You want to start a website…that’s awesome! Sharing your skills, opinions, products, etc. with the world can be a very exciting thing! There are many steps to creating your online persona but a crucial first step is buying your domain name. You don’t want to put in a bunch of work designing your website and finding out your desired web address has already been taken. In this article I will be comparing the most popular web domain registrars of 2021 in regards to their prices and features. best domain registrar
What is a domain registrar?
A domain registrar updates the registry for the entire internet when a person purchases a domain name. They keep track of available names and provide you the ability to search the list of usable domain names. These registrars handle the transaction and offer tools to maintain the name (e.g. domain portal).
When it comes to claiming a domain name for your new website, you cannot buy it outright. You are “renting” the name, as it were. You can claim the name on a year by year basis.
Now that that’s out of the way let’s compare, the top domain registrars of 2021
1. Domain.com
Domain.com primarily deals in the selling domain names.
Pricing
- .com – $9.99
- .net – $12.99
- .store – $9.99
Features
- Free SSL
- Email Forwarding: Automatically forward email addresses under your domain to any valid email address.
- DNS Managment
- Transfer Lock: Protection from domain “hijackers”
Customer Support
Based on their negative reviews, it seems many customers have had difficulty canceling the automatic renewal of their domain. Their phone customer service also has less than stellar reviews.
Consensus
Domain.com is good for a domain name purchase. The price for a .store domain, in particular, is a great deal. I would skip all the other services they offer.
2. NameCheap
As their name implies, NameCheap strives to get you the cheapest domain name.
Pricing
- .com – $8.88
- .net – $12.98
- .store – $48.88
Features
- Free Email Forwarding
- VPN Service: To ensure your privacy
- Simple Domain Management Dashboard
Customer Support
Unlike other hosting services, NameCheap only offers 24/7 live chat. You cannot reach them on the phone.
Consensus
I would check them out if you are looking for a cheap domain name. I would stay away from their hosting services.
3. Hover
Unlike the previous companies on this list, Hover only deals in domain names. Simple and to the point.
Pricing
- .com – $14.99
- .net – $17.49
- .store – $64.99
Features
- Bulk Pricing: If you are looking to many domains, you can get a price break.
- Intuitive Management Tools
- WHOIS Privacy
Customer Support
They offer multiple ways to contact their support team: phone, email or live chat.
Their call center working hours are limited to:
Monday – Friday: 8am – 8pm EST
Saturday – Sunday: 12pm – 5pm EST
These time may cause an issue if you live in a different time zone.
Consensus
Their prices are a little more expensive than your average domain registrar. But Hover prides themselves in supporting community causes; such as Ladies Learning Code, Electronic Frontier Foundation & The Day We Fight Back.
So if you are conscientious when it comes to your purchases, Hover may be for you.
4. GoDaddy
GoDaddy primarily deals with web hosting. But they do offer the ability to purchase domain names.
Pricing
- .com – $11.99
- .net – $14.99
- .store – $79.99
Features
- Domain Name Value Appraisal
- WHOIS Privacy
- Bulk Domain Purchases
- Purchase Domain Names Already Taken
Customer Support
Although their TrustPilot rating is fairly good, GoDaddy has consistently ranked near the bottom in WordPress hosting surveys. Many customers have complained about GoDaddy’s lackluster customer service. And (as a former customer myself) I would have to agree with this consensus.
Consensus
GoDaddy’s pricing is pretty much industry standard when it comes to domain names. If you are looking to buy a domain that has already been claimed, I would use them to see how much it would cost to grab it. Other than that, I would stay away.
5. SiteGround
Like GoDaddy, Siteground focuses their efforts in web hosting. They do offer domain purchasing as well.
Pricing
- .com – $15.95
- .net – $17.95
- .shop – $15.95
Features
- Easy To Use
- Free SSL
- Seamless Integration With Hosting
Customer Support
SiteGround has very glowing reviews when it comes to their customer service.
They have 24/7 support and you can contact them by phone, live chat or submit a ticket.
Consensus
When it comes to their domain pricing, it is nothing special. What makes SiteGround an enticing choice is if you decide to host your site with them. Not only do they have stellar customer service, but having both your domain and hosting in one dashboard can make running your site a lot easier.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to where you register your domain, it depends on what you are looking for.
If you’re looking for the cheapest price, then it’s easily NameCheap.
If customer service is really important to you, then I would go with SiteGround. It may cost a little more but you definitely get what you pay for.
