Domain Name Registration Review

Choosing a domain name registrar

You've worked hard to come up with a catchy and meaningful domain name for your new website and now you want to register it. But the large number of domain registration companies, along with the myriad of add-ons and services they offer, confuses the relatively simple process of buying a domain name.

Price is no longer such a differentiating factor; most services charge about $10 per month and up. But domain registration providers do differ in the ease of use of their website and how they handle the registration process. In an industry rife with questionable business practices, it's important to keep these considerations in mind when choosing a domain name registration service.

The biggest issue to watch out for is upselling. Once you register your domain, most companies will want to sell you more services as you check out, and after you complete the sale. GoDaddy.com is one of the biggest culprits in this area -- while they offer lots of discounts, they're constantly trying to get you to upgrade.

An alternative is to use a web host to register your domain name. Bundling the service together can potentially save you money and make managing your website a little easier. We discuss the pros and cons of this tactic later in this report. Our web hosting report outlines the different types of services that are available as well as how much you can expect to spend.

There's a distinct lack of up-to-date, credible professional and user reviews of domain registration providers. DigitalTrends.com and Lifehacker.com offer short roundups of their favorite domain name registrars. User reviews at DomainBots.com rate domain name providers, but the reviews are undated. TopTenReviews.com's roundup of domain hosting providers doesn't indicate direct testing. CNET and PCWorld offer general advice about choosing a domain name registrar, without making specific recommendations.