One of the most important steps you can take on your journey to becoming a successful entrepreneur is buying the right domain name. A great domain name is more than just an easy-to-remember address for your website—it’s also an integral part of your marketing strategy. For example, if you want to launch an e-commerce store, several things need to be taken into consideration before making that final decision: the name should be easy to pronounce and spell, it should be short and memorable, and most importantly, it should be available.
To help you with your domain selection process, we’ve compiled a list of the 11 best domain registrars in 2022. Each one offers something slightly different, so be sure to read through the descriptions to find the registrar that’s the best fit for you and your business.
Quick Note
All of the registrars listed below offer coupons and discounts on their services from time to time. You can usually find these offers by searching for them on Google or visiting the registrar’s website directly. Be sure to read the terms and conditions of each offer before you take advantage of it. Similarly, their base prices may change at the company’s discretion.
1. NameCheap
Background
NameCheap is a domain name registrar and web hosting company headquartered in Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.
The company was founded in 2000 by Richard Kirkendall, who later became its CEO. In 2002, Namecheap became the first ICANN-accredited domain registrar to offer domain parking services for free to its customers.
In 2003, Namecheap became the first registrar to offer free transfers for life for domains registered at other providers.
In 2004 and 2005, Namecheap won Best New Registrar awards from Internetnews.com and About.com respectively. In 2006, it won an award from Google for “Best Domain Services”.
Pricing
NameCheap offers a variety of domain name pricing options. For new domains, the company offers three different registration periods: one year, two years, or three years. The price for a one-year registration is $13.98, the price for a two-year registration is $27.96, and the price for a three-year registration is $41.94.
For renewals, the company offers two different renewal periods: one year or two years. The price for a one-year renewal is $15.29, and the price for a two-year renewal is $30.58.
NameCheap also offers discounts on certain domain name extensions. For example, .com domains are currently available for $8.99/year, .net domains are available for $11.98/year, and .org domains are available for $13.19/year.
Pros and Cons
NameCheap is a great option for those looking for an affordable domain name registrar with a wide variety of features. However, there are a few drawbacks to using the company. For example, some users have complained about the quality of customer service. Additionally, the company has been known to make frequent changes to its pricing structure, which can be frustrating for customers who are trying to budget their expenses.
2. Domain.com
Background
Domain.com is an ICANN accredited domain name registrar and web hosting company based in Jacksonville, Florida. Domain.com provides domain name registration services for over 300 generic top-level domains (gTLDs) and country code top-level domains (ccTLDs). The company also offers web hosting services and email hosting services.
Domain.com was founded in 1999 by George DeCarlo as Dotster to provide domain name registration services for .com and .net domains; however, it later expanded its business model by offering additional gTLDs including .org, .info, .biz, .me, .mobi, .tel and others. In 2000 Dotster launched a reseller program called ResellerWeb.
In 2007 Dotster began offering free domain parking with every new domain name registration purchase, which at the time was a first for the industry. In 2010 Dotster offered free mobile website creation tools for new customers. In 2012 Dotster began offering Facebook Timeline websites for free with every Facebook Business Page creation purchase.
Pricing
Domain.com offers a variety of domain name pricing options. For new domains, the company offers three different registration periods: one year, two years, or three years. The price for a one-year registration is $9.99/year, the price for a two-year registration is $18.98/year, and the price for a three-year registration is $27.97/year.
For renewals, Domain.com offers two different renewal periods: one year or two years. The price for a one-year renewal is $14.99/year, and the price for a two-year renewal is $28.98/year.
Domain.com also offers discounts on certain domain name extensions.
Pros and Cons
Domain.com is a great option for those looking for an affordable domain name registrar with a wide variety of features. However, there are a few drawbacks to using the company. For example, some users have complained about the quality of customer service. Additionally, the company has been known to make frequent changes to its pricing structure, which can be frustrating for customers who are trying to budget their expenses.
3. Google Domains
Background
Google Domains is a domain registration service offered by Google. It was announced in May 2016 and made available to the public in September 2016.
Google Domains is currently only available in the United States, with plans to roll out to other countries in the future.
In May 2016, Google announced that it would be opening up its domain registration service to the public. This came after two years of testing by Google employees, who were given access to test out the service before it was available to everyone else.
Pricing
The current price for Google Domains is $12 per year or $11.88 per year if paid annually via credit card or debit card (credit cards must be issued by a U.S. bank).
Pros and Cons
Google Domains is a great option for those looking for an affordable domain name registrar with a wide variety of features. However, there are a few drawbacks to using the company. For example, some users have complained about the quality of customer service. Additionally, the company has been known to make frequent changes to its pricing structure, which can be frustrating for customers who are trying to budget their expenses. Additionally, Google Domains is only available in the United States at this time, so international users will need to look elsewhere for their domain name needs.
4. Dreamhost
Background
Dreamhost is a web hosting and domain name registrar company founded in 1996. It is headquartered in Los Angeles, California.
The company offers a variety of web hosting services including shared hosting, virtual private servers, dedicated servers, and managed WordPress hosting.
In addition to web hosting services, Dreamhost also offers domain name registration services. Dreamhost offers a variety of domain name extensions including .com, .net, .org, .info, .biz, and more.
Pricing
Dreamhost offers a variety of domain name pricing options. For new domains, the company offers three different registration periods: one year, two years, or three years. The price for a one-year registration is $9.99/year, the price for a two-year registration is $18.98/year, and the price for a three-year registration is $27.97/year.
For renewals, Dreamhost offers two different renewal periods: one year or two years. The price for a one-year renewal is $14.99/year, and the price for a two-year renewal is $28.98/year.
Dreamhost also offers discounts on certain domain name extensions.
Pros and Cons
Dreamhost is a great option for those looking for an affordable domain name registrar with a wide variety of features. However, there are a few drawbacks to using the company. For example, some users have complained about the quality of customer service. Additionally, the company has been known to make frequent changes to its pricing structure, which can be frustrating for customers who are trying to budget their expenses. Additionally, Dreamhost is only available in the United States at this time, so international users will need to look elsewhere for their domain name needs.
5. Fatcow
Background
Fatcow is a web hosting company founded in 1998. It is headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts.
The company offers a variety of web hosting services including shared hosting, virtual private servers, and dedicated servers.
In addition to web hosting services, Fatcow also offers domain name registration services. Fatcow offers a variety of domain name extensions including .com, .net, .org, .info, .biz, and more.
Pricing
Fatcow offers a variety of web hosting services including shared hosting, virtual private servers, and dedicated servers.
Shared Hosting:
Fatcow’s shared hosting plans start at $4.08 per month for the “Mini Moo” plan and go up to $10.95 per month for the “Moo Business” plan.
Virtual Private Servers:
Fatcow’s virtual private server plans start at $19.95 per month for the “VPS-1000S” plan and go up to $79.95 per month for the “VPS-5000S” plan.
Dedicated Servers:
Fatcow’s dedicated server plans start at $119 per month for the “Dedicated-
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Offers a variety of web hosting services including shared hosting, virtual private servers, and dedicated servers.
- Offers domain name registration services.
- Offers a variety of domain name extensions.
- Has a user-friendly control panel
Cons:
- Limited storage space on some plans.
- Some features are only available on the more expensive plans.
6. Hover
Background
Hover is a domain name registrar and web hosting company based in Toronto, Canada. The company was founded in 2009 by Matthew Blumberg and David Loewenherz.
Hover offers a variety of domain name extensions including .com, .net, .org, .info, .biz, and more. In addition to domain name registration services, Hover also offers email forwarding and web hosting services.
Hover’s email forwarding service allows customers to forward emails from their Hover-registered domain names to any other email address. This service is free for all Hover customers.
Hover’s web hosting service is currently in beta. The service offers customers the ability to host their website on Hover’s servers for a monthly fee.
Hover also offers a variety of domain name management tools, such as the ability to set up custom subdomains, DNS records, and email addresses.
Pricing
Hover’s domain name registration prices start at $14.99 per year for .com domains. Prices for other domain name extensions vary depending on the extension.
Hover’s web hosting service is currently in beta and pricing has not been announced.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Offers a variety of domain name extensions
- Domain name management tools
- Email forwarding service
Cons:
- Web hosting service is in beta
- No phone support
7. GoDaddy
Background
GoDaddy is a web hosting and domain name registrar company founded in 1997. It is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona.
The company offers a variety of web hosting services including shared hosting, virtual private servers, dedicated servers, and managed WordPress hosting.
In addition to web hosting services, GoDaddy also offers domain name registration services. GoDaddy offers a variety of domain name extensions including .com, .net, .org, .info, .biz, and more.
Pricing
GoDaddy’s domain name registration prices range from $0.99 to $14.99 per year. The price depends on the domain name extension that you choose.
Private registration is an additional $9.99 per year.
Pros and Cons
Pros: GoDaddy is one of the most popular domain name registrars in the world. They offer a wide variety of domain name extensions and have reasonable prices.
Cons: Some people do not like doing business with GoDaddy because of their controversial business practices. For example, GoDaddy has been known to support SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) and has been involved in a number of scandals.
8. Bluehost
Background
Bluehost is a web hosting and domain name registrar company founded in 1996. It is headquartered in Provo, Utah.
The company offers a variety of web hosting services including shared hosting, virtual private servers, dedicated servers, and managed WordPress hosting.
Pricing
Bluehost’s domain name registration prices start at $11.99 per year. The price depends on the domain name extension that you choose. They also offer private registration for an additional $9.99 per year.
Other Products and Services
Bluehost offers a variety of web hosting services including shared hosting, virtual private servers, dedicated servers, and managed WordPress hosting. They also offer domain name registration services and email forwarding for an additional fee. Bluehost is also known for its easy-to-use control panel and simple setup process.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Bluehost is one of the oldest web hosting companies and they have a good reputation. They offer a variety of web hosting services and have reasonable prices.
Cons
Some people do not like doing business with Bluehost because they are owned by Endurance International Group, a large conglomerate that owns many other web hosting companies (such as HostGator, iPage, and FatCow). This can make it difficult to get help or support if you have an issue with your account.
9. HostGator
Background
HostGator is a web hosting and domain name registrar company founded in 2002. It is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
The company offers a variety of web hosting services including shared hosting, virtual private servers, dedicated servers, and managed WordPress hosting.
Products and Services
In addition to web hosting services, HostGator also offers domain name registration services. They offer a variety of domain name extensions including .com, .net, .org, .info, .biz, and more.
Pricing
HostGator’s domain name registration prices start at $12.95 per year. The price depends on the domain name extension that you choose. They also offer private registration for an additional $9.95 per year.
Pros and Cons
Pros
HostGator is one of the most popular web hosting companies and they have a good reputation. They offer a variety of web hosting services and have reasonable prices.
Cons
Some people do not like doing business with HostGator because they are owned by Endurance International Group, a large conglomerate that owns many other web hosting companies (such as Bluehost, iPage, and FatCow). This can make it difficult to get help or support if you have an issue with your account.
10. Network Solutions
Background
Network Solutions is a web hosting and domain name registrar company founded in 1979. It is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia.
The company offers a variety of web hosting services including shared hosting, virtual private servers, dedicated servers, and managed WordPress hosting. They also offer domain name registration services and email forwarding for an additional fee.
Pricing
Network Solutions’ domain name registration prices start at $34.99 per year. The price depends on the domain name extension that you choose. They also offer private registration for an additional $9.99 per year.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Network Solutions has been in business for a long time and they have a good reputation. They offer a variety of web hosting services and have reasonable prices.
Cons
Some people do not like doing business with Network Solutions because they are owned by Web.com, a large conglomerate that owns many other web hosting companies (such as Register.com and Dotster). This can make it difficult to get help or support if you have an issue with your account.
11. BuyDomains
Background
BuyDomains is a domain name registrar and web hosting company founded in 1999. It is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts.
The company offers a variety of domain name extensions including .com, .net, .org, .info, .biz, and more.
Pricing
BuyDomains’ domain name registration prices start at $11.99 per year. The price depends on the domain name extension that you choose. They also offer private registration for an additional $9.99 per year.
Products and Services
BuyDomains offers a variety of domain name registration services. They also offer web hosting, email forwarding, and WHOIS privacy for an additional fee.
Pros and Cons
Pros
BuyDomains is one of the oldest domain name registrars and they have a good reputation. They offer a variety of domain name extensions and have reasonable prices.
Cons
Some people do not like doing business with BuyDomains because they are owned by Endurance International Group, a large conglomerate that owns many other web hosting companies (such as Bluehost, HostGator, and FatCow). This can make it difficult to get help or support if you have an issue with your account.
In summary
There are many different domain name registrars and web hosting companies to choose from. It is important to do your research to find the one that is right for you. Be sure to consider the prices, products and services offered, and the reputation of the company before making your decision.