If you’re building a WordPress site, one of the very first decisions you’ll need to make is where to register your domain name. It may not be the most exciting part of building a website, but it is one of the most important. Why? Because if you lose ownership or access to your domain name, you lose everything.
Not all domain registrars are created equal. Some are easy to use, inexpensive, and transparent. Others are cheap at first but nickel-and-dime you later, keep pushing upsells, or give you a hard time when you need support with technical or billing issues.
So let’s walk through just what to look for in a domain registrar, what to steer clear of, and a quick look at four of the most popular providers so you can make an informed choice.
What to Look for in a Good Domain Registrar
When you’re roaming about searching for a domain registrar for your WordPress site, there are some things you should keep in mind:
- Transparent pricing: Some registrars advertise super-cheap domains, then raise the price when it comes time to renew. Make sure both the registration price and the renewal price are clearly listed before you proceed with payment.
- Free WHOIS privacy: This takes your personal contact details out of the public WHOIS database. It’s not something you can do without, and happily, most decent registrars now offer it for free.
- Ease of use: A clean, intuitive interface makes a big difference when you need to manage more than one domain, editing DNS records, or performing other tasks on your domains.
- DNS control: You may need to point your domain to your WordPress host using custom DNS records (A, CNAME, TXT, MX, etc.). You want a registrar which gives you free DNS service that can be easily accessed and managed from the dashboard.
- Quality support: Something goes wrong (e.g., your domain isn’t resolving properly), and you might spend hours of headaches dealing with clueless support agents. That’s the last thing you want. Check the feedback about the support service before anything else.
- Security features: Look for two-factor authentication (2FA), domain locking, and optionally, advanced protection tools to maximize the security of your domain.
What to Avoid When Choosing a Domain Registrar
Here are a few of the pitfalls that people tend to fall into when registering domains:
- Registering your domain through your host: Oh sure, it’s convenient. But if you switch hosts, you might have a difficult time, or an expensive time, moving your domain. It can be less hassle and less costly to register your domain at a separate registrar and then connect it to your host via nameservers or DNS records.
- Forgetting to check the renewal price: Some registrars attract new customers with low introductory prices. A domain that may initially cost you $1.99 or so for the first year may end up costing more than $25 per year for renewal. Take the long-term cost into account when picking a registrar.
- A complicated control panel: It might not seem like much now, but you will eventually need to change a DNS setting or verify your domain for email. You want to have a control panel that makes these tasks easy, not one that feels like you’re going to need a CS degree to use.
- Costly WHOIS privacy: You should avoid any registrar that charges you an additional fee for WHOIS privacy. Why pay an extra $10+ per year for something you can get for free elsewhere?!
What is The Best Domain Registrar For WordPress?
These are some of the most popular domain registrars used by WordPress users:
-
GoDaddy
GoDaddy is the biggest name in the industry, but all that bigness has a good and bad mix. They’ve been around for ages, and they sell just about every website-related service, including domains, hosting, email, website builder, marketing, and other services. So if you are someone who likes everything in one platform, GoDaddy might be your thing.
Their dashboard is functional, but may feel cluttered. They have decent DNS tools. Support is 24/7 via phone and chat, but sometimes you’ll have to wait.
GoDaddy isn’t bad if you just need one domain name, but if you are looking to register multiple domain names, these alternatives offer more competitive prices with lower renewal rates.
-
Namecheap
Namecheap earned its reputation by being an affordable and easy-to-use domain registrar. For the majority of users, especially WordPress beginners, Namecheap is one of the best options out there.
They offer discounted prices for new customers and they also give you free WHOIS privacy for life on each domain that supports privacy.
Their live chat support is responsive and available 24/7, and their docs are easy to follow. They have many learning materials for beginners.
All in all, Namecheap is great for WordPress users looking for an affordable domain registrar with an easy-to-use interface. It’s cheaper than GoDaddy and has better support service.
-
NameSilo
NameSilo is a good domain registrar for those looking for simplicity and transparency of pricing. There are no hidden fees. WHOIS privacy is included for free. Renewal prices are the same as registration prices for most TLDs, and they offer discounted bulk pricing.
The interface is a little old-school. It’s not flashy or sleek, but it works. DNS and email forwarding are included for free with each domain name.
-
Dynadot
Dynadot is one of the cheapest domain registrars in the world. They have lower renewal prices than most registrars and they try to keep prices low.
They offer free WHOIS privacy, free email, and a free website builder. It’s better to stick to WordPress since it offers much more customizability than Dynadot’s website builder.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I register my domain via my web host?
Yes, but it’s usually not the best option. Should you ever need to switch hosts, having your domain registered elsewhere gives you more freedom and flexibility. Most hosts are resellers of accredited domain registrars and their prices aren’t usually competitive. - Can I buy a domain from Google?
Google used to offer domain registration services via Google Domains, which was shut down a couple of years ago. You can’t buy a domain from Google anymore, but there are several other registrars that offer similar prices. - What’s a reasonable price for a .com domain?
Ideally, you should be paying about $10-$16 per year for .com registration and renewal. Watch out for registrars that offer a low introductory price then charge you double the price or more for renewal. - Do I need WHOIS privacy?
Yes, it’s a very important privacy feature. Otherwise, your contact information is openly displayed and available for harvesting by spammers, marketers, or worse. At all costs, choose a registrar who offers it for free. - Will I be able to switch registrars later?
Yes, but not right away. You must wait at least 60 days from the day you registered the domain in order to be able to transfer it to another registrar. This is an ICANN rule that applies to all registrars. - What if the domain I want has already been registered?
You can try an alternative extension, such as .net, .co, .io, etc. You can also consider adding a prefix or a suffix to the name. Another option is to attempt to purchase the domain from the current owner by directly contacting them or by using a third-party domain broker service.