Best Domain Registrars in 2024

Founded in 2002, NameCheap prides itself on providing popular domain names at a competitive price. Their registration plans begin at $0.98 per year. When registering a domain name with NameCheap, you can expect additional free services such as free domain privacy for life, a two-month free trial of email hosting, and free DNSSEC security.

One of the factors that made NameCheap make this list is how easy their domains are to set up and how they help their customers at every stage. Their 24/7 customer support and guidelines help customers easily log into their accounts and set up their domain names and the other complementary services that come with them.
You can also use NameCheap’s handshake domains, which utilise blockchain technology in addition to domain transfers and bulk domain searches. NameCheap also offers hosting services, SSL protection, WordPress hosting, marketing tools, and SEO services.

Pricing: As mentioned before, NameCheap offers its lowest domain registration rate at $0.98. However, if you’re choosing to purchase these domain names, you should be aware of the steep increase in their renewal prices. Below, you can see the registration, renewal, and transfer prices for mainstream domain extensions offered by NameCheap

Domain.com is a company offering top-notch domain-related services. Founded in 2000, Domain.com offers more than 300 domain extensions and claims to provide a one-stop shop for anyone trying to start building their online presence. They offer an AI-powered domain generator tool and partnered with web.com to provide an AI-fueled website builder.

Domain.com customers can get website security services, including SiteLock for malware protection, SSL certificates for security and privacy, and domain privacy protection. Keep in mind that these services will cost extra, and you should pay for them in addition to your domain name’s cost.

When transferring domains via domain.com, you can expect services such as DNS management, email forwarding, domain locking, URL forwarding, and 24/7 customer service via Domain.com’s live chat. It’s important to know that Domain.com is an ideal place to access unique domain extensions unavailable elsewhere. They also offer premium domain names for those who want an easy-to-memorise domain name.

Moreover, suppose you have a large, content-heavy website. In that case, Domain.com is a perfect marketplace for you simply because it offers unlimited storage on all its packages.

Pricing: Domain.com offers competitive prices for its domain name registration service. However, it is certainly not the cheapest player in the market. In fact, not only do they have a significant price increase upon domain name renewal, but they also charge an additional $8.99 for domain privacy. That said, their domain name rates start at $1.99 per year.

Google Domains started in early 2015 but was officially out of beta in March 2022. They offer over 300 domain extensions, including top-level domains (TLDs). One thing that sets Google Domains apart from other domain registrars is their fixed rates for domain names, which means the renewal cost of a domain name isn’t different from its registration fee.

Google Domains offers free domain privacy protection with every domain purchase, which protects the customer’s personal information. Their built-in security also includes two-factor authentication, one-click DNSSEC, automated domain lock, and domain permission options for domain name management purposes. In addition, Google Domains mainstreams DNS management on their user-friendly platform.

It’s important to know that Google Domains decided to migrate to Squarespace back in 2023, only 14 months after its General Availability (GA). However, they claim that this migration would not impact customers’ domains.

Something to know about Google Domains is that they don’t offer web hosting like many of their competitors. This makes them a less-than-ideal option for people already purchasing their web hosting services, as many providers include a free one-year domain name on their standard web hosting packages.

Google Domains does not offer email hosting services. However, with its easy-to-use interface, Google Domains guides you to Google Workplace, where you can buy your email hosting service at a lowered rate. You can also use their 24/7 customer service via live chat and email to resolve potential issues.

Pricing: As mentioned before, Google Domains doesn’t increase its prices upon domain name renewal. Additionally, its domain transfer rates are the same as those of its regular prices.

Founded in 2004, Hostinger is a web hosting service provider and a domain registrar based in Lithuania. They offer more than 100 TLDs. Their domain availability checker tool tells you if your desired domain is available and gives suggestions regarding SEO value and branding purposes.

All domain name purchases on Hostinger come with free WHOIS domain privacy protection. Additionally, purchasing one of their web hosting plans gives you access to a free domain name, a free website builder, and email hosting services. According to their website, domain transfers are free on Hostinger. When you transfer domains, you’ll also receive a one-year extension on your current expiration date.

As for their hosting services, they offer web, cloud, VPS, and managed WordPress hosting. They also have their own Minecraft server. Their 24/7 customer service team is ready to help you overcome any possible issues regarding your website hosting plan or domain name. They offer their services in 10 different languages.

Pricing: Hostinger’s domain services start at $0.99. They also offer competitive prices for popular LTDs.

Another name on the list is DreamHost. This web hosting service provider offers domain registration services. Its user-friendly interface allows customers to easily manage their domains, edit DNS records, and set up domain forwarding.

When you purchase a domain name from DreamHost, you get lifetime WHOIS privacy protection for free. Additionally, if you get one of their hosting plans, such as shared, VPS, or dedicated hosting, you can get an unlimited number of subdomains for free.

Using DreamHost’s domain name search tool, you can determine whether your domain of choice is available. Alternatively, you can take advantage of their personal domains to add a touch of professionalism to your business profile. DreamHost also has a WordPress website builder, which is perfect for beginners who lack the coding knowledge to create a website.

Pricing: DreamHost’s domain name prices begin at $1.99. Also, the prices for more mainstream TLDs are as described below.

Hover is a Toronto-based domain registrar founded in 2008. They offer over 300 extensions, along with easy-to-use business email hosting.

While Hover doesn’t provide its customers with any web hosting services, it’s a good match for beginners who want to purchase a domain easily, people who intend to purchase domains in bulk, those who want high-volume discounts, and those who want to take advantage of Hover’s built-in privacy features, as they offer free WHOIS privacy and email verification before checkout.

On the other hand, people who need web development services or those with a limited budget might not find Hover’s domain-related plans ideal. One of the best things about Hover is its straightforward registration process and clean interface. These features, along with a lack of upsells on this platform, make Hover a great choice for registering, renewing, and transferring domains.

Hover also has a tool named “Connect,” which will help you connect your domain name to your hosting website builder, making the process easier than manually. Hover’s customer support team handles customer problems via email, live chat, and phone. Though their services are not available 24/7, they are available seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time.

Pricing: Hover’s domain name prices might be a bit more expensive than those of its competitors. That being said, it’s important to know that they don’t charge any transfer fees but an additional registration fee to renew the domain name for another year.

GoDaddy is probably one of the biggest names in the domain registration industry. With over 21 million users and 87 million domains, GoDaddy offers domain registration services, web hosting, and digital marketing solutions.

They have a clean, user-friendly interface with over 500 extensions and 100+ subdomains. Upon purchasing a domain name from GoDaddy, you’ll get a free professional email address, a free trial of their website builder, and a free SSL certificate.

GoDaddy is also one of the few places that offers domain auctions, making it a marketplace for domain buyers and sellers. While their more comprehensive plans contain free online domain protection, GoDaddy offers other domain-based services, including bulk domain search, domain transfers, new domain extensions, a domain name generator, domain broker services, and domain investing.

They offer 24/7 chat support via their live bot and WhatsApp, along with a phone support team that takes care of their customers’ problems.

Pricing: While the cheapest domain extension on GoDaddy costs $0.99, their mainstream TLDs can be a bit more expensive than competitors.

Bluehost is one of the oldest domain stores, founded in 2003. Their services include domain name registration and WordPress hosting. Bluehost offers a very secure platform and supports a plethora of TLDs. You can find three classes of domains on Bluehost, including original top-level, country-code, and new generic top-level domains.

Bluehost offers tools that streamline domain management and provide solid customer service. Their customer services are available 24/7 via live chat, phone, and Twitter. They also have an official Knowledge Base full of educational material and guides.

One of the downsides of using Bluehost is its non-refundable purchase policy. Additionally, its domain transfer services are limited. Lastly, depending on the customer’s location, Bluehost may add VAT (Value Added Tax) to its prices.

While using Bluehost, it’s important to renew your domain name regularly. You can use auto-renewal to do this; however, if you choose to do this manually and forget about it, or if the auto-renewal doesn’t go through, you’ll be given a 30-day Grace Period to renew your domain. If you fail to renew your domain name at this time, Bluehost also has a Redemption Period, during which they’ll keep your domain name inaccessible to the public. However, upon renewing your domain, you’ll have to pay extra to Bluehost.

Pricing: Below are the registration and renewal prices for the “.com,” “.net,” and “.org” extensions. Bluehost offers free domain transfers. However, they require a $15 fee for domain privacy services.

HostGator is another old name in the domain name industry that was launched in 2002. While working with HostGator, you can get a free domain name for a year if you buy a hosting plan.

In addition to the free domain name, you can get free WHOIS privacy on your domains without extra fees. It also offers easy domain management, DNS management, and email forwarding.

HostGator’s domain finder can help you find the best available option in your niche. It’s also worth noting that HostGator is an official partner of domain.com. Considering this, while they offer a limited range of extensions, you can always go to domain.com to find the extensions you’re looking for.

Their web hosting plans offer a 99.9% uptime guarantee, a site builder tool, and an SSL certificate. They also offer shared, cloud, WordPress, VPS, dedicated, and reseller hosting. Lastly, HostGator’s customer support is ready to answer customers’ questions through email and live chat 24/7.

Pricing: HostGator’s base domain price starts at $1.99. Until November 2023, HostGator did not charge for domain transfers. However, they now charge a flat rate of $12.99 for every domain transfer.

Network Solutions is a subsidiary of Web.com. It is a web hosting, domain registration, business email, and web security company. This American tech company is the 4th largest “.com” domain registrar and has over 6.7 million registrations.

4 All services and web hosting plans on Network Solutions come with a control panel, which may make this registrar a bit less easy-to-use compared to its main competitors. That said, when you find your way around their control panel, you’ll realise that Network Solutions is not only an easy-to-use platform, but also offers decent features to users.

Network Solutions provides its customers with a drag-and-drop site builder. If you have already purchased hosting for your website from a third-party company, you can connect your domain name to your website. It’s also worth noting that Network Solutions is not the most affordable option in the market, but it does provide flexible billing options, which is ideal for people on a tight budget.

Network Solutions charges its customers for services that are part of other registrars’ standard domain registration services. For example, while domain forwarding services cost $12.99 on Network Solutions, you can get free domain forwarding on other platforms. Network Solutions is a great option for those interested in renting domains for prolonged periods of time, like 100 years. This is contrary to other domain name registration service providers that let you buy domains for a maximum period of 10 years at a time.

Pricing: The lowest domain on Network Solutions costs $9.99. However, more popular domain extensions will be more expensive.

Shopify is a reputable e-commerce platform for people to start, manage, and grow online businesses. This all-inclusive platform offers website hosting options and acts as a domain registrar. By choosing Shopify as your e-commerce domain registrar, you’ll get access to a free domain availability tool as well as assistance with choosing the right domain name so your branding and SEO efforts are as effective as possible.

On its website, Shopify claims that it offers free WHOIS privacy for all its domains except those on the WHOIS database exception list. Aside from the free WHOIS privacy, Shopify also includes free SSL certificates under domain purchase orders. However, the free SSL certificate only comes with a paid Shopify plan.

While using Shopify as a domain registrar, you can edit domains, create subdomains, and forward emails. They offer 24/7 customer support, but it may be difficult to get in touch and find answers to your queries on Shopify since their AI-powered live chatbot might not answer all your questions.

Pricing: Shopify is not super transparent with its domain prices on its website. While you can see the registration prices on their website, their information regarding domain renewals is a bit foggy. As for domain transfers, their website states that you must pay a registration fee for domain transfer services. More detailed information regarding Shopify’s domain pricing is provided in the table below.