Finding the cheapest domain registrar is not as difficult as deciding a domain name for your business. There are now over a thousand domain registration companies in the world and most of them are quite remarkable.
But what differentiates them is their respective prices, customer services, and add-on services. Therefore, you will need to select the best domain registrar and if price matters to you, then you can have both as we will only be listing out the top and cheapest ones.
Online space is needed if you want to accelerate your progress. To get started, the first thing you need is to decide on a domain name and then the registrar. A domain is just like an access card to your online platform.
Once a user types in your URL into a browser or a redirection from other platforms such as search engines, social media platforms, forums, etc, then they are provided access to your page provided you have everything set already.
Having a website is one of the best ways to achieve that and for that, you need a domain name. The domain name gives you an identity and helps you showcase your products or services locally or internationally.
In this article, we will not only list out the affordable ones, but also the popular and best domain registrars for your businesses. As an entrepreneur, you should leverage technology to grow your business and such privilege can be gotten online.
WHAT IS A DOMAIN NAME REGISTRAR?
Every webmaster with a site running on the internet has passed through the phase of buying a domain name. This is one of the steps when deciding to own a website.
A domain name registrar is a company accredited by ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) to sell and register domain names. When a registrar sells a domain name, an update is made to the appropriate registry.
A user will only be able to rent a domain for up to a maximum of 10 years, the registrar mostly gives users an option of a year or multi-year subscriptions. Most companies that offer sales of domain often provide features such as automatic renewal of domain, and regular notifications. As long as you keep paying for a renewal, you remain the outright owner of the domain.
Imagine having to enter some numbers anytime you want to enter a webpage, which can be very difficult for everyone, but the emergence of domain names has made it easier for everyone to access. All they need is your URL. For instance, this address, gistfocus.com is very easier to remember than entering Ip address anytime you need to access this page.
HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT DOMAIN REGISTRAR
Pricing and contract details
If you are getting started, this should be your major concern. You will want to be sure that you are not paying more than you should pay for a domain name. There are domain registrars that offer you a good price on a newly purchased domain, but the renewal could be very huge.
Since you are already on the domain, you will have no choice but to pay since registrars are likely to deny you transfer of the domain for free. To guard against this occurrence, you should endeavour to check payment details before you pay for a new domain.
If it is a new domain, you should only register for a year. Although you can rent a name for 10 years, a year should be enough for you to decide if you want to keep using the domain or not. Therefore, the first thing you should do after buying a domain name is to turn off auto-renewal and other charges. After using it for some months, you should be in a good position to decide whether you want to keep it or not.
Domain Expiration Rules
Domain names are normally registered for a specific period which could fall between 1 to 10 years. With few taps, you can renew your domain name easily, but sometimes you may be caught in diverse activities to the extent that you may not realise that your domain name is pushing towards the exit.
This is not good for business especially when another could be lurking around to take over your domain name, therefore you need a Domain Registrar that provides timely notification on domains.
There are also domain name companies that provide grace periods to their customers even after expiration. Although, you should be vigilant about domain renewal but sometimes, the grace period could be the reason why you still hold on to your identity. For instance, you may be cash strapped or without any cards to effect payments, the grace period could cover for you pending the time your sort things out.
Transferring of Domain.
Domain names can be transferred to another registrar but only after satisfying the ICANN conditions which state “domain name can not be transferred until after the first 60 days of the registration.”
Before paying for a domain name, try to confirm if there are no extra charges when you want to transfer your domain to another registrar. And if there is, how much you are paying to execute it. Some registrars would make it difficult for you, you should endeavour to make enquiries before buying your domain.
It is important to look through the domain registrar’s expiration policy. This will give you an idea of possible resolutions when your domain expires.
User Experience
Another thing you should watch out for when choosing a domain name registrar is the testimonies of the users. When you check reviews on their website, you will most likely see the good ones first and since most people will not have time to look further, they may miss out on the important reviews.
Therefore, the best way to know is to use third party sites. On another site, you will be able to easily see all reviews especially the unfavorable ones. Therefore, whatever options you use, you should always endeavour to absorb as much as possible to know about possible issues you might face. You should try to concentrate more on reviews with at least 3 stars rating.
Packages
Another thing you should consider when choosing a domain name registrar is the total package. Some companies have domain names as part of a hosting package. This could save you some extra cost especially if it is a new business.
If you are not getting such an offer, some companies offer it cheaper if it is your first time with them. The discount at times could range between 10% to 50% and some even slash it up to 99% during their anniversary and special days.
Customers should study the total package and also hidden fees if there ever exist. You should be sure it is something that could go into your budget before getting the plan.
Top 10 Cheapest Domain Registrars
Namecheap.com
Namecheap is arguably the domain registrar you can count on when you need a domain name that is not only cheap but affords you great benefits and features. This domain registrar has a very useful powerful tool that allows users to quickly check if their preferred name is available, and if not, other suggested domain names with their respective prices.
Aside from the registration of domain names, the company also has hosting plans if you choose to run your blog professionally other than using Blogspot. Add-on services such as premium DNS, domain privacy, Free DNS, Whois Lookup, New TLDs, etc are available. Free domain privacy is given on every domain purchase.
If you are also moving from another domain registrar to Namecheap, they can help with the migration at no charge. Namecheap’s customer care is arguably the best, and you can also chat with them any time of the day.
.com Domain extension is priced at $8.88, other domain extensions you will find on namecheap include .net, .dev, .ai, .org, .club, .me, .xyz, .tech, .health, .app, and more. You will even get some extensions for less than $2 annually.
Website: www.namecheap.com
Domain.com
Domain.com for years has grown to become one of the top domain registrars. Established in 1998, but started operating in 2000 to provide services such as domain registration, hosting services, and add-on services.
On the site, you can get a .com extension for just $9.99 and .NET for about $12.99. For other unpopular extensions, you can get for as low as $3.
The add-on services include Email Forwarding, Domain transfer, SSL certificates, Total DNS Management, and also provide customers with total and easy management of their entire domains.
Potential and existing customers can also reach out to them quickly via email or live chat. Although, they have almost everything but if you are here for only the domain, it is a good place to start your journey.
Website: www.domain.com
Godaddy.com
Godaddy remains the most popular and largest domain registrar in the world after Namecheap. It is a platform that has helped existing and new business owners with the needed tools to help them boost their businesses.
Godaddy has a very easy platform than most of the registrars. Everything fits in well that even a newbie won’t find it hard to use. The registrar gives out a new domain for £0.99 which is quite low, but renewal will be billed £16.14/yr once it expires. The price is good for entrepreneurs and business owners who need to experiment before going out fully.
There are additional services on Godaddy that you may find useful along the way, they include transferring of domains, domain name protection, domain auction, investing in domain names, and many more.
The customer care support are also very responsive, and you can reach out to them any time of the day through a phone call, email, and live chat. However, the best way to get to them is via their live chat as you can avoid extra charges especially if you are calling from developing and underdeveloped countries.
Website: godaddy.com
Hostinger.com
Hostinger.com does not only boost the fastest hosting companies in the world but also one of the domain registrars that offer an affordable plan to customers. For as low as $8.99 annually, you can become an owner of a new domain. However, when you want to renew your plan, you are paying $10.99 which is quite fair.
The domain registrar company has been on for a while, therefore you will be buying from a company that is not going anywhere anytime soon. Meanwhile, like most registrar, you can avoid extra cost by purchasing a hosting plan which gives you the domain name for free.
To get a .com extension for free, you will want to select at least a hosting plan called WordPress Starter, a package made for personal websites and small businesses. The hosting plan goes for $35.88/year but renewal is $95.88. For small businesses, this could be very expensive, therefore, you can stick to just purchase of domain.
Website: www.hostinger.com
HostGator.com
Hostgagor is another top company that offer Domain Name Registration Services in Nigeria, UK, USA, India, or any part of the world. However, what makes them stand out is their hosting service. While the Domain Name Registration allows you to register the most popular level domain for as low as $12.95 in the first year, the subsequent yearly renewal is charged at $17.99/yr.
Available add-on services include Domain locking, Auto-renewal, Privacy protection, DNS management and more. It has everything you need to make your online endeavours a success. Other domain extentions you can get are .tech, club, .site, .online, .co, .us, .space, .me, .press, .online, .host, .blog, .biz, .info, etc.
Website: www.hostgator.com
DreamHost
Dreamhost may not be popular in some countries like Nigeria, Ghana, and India, but it has been able to help many businesses survive through great features made available plus registration of domain at a very cheap price.
For just a small fee of $6.99, you can get a new .com domain name with free privacy protection. The truth is not many offer such pricing, but here is the truth about this service. After your first year, you will be paying $15.99 for each renewal. This is the type of hidden fee you should know about before choosing your domain name registration company. Notwithstanding, it is a good price considering the difference in cost with most domain registrars.
Customer service support is also great and if you are looking for other services like hosting, it is surely the place to start your journey into making your presence count online.
Website: www.dreamhost.com
Name.com
Name.com is one of the places to purchase and register domain names to grow your brands. Just like all domain registrars on this page, it is also cheap with just a price tag of $9.99% for new domains. After a year, you are charged $12.99 for renewal. It also has other extensions that are even cheaper than the .com.
Aside from that, you also get free services such as email and URL forwarding, DNS templates, and two steps verification. These are just a few of the benefits you can enjoy on Name.com. The additional services offered by the domain name registration company are hosting service, SSL certificate, branded URL shortener, sitelock website security, etc.
For any issue or enquiries, you can reach out to them by opening a support ticket, live chat, or request a callback.
Website: www.name.com
Bluehost.com
Bluehost does not need introduction among webmasters, it is no doubt one of the most popular and also the official WordPress partner. Being the favoured company that offers registration of domain names, you can count on it to give you everything you need to succeed online.
Talking about the price of .com which is the most used in the world, it goes for $12.99 for the first year while renewal is $17.99 for subsequent years. Quite expensive I will say, but like most registrars, you can register the domain for free when you purchase a hosting plan.
Once you have purchased the domain name, you will have the power to manage your portfolios using the simple interface. You can make changes such as DNS records and even decide whether to set auto-renewal for your purchase. What is more? You can even lock your domain and protect it from people that trying to take over your domain name.
Customer care support is also not bad. Get your enquiries, complaints, or feedback to the team any time of the day through phone call or live chat.
Website: www.bluehost.com
Ionos.com
Ionos.com, formerly known as 1and1.com has been up and running for over 30 years. The affordable domain name registrar service has over 20 million people from all over the world, mostly offering them domain registration and hosting services.
The company is primarily a web hosting company but also offers services such as registration of domain, SSL certificates, website builder packages, email service, etc. If you are registering your .com domain name for the first time, you are charged $1, but subsequent renewal will attract $15. This deal could be good for new businesses that are still trying to experiment. Other extensions are also available.
The domain registrar allows people to register their domain names for up to 5 years. They also get a grace period, a service that temporarily bars anyone from taking over your domain.
One of the things about the registrar is that the platform is to easy to use, you can quickly connect your domain to your WordPress plan, email, and social media pages. Domain lock is also available for those who want to lock their domain, this will ensure no one can take over your domain unless you allow it.
Customer service is also great and they are available any time of the day.
Website: www.ionos.com
Shopify.com
Shopify is mainly known for online stores. It is an easy to use platform that provides people with tools to easily set up an eCommerce store without any technical or coding skill.
Domain name registration used to be like a side hustle to them but has now grown to become big. Now, anyone can easily register their domain name without no much setup required. .com is sold at $14/year.
Once you have signed up and registered your domain name, you can begin to set up your online space. If you do not have auto-renewal enabled, your domain won’t be renewed. Therefore, you will need to renew it manually. Shopify will grant you 40 days grace period to reclaim your domain name once the current plan expires.
Another tool worth checking out is Name Generator. With this tool, you can get an idea of what domain name you should choose for your brand or business. Shopify domain registrar is one of the best out there and without no doubt one of the cheapest domain registrars in the world.
Website: www.shopify.com/domains
