Domain registrars compared
The cheapest first-year price is rarely the cheapest domain. Renewal pricing, privacy, DNS and transfer rules matter more over a few years.
We compared five registrars on what they publish: pricing model, WHOIS privacy, included DNS and security, and what to watch for at checkout.
Compare 5 options Visit Porkbun
Prices and limits checked on October 12, 2026. They change often, so confirm on each official site before you buy.
Comparison at a glance
| Registrar | Pricing | Included / key terms | Best for | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Porkbun | .com listed from $11.08 | Free WHOIS privacy, free SSL certificates, URL forwarding and email forwarding are included. | Developers and side projects | Visit |
| Cloudflare Registrar | At cost, no markup | Free WHOIS redaction, DNS, CDN, SSL and one-click DNSSEC are included. | Anyone already using Cloudflare DNS | Visit |
| Namecheap | Promotional first year; renewal is higher | Free WHOIS privacy on eligible domains; an ICANN fee of $0.20 per year may be added at checkout. | Budget-friendly first-year registration | Visit |
| GoDaddy | Promotional first year; renewal is higher | Domain privacy is included free on most domains. Domain Protection is a separate paid add-on. | Buyers who want one provider for domain, email and website | Visit |
| Squarespace Domains | Price shown at checkout | WHOIS privacy, SSL, DNSSEC, email forwarding and domain forwarding are included on eligible domains. | Users who want a simple interface and bundled security | Visit |
Each option in detail
Porkbun
Editor pickRegistrar with transparent pricing, free WHOIS privacy and free SSL.
- Pricing
- .com listed from $11.08
- Included / key terms
- Free WHOIS privacy, free SSL certificates, URL forwarding and email forwarding are included.
- Best for
- Developers and side projects
Included at a glance
- Free WHOIS privacy
- Free SSL certificates (Let’s Encrypt)
- Free URL forwarding and email forwarding
- Bulk domain search of up to 100 names
Pros and cons2 advantages · 2 trade-offs
- Privacy and SSL included at no extra cost
- Clear pricing and a clean dashboard
- Phone support hours are limited
- Renewal prices are not shown on the front page, so check the cart
Cloudflare Registrar
Editor pickDomains sold at cost, with no markup on registration, transfer or renewal.
- Pricing
- At cost, no markup
- Included / key terms
- Free WHOIS redaction, DNS, CDN, SSL and one-click DNSSEC are included.
- Best for
- Anyone already using Cloudflare DNS
Included at a glance
- At-cost pricing for registration, transfer and renewal
- Free WHOIS redaction by default
- Supports over 430 TLDs
- Domains locked by default against transfers
Pros and cons2 advantages · 2 trade-offs
- No markup, so renewals are predictable
- DNS, CDN and security in the same dashboard
- Requires a Cloudflare account and its dashboard
- Registry lock is limited to Enterprise customers
Namecheap
Popular registrar with free WHOIS privacy and frequent first-year promotions.
- Pricing
- Promotional first year; renewal is higher
- Included / key terms
- Free WHOIS privacy on eligible domains; an ICANN fee of $0.20 per year may be added at checkout.
- Best for
- Budget-friendly first-year registration
Included at a glance
- Free domain privacy for eligible TLDs
- Free DNS management
- Email and hosting add-ons
- Frequent promotional pricing
Pros and cons2 advantages · 2 trade-offs
- Low first-year promotions
- Privacy included on eligible domains
- Renewal price is higher than the promotional price
- A few TLDs are not eligible for privacy
GoDaddy
Large registrar with heavy promotions, bundled privacy and many add-ons.
- Pricing
- Promotional first year; renewal is higher
- Included / key terms
- Domain privacy is included free on most domains. Domain Protection is a separate paid add-on.
- Best for
- Buyers who want one provider for domain, email and website
Included at a glance
- Domain privacy included on most domains
- Optional Domain Protection against unauthorized changes
- Email, hosting and website builder add-ons
- Phone and chat support
Pros and cons2 advantages · 2 trade-offs
- One vendor for domain, email and site tools
- Large catalogue of extensions
- Promotional prices are far below renewal prices
- Paid add-ons renew automatically unless cancelled
Squarespace Domains
Registrar with WHOIS privacy, SSL and DNSSEC included and a simple interface.
- Pricing
- Price shown at checkout
- Included / key terms
- WHOIS privacy, SSL, DNSSEC, email forwarding and domain forwarding are included on eligible domains.
- Best for
- Users who want a simple interface and bundled security
Included at a glance
- WHOIS privacy included on eligible domains
- Free SSL certificate
- Two-factor authentication
- Reminder email 30 days before renewal
Pros and cons2 advantages · 2 trade-offs
- Security features included
- Simple management interface
- Pricing is not published on the landing page
- Domains renew automatically
Checklist before you buy a domain
A few quick checks at checkout can save money and keep control of your domain in your hands.
- Look at the renewal price, not only the first-year price.
- Confirm WHOIS privacy is included for your extension.
- Check for add-ons the cart adds by default (email, protection, hosting).
- Make sure you can transfer the domain out and manage DNS where you want.
- Turn on two-factor authentication on the registrar account.
Domain questions, answered
Know what to check at checkout, how renewals work and where your domain can be managed.
5 things worth knowing01Why is the renewal price higher than the first-year price?
Many registrars discount the first year to win customers and charge the standard rate on renewal. Check the renewal price in the cart before you register. Cloudflare Registrar sells at cost with no markup, so renewals are predictable.
02What is WHOIS privacy and do I need it?
WHOIS privacy hides your personal contact details from the public domain record. Several registrars include it free on eligible domains, so you should not need to pay extra for it.
03Is the ICANN fee included in the displayed price?
Not always. Some registrars add an ICANN fee of $0.20 per year per domain at checkout for certain domains. Check the final total in your cart.
04Can I buy a domain from one company and host with another?
Yes. Register the domain anywhere, then point its nameservers or DNS records to your host. You can change either one later.
05Should I buy more than one extension?
Most small projects only need one extension such as .com. Registering a second one is mainly useful to protect a brand name or redirect traffic.