Our Top Recommendations For Getting A Free Domain
If youre looking for an all-in-one website builder, a Wix paid plan is the best way to get a free domain name. However, if you want to go the self-hosted route, Hostinger and DreamHost are excellent choices for most users.
Equipped with your free domain and affordable web hosting, you have everything you need to get your new website up and running in no time.
How Long Can You Register A Domain For
You can register a domain name for as long as ten years. But, not all domain registries allow registrations this long.
For one, the cost of operating a domain registry increases overtime. If a domain registry cumulatively handles more domains as time goes by, this means their operational expenses also go up.
Domain registries have to account for higher operational costs with the expanding number of domains that they need to maintain under their service.
A Note On Social Handles
In a perfect world, youd pick a domain name whose social handles are also available. This isnt a perfect world. My take on this is that its hard enough to get a good domain name. Dont make it even harder or nearly impossible by also adding this criteria.
When it comes to picking up the social handles, youll have options. You can get creative, or even potentially acquire the handles from the current owners.
Its a good idea to consider social handles when making your final decision, but dont let that stop you from picking the right name.
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Now Move To Step 4 Setup Web Hosting
When you decide that you would like someone to take care of everything for you, its time to find a website host. We would recommend cuboid marketing.
It is easy to build web sites for Cuboid Marketing. You are also protected by firewalls, SSL support, uptime monitoring, and distributed denial of service detection. Cuboid marketing also provides expert help. You can choose from the 28 data centers on the Google Cloud Platform.
How Much Does A Domain Name Cost
When you buy a domain name through domain registrars, you register it for one year with the option of a multi-year registration. You will be able to renew your domain name registration when the initial period finishes, and will usually be alerted by the registrar to do so. Domain names are also sometimes included in your web hosting plan and if not, usually offered by your hosting company.
Domains purchased through Mailchimp are priced based on the TLD you choose, such as .com or .net.
A domain name with a common top-level domain, such as .com, can be had for as low as $12.99 per year, and promotions are often available. Internet domains purchased through Mailchimp also come with free WHOIS privacy protection and a Secure Sockets Layer certificate to provide your website with free verification and encryption.
You do need to have a web hosting plan to put your site online, but you dont need to have hosting to purchase a domain. Assuming you have a business or blog name in mind, its possible to reserve your brands name for the future by purchasing and registering your domain name now. Then youll have plenty of time to consider how to build your website.
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What Happens If You Dont Renew Your Domain Name
Registries give a grace period in the event you are not able to renew your domain name registration.
This grace period varies per provider but may last a month on the average.
After this grace period, a redemption grace period is entered, as prescribed by ICANN. This means that you need to redeem your domain name before it is purged from the Internet. Registries may charge a redemption fee, with costs depending on the provider.
After the redemption grace period, and the domain name is still not renewed, it officially becomes expired.
This means anyone can now buy the domain name.
There are a few things that can happen in this situation:
Is It Possible For You To Get A Domain Name For Free
So far, we have covered two ways to buy domain names. Is it possible to get one for free? The answer to that question is yes. There are three ways to get your domain for free:
Even if you are able to get a good domain name for free, you need to consider that the domain that you buy represents how professional your website is. By creating a blog, you can show that people think legitimately, are trustworthy, and are trustworthy.
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How To Register A Domain Name With Wix
Wix is one of the most widely-used website builders, having powered over 200 million users worldwide. While it allows creating a website for free, you will need a premium plan to connect a custom domain name.
The price for a .com domain name is $12.95/year. Note that Wixs list of extensions is not as vast as other registrars, as it doesnt support such TLDs as .io, .tech, or .live. However, more generic options are available.
Navigate to Wixs domains page to begin the domain name search. Then, enter a term using a domain extension and press Search. If someone else has taken the name, it will suggest other options with different TLDs.
After finding a domain name you like, click Get It Now. The next step is to choose between getting a premium website builder plan or simply buying a domain name. The first option will make the domain registration fee free of charge.
For illustration purposes, we will go with the latter route by clicking Get It Now. At this stage, you will have to sign up for a Wix account.
Now, pick whether to register the domain name for one, two, or three years. Wix offers a discount for longer registration periods.
Then fill in the contact information, including your name, phone number, email, address, and postal code.
If youre going to manage the domain and handle any tech-related issues it encounters, check the Tech Contact Info and Admin Contact Info boxes below. Otherwise, fill in the fields with the relevant contact details.
How To Register A Domain On Godaddycom
GoDaddy is also known as a web hosting provider, but you can also buy a domain name from them.
Step 1: Look up a new domain name first. If you havent come up with a good name yet or are assessing different options, GoDaddy has a nice set of extra features to help you out.
You can use the Bulk Domain search to check a bunch of domain ideas for eligibility in a click. Or you can play around with their free domain name generator to get some alternative suggestions if your primary choice is already taken:
Also, if you are feeling very determined to get your desired domain for branding purposes, GoDaddy can try to broker a deal for you with the owner. But remember, the original owner may name any price they deem appropriate so in that case, youll be paying:
- Domain purchase fee to the seller.
- GoDaddy Domain Brokerage commission.
- The regular yearly subscription price for the selected domain and add-ons.
If you are running a small business, going into a heated negotiation with some cyber squatters may not be the best investment of your time and budgets.
Wait out and see if the other person forgets to renew their domain or abandons it so that you could snatch it then. GoDaddy has a Domain Backordering service where you can reserve your place in line for a specific domain. If theres more than one buyer, the domain goes on auction. If its just you only, you get it immediately.
Again, youd be pitched several upsells in case you change your mind.
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How To Register A Domain Name For Your Website
Your company needs a website, which means it needs a domain name. Your first step is registering a domain name, which can be daunting for first-timers. Don’t worry: Our guide walks you through it.
Once you’ve decided to build a website, you need to make an important decision, even before you consult our best web hosting services roundup: What’s your domain name going to be? You know, it’s the web address by which all your many customers find you. Your domain name is, in effect, the name of your website, so you want to make sure you get a good one. Purchasing a name is a relatively simple process, but finding one that isn’t already taken can be a challenge. In addition, you’ll also want to make sure you understand the contract between you and the domain name registrar. If this is starting to sound a bit complicated, don’t worry: This primer can help you get started.
How To Register A Domain Name With Hostinger
Known for its fast and user-friendly web hosting, Hostinger also provides affordable domain registration services. This European company has .com domains starting from $8.99/year, which is one of the lowest prices offered on the market.
Hostinger offers alternative TLDs such as .online, .xyz, .tech, and .store, so there are more options to experiment with if the .com domain names are unavailable.
To buy a domain name with Hostinger, navigate to their domain checker page. Then enter your desired name on the field and press Search.
Below, the page will show whether the domain name is available, along with some alternative suggestions.
You can also use the Filter button on the search bar to customize the domain search results. Select which extensions to use and specify the maximum budget youre willing to spend.
After finding the right domain name, click Add to cart.
Hostinger offers to bundle the item with a shared web hosting plan, ranging from $1.39/month to $3.99/month. Purchasing the higher-tier subscriptions will make the first year of domain name registration free of charge.
Click Continue to cart or the shopping cart icon on the top right corner to proceed with payment. Here, its also possible to change the domain registration period to up to three years.
Press the Checkout Now button to finalize the payment and create a Hostinger account. Once thats done, the system will redirect you to the domain control panel to complete the domain registration process.
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What Happens If I Dont Renew My Domain Name
If you didnt set auto-renewal or forgot to manually do so despite the reminders from your domain registrar, your domain name will expire. This means several things:
- Your website will no longer be accessible by anyone who types your URL.
- The domain name will be available for sale again, typically in 30-days or so after expiration.
- It can also be auctioned on a website domain auction.
In essence, failure to pay a renewal fee means lost access to your domain.
Got Any Tips On Finding A Good Domain Name
You bet. While it’s really easy to register a domain, having a good domain strategy helps you register the best domain name possible. Here are some hints:Make it easy to remember. This is why many businesses get domains with their business names in them. Some people even choose their business name only after they have a domain they like.Don’t register one that’s trademarked, copyrighted, or being used by another company. This can lead to losing the domain and legal problems.Shorter is usually better because they’re easier for customers to remember. It’s also easier to get matching usernames for Facebook, Twitter and any other social media accounts you have.Got a local business? Include your neighborhood, city or country in your domain so local customers can quickly see where you are. Check the list of geographic domain extensions .berlin .nyc to see if there’s one for your area.Avoid numbers or hyphens. Anyone who hears your web address won’t know if you’re using a numeral 5 or “five”. If your business name has a number in it, register both versions with the number and with the number spelled out .Get more than one. As traffic to your website increases, you may attract then attention of copycats who’ll snatch up similar domain names in hopes of drawing traffic away from you. Register similar or misspelled domains early so this won’t be an issue later.
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Brainstorm Concepts And Ideas
If you already have a name you want to buy, awesome! Head on down to the next section.
If you want to see if your domain name is actually good , keep reading.
This is crucial. Its the name youll use for your business, or a campaign, or a blog. You want to try your best to nail this on the first try.
Find A Credible Domain Registrar
A domain registrar is a company that is responsible for registering and managing domain names. Its accredited by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers , a non-profit organization that controls the rules and regulations of domain name registration.
Choosing a reliable domain registrar is crucial because it can impact a project or business for years. Pick the wrong one and you might end up paying hidden fees or even get scammed. For example, there have been cases where a domain registrar pressures users into purchasing domain names similar to the ones they hold under false pretenses.
It can be challenging to pick from hundreds of domain registrars out there as they all offer similar services. Therefore, consider the following when choosing a registrar:
As we mentioned earlier, people can also purchase a custom domain from a hosting company that offers domain registration services, like Hostinger.
Since having a web hosting plan and domain name is essential to make a website, it may be more convenient to purchase and maintain them together at the same place.
Here at Hostinger, we offer low upfront and renewal costs for the most popular domain names and a dedicated 24/7 support team ready to assist you.
If you buy a domain name at Hostinger, its also possible to activate domain privacy protection. This feature can help hide specific details from being discovered through a WHOIS lookup.
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