Whether you’re launching your first website, looking to get into the domain name business, or simply looking for a place to buy a domain so that you can have your own custom email address, the fact is that you’re going to need a good, reliable domain registrar to do it.
The problem with domain registrars – and what probably led you to this article – is that there are more than 2,800 of them [1]! How is anyone supposed to decide from a pool that large?! Don’t worry, the Themeisle team is here to save the day! 😎
When compiling this list, I consulted with many of my colleagues to tap into their firsthand experiences dealing with various registrars over the years. This was combined with my own domain buying history and of course meticulous research.
Based on all of that, I present to you the ten best domain registrars, grounded in decades of combined personal and professional experience. To help you narrow your choices down and save you some time, I also included recommendations based on why you might be looking for a domain registrar in the first place.
What makes a best registrar and how this list was compiled? 🤔
“The best” means different things to different people. Our recipe included primarily three factors:
- Market share as a way to gauge user validation [2]. The most popular registrars have a sizable customer base because they obviously bring a certain level of value and service to the market.
- Real user experiences as reported by real humans on the internet, primarily Reddit.
- Collective professional judgement from myself and my colleagues. This was to filter out options that didn’t make sense, and to include one that wouldn’t have been on the list based on the two criteria above, but that deserves your attention nonetheless.
Brief overview of .com prices for 2024
Most people searching for a domain want , which means that statistically speaking, there’s a decent chance that you’re also looking for a good deal on .com(s). So, before we get into the heavier analysis of each registrar, here’s a quick table that shows what you can expect to pay for a .com domain over the course of one, three, and ten years.
| Registrar | Market share * | 1 year | 3 years | 10 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GoDaddy | 11.8% (largest overall) | $43.99 | $197.92 | |
| Namecheap | 2.84% (2nd largest) | $33.94 | $131.80 | |
| Squarespace Domains | 1.64% (4th largest) | $12.00 | $52.00 | $192.00 |
| IONOS | 0.87% (5th largest) | 💰 | $35.00 | $154.00 |
| NameSilo | 0.81% (7th largest) | $13.95 | $41.85 | $139.50 |
| Dynadot | 0.78% (9th largest) | $30.57 | $101.90 | |
| OVH | 0.69% (12th largest) | $39.73 | $137.66 | |
| Porkbun | 0.25% (30th largest) | $31.11 | $103.70 | |
| Cloudflare | 0.23% (35th largest) | $9.15 | 💰 $27.45 | 💰 $91.50 |
| Bluehost | $39.98 | $179.91 |
* Approximate; according to the number of registered domains
Top three quickie recommendations 🥇🥈🥉
If you’re in a super hurry and want a TL;DR, then here you are:
Best domain registrars compared IN DETAIL
1. GoDaddy
- TLDs offered: ~540
- Free WHOIS privacy protection: ✅
- Web hosting available: ✅ shared, WordPress, VPS, reseller
- Free Email: ❌ starts from $35.88 per year (renews at $95.88)
- Best for: beginners who feel intimidated at the thought of starting a website and who don’t mind paying higher prices over the long term in exchange for easy-to-use website building tools
You can’t have a list of the top domain registrars without GoDaddy being on it and that’s because they dominate the market on a percentage basis. They manage roughly 12% of all registered domains on the web, which makes them the number one registrar based on market share [2]. And you don’t get to be number one if you don’t have something worthwhile to offer your customers. Here’s what GoDaddy brings to the table:
Services that GoDaddy offers ➕
- Domain appraisal tool: free for everyone
- Bundle discounts: available for higher volume orders
- SSL certificates: Wildcard, Multi-domain, DV, Managed DV, OV, and EV
- Logo maker: included for free
- Paylinks: lets you receive payments from anywhere (all you need is a domain)
- GoDaddy Airo™: AI-powered tool that generates logos, websites, etc
- Other domain-related services: brokerage, backorder, transfer, appraisals, and auctions
Customer support 🤝
- Contact options: phone (local numbers in 30+ countries), text, or live chat and in some regions you can use WhatsApp
- Self-help options: help center (knowledge base), community forum, and blog
- 24/7: ✅
Why you might want to skip GoDaddy 🙅
GoDaddy’s pricing leaves much to be desired – particularly if you’re planning on having a domain over the long term. They do have some good promotional deals on select TLDs, but mixed in between them are also faux bargains that are intentionally structured in a way to make you think they are a better deal than they actually are.
For example, they have this one cent .com offer, where they want you to focus on the fact that “it’s only one penny.” However, all it takes is some basic math to figure out that on a per-year basis, the total cost of the three years you have to buy if you want the deal, ends up being about $14.67 per year. Not exactly “a bargain.” Then, starting in year four, you’ll be stuck paying $21.99 per year, which is considerably higher than most competitors.
As for the upsells, why does GoDaddy ask for $9.99 per domain, per year to simply enable 2FA as a security option? That’s just an odd thing to ask money for. It’s like renting out an apartment and then charging your tenant extra to use the stove in the kitchen.
If none of those things bother you, then below is a sampling of what you can expect to pay for some common domain extensions if you buy them with GoDaddy.
GoDaddy pricing 💰
| Top Level Domain (TLD) | Registration Price | Renewal Price |
|---|---|---|
| .com | $21.99 | |
| .net | $14.99 | $24.99 |
| .org | $9.99 | $22.99 |
| .co | $11.99 | $47.99 |
| .blog | $2.99 | $39.99 |
| .online | $0.99 | $49.99 |
2. Namecheap
- TLDs offered: ~550
- Free WHOIS privacy protection: ✅
- Web hosting available: ✅ shared, WordPress, VPS, dedicated server, reseller
- Free Email: ❌ only free with select hosting plans; otherwise starts from $11.88 per year (renews at $14.88)
- Best for: overall top choice for a domain and scalable hosting in one place, with low renewal prices, good promo deals, and useful tools
Namecheap was established more than two decades ago (in 2000) and since that time it has grown to become the second most dominant domain registrar on the market – after GoDaddy [2]. If you’re looking to register a cheap domain name with affordable hosting to go along with it (i.e., a bundled option), then Namecheap has to be on your shortlist. This combination is also probably what makes it a fan favorite in several domain-related Reddit threads and among some of our staff.
Services that Namecheap offers ➕
- Domain email forwarding: included for free
- VPN: starting from $0.99 for the first month (renews at $7.88 per month)
- Free branding tools: font generator, logo maker, etc
- DNS: included for free (with premium starting from $4.88 per year)
- CDN: included for free (with premium starting from $8.88 per month)
- Stencil graphic design tool: included for free
Customer support 🤝
- Contact options: submit a ticket or live chat
- Self-help options: knowledge base, how-to videos, status updates, and guru guides
- 24/7: ✅
Namecheap pricing 💰
Namecheap is aggressively competitive in both its promotional and its renewal pricing. A sampling of popular TLDs is below:
| Top Level Domain (TLD) | Registration Price | Renewal Price |
|---|---|---|
| .com | $15.88 | |
| .net | $12.98 | $15.98 |
| .org | $7.48 | $14.98 |
| .co | $10.98 | $31.98 |
| .blog | $4.98 | $25.98 |
| .online | $0.98 |
3. Squarespace Domains
- TLDs offered: ~670
- Free WHOIS privacy protection: ✅
- Web hosting available: ❌ if you want a bundled option, you’re forced to use their website builder
- Free Email: ❌ email forwarding is free, but actual email starts from $7.20 per month (via Google Workspace)
- Best for: someone who is interested in using Squarespace’s website builder and doesn’t mind paying above-market costs for their domain
You might be surprised to see Squarespace Domains on this list and that’s because historically speaking, Squarespace has been primarily known for its website builder. However, on September 7, 2023 they acquired all domain registrations and their associated customer accounts from the now defunct Google Domains [3]. And just like that, they became the fourth largest player in the domain game – based on domains under management [2]. Since then, they’ve been taking steps to solidify their position in the market by offering the following:
Services that Squarespace Domains offers ➕
- Domain auto-renewal: included for free
- Logo maker tool: included for free
- Coming soon page with no ads: included for free
- SSL certificate: included for free
- Premium DNS: included for free
Customer support 🤝
- Contact options: live chat, email, Facebook Messenger, and X (Twitter)
- Self-help options: knowledge base, community forum, and status page
- 24/7: ✅ (except for the live chat, which is available Monday through Friday from 4am to 8am ET)
Why you might want to skip Squarespace Domains 🙅
To begin with, Squarespace’s promo prices are around the same price as more competitive registrars’ renewal prices. In turn, that then makes their renewal prices way too high. Granted, they do throw in a lot of freebies so you need to consider those as a built-in cost, but still, there’s better pricing available elsewhere.
Beyond that, since they are relatively new to the registrar business, they might be prone to “beginner mistakes.” You can interpret that how you’d like, or even ignore it, but it’s something to consider.
Squarespace Domains pricing 💰
A sampling of prices for Squarespace Domain’s TLDs are below. Note that if you buy a site builder plan for at least one year, that Squarespace will give you a domain for free for your first year.
| Top Level Domain (TLD) | Registration Price | Renewal Price |
|---|---|---|
| .com | $12.00 | $20.00 |
| .net | $14.00 | $20.00 |
| .org | $12.00 | $20.00 |
| .co | $40.00 | $40.00 |
| .blog | $40.00 | $40.00 |
| .online | $20.00 | $20.00 |
4. IONOS
- TLDs offered: ~370
- Free WHOIS privacy protection: ✅
- Web hosting available: ✅ shared, WordPress, VPS, Windows, Jamstack, Magento, Joomla, Drupal, and more
- Free Email: ✅ with 2GB of storage; optional premium available
- Best for: lowest possible first year price on a domain-only purchase, but also with attractive hosting packages for those seeking a bundled option; great for those wanting a cheap custom email solution as well
IONOS, formerly known as 1&1, is a global web hosting and domain registrar company established in 1988 in Germany. Their rebranding to IONOS in 2018 underscored a renewed focus on cloud services and a commitment to customer support excellence. With a strong emphasis on reliability and scalability, the company has also grown to become one of Europe’s best domain registrars. Here are some highlight features you can expect:
Services that IONOS offers ➕
- SSL certificate: included for free
- Full suite of server options: virtual (Linux, Windows), dedicated (AMD, Intel), and more
Customer support 🤝
- Contact options: live chat, and phone support in 14 countries
- Self-help options: knowledge base, and “digital guide” (blog)
- 24/7: ✅ (though we’ve found that the live chat isn’t always available)
IONOS pricing 💰
IONOS offers competitive pricing for domain registration, often starting with promotional prices as low as $1 for the first year for some domains.
A sampling of some extensions is below. Note that if you sign up for a hosting plan for at least a year that you will get a free domain in your first year.
| Top Level Domain (TLD) | Registration Price | Renewal Price |
|---|---|---|
| .com | $1.00 | $17.00 |
| .net | $5.00 | $20.00 |
| .org | $3.00 | $20.00 |
| .co | $40.00 | $40.00 |
| .blog | $6.00 | $40.00 |
| .online | $1.00 | $40.00 |
5. NameSilo
- TLDs offered: ~430
- Free WHOIS privacy protection: ✅
- Web hosting available: ✅ shared only
- Free Email: ❌ two accounts included for free only if you buy a hosting plan; otherwise starting from $29.88 per year
- Best for: the most straightforward buying experience with transparent pricing and an efficient way to search for only the TLDs that you want; also an excellent choice for developers
NameSilo is the seventh most popular registrar based on domains under management [2]. They also frequently show up in Reddit threads as a popular choice for great domain deals. This is primarily due to their low prices, transparency, and smooth domain buying experience. Developers also like NameSilo because they have a very nice Domain API with extensive documentation and even a sandbox for testing different setups. Besides that, you can expect the following:
Services that NameSilo offers ➕
- SSL certificates: three types, starting from $9.59 per year
- Logo maker: included for free
Customer support 🤝
- Contact options: phone, live chat, email, and ticket system
- Self-help options: knowledge base, blog, and a domain API reference guide for developers
- 24/7: ✅ (except for phone support, which is available Monday through Friday, from 9:30am to 4:00pm MST)
NameSilo pricing 💰
One of the best things about NameSilo’s website is their domain search bar and how easy it is to search for specific TLDs and their prices. They let you click on specific TLDs that you’re interested in prior to clicking on the search button. Then, in your search results, they only show you those TLDs that you picked, along with their promo and renewal prices. In contrast, most other registrars will display a list of random TLDs that you probably don’t care about – which is just distracting.
| Top Level Domain (TLD) | Registration Price | Renewal Price |
|---|---|---|
| .com | $13.95 | $13.95 |
| .net | $15.95 | $15.95 |
| .org | $9.49 | $10.79 |
| .co | $10.99 | $27.99 |
| .blog | $4.19 | $22.99 |
| .online | $2.99 | $26.99 |
6. Dynadot
- TLDs offered: ~680
- Free WHOIS privacy protection: ✅
- Web hosting available: ❌ if you want a bundled option, you’re forced to use their website builder (it’s free)
- Free Email: ✅ with 1 GB of storage; optional premium for $20 per year
- Best for: the business of domains (flipping, reselling, auctions, etc) and aggressive promo pricing on a wide selection of TLDs; also another excellent choice for those needing a custom email without having to buy hosting to get it
Dynadot is the ninth most popular registrar based on domains under management [2]. If you’re looking for a deal on a niche TLD, then Dynadot is an excellent place to begin your search. They even have internationalized domain names (IDNs) available for purchase. Overall, we can refer to Dynadot as a real “registrar’s registrar.” Simply put, if there’s a domain-related service that exists, then Dynadot offers it. This makes it the best registrar for those who are in the business of domains, rather than just looking for a domain to launch a website. Here’s what you can expect from Dynadot:
Services that Dynadot offers ➕
- Domain ownership transfer: included for free
- For-sale landing page: included for free
- Grace period before deletion: free and transparent
- Domain appraisal tool: included for free
- Domain auctions: expired, user, backorder, last chance, and registry expired
- Bulk search and super bulk search: get discount pricing on select TLDs
- Free security package: includes 2FA, SMS authentication, authentication APP, security Key (Yubikey), and transfer lock
Customer support 🤝
- Contact options: live chat, and email
- Self-help options: knowledge base, and community forum
- 24/7: ❌ (available Monday through Sunday, from 9am to 6pm PST)
Why you might want to skip Dynadot 🙅
If you’re looking for a bundled solution where you have hosting and your domain all in one place, then it’s probably better to go with another option on this list. Dynadot does offer a website builder for free (with an optional paid premium version), but there’s no actual web hosting. So if you want to use your own CMS like WordPress or Joomla, you’ll need to look for hosting elsewhere.
Dynadot pricing 💰
Dynadot has some of the most competitive pricing in the industry on both their promo deals and their renewals. For a full list of their prices across all of their TLD options, you can go here, otherwise you can check out the sampling below:
| Top Level Domain (TLD) | Registration Price | Renewal Price |
|---|---|---|
| .com | $10.19 | |
| .net | $12.50 | $12.50 |
| .org | $7.88 | $10.50 |
| .co | $9.99 | $24.99 |
| .blog | $2.39 | $22.99 |
| .online | $2.99 | $28.50 |
7. OVH
- TLDs offered: ~900
- Free WHOIS privacy protection: ✅
- Web hosting available: ✅ shared, dedicated server, eco-dedicated server, VPS, managed bare metal
- Free Email: ❌ included for free only if you buy a web hosting plan; otherwise starting from $4.49 per month
- Best for: those seeking a bundled solution for high-powered websites and/or anyone trying to find rare TLDs
OVH is the twelfth most popular registrar based on domains under management [2]. They also have an exceptionally large selection of domain extensions on offer. So if you’re on the hunt for a unique TLD and can’t seem to find it elsewhere, you might just luck out if you check OVH.
Beyond the above, they have a robust selection of hosting options, with some really powerful solutions for resource-intensive websites or projects. This makes them an ideal choice if you anticipate that your site is going to receive lots of website traffic or otherwise need the type of muscle provided by a dedicated server, VPS, etc.
Services that OVH offers ➕
- DNSSEC: included for free
- Domain redirect: included for free
- Unique domain search filter: look for niche TLDs based on topic categories
- Aftermarket purchases: available with OVH acting as intermediary between you and the seller
Customer support 🤝
- Contact options: phone, email (ticket), and live chat
- Self-help options: knowledge base, and community forum
- 24/7: ❌ (OVH has a tiered system where your support is determined by your plan; higher plans have 24/7 support, but lower plans do not)
Why you might want to skip OVH 🙅
The tiered customer support can be frustrating if you need urgent help but are forced to wait up to eight business hours because you’re on the “lowest tier.” It’s also not clear if domain buyers even get any support at all. At best, the way the support page is written, we can interpret it to mean that if you’re only buying a domain with them that you will get the standard support (the lowest tier). It doesn’t explicitly say this, but it says “Standard Support is included with all OVHcloud solutions,” so if buying a domain is considered an “OVHcloud solution,” then you’re in the clear. If not, then you’ll need to rely on their self-help options.
OVH pricing 💰
OVH has fair renewal pricing on most domain extensions and some really attractive promo offers on select TLDs. Plus they have an extensive TLD catalog for you to choose from. Finally, if you sign up for any web hosting package, then you will get a domain free for your first year.
| Top Level Domain (TLD) | Registration Price | Renewal Price |
|---|---|---|
| .com | $11.75 | $13.99 |
| .net | $12.19 | $16.89 |
| .org | $10.49 | $14.49 |
| .co | $13.29 | $34.29 |
| .blog | $4.26 | $27.99 |
| .online | $1.06 | $35.69 |
8. Cloudflare
- TLDs offered: ~350
- Free WHOIS privacy protection: ✅
- Web hosting available: ❌ you can use their Pages service to deploy a static site though
- Free Email: ❌ email forwarding (they call it routing) is free though
- Best for: the cheapest possible long-term solution that doesn’t require you to do anything after you buy your domain (i.e., best price with no hassle)
Cloudflare is consistently one of the top user choices in Reddit threads when people are discussing best domain registrars. The reason Cloudflare has so many devoted fans, is because in the long term, it offers the cheapest domain prices out of any other option available. In terms of market share, it is the 35th most popular registrar based on domains under management [2].
Services that Cloudflare offers ➕
- Domain auto-renewal: included for free
- Registrar (domain) lock: included for free
- DNSSEC: included for free
- 2FA: included for free
- API: developer-friendly
- Web Application Firewall (WAF)
- Load balancing: safeguard against service disruptions (starting from $5 per month)
- Argo smart routing: improves internet performance
- And more (lots more!)
Customer support 🤝
- Contact options: phone, support ticket, and live chat
- Self-help options: community forum, and Discord
- 24/7: ❌ (Cloudflare has a tiered system where your support is determined by your plan; if you’re only using them as a registrar then you can only submit tickets for billing, account, and registrar issues; no technical support)
Why you might want to skip Cloudflare 🙅
There are four drawbacks to using Cloudflare. The first is more of a nuisance than a true negative:
They don’t let you browse available domains and prices unless you create an account and log in. If you’re already fairly sure that you want to use them (or you have an account with them because you use one of their other services) then this is almost irrelevant, but if you don’t have an account and you want to quickly browse your options, then it’s mildly annoying that they force you to make an account first.
Second, if you do end up buying a domain through them, they force you to use their nameservers [4]. For those who want to use their own DNS setup, this can be a dealbreaker.
Third, you can’t use Cloudflare if you want a one-stop-shop solution for both hosting and a domain name. It’s worth noting though, that if you’re looking to deploy a static site, then you can use the Cloudflare Pages service for this purpose (Cloudflare Pages has a free plan).
Finally, unless you sign up for one of Cloudflare’s other services, then you’ll be on your own if you run into any technical problems (see customer support above).
Cloudflare pricing 💰
Cloudflare doesn’t offer any promotional pricing so you won’t get any deeply discounted rates in your initial signup period. On the flip side, they also don’t mark up their prices – at all. Not even a penny. That’s why the columns below, for registration price and renewal price, are identical. You can also use this information to cross-reference some of the other ones on the list. It will give you an idea of how much any given registrar is marking up their domains.
| Top Level Domain (TLD) | Registration Price | Renewal Price |
|---|---|---|
| .com | $9.15 | $9.15 |
| .net | $9.95 | $9.95 |
| .org | $10.11 | $10.11 |
| .co | $24.00 | $24.00 |
| .blog | $20.18 | $20.18 |
| .online | $25.18 | $25.18 |
9. Bluehost
- TLDs offered: ~300
- Free WHOIS privacy protection: ❌ $11.88 per year extra
- Web hosting available: ✅ shared, WordPress, VPS, cloud, dedicated
- Free Email: ❌ starting from $72.00 per year
- Best for: short-term projects (up to a year) that want a very low bundled startup cost
Unlike the other options on this list, Bluehost isn’t really a domain registrar. They are primarily a web hosting company, who happens to also offer domain registration as a side service. If your next question is “Well, why the heck are they on a list of the best domain registrars?” the answer is straightforward and simple: For anyone who is looking for a bundled service (i.e., hosting and a domain in one place) at an extremely low upfront startup cost, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better option elsewhere. Here is some of what you’ll get if you register your domain with Bluehost:
Services that Bluehost offers ➕
- Domain forwarding: included for free
- Domain auto-renewal: included for free
- Domain lock: included for free
- Professional web design services: by request only
We’re assuming that most of you reading this are searching for domain registrars because you want to buy a domain name so you can build a website, not just so you can park it or flip it for a profit.
In short, we’re assuming that you’re going to need web hosting and will be more likely to go that route. Thus, the more immediate price to focus on is actually the hosting price, which is already low to begin with, but if you use one of the Bluehost promo links on this page, it’ll be even lower.
More specifically, by going through them, two things will happen: (1) they are affiliate links, which means that we receive a small commission if you buy through them, (2) it will unlock a $2.75 vs $3.95 discounted price for you. You won’t get this discount if you visit the Bluehost site in any other way.
Read our Bluehost review for more on their hosting offerings.
Customer support 🤝
- Contact options: phone, live chat, and social media (X, Facebook, Instagram, etc)
- Self-help options: knowledge base, blog, webinars, and WordPress Academy courses
- 24/7: ✅
Why you might want to skip Bluehost 🙅
The same thing that makes Bluehost an excellent short term option is also what makes it a bad long term option. Even though your upfront cost for both a domain and hosting service will be dirt cheap, once the promo period expires, you’ll be faced with high renewal costs for the domain name and roughly industry-standard costs for hosting. Additionally, most of your add-ons will be piecemealed back to you, meaning no free email, no free domain privacy, and free SSL being only available on higher plans.
Bluehost pricing 💰
What makes Bluehost so attractive is the fact that you get a free domain name for the first year with even the cheapest hosting package (which starts at $2.75 per month). Otherwise, if you only want to purchase a domain name (sans web hosting), the prices for some common TLDs are as follows:
| Top Level Domain (TLD) | Registration Price | Renewal Price |
|---|---|---|
| .com | $12.99 | $21.99 |
| .net | $14.99 | $22.99 |
| .org | $9.99 | $20.99 |
| .co | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| .blog | $22.99 | $39.99 |
| .online | $2.99 | $49.99 |
10. Porkbun
- TLDs offered: ~550
- Free WHOIS privacy protection: ✅
- Web hosting available: ✅ shared, WordPress
- Free Email: ❌ $24.00 per year
- Best for: cheap bundled solution for simple websites
Similar to Cloudflare, Porkbun also consistently shows up in Reddit threads as being one of the best registrars. As far as market share goes, it is the 30th most popular registrar based on domains under management [2]. The main reasons users cite Porkbun as being a great place to buy domains is a combination of its prices, fairly wide selection of domain extensions, and its straightforward navigation. In addition, although it’s probably not a deciding factor by any means, the fact that Porkbun offers a lighthearted, humorous take on their website design makes them more memorable than if they used the standard approach that every other registrar uses.
Services that Porkbun offers ➕
- SSL certificate: included for free
- Domain forwarding: included for free
- Cloudflare DNS: included for free
- API access: included for free
- Domain auctions: available
- Weebly website builder: starting from $0 for the first three months, then $3 per month (billed annually)
Customer support 🤝
- Contact options: phone, and email
- Self-help options: knowledge base, and blog
- 24/7: ❌ (Monday through Friday between 6am and 5pm; weekends between 9am and 5pm PST)
Why you might want to skip Porkbun 🙅
Porkbun has two things working against it.
The first is if you want a robust hosting solution along with your domain name. They do offer hosting, but it’s not exactly something to get excited over. If you have a simple website with light traffic or don’t anticipate that you’re going to be using your site to grow it into something resource-heavy (e.g., an ecommerce store), then the hosting will suit you fine (it also supports WordPress).
The second thing is if you’re the type who needs a lot of handholding to get started, then Porkbun’s limited support hours might bother you – especially if you live outside of their time zone. Other than that, Porkbun is a solid choice.
Porkbun pricing 💰
If you’re looking for a good balance between promo pricing and renewal pricing on a wide set of TLDs then you can’t go wrong with Porkbun. Check out a sample below:
| Top Level Domain (TLD) | Registration Price | Renewal Price |
|---|---|---|
| .com | $9.37 | $10.37 |
| .net | $12.50 | $12.50 |
| .org | $6.60 | $10.72 |
| .co | $9.58 | $25.03 |
| .blog | $2.04 | $21.09 |
| .online | $1.94 | $26.24 |
Final considerations and recommendations for 2024
I bought my first domain more than ten years ago and truth be told, I don’t remember why I chose the registrar that I did. I’ve learned a lot about the domain business since those early days though.
Being surrounded by experienced colleagues, who’ve all purchased domains themselves for various reasons, has also given me broader insight into which registrars are go-to options for certain needs.
To help you make a final decision, I’ve put together a table below that summarizes a few common use case scenarios and the best options for each of those scenarios.
💡 Quick, friendly reminder: “bundled solution” means that you’re looking for a domain and web hosting in one place.
| If you’re looking for… | ✅ Then choose | ⚠️ But don’t forget |
|---|---|---|
| Best overall bundled solution that offers low promo and renewal prices and that has scaled hosting options. | Namecheap | |
| Lowest possible long term domain price with no hassle. | Cloudflare | You’ll be forced to use Cloudflare’s nameservers and there’s no option to buy web hosting. |
| Free email included with any domain purchase (without the need to buy web hosting). | IONOS Dynadot | If you decide later that you want a website, IONOS is better (Dynadot only has a default website builder). |
| Cheapest bundled solution for short-term projects (up to a year). | IONOS Bluehost | Bluehost gets really expensive, really quickly after the promo period ends. |
| Bundled solution with beginner-friendly website builder. | Squarespace GoDaddy Porkbun Dynadot Namecheap | Squarespace and GoDaddy have high renewal prices. Porkbun and Dynadot’s builders aren’t AI-powered. |
| Widest selection of domain-related services for doing business with domain sales (i.e., buying and flipping). | Dynadot | If you decide later that you want a website, Dynadot only has a default website builder. |
I hope that this article offered you some clarity and that you’re now able to choose a domain registrar that best aligns with your own individual needs.
Other than that, I’m curious to know what you think of the list overall. Are there any registrars that you would have left out or included that aren’t here? Drop a comment below and share your thoughts!
[2] https://domainnamestat.com/statistics/registrar/others
[3] https://support.squarespace.com/hc/en-us/articles/17131164996365-About-the-Google-Domains-migration-to-Squarespace
[4] https://developers.cloudflare.com/dns/zone-setups/full-setup/setup/
Amazing deals. It’s also a good choice for get a 3th level domain from L53.net, domain renew also free or very cheap, i use it for labs and app test, good for some cases.
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