Where to Buy a Domain in 2025 (Best Domain Registrars)

Summary

In this video, we review and rank the most popular domain registrars, placing them in a tier list from C-tier to S-tier. C-tier includes providers like Squarespace, GoDaddy, and BlueHost, which are known for hidden fees, overpriced renewals, and upselling practices. B-tier features Namecheap, offering decent pricing but higher renewal costs. A-tier includes Namesilo and Dinodot, which provide transparent pricing and free privacy protection. Finally, S-tier highlights Cloudflare and Pogbun for their affordable, transparent pricing and exceptional support. The video wraps up with tips for optimizing website speed using WordPress and the Airlift plugin.

Takeaways

• 😀 Squarespace offers a 'free domain' with their website plan, but this locks you into high renewal rates, making it a C-tier option.
• 😀 GoDaddy is notorious for upselling unnecessary services like premium email and SSL certificates, while also charging high renewal rates, earning it a C-tier ranking.
• 😀 BlueHost also uses the 'free domain' trick but has inflated renewal prices and upsells, landing it in the C-tier as well.
• 😀 Namecheap offers affordable first-year pricing with free privacy protection, but their renewal rates are higher, placing it in B-tier for long-term value.
• 😀 Namesilo and Dino do both provide transparent pricing, free privacy protection, and solid features, making them worthy of A-tier ranking.
• 😀 Dino offers a modern interface and intuitive management tools, while Namesilo provides bulk discounts, both offering great long-term value.
• 😀 Cloudflare Domains is ranked in S-tier for its wholesale pricing with no markup, providing a domain at $9.15 per year with free privacy protection.
• 😀 Pogbun, another S-tier registrar, offers flexible name server changes, free privacy protection, and excellent customer support at a slightly higher price than Cloudflare.
• 😀 Spaceship is an honorable mention with low renewal prices under $10 per year, but its interface can be a bit cluttered, and its long-term pricing remains uncertain.
• 😀 For the best deal, Cloudflare is the cheapest long-term option, while Pogbun is the best for ease of use and flexibility.
• 😀 The script emphasizes the importance of using Airlift, a WordPress plugin that boosts page speed with minimal effort to improve site performance and prevent slow loading times.

Q & A

Why is Squarespace ranked in the C tier?

Squarespace is ranked in the C tier because while their interface is sleek and they offer a 'free' domain with a website plan, the renewal price for domains is significantly high, around $20 to $25 per year. Additionally, transferring a domain from Squarespace later is inconvenient, as it's tied to your website subscription.

What are the hidden costs associated with GoDaddy?

GoDaddy has several hidden costs, including charging up to $9.99 per year for privacy protection, which is typically free with other registrars. They also upsell unnecessary add-ons like premium email subscriptions and SSL certificates. Their domain renewal price is also high, with .com domains starting at $11.99 but renewing at $22.99 per year.

How does BlueHost's pricing compare to other registrars?

BlueHost offers a free domain with their web hosting plan, but their renewal pricing is $19.99 per year, plus an additional $15 per year for privacy protection. This makes their basic domain cost around $35 per year, which is significantly higher than many other registrars.

What makes Namecheap a B-tier registrar?

Namecheap offers low first-year prices, sometimes as low as $5.98, and includes free privacy protection, making it a decent option. However, its renewal pricing of $15.88 per year for a .com domain is higher than some other registrars, which is why it falls in the B tier.

What are the advantages of Namesilo and DinoDo?

Namesilo and DinoDo are ranked in the A tier because they offer transparent pricing, free privacy protection, and avoid upselling unnecessary add-ons. Namesilo is great for managing multiple domains, offering bulk discounts, while DinoDo has a modern interface with faster domain management tools.

What makes Cloudflare domains the best choice?

Cloudflare is ranked in the S tier because they offer wholesale pricing for domains at just $9.15 per year with no markup. Their pricing remains consistent, and they include free privacy protection. The only caveat is that you must use Cloudflare's DNS, but this isn't an issue for those already using Cloudflare.

What is the benefit of using Pogbun for domain registration?

Pogbun is ranked in the S tier due to its affordable pricing at $10.35 per year, free privacy protection, and flexible DNS settings. They also offer great customer support, making them a solid choice for those looking for easy domain management and flexibility.

Why is Spaceship listed as an honorable mention?

Spaceship is an honorable mention because it has some of the lowest renewal prices under $10 per year. However, since they are relatively new, their long-term pricing stability is uncertain. Additionally, their interface is a bit cluttered, which may not be ideal for beginners.

What common mistakes should people avoid when registering a domain?

Common mistakes include falling for 'free domain' offers that lock you into high renewal pricing, paying for unnecessary upsells like privacy protection or email subscriptions, and not considering the long-term renewal costs, which can significantly increase after the first year.

What is the advantage of using Airlift with WordPress?

Airlift is a free WordPress plugin that boosts your site's page speed score to over 90 with minimal effort. It performs automatic optimizations like advanced caching and CSS/JavaScript improvements, helping keep your site fast without manual adjustments, which is crucial for user experience and SEO.