There are two ways to get a domain name\u2013bundled with web hosting or from a dedicated domain registrar. <\/p>\n
Getting one with hosting is easier but using a domain registrar is cheaper in the long-term, better if you\u2019re managing multiple domain names, and adds a layer of separation if you decide to switch hosts. <\/p>\n
The Best Domain Registrars: Our Top Picks<\/h2>\n
GoDaddy<\/strong><\/a> and Hostinger<\/strong><\/a> both offer a free domain name for the first year when you purchase a web hosting plan. Hostinger is cheaper, but GoDaddy offers more marketing and business tools. <\/p>\n If you don\u2019t want to bundle hosting and a domain name, our top recommendations include:<\/p>\n It really doesn\u2019t matter too much which registrar you use. No matter what, you\u2019ll get a domain name and an easy way to configure DNS settings. Some are a better deal in different situations, offer a better user experience, or include privacy protection for free. But at the end of the day, they all virtually do the same thing. <\/p>\n GoDaddy<\/a> started as a domain name registrar and has since expanded into offering hosting, website builder, and marketing tools. If you sign up for its web hosting or website builder plans, you\u2019ll get a domain name free for the first year along with everything you need to build your website. <\/p>\n However, you don\u2019t have to buy hosting to get a domain name from GoDaddy. You can buy them on their own at affordable rates. It also offers a wide range of extensions (500 and counting) plus a full suite of security tools to protect your domain and personal information. <\/p>\n First and foremost, privacy protection (masking of your personal info) is free forever. <\/p>\n Many registrars and hosting providers charge $10 to $20 per year for this. Aside from that, there are two paid add-ons that provide additional protection if you need it. The basic protection plan gives you notifications of any changes made to your domain so you\u2019ll know right away if someone\u2019s making unauthorized changes. <\/p>\n On top of that, it requires identify verification to stop malicious users from transferring your domain without your permission. <\/p>\n The ultimate protection plan gives you a 90-day grace period if your domain accidentally expires. Without this, anyone can purchase your domain the second you don\u2019t renew it, whether that\u2019s because you forgot or your billing information changed and the payment failed. During that period, you won\u2019t have to pay any additional fees, either. <\/p>\n GoDaddy also offers something unique\u2013payable domains. With these, you don\u2019t need a website to start accepting payments\u2013you\u2019ll get a branded link you can send to clients and customers to pay you in a few taps. <\/p>\n And read our full GoDaddy Review<\/a> to get more information.<\/p>\n Hostinger<\/a> is our favorite web hosting provider for new websites. It\u2019s one of the most affordable options out there and it includes a free domain name for the first year\u2013it\u2019s also very easy to use, even if you\u2019ve never built a website before. <\/p>\n It walks you through the entire process of purchasing a plan and domain name, setting everything up, and configuring basic settings. <\/p>\n You truly don\u2019t have to know anything about websites to get started. <\/p>\n Plus, pricing starts at just $2.99 per month. Compared to GoDaddy (starts at $5.99) and other hosting providers, it\u2019s a steal. But perhaps the best part is that it doesn\u2019t feel cheap. The user interface is modern and clean, customer service is fast, and there\u2019s plenty of room for Hostinger to grow alongside your website. <\/p>\n Like GoDaddy, Hostinger also includes free WHOIS privacy on all domains for life, keeping your costs even lower. <\/p>\n All Hostinger plans include unlimited SSL certificates, a website builder, unlimited bandwidth, email addresses, automatic WordPress installation (if you want to use that), AI-powered tools, and a range of security features. <\/p>\n As far as domains go, Hostinger offers 47 extensions. It\u2019s far fewer than GoDaddy\u2019s 500+, but Hostinger covers the most common options. <\/p>\n Check out our Hostinger review<\/a> to learn more about it. <\/p>\n Domain.com<\/a> is one of our top picks because of its quality of service, overall simplicity, and affordable privacy protection.\u00a0<\/p>\n You can get a .com domain from Domain.com for just $11.99 per year. They also give you the option of purchasing the domain for up to five years, which means you can set it and forget it for the foreseeable future.<\/p>\n To help keep costs even lower, you can use code \u2018QUICKSPROUT\u2019 at checkout for 25%. You\u2019ll save the most by paying for multiple years up front.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll get that same discount whether you purchase one domain or several. If you\u2019re looking for multiples, this is a great opportunity to get a great deal for up to five years. <\/p>\n One of the biggest downsides is that domain privacy isn\u2019t free. It\u2019s $8.99 per domain per year. However, that price also includes malware scanning, blacklist monitoring, and notifications when domain settings are changed. That\u2019s more than GoDaddy covers with its domain protection at a lower price. <\/em><\/p>\n Get 25% off with coupon code QUICKSPROUT<\/a>.<\/p>\n Network Solutions<\/a> goes above and beyond the other registrars out there\u2014you can secure your domain for anywhere from one year to 100 as long as you choose a .COM, .NET, .ORG, .BIZ, US, .INFO or.NAME extension. <\/p>\n While a full century might be overkill, the registrar\u2019s options for 10 and 20-year terms are a real plus compared to other options that limit you to five years at a time. <\/p>\n Even if you go with a shorter term, for just $9.99 per domain you can get expiration protection. If you forget to renew, are unable, or if you just have an old credit card on file that can\u2019t be charged when renewal time rolls around, Network Solutions will keep your domain safe from poachers and rate hikes for up to a year.<\/p>\n You can also use Network Solutions to bid on expired domains, place a certified offer on held domains, browse the inventory of premium reseller domains, search in bulk for up to 25 keywords or phrases, and score pre-registration deals on new domain extensions.<\/p>\n Use code \u2018QUICKSPROUT\u2019 to get 25% off your purchase<\/a>\u2013even if you decide to pay for 100 years. <\/p>\n True to their name, Namecheap<\/a> offers domain names at incredibly affordable prices with free WHOIS privacy protection included. <\/p>\n They also give you a swift domain purchasing experience. In less than two minutes, you\u2019ll be able to buy and register a domain name for less than the price of your average lunch.<\/p>\n Unlike other providers, Namecheap also doesn\u2019t try to trick you into buying multiple domains or unnecessary upsells. It\u2019s everything you want in a domain purchasing experience and nothing you don\u2019t.<\/p>\n To make it even simpler: ignore any upsells or add-ons they present you. You really don\u2019t need anything else. <\/p>\n Namecheap already provides domain privacy via a WhoisGuard subscription. It\u2019s free forever for every single domain you purchase\u2013you don\u2019t even have to think about it (unless you want to turn it off for whatever reason).<\/p>\n It\u2019s as affordable and simple as it gets. <\/p>\n\n
GoDaddy<\/a> \u2014 Hosting, Business Tools, and a Free Domain<\/h2>\n
![\"GoDaddy](\"https:\/\/www.quicksprout.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/godaddy-logo.jpg\"\/){kind=logo}
![\"GoDaddy](\"https:\/\/www.quicksprout.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/godaddy-logo.jpg\"){kind=logo}
<\/a><\/figure>\nHostinger<\/a> \u2014 Affordable, User-Friendly Hosting with a Free Domain<\/h2>\n
![\"Hostinger](\"https:\/\/www.quicksprout.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/hostinger-logo-1.jpg\"\/){kind=logo}
![\"Hostinger](\"https:\/\/www.quicksprout.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/hostinger-logo-1.jpg\"){kind=logo}
<\/a><\/figure>\nDomain.com<\/a> \u2014 Save 25% with the Code \u2018QUICKSPROUT\u2019<\/h2>\n
![\"Domain.com](\"https:\/\/www.quicksprout.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/domain.com-logo.jpg\"\/){kind=logo}
![\"Domain.com](\"https:\/\/www.quicksprout.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/domain.com-logo.jpg\"){kind=logo}
<\/a><\/figure>\nNetwork Solutions<\/a> \u2014 Best for Long-term Domain Registrations<\/h2>\n
![\"Network](\"https:\/\/www.quicksprout.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/network-solutions-logo.jpg\"\/){kind=logo}
![\"Network](\"https:\/\/www.quicksprout.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/network-solutions-logo.jpg\"){kind=logo}
<\/a><\/figure>\nNamecheap<\/a> \u2014 Cheap Promo Rates + Free WHOIS Privacy Protection<\/h2>\n
![\"Namecheap](\"https:\/\/www.quicksprout.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/namecheap-logo.jpg\"\/){kind=logo}
![\"Namecheap](\"https:\/\/www.quicksprout.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/namecheap-logo.jpg\"){kind=logo}
<\/a><\/figure>\nNameSilo<\/a> \u2014 Best for Buying Domains in Bulk<\/h3>\n
![\"NameSilo](\"https:\/\/www.quicksprout.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/namesilo-logo.jpg\"\/){kind=logo}
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