\nDuring that time, I bought a domain from virtually every platform in existence. Some experiences were great, others were awful, and the majority fell somewhere in the middle.
\nWhether you\u2019re buying a domain for the first time or looking for an alternative solution from your last registration, you need to understand that you have options.
\nWhere can you register a domain name? The choices can be segmented into three categories:
\n\u2981 Domain Registrars
\n\u2981 Hosting Providers
\n\u2981 Website Builders
\nI\u2019ll show you the difference between these options and point out the top platforms within each category. Use this guide to learn the best way to buy a domain name.
\n1. Domain Registrar
\nAs the name implies, a domain registrar\u2019s primary function is domain name registration. There are some registrars that provide additional services as well, such as hosting plans or website builders. But the best domain registrars specialize as platforms to buy a domain name.
\nLet\u2019s review four of the top domain registrar services on the market today.
\nDomain.com
\n
![\"Domain.com\"](\"https:\/\/quicksprout-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Domain.com_-1024x526.png\")
\nDomain.com is the best domain registrar for first-time and experienced buyers alike. The process is simple, straightforward, and the registrar provides exceptional service.
\nYou can register a .com domain for just $9.99 per year with Domain.com.
\nDuring the checkout process, this registrar gives you the ability to buy your domain for up to five years. I love this feature because you won\u2019t have to worry about renewing every year.
\nWhen you register a domain, your name and address become available to the public. Domain.com offers privacy and protection for $8.99 per year per domain. If you\u2019re registering a domain under a company name (that\u2019s what I do), you can skip this. Otherwise, you\u2019ll definitely want to add the privacy and protection.
\nSome domain registrars offer this for free, but it\u2019s worth paying a little extra for the personal privacy.
\nDomain.com hits with you additional upsells throughout the checkout process. This is pretty standard practice in the domain registrar industry. I\u2019d skip the add-ons. Things like an SSL certificate and SiteLock should come standard from your web hosting provider.
\nRegistering a domain from Domain.com takes less than a minute. It\u2019s the perfect registrar for those of you who plan to buy multiple domain names.
\nDomain.com also has exceptional 24\/7 customer support, making it a top choice for domain transfers as well.
\nNamecheap
\n
![\"Namecheap\"](\"https:\/\/quicksprout-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Namecheap-1024x284.png\")
\nNamecheap is another top choice to consider for domain registration. More than 10 million domains have been registered through this platform.
\nThe process is easy for someone who has never bought a domain before.
\nNamecheap has .com domains available for $8.88 per year. They also offer free privacy and protection, which is a nice bonus since it\u2019s something you\u2019ll likely need to have.
\nLike most domain registrars, Namecheap offers a wide range of upsells during the checkout process. Since you\u2019re getting privacy and protection for free, you can skip everything else.
\nNamecheap has an excellent knowledge base of resources if you need some assistance. Live chat is available 24\/7, and their support team provides ticket response times under two hours.
\nWith a simple process, free privacy protection, and outstanding support, Namecheap delivers everything you want and need in a domain registrar.
\nNameSilo
\n
![\"NameSilo\"](\"https:\/\/quicksprout-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/NameSilo-1024x746.png\")
\nIf you\u2019re looking for a no-frills domain registrar, NameSilo has you covered. As you can see from the screenshot above, their website is very outdated. But this hasn\u2019t stopped them from becoming one of the most popular domain registrars in the world.
\nBuying a .com domain from NameSilo starts at $8.99 per year. You\u2019ll benefit from bundle discounts if you\u2019re registering more than 50 domains in a single order.
\nNameSilo lets you search for up to 500 domains simultaneously. You can even upload a list of domains from your computer to save you time.
\nIf the outdated interface doesn\u2019t bother you, NameSilo will be a top choice for those of you who want to buy multiple domains at the same time.
\nThere are barely any upsells during the checkout process. WHOIS privacy and protection is free, and ICANN fees are included in the total. You can be out the door for $8.99 per year per domain.
\nNameSilo allows you to enable auto renew as well, so you won\u2019t have to worry about the name lapsing if you forget to do so manually.
\n2. Web Hosting Provider
\nEvery website needs to be hosted. So once you register a domain name, the next step is finding a web hosting provider. With that said, some hosting providers let you register a domain directly from through their platform.
\nIf you\u2019re planning to register multiple domains over time, use a domain registrar. But if you just need one domain, you can save some money by bundling your hosting and registration together.
\nBluehost is the best web hosting provider for domain registration bundles. It\u2019s what I recommend the most.
\nBut if you\u2019re set on using another hosting provider, there are a few other platforms that deliver decent deals and service for hosting and domain registration.
\nBluehost
\n
![\"Bluehost\"](\"https:\/\/quicksprout-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Bluehost-1-1024x377.png\")
\nEven though Bluehost is a web hosting provider, you can still purchase a domain directly from them without using their hosting services. However, I don\u2019t recommend this.
\nA .com domain from Bluehost is $11.99 per year. Privacy and protection is $11.88 per year. For the same price, I can register two domains from a domain registrar and still have change to spare.
\nHowever, you can get a free domain name from Bluehost if you bundle your domain registration with their hosting services.
\nThe process is extremely simple. Just choose your web hosting plan, and Bluehost will prompt you to register a new domain. If you follow these steps, your domain will be free for the first year.
\nYou\u2019ll still have to pay $11.88 per year for privacy and protection. Bluehost provides a free SSL certificate, one-click WordPress installs, and 24\/7 support.
\nBluehost is the best web hosting provider on the market today, and it\u2019s the only web host I actually recommend for domain registration.
\nDreamhost
\n
![\"dreamhost\"](\"https:\/\/quicksprout-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/dreamhost-1024x368.png\")
\nDreamhost is another top consideration for web hosting. While it\u2019s not as popular as their web hosting products, Dreamhost does offer domain registration services.
\nYou can get a .com domain with Dreamhost for $7.99 per year. This includes free privacy and protection. Furthermore, Dreamhost has more than 400 TLDs, with .xyz extensions as low as $0.89 per year.
\nWhile $7.99 for a .com domain is definitely a great deal, there is a catch. Your domain will renew at $15.99 per year.
\nI really can\u2019t justify this price, especially from a platform that specializes in web hosting, not domain registration.
\nHostGator
\n
![\"HostGator\"](\"https:\/\/quicksprout-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/HostGator-1024x297.png\")
\nHostGator is another well-known web hosting provider. In fact, they rank high on my list of the best cloud hosting services.
\nIn addition to web hosting, HostGator offers a wide range of other services, including a site builder and domain registration.
\nYou can register a .com domain with HostGator for $12.95 per year. While it\u2019s a bit high compared to the domain registrars we reviewed, it\u2019s just the introductory offer. The price actually jumps up to $17.99 per year upon renewal.
\nPrivacy and protection is an additional $14.95 per year. So your initial registration comes to $27.90 and will renew at $32.94 per year.
\nI could get three domains from Domain.com, Namecheap, and NameSilo, for the same price.
\nSo can you get a domain name from HostGator? Yes, the option is available. But I really don\u2019t see any reason why you would.
\nSiteGround
\n
![\"SiteGround\"](\"https:\/\/quicksprout-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/SiteGround-1024x382.png\")
\nSiteGround is one of the most popular and well-known web hosting providers on the market today. The platform also has domain registration services, although I can\u2019t say I recommend it.
\nYou can register a .com domain from SiteGround for $15.95 per year.
\nThat\u2019s nearly double the price of Namecheap\u2019s registration, and there\u2019s still a catch. You\u2019re only able to use SiteGround for domain registration if you have a SiteGround web hosting plan.
\nSo if you wanted to buy a domain from SiteGround and host your site elsewhere, that\u2019s not an option.
\nFor those of you looking to bundle domain registration with web hosting, you\u2019re much better off using Bluehost. With Bluehost, you\u2019ll get a free domain for the first year, which is not available with SiteGround.
\n3. Website Builder
\nMost people don\u2019t associate website builders with domain registration.
\nSimilar to web hosting, I normally wouldn\u2019t recommend buying a domain from anywhere other than a registrar. But with that said, there are a handful of site builders offering domain registration services.
\nThese are some of the best website builders to consider for buying a domain name.
\nWix
\n
![\"Wix\"](\"https:\/\/quicksprout-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Wix-1-1024x360.png\")
\nWix is best known for its simple drag-and-drop website builder. If you don\u2019t know how to code and you\u2019re creating a website from scratch, Wix is a top choice to consider.
\nYou can\u2019t exclusively buy a domain using Wix. You\u2019ll need to bundle your domain registration with their website builder.
\nWith that said, there are two ways to get a free domain with this platform.
\nEvery Wix site comes with a free Wix subdomain. Without spending anything, you can have a domain in the following format:
\nwixusername.wixsite.com\/yourdomain
\nI don\u2019t recommend this to anyone unless you\u2019re just experimenting with the Wix platform. Once you\u2019re ready to take things to the next level, you\u2019ll need to register your own domain.
\nWix also offers a free domain for one year with all paid site builder plans. Privacy and protection is included free as well. You could even bundle your web hosting through them, although I can\u2019t endorse that option.
\nSquarespace
\n
![\"Squarespace\"](\"https:\/\/quicksprout-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Squarespace-1024x370.png\")
\nSquarespace is another one of my favorite website builders. It\u2019s great for beginners and people with an eye for great design.
\nBut like Wix, getting a domain from Squarespace means you\u2019ll have to bundle it with a site-building plan.
\nAll Squarespace annual plans come with a free custom domain name for the first year. WHOIS privacy and protection is included. Additional domains can be purchased between $20 and $70 per year, depending on the extension.
\nThose prices are outrageous if you compare them to the domain registrars that we reviewed earlier. If you need to buy more than one domain, this is not the platform to do so.
\nI would only consider registering a domain with Squarespace if you need one domain, you\u2019re using the site builder, and you think it\u2019s easier to purchase everything from one provider. Just know that you could run into problems if you need to transfer your domain and website to another platform in the future.
\nWordPress
\n
![\"WordPress\"](\"https:\/\/quicksprout-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/WordPress-1024x231.png\")
\nWordPress is the world\u2019s largest CMS platform. We use WordPress here at Quick Sprout to power our website.
\nThis website builder is best for those of who are comfortable with coding and want to get the most out of your site\u2019s content. Although WordPress does have plugins that allow drag-and-drop building capabilities.
\nYou can also use WordPress to buy a domain. The domain will automatically be connected to your website, and renewals get handled through your WordPress account.
\nWhile it may be tempting to get a domain directly from WordPress, it\u2019s not the most convenient procedure. You\u2019ll have to go through a six-step process, which includes creating your WordPress account.
\nPlus, the domain registration is a bit pricey. A .com domain from WordPress costs $18 per year, which is more than double the price of the cheapest domain registrars.
\nWeebly
\n
![\"Weebly\"](\"https:\/\/quicksprout-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Weebly-1024x329.png\")
\nWeebly is a website builder geared toward ecommerce sites. Compared to some of the other website builders out there, registering a domain name with Weebly isn\u2019t the worst idea.
\nTwo of Weebly\u2019s premium plans (Professional and Performance) come with a free domain for one year with an annual contract. Those plans start at $12 and $26 per month, respectively.
\nYou can use Weebly to register a domain without a site builder plan. The nice part about using Weebly for domain registration is that you\u2019ll save money by registering for longer periods of time.
\n\u2981 1 year \u2014 $19.95 per year
\n\u2981 2 years \u2014 $16.95 per year
\n\u2981 5 years \u2014 $14.96 per year
\n\u2981 10 years \u2014 $12.57 per year
\nBut even though you can save up to 37% off with an extended registration, the ten-year price is still more expensive than NameCheap, NameSilo, and Domain.com.
\nHow to Find the Best Place to Buy a Domain
\nWith so many options to choose from, finding the best place to buy a domain can be challenging. There are certain features and elements that must be taken into consideration when you\u2019re evaluating a prospective platform to buy a domain.
\nThis is the methodology that we used to narrow the search.
\nPrice and Contract Terms
\nThe price should always be the first thing you look at. If all of these platforms are basically offering the same thing, it makes sense to go with one that\u2019s cost-effective.
\nDon\u2019t just look at the cheapest extensions. Always compare the prices for .com domains, since that\u2019s what you should be registering.
\nLook at the length of your contract. Some providers will require a minimum registration period, such as one or two years. Others will offer discounts for long-term registration.
\nKeep an eye out for additional fees. Most add-ons you\u2019ll be able to ignore. But you\u2019ll definitely want to get WHOIS privacy and protection. This comes free with your registration on some platforms, but others upcharge for it.
\nMake sure that your contract makes it easy for you to renew your domain. Look for automatic renewals or contracts giving you a grace period after the domain expires, in case you forget to renew manually.
\nDomain Transfers
\nIf you\u2019re unhappy with your domain registrar, for any reason, you might want to transfer your domain in the future.
\nYou cannot transfer a domain within the first 60 days of registration. However, you\u2019re free to do what you want with your domain after that.
\nJust make sure that your registrar makes transferring easy for you. Platforms like GoDaddy, have a reputation for throttling down outgoing transfers. So always check customer reviews about the transfer process before you settle.
\nThe best domain registrars make transfers easy and don\u2019t impose any extra fees.
\nAdditional Services
\nAs you\u2019ve seen from this guide, you can get a domain name from a wide range of platforms. Some of those platforms specialize in additional services, like web hosting or website builders.
\nThe ability to bundle multiple services shouldn\u2019t sway you toward one provider over another.
\nMost providers are better at one service compared to the other. Just because a platform is one of the best website builders, it doesn\u2019t mean they have a flawless domain registration process.
\nIn many cases, domain registration is more expensive from website builders and hosting providers. Some of these platforms let you to buy a domain independently from their primary services, while others force you to bundle everything.
\nSometimes it\u2019s worth it to go with a service bundle. For example, Bluehost gives you a free domain for one year when you sign up for a web hosting plan.
\nSupport and User Experience
\nRegistering a domain name shouldn\u2019t be complicated. If a platform is making you jump through hoops, it\u2019s probably best to look elsewhere.
\nMost of the time, you should be able to register a domain in a minute or two, at most.
\nIf you\u2019re interested in buying dozens or even hundreds of domains simultaneously, look for platforms that support those needs.
\nIn some cases, you may want to request some assistance. Although this usually won\u2019t be required unless you\u2019re transferring a domain. In any event, you\u2019ll want to make sure that the platform provides excellent customer service to assist you with transfers or whatever else you need help with.
\nConclusion
\nThere are three main options for buying a domain; domain registrars, web hosting providers, and website builders.
\nWithin each category, you\u2019ll have tons of different providers to choose from.
\nBuying a domain from a domain registrar like Domain.com will almost always be your best option. These providers specialize in domain registration, so you\u2019ll get the best price, quality, and customer service here. Plus, domain registrars won\u2019t force you to bundle your registration with another service.
\nUsing Bluehost to bundle your domain registration with web hosting is the only time that I\u2019d consider bundling services. That\u2019s because Bluehost gives you a free domain for one year when you sign up for a hosting plan.
\nOther providers have similar offers, but overall, they fall short in one category or the other.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"