13 sites to choose and buy a domain name (2024)

What are the best sites to buy a domain name?

Here are my top picks for the best sites to buy a domain name.

1. Domain.com.

Domain.com is a web and domain hosting platform where you can buy domains, web hosting, or transfer your existing domain names. You can choose from its top level domains (TLDs) and over 25 top level country codes (ccTLDs).

It provides all types of premium domains. Premium domains are domain names that are generally short and easy to understand. Some of the most common premium domain suffixes includes.com, .net, etc. These premium domains are easy to remember and help you improve your brand image, search engine rankings, business investments, and more.

It provides a control panel that allows you to fully control your domain name's DNS. You can even transfer your existing domain to their platform without causing downtime to your website. The domain transfer process typically takes 5 to 7 days, although the entire process is automated and hassle-free.

All you need to do is enter the domain name you want to transfer, and everything is done automatically for you.

All domains have the free Lets Encrypt SSL protocol to protect your site from viruses and malware.

Features

Domain.com also provides numerous security add-ons with all of its domains, including:

• You benefit from the confidentiality of WHOIS and protection against theft and fraud.
• Full site backups.
• Look for malware and watch for blacklists.
• Protection against domain-related spam and unauthorized access to your site.
• It protects your site from hackers, human error, and malware analysis.
• It allows you to transfer email addresses under your domain to other email addresses.
• You have access to tools such as private registration, bulk registration, DNS management, etc.
• It offers a quick domain search tool.
• You have the option of buying the domain for five years.

Pricing

The average starting price (for the.com extension) is $9.99 per year.

Start with Domain.com

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2. Bluehost.

Bluehost is one of the most popular website hosting service providers and domain registrar. It also offers a free domain name for one year with any of its hosting plans. Some of the most popular domain suffixes are.com, .online, .site, .net, .org, and more.

To get started, you can search for your preferred domain name in the search field and see if it's available.

Features

Bluehost will take you to the review page and allow you to buy your domain if available. If not, it will offer you several alternatives related to your search.

It also allows you to manage your domain address and site from an easy to use control panel and to change the DNS of multiple domains. Additionally, the automatic renewal feature keeps your domain secure and prevents it from expiring or being lost. You can even revert to manual renewal at any time.

Additionally, the “domain lock” feature keeps your domain locked to prevent unauthorized transfers. You can unlock your domain name anytime for transfers; in the meantime, Bluehost will keep your preferred domain name safe.

• They provide expert support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, via phone, email, and chat.
• 30-day money-back guarantee
• Free domain name with all hosting plans.
• You will get a free SSL certificate.

Pricing

Here are some common domain suffixes and their base prices:

• .com: $12.99/year
• .org: $9.99/year
• .net: $14.99/year
• .tech: $4.99/year
• .co: $14.99/year
• .website: $1.99/year

You can also buy their hosting plan and get a free domain and SSL certificate for a whole year.

Get started today with Bluehost

3. Namecheap.

Namecheap is an ICANN-accredited domain registrar that helps you buy the domain name of your choice. It also allows you to transfer domains if your domain name is registered elsewhere. And Namecheap won't take more than 30 minutes to transfer your domain automatically.

Additionally, Namecheap also provides website hosting services, WordPress hosting, security products, professional email hosting, etc. It covers all web hosting services like shared hosting, VPS, Managed Wordpress, dedicated, and more.

The “Beast Mode” option helps you find and register the exact domain name you're looking for. You can filter your search based on options like price range, suffix, keywords, etc. You can even refine your search by mentioning your niche, including travel, education, travel, and lifestyle, etc.

The domain registrar also has a built-in account panel that allows you to manage your domain effortlessly.

Plus, it provides free DNS with your domain for the duration of the domain transfer. After the transfer, FreeDNS will automatically switch to its new default server. Additionally, you can also transfer any expired domain name you want.

Namecheap also claims to provide zero downtime and lifetime free WhoisGuard privacy protection. You also get free DNSSEC security to protect your site against fraud and a professional email address for two months.

The expert support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, which also includes concierge service during the domain transfer, is also a bonus.

Features

• Free hosting migration
• 24/7 live chat with experts
• 2-hour ticket response time
• 2-factor authentication (U2F & TOTP)
• Automatic renewal to help you stay on track
• SMTP, IMAP, POP3

Pricing

The prices of different domain names vary according to their popularity.

Here are the base prices for some popular suffixes:

• .com: $8.88 per year
• .net: $10.78 per year
• .org: $9.18 per year
• .io: $28.88 per year

Although Namecheap offers fairly cheap domain names, renewing your domain name is getting a bit more expensive.

Try Namecheap

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4. NameSilo.

NameSilo is a domain name registrar that provides domain registration services, domain transfers, domain auctions, etc. It has a search tool that allows you to perform a single domain search and a group domain search.

You also get domain privacy for free and a massive discount for bulk domain registration and transfer.

Features

Additionally, all domains come with:

• DNS management tools
• Free domain privacy
• Register lock
• Protection of the defender of the domain
• Portfolio management

NameSilo also has a marketplace that contains all the domains listed by their customers or domains that have not been renewed. You can buy your favorite domains either through auctions or by paying the buyer directly.

Plus, you can transfer your existing domain names to NameSilo in just three steps. All you need to do is verify your domain name, enter your EEP authorization code in the transfer form, and add the domain to the cart. The domain will be transferred within 5 to 7 days.

• It offers an extensive knowledge base and customer support that is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Free WHOIS privacy forever.
• Email and domain forwarding.
• Domain parking (where you earn 100%).

Pricing

Below are the base prices for some of the domain extensions:

• .com: $8.99 per year
• .net: $11.79 per year
• .shop: $2.19 per year
• .design: $3.99 per year
• .org: $10.79 per year
• .biz: $6.49 per year

Try NameSilo

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5. GoDaddy.

GoDaddy is one of the most popular domain buying sites and web hosting companies, managing over 80 million domains.

It offers a”domain name generator“to help you find the most appropriate domain name for your site. All you need to do is enter your business name or idea, and the software will create an appropriate domain for your website. The domain generator provides up to 100 subdomains to create a custom web address.

Features

You can also migrate your existing domain name to GoDaddy with a single click for $7.99 (.com extension).

GoDaddy also allows you to choose from a variety of domain names in multiple foreign languages and extensions. In addition, it centralizes several domain names and allows you to manage them from a single dashboard. The ability to monitor the operation and uptime of your domain through its real monitoring function is another bonus.

Another unique function, called”Domain Broker“, allows you to acquire a domain name that is already registered. You get assistance from a personal domain broker who contacts the current domain owner on your behalf and negotiates prices and terms.

• Free one-year extension for numerous domain transfers.
• You can sell your domains through GoDaddy Auctions and Afternic.
• It provides tools like the GoDaddy Assessment Tool to help you determine the value of your domain.
• Get up to 31% off when you register or transfer six or more .com domains simultaneously.
• GoDaddy ensures that your site ranks on Google and other search engines.

Pricing

The initial costs for some common domain name extensions are as follows:

• .club: $0.99 per year
• .com: $11.99 per year
• .co: $11.99 per year
• .me: $3.49 per year
• .net: $14.99 per year
• .world: $1.99 per year

6. Porkbun.

Porkbun gives you everything you need to set up your site, emails, and domain.

In fact, Porkbun offers an excellent support team that is available 365/24/7 via live chat, telephone, and email.

Features

The Porkbun domain name registration experience is intuitive and easy, making it a great choice for beginners and domain experts alike.

With hundreds of domain extensions as well as legacy TLDs, nTLDs, and ccTLDs, Porkbun is a great choice for finding the perfect domain name for your business or project.

Gone are the days of selling you useless products and services. At Porkbun, you'll get everything you need in one package. This includes SSL certificates, WHOIS privacy, URL forwarding, email forwarding, and more.

All of this allows you to benefit from an excellent domain name and all the tools needed to set up your website as quickly and efficiently as possible.

With an authentic 5-star experience (based on genuine customer reviews), Porkbun is one of the best sites to buy a domain name to consider.

• WordPress hosting offers you all the plugins you need for an easy to use site.
• The cloud platform powered by AWS offers high performance and security.
• Their experts keep up to date with the latest changes and trends in the web sector, managing and supporting your website on behalf of Porkbun. So you can focus on growing your business rather than having to learn the technical aspects.
• Several Easter eggs are hidden on the site, so keep your eyes peeled for fun surprises.

Pricing

With a wide variety of domain names available, you can be sure to find the domain name that suits your needs.

With some domains starting at under $1 and most in a very affordable range, you don't need to break the bank to find a domain with an extension that interests you.

For example:

• .xyz domains: Starting at $0.98.
• .info domains: Starting at 2.04
• .me domains: Starting at 5.33
• .design domains: Starting at $5.64.

Start with Porkbun.

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7. Hover.

Hover is a domain registrar that helps you register new domains, renew old domains, or transfer existing domain names to Hover. It offers over 300 top-level domains or domain extensions like.com, .net, .ca, .org, etc.

Type in your business name or related keywords, and Hover will provide you with hundreds of available domain name options.

The domain registrar also provides built-in tools for managing your domains, DNS, and emails. When it comes to security, Hover offers free WHOIS security for all domain names and two-factor authentication.

The fact that it's only a domain registrar can be a good thing, as you won't be bombarded with promotional offers. That said, you'll need to rely on other software for your web hosting.

Features

• You can get an additional discount if you buy domains in bulk.
• You can enable auto-renewal.
• You won't see a lot of spikes in renewal prices.
• Free WHOIS privacy included.
• Hover's “Connect” feature allows you to start using your domain name in just a few clicks.

Pricing

Below is a list of the base prices for some of the most popular domain extensions:

• .com: $12.99 per year
• .online: $4.99 per year
• .co: $25.99 per year
• .design: $19.99 per year
• .info: $17.99 per year
• .io: $49.99 per year

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8. HostGator.

HostGator is another popular web hosting service provider that offers domain name registration and transfer services.

However, unlike the other platforms on this list, HostGator sticks to 15 traditional and most popular top level domains. So if you don't want to filter out other additional suggestions, HostGator might be a suitable option.

Features

Common options includes.com, .website. Org, .club, .net,. Co, .me, .space, .online, .site, etc.

Here is a complete list of all the domain extensions HostGator offers:

You also have an automatic renewal feature that allows you to prevent your domain from expiring due to human error.

Thanks to their domain control panel, you can also manage all aspects of your domain name from a dashboard.

Additionally, you can protect your personal information with Domain Privacy. Domain confidentiality helps avoid identity theft, unwanted spam, etc. It uses WHOIS to protect your domain against these potential threats.

A “domain lock” function allows you to prevent the transfer or misappropriation of your domain name.

You can also transfer your existing domain name to Hostgator, but your domain must be valid and registered at least 60 days ago with any other domain registrar.

• It provides free privacy and domain management tools.
• You get a free domain name and web hosting with every website creation plan.
• It provides an easy to use domain control panel that allows you to control all of your domains from a single source.

Pricing

Here are some introductory pricing plans for some of the top level domain extensions:

• .com: 12.95 dollars per year
• .website: $0.95 per year
• .space: $0.95 per year
• .site: $0.95 per year
• .info: $12.95/year
• .org: $12.95/year
• .co: $12.95/year

You will see a minimal increase in prices when the domain is renewed. The transfer of the.com domain extension starts at $7.95 per year.

9. DreamHost.

DreamHost is a domain registration service that offers a domain search tool that provides search results for your domain prices, availability, etc. The search tool also recommends and suggests the most appropriate domain names for your business.

DreamHost offers over 400 top-level domains (TLDs), including.club, .online, .io, .net, .xyz, .shop, .tech, .com, .blog, and more.

It's one of the few sites to buy a domain name that provides WHOIS domain privacy for FREE to secure your data. WHOIS domain privacy is free with all sites to buy a domain name and will be renewed automatically.

You can also get unlimited subdomains for your website for free with VPS, dedicated, and shared hosting.

Plus, you can manage all of your domains from a single account by transferring them to DreamHost. It provides a single panel for domain management to change DNS records, configure domain forwarding, and more.

Additionally, DreamHost protects your domain from phishing and spam and automatically deletes emails sent from proxy addresses.

Features

• Free custom name server.
• Optional data lock.
• 24/7 customer support thanks to the chat widget.
• Free SSL certificate and domain privacy protection (WHOIS domain privacy).

Pricing

Here is a list of prices for some of the most popular domain extensions:

• .com: $6.99 per year
• .net: $10.99 per year
• .org: $13.95 per year
• .info: $13.95 per year
• .club: $0.99 per year

You get free private registration, security measures, and subdomains with all domain extensions.

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10. Gandi.

Gandi is a domain name registrar that allows you to register, transfer, and renew your domain names. It provides a domain search and suggestion tool easy to use that allows you to choose from over 700 domain extensions.

You also get a free SSL certificate, two free mailboxes with 3GB of storage, and unlimited email redirections and aliases with your domain name.

Although most of its renewal prices are the same as registration, it is still a bit expensive. However, you get special offers for registering or transferring multiple domains at once.

Features

• Renewal prices are the same as registration prices in most cases.
• You can also sell your existing domains on Gandi.
• It allows you to connect to third-party business applications at the click of a button.
• Unlimited customer support and help from a dedicated account manager.
• It allows you to manage all of your domains and other products from a single panel across all of your devices.

Pricing

Here are the launch prices for some of the domain suffixes:

• .us: $15.50 per year
• .com: $15.50 per year
• .fr: $15.00 per year
• .io: $38.00 per year
• .net: $18.50 per year
• .co.uk: $9.88 per year
• .online: $5.99 per year
• .me: $6.50 per year

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11. Shopify.

Shopify offers a domain name registration tool and automates the entire domain configuration and registration process. It offers over 50 domain extensions, including top-level domains, generic domain names, and ccTLDs (country code Top Level Domains). You can use ccTLDs to specifically target audiences in a country or region and improve your search engine rankings in that specific region.

It has a domain name generation tool that provides suggestions for the keyword or business name that you type in. You can also opt for the most popular domain names. All domain name suggestions are accompanied by each year's award.

Additionally, it allows you to manage subdomains and email transfers, remove domains from your store, and transfer your existing domains to Shopify. Additionally, all of their domains have WHOIS privacy protection that ensures the safety of your personal information.

Additionally, you can use Shopify's website builder to create your website or start a blog and then simultaneously register a new domain. The website builder comes with drag-and-drop functionality and 70 professional themes.

Features

• Unlimited bandwidth and products.
• Over 100 international payment gateways
• Optimized for search engines.
• Custom domain name options.
• The primary domain can have multiple subdomains.

Pricing

Different for each domain name and domain extension.

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12. BuyDomain.

Buydomain.com offers domain name registration services including single domain registration, bulk registration, domain transfer, and domain transfer.

All domains have a domain forwarding and masking feature that directs users to your website for any domains you own. You also have a “domain lock” feature to prevent accidental or intentional transfers of ownership of your domain. This feature also prevents anyone from redirecting your name servers.

BuyDomain also allows you to manage your DNS, FTP, subdomains, emails, etc. records from a single control panel. You can even monitor the status of your domains and receive instant alerts.

It also offers a feature of automatically renewing your domains and hosting plans before the expiration date.

Features

• Buy domains in bulk to save money.
• Domain transfer is free and automated.
• You can also register IDNs (Internalized Domain Names).
• Pre-order domain names that are not available at special prices.

Pricing

The search tool offers prices based on your search.

13. 1&1 IONOS.

1&1 IONOS is a domain registrar based in Europe that offers numerous free add-ons with its domain registration and transfer services.

All areas include features such as:

• Wildcard SSL certificate: the security of your site and a better ranking in Google.
• A business email address with 2 GB of mailbox storage
• Up to 10,000 subdomains to personalize your website

You can also transfer your existing domain name or email to 1&1 IONOS in 3 steps. Simply request an authorization code from your current domain provider, enter it into IONOS, and confirm the transfer via the link sent to your email.

Features

• It offers a “domain lock” feature that prevents your domain from being transferred by anyone who is not authorized.
• 24/7 customer support.
• Activation in one click.

Pricing

Below is a list of first-year registration awards in some of these areas:

• .com: $0 per year (when registering for 2 years or more)
• .org: $1 per year
• .online: $0.80 per year
• .app: $12 per year
• .co: $8 per year

FAQs

What is a domain registrar?

Domain name registrars (registrars) are businesses that facilitate and manage domain name reservations on behalf of corporate clients. They help businesses find, select, register, buy, and use a domain name that is acceptable on the market.

Domain name registrars are generally legally recognized by top level domain registrars or by a country code top level domain registry. THEICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) is the most widely accepted accrediting agency that manages domain name registrars.

Industry leaders include GoDaddy, Namecheap, Bluehost, HostGator, Domain.com, and more.

With an increasing number of businesses migrating online, it's easy for even successful businesses to get lost in translation. In a context of intense competition, businesses need a spark to stand out from the crowd and make consumers think of them.

The right domain name can help you get there. A relevant and eye-catching domain name can create brand value, strengthen it in the market, and help generate business.

And that's where domain name registrars come in.

Who is the best registrar?

The best domain registrar is Namecheap or Bluehost.

Summary.

Choosing a domain name is one of the most crucial parts of creating your own website.

Choosing the most appropriate domain name is essential as it will be an important part of your brand identity and will help you position yourself in search engines.

While most sites to buy a domain name offer similar services, it's up to you to choose the one that best suits your needs.

You can choose Bluehost if you buy the hosting at the same time as your domain name, because you'll get a free domain name for the first year For free WHOIS security, choose sites to buy a domain name like Hover, NameSilo, Gandi and Google Domains.

Overall, I recommend Namecheap because of its advanced domain name search tool, free DNSSEC security, free professional email for two months, etc.

However, carefully review all the sites for buying a domain name and their characteristics before making the final choice.

Finally, now that you have a domain name for your site, you can check out my reviews and rankings on the best web hosting and the best cheap web hosting services. If you want to create your own website, check out this list of best website builders.