Best Domain Name Registration Services

Selecting a suitable domain registration service

Reviewers recommend NameCheap.com (Est. $10 per year and up) for both first-time and seasoned domain name purchasers. Along with its competitive prices, NameCheap.com has a clean website that makes the process of buying, selling and transferring domain names efficient. NameCheap has a reputation among reviewers for its no-frills approach and transparency of business practices.

Jennifer Kyrnin of About.com cites it as the best place to register a domain, saying that NameCheap is better than most when it comes to trying to sell you add-on services you may not need. However, reviewers also state that NameCheap's occasional system problems can sometimes prevent purchasers from completing a transaction.

Name.com is similar to NameCheap.com, offering many of the same features at about the same price. However, Name has a few extras up its sleeve, including Domain Nabber, which helps users quickly claim expired domains. You can also find out if a domain you want is coming up for auction. Discounts are available if you register multiple domain names through Name's site.

What reviewers really like is that Name.com keeps upselling offers to a minimum, which makes the site pleasant to use. Support is available by phone and email seven days a week, 10 to 12 hours per day, and reviews say you can expect a quick and helpful response.

GoDaddy.com ($10 per year and up) is undisputedly the most popular domain registration service, having sold more than 25 percent of all Internet domains. Prices are on a par with other companies, though it usually offers discounts, especially when bundled with other services such as web hosting. The downside is that the registrar uses aggressive upselling techniques, both at the time of sale, by making purchasers go through screens of sales pitches in order to buy their domain names, and after the purchase. Its cluttered website also draws criticism from professional reviewers and users alike, who state that it's difficult to navigate.

All in all, it's worth checking out more than one service before deciding, but in general, NameCheap.com and Name.com come out on top.

Using your web hosting service to register your domain name

If you're merely registering a domain name for future use -- or registering a domain so no one else can use it -- then NameCheap or GoDaddy is just fine. But if you're ready to actually build a site or blog, an alternative approach is to register your domain name through your web hosting service -- the company on whose servers your site will actually reside. The relative longevity of web service providers is a plus as is the ease of having all your web needs met by one company.

Cost may be another advantage, as web hosts frequently offer discounted or even free domain registration when you purchase their services.

Reviewers have mixed feelings about this option. David Strom of PCWorld identifies a downside as the possible difficulty of transferring your domain name to a new registrar if you grow dissatisfied with your web hosting service. Registering your domain name through your web service provider is not the best option if you don't intend to develop your website in the near future, or if you're buying domain names to resell at a later date.

"Stub," a contributor to WebHostingTalk.com, is adamant: "You should always separate your hosting and your registrar. This may cost you an extra dollar or two per year, but the insurance is well worth it, believe me. If you don't believe me just read all the threads here about my host won't allow me to transfer my domain."

See our related report on web hosting for more information.