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What is the best domain registrar to use in 2021? That’s what I’m here to find out. After doing some research, it turns out there are four companies that are currently dominating the market and will likely continue their dominance into the future: Namecheap, GoDaddy, HostGator and Gandi. Let’s dive right into my analysis of these four companies so you can decide which one is worth your money!.
“Google domains” is one of the 4 absolute best domain registrars to use in 2021. The company offers a wide range of features, and they are also very affordable.
A domain name must be registered before it can be used by your company, and there are many companies that provide this service. We looked at the top domain name registrars and came up with the top four—including the best overall. We found domains that are both reasonably priced and have the features and tools that companies want, such as Privacy for free domain names, corporate email, security tools, and excellent Customer service is important..
Pro tip: Your web hosting provider or site builder package may be able to supply you with a free domain name. Learn how to secure a free domain and create a website for your small company.
In 2021, the top four domain registrars will be
How Did We Pick the Top Domain Name Registrars?
It’s important to choose the correct domain name for your company website, and with so many options available, deciding which is best for you may be overwhelming. We examined and assessed the top domain name registrars in this post based on the aspects that matter the most to small companies.
The following criteria were used to assess each provider:
- Price
- Choosing a domain extension
- User-friendliness
- Customer service is important.
- Compatibility with content management systems (CMS)
- Security
We discovered that Domains by Google is the best overall domain registrar for small companies after examining the aforementioned factors. This is due to its openness and reasonably priced domains that provide additional services like domain name privacy.
Best Overall Domain Name Registrar: Domains by Google
Domains by Google
What We Enjoy
- Pricing that is clear and does not rise when you renew
- Privacy for free domain names
- Google Workspace makes it simple to set up corporate email.
- Provides domain name suggestions to assist you in selecting the best domain.
What Isn’t There
- There is no web hosting or a website builder available.
- Business email is powerful, but at $12 per month, it’s not cheap.
Top Features & Pricing
- The cost of a.COM domain is $12 per year.
- The cost of a.NET domain is $12 per year.
- A wide range of unique extensions are available (e.g., .club, .tech, .health)
- Connect quickly to Google Workspace, the finest business email solution in the market.
Domains by Google is the best domain name registrar for businesses that want a reasonable price domains. It has transparent pricing that doesn’t increase upon annual renewals. Top-level domains, such as a .com, cost $12 per year and are a good value as they include Privacy for free domain names. It also offers a number of other domain extensions (e.g., .net, .org, .io, and .us) for varying prices.
Here is a closer look at all the features you get with Domains by Google:
- Various domain extensions: Domains by Google offers a number of domain extensions to choose from, so no matter which extension you’re looking for, you can get it with Google.
- Domain privacy is included: When you buy a domain from Namecheap, you get WHOIS Guard privacy protection for free.
- Domain lock (also known as registrar lock): For each acquired domain, Namecheap provides a free registrar lock, which protects your domain against unlawful domain transfers or “hijacking.”
- Business email: Connect your Google domain to Google Workspace to get a professional email address that utilizes your own domain (for example, yourname@yourdomain.com). Find out more about how to use Google for business email.
Do you want to use business email but don’t have the funds to use Google Workspace? Instead, go with Bluehost’s low-cost plan, which includes five free business email addresses and a free domain name for only $2.95 per month.
Hover: For registering several domains at once, this is the best option.
Hover
What We Enjoy
- Privacy for domain names is provided.
- Bulk purchases qualify for discounts.
- Customer service that is second to none
What Isn’t There
- Separately, business email must be acquired.
- pricier than the competition
- There are no web hosting options available.
Top Features & Pricing
- .COM domains start at $12.99 per year (renewals at $15.95 per year).
- The cost of a.NET domain starts at $15.49 per year.
- The cost of a.IO domain is $29.95 per year.
Hover is fairly new to the domain name registration space, and it stands out for its inclusion of Privacy for free domain names and bulk discounts. Even if you’re not in the market for multiple domains, keep in mind that companies often use bulk registration to buy different extensions of the same website address to prevent competitors from building a brand off of them. That said, it’s the best choice for budget-conscious businesses looking to purchase multiple domains.
Here’s a look at Hover’s domain name registration and email capabilities in further detail:
- Hover offers.net and.com domain extensions, as well as hundreds of other unique domain extensions. .investments,.art, and.attorney, for example, are niche domain extensions, while.berlin,.barcelona, and.boston are geographical extensions.
- With each domain, Hover includes free domain privacy, which hides your address, phone number, and email address when your domain is published in the public WHOIS domain name database. This shields you from spam and unwanted phone calls.
- Transfer lock: You may lock your domains so that they can’t be transferred by unauthorized parties, preventing your domain name from being stolen.
- Auth codes: These are codes that are issued to your domain in order to provide a second layer of protection against illegal transfers. To transfer your domain to a new registrar, you’ll need to provide an auth code if you buy this service.
- Business email: You’ll need to get a second business email account from your domain, but it’s relatively reasonable at $20 per year for 10GB of storage.
If you’re not planning to register more than one domain name and you don’t need a business email, your better bet is to use Domains by Google. It also includes domain name privacy for free, and it’s a bit cheaper at $12 per year.
Bluehost is the best place to get a free domain and WordPress hosting.
Bluehost
What We Enjoy
- a reasonable price
- With hosting plans, you get a free domain.
- WordPress installation in a single click
What Isn’t There
- A smaller number of domain extensions are available.
- Customer service is rather restricted.
- A long-term contract is required for ultra-low price.
Top Features & Pricing
- Low-cost web hosting options start at $2.95 per month and include a free domain name.
- It includes a free SSL certificate.
- Use your domain to get free business email.
- Connect your domain to WordPress and your web hosting provider with ease.
Bluehost may be best known for its web hosting services, but it’s the best way to get a free domain name for businesses that are also building a WordPress website. This is because you’ll need web hosting for your WordPress site, and its low-cost plans that start at $2.95 per month include a number of extras, such as a free domain, a free SSL certificate, free business email, and WordPress installation in a single click to easily connect your domain to WordPress.
Here are some of Bluehost’s highlights:
- Bluehost allows you to buy a domain name straight from them.
- Bluehost supports the domain extensions.com,.net,.org,.us,.biz, and.info. However, it lacks several of the extensions that certain registrars, like as HostGator, provide, such as industry and location-specific extensions.
- Domain privacy is available for $.99 per month when you purchase a domain with Bluehost, which is much less than HostGator’s.
- Domain lock: Domain lock provides additional degree of protection by preventing any unauthorized individual from transferring your domain name to a website.
- SSL certificate: Having an SSL certificate set on a professional website for increased security and user data protection is standard practice.
- With the purchase of a web hosting service, you will get a free business email address.
- Web hosting: The entry-level plan comes with 50GB of website storage, which isn’t nearly as much as HostGator’s most basic plan. Its most expensive subscriptions provide limitless website storage.
Do you want a free domain name from your web hosting company but don’t want to commit to a long-term plan? Instead, choose DreamHost, which has comparable prices and a long list of features but only provides short-term contracts.
1&1 IONOS: Ultra-low Introductory Domain Prices
1&1 IONOS
What We Enjoy
- domains for $1 (introductory pricing)
- Privacy is incorporated in the domain.
- Consultations on business and marketing are among the services provided.
What Isn’t There
- The renewal fee rises faster than the competitors.
- Doesn’t have a proper cPanel interface.
- Billing difficulties have been reported by users.
Top Features & Pricing
- .COM domains are $1 per year (renewal is $15 per year).
- .NET domains are $1 per year (renewals are $20 per year).
- Every domain name comes with one free email address.
1&1 IONOS provides a range of services—from domain name registration to web hosting and marketing. It offers ultra-low .com domains for $1 for the first year and then $15 per year upon renewal. A domain purchase comes with a matching email address, domain privacy, and domain lock. It is best for businesses that are just starting out and are working with extremely limited budgets.
Here is a closer look at 1&1 IONOS’ domain features:
- Extensions: 1&1 IONOS offers a very long list of domain extensions—from the more common .com, .net, and .org to more unique domain extensions like .boutique, .catering, and .finance.
- Domain privacy: To hide your personal contact information and prevent spam and identity theft, 1&1 IONOS offers free domain privacy when you sign up for a one-year registration.
- Domain lock: This feature ensures your domain cannot be transferred without your authorization. A domain can only be unlocked or locked when you log into your password-protected 1&1 IONOS account and unlock it.
- Domain transfers: Domains can be transferred to 1&1 IONOS for free. Unlike HostGator, each domain is automatically renewed at full price for one year the day you transfer it to 1&1 IONOS, instead of after your existing registration period ends.
- Domain forwarding: Like GoDaddy, 1&1 IONOS allows you to link your domain name to an ecommerce platform like Etsy or platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn.
- Preregistration: If you know when a new domain extension will be available, you may reserve a domain with that extension.
- Business email: 1&1 IONOS offers a free matching email address with each domain name you register. For larger businesses, they have a $2 per month email plan that comes with 25 matching email addresses and a free lifetime domain.
If you require more than one business email address, Bluehost is the best option, since their $2.95 per month plan provides a free domain name and up to five free business email accounts.
Most Commonly Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which is preferable:.com or.net?
The top-level domains.com and.net are both top-level domains (aka TLDs). Each domain, on the other hand, represents a distinct sort of company. The.com prefix stands for commercial, which refers to any kind of company or corporation, while the.net addition stands for network, which refers to the technology or online services sector. If you’re still undecided, learn more about the differences between.com and.net.
What should I do if the domain name I want isn’t available?
Domains are notoriously difficult to come by, so if you’re looking for anything popular or short, chances are it’s already gone. Try adding a keyword, place, or verb in this example. Sunrise Cafe, for example, may attempt sunrisecoffee.com, sunrisetampa.com, or drinksunrise.com. Check out these domain name suggestions for additional possibilities.
What is domain name privacy & is it worth it?
When registering a domain name, domain name privacy is usually available as an add-on for a charge. It protects the contact information that was used to register the domain. In other words, by looking for your domain, no one will be able to view your contact information. It’s wonderful for minimizing spam and junk mail, but it’s also useful for internet firms that wish to keep their real addresses hidden (especially home-based businesses).
Conclusion
The best overall domain name registrar for those who only need to purchase a domain is Domains by Google. However, if you plan to build a website or need additional business tools and services, such as business email, the best value is choosing a low-cost, yet feature-rich web hosting plan like Bluehost. It includes a free domain and free business email with its hosting plans that cost as little as $2.95 per month.
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