPress hosting and support.

Don’t forget to use WPBeginner’s Hostinger coupon to access exclusive savings access.

4. Network Solutions

Network Solutions is one of the largest domain registrars in the world with over 7 million registered domains. You can register a variety of domain extensions including the popular .com, .net, .org, .biz, .info and basically any other niche TLD.

5. GoDaddy

GoDaddy is one of the oldest and most popular domain registration companies. They manage more than 84 million domain names for over 20 million customers.

They offer a wide range of popular domain name extensions to choose from.Their prices are very competitive and you might even get a significant discount on the first year of registering your domain.

For professionals, GoDaddy offers a premium domain club membership with discounted domain prices. This is useful if you are registering or managing hundreds of domain names.

GoDaddy has a powerful, easy-to-use domain management interface that allows you to transfer your domain name, change nameservers, update contact information, and manage bulk domain registries. Renewals and adjust various other domain settings.

GoDaddy also offers a range of other web services including hosting, website builders, email marketing and more.

Related : Check out 7 Best GoDaddy Alternatives That Are Cheaper and More Reliable.

6. Namecheap

Namecheap is another top domain registrar out there. They have a powerful domain search tool to help you find the right domain name and make suggestions if your preferred domain name isn’t available.

They also offer additional domain services like domain privacy and premium DNS. Their domain management area is clean, but not as user-friendly as GoDaddy’s new interface.

One nice thing about NameCheap is that they offer free Whois privacy protection with all their domain purchases.

Previously we used NameCheap but ended up transferring our main domains to other providers because we were just having too many problems logging into their domain management panel.

Also we’ve heard far too many complaints about their managed WordPress Hosting plan because it doesn’t support popular plugins like AIOSEO and the platform isn’t scalable despite the support claims.

7. DreamHost

DreamHost is another popular domain name registrar and web hosting service provider. They offer our readers a free domain name with domain privacy for anyone who signs up for their Shared Unlimited hosting plan.

You can also register a domain name without hosting through them for $8.99/year too purchase which also includes free private registration.

DreamHost offers over 400 TLDs and comes with all the domain management tools you would expect from a major domain host like DreamHost.

Besides shared hosting offers Dreamhost also has managed WordPress hosting called DreamPress, which is great for larger websites.

Bonus: HostGator

HostGator is another popular company that offers 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 to help you quickly find a suitable domain name for your business. Their domain management section is beginner-friendly and well-documented, making it easy to transfer domains when needed.

Besides domain names and hosting, they’ve also introduced a brand new drag and drop website builder called Gator. They offer free domain names and hosting with all their website builder plans.

In the early days of WPBeginner, we used HostGator as our web host. We used their VPS hosting plans until our website got a lot bigger, so we had to switch to the Google Cloud platform.

Bonus: BuyDomains – premium domain registration

BuyDomains allow you to search for Premium -Domain names matching your search terms. Premium domain names are domain names that are already registered but are offered for sale by a third party. These domains are often more memorable, shorter and more brandable, which is why they are more expensive.

If you can’t find a suitable domain name and have the budget, you can use BuyDomains to search for a premium domain name.

Final Thoughts – Best Domain Registrar

There are literally hundreds of other domain registrars and resellers on the market that we haven’t included in the list, including Hover, Google Domains, Tucows, 1&1 Ionos, Shopify, eNom, Name.com, Namesilo, Porkbun, etc.

The reason is that they all mainly offer the same services and we want to make it easy for our users to choose the best and most secure domain registrar without crippling your choices.

In our opinion, Domain.com is the best domain registrar out there for both small and large businesses. They offer the cheapest prices and have all the features.

If you want to create a website, you can get a free domain name from both Bluehost and Hostinger if you sign up for their web hosting.

They both belong to the best web hosting businesses in the world, and they also offer step-by-step website setup for any type of website, including real estate, small business websites, online stores, and more.

Domain Name Registrar FAQs

Having helped over 670,000 users choose the best domain registrar, we’ve answered many questions. Below are some of the answers to the most frequently asked questions about domain name registrars.

Does it matter which domain registrar I use?

Yes, because not all domain registrars are the same. They can have different domain name extensions, features, prices, etc. Most importantly, you should choose a domain registrar that offers good support and has a reliable network infrastructure.

Most business owners rely on their domain registrars for DNS, which essentially helps drive users to their website to direct. If your domain registrar has network problems, your users will not be able to reach your website even if your web hosting server is online.

Also you want to make sure domain registrars have good support and reputation because that comes in handy in emergencies.

That’s why we recommend using Domain.com, Bluehost or GoDaddy as they all have reliable infrastructure and security.

Also, we strongly recommend Domain -Avoid registrars like NameBright that use deceptive business practices to discourage users from transferring domains.

Which is the cheapest domain registrar?

When it comes to price, there’s nothing better. So the cheapest domain registrar is Bluehost or Hostinger as they offer you a free domain name with web hosting.

With this in mind, WPBeginner users can use our Domain.com promo code to get extra savings on the domain receive. com, which makes the prices very attractive.

What is a reasonable price for a domain name?

Domain name prices vary depending on the type of domain extension and registrar you choose, but a typical domain should cost between $9 and $14.99 per year.

We have a detailed guide that discusses the cost of a domain name and what the value is of a premium domain.

But as a quick guide, here’s how much a new domain registration costs at different registrars:

Bluehost – Free domain with $2.75 hosting /month
Hostinger – Free with $2.69 /month hosting
Domain.com – $7.45 for .com domain names with our coupon code
Network Solutions – $7.49 for .com with our coupon code or FREE with their web hosting plan.
HostGator – Free domain with $2.64/month hosting
GoDaddy – 11 $.99
DreamH ost – Free domain with $2.59/month hosting

Can I buy a domain name forever (permanently)?

No, You cannot buy a domain name permanently. Domain names are registered annually. However, you can pay up to 10 years in advance, which guarantees you’ll have a domain name for 10 years.

As long as you keep paying the annual renewal fee, you can own the domain forever, and nobody can Take them.

The folks at Unstoppable Domains offer NFT domains for crypto wallets, and ones that you can buy permanently.

These Web3 domains don’t currently work natively on all browsers, but we believe that as the blockchain develops in the future, companies will likely be able to own their domains forever, even with the popular registrars mentioned above.

Why is domain renewal more expensive?

Domain registrars often offer aggressive discounts on the first year’s domain registration fee, and renewals are at the regular price.

That’s why to maximize your savings we recommend di e Prepay registration fee for 2-3 years so you can secure your domain registration discount.

Who is the most secure domain registration rare?

All domain registrars must follow ICANN guidelines, so technically they are all secure. However, there are additional steps you can take to protect your domain name from theft.

For example, implementing a domain lock that prevents unauthorized domain transfers.

You also want a domain registrar which offers two-factor authentication and security.

In our experience, both Bluehost and GoDaddy are the most secure domain registrars.

If you are looking for enterprise solutions, many companies trust Cloudflare Domains and MarkMonitor for security.

Can someone steal my domain name?

Yes, domain name theft (aka domain hijacking) is a common crime. Losing your domain can be devastating for small business owners. For this reason, it is important that you choose a well-known domain registrar with a good reputation.

Hackers can steal your domain name by gaining access to your domain registration account. It’s important to use a strong password and set up 2-factor authentication.

We also recommend small business owners use an identity theft protection service to receive near real-time identity fraud alerts, since domain theft in general, domain hijacking and domain ransomware are often a by-product of another hack.

Can I use multiple domain registrars?

Yes, You can certainly use multiple domain registrars if you like. We have registered different domains with different registrars including Domain.com, Bluehost, GoDaddy, NameCheap, Name.com and many more.

This is mainly because we buy/sell domains and it’s just easier to transfer the domain from one account to another at the same registrar.

When you transfer domains to another registrar, it can take up to 7 days.

Who determines if a domain is premium?

Premium domains are often domains owned by an existing company/entrepreneur. This person sets the price of their premium domain.

Sometimes the domain registrar itself holds some premium domains and only releases them at premium prices. In this case, pricing is set by their sales team.

For example, for our company Awesome Motive, we purchased a two-letter am.co domain, and this was a premium domain.

What do you think are the 3 best domain name registrars?

Our top 3 best domain name registrars are:

Domain.com – Best Domain Registrar (Overall). Bonus: special prices for our readers too.
Bluehost – Best domain registrar if you are looking for web hosting. Bonus: domain name is free.
Hostinger – Best domain registrar with free domain and cheap web hosting.

No, that last question is not a joke. We get this question seriously even after referring people to this guide.

We hope this article has helped you learn how to choose the best domain registrar for your business. You may also want to check out our guide on how to get a free business email address and business phone number for your website.

If you enjoyed this article, please subscribe to our YouTube channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

Disclaimer: To help our readers avoid voter paralysis, we’ve only compared what we think are the best domain registrars. This list does not include other domain registrars like Namesilo, Porkbun, Donuts, Name.com, Dynadot, Google Domains, Hover, Shopify, WordPress.com, Enom, Tucows, Netim, IONOS (formerly 1&1), Wix, etc. because we believe that the solutions mentioned in this article are simply better.