The most exciting part of web development is getting your website up and running and seeing all your hard work come to life. The first step of setting up a website is of course choosing its domain name. A domain name is the address of your website, the unique identity that sets it apart from others. To get a domain name, you will have to avail the services of a domain registrar or a name host. When choosing the right host you must take into account factors like cost, speed, privacy, support options, and user experience.
In this article, we will provide you with valuable tips on how to get a free domain name. But first, for those who are new to the industry let’s take a look at what domain name hosting is and how you can select the right domain name host.
Domain Name Hosting: An Overview
A domain name is a unique identity of your website. When you purchase it, you get the right to use it exclusively for a certain period of time. The host will register your domain name using the Domain Name System or DNS, allowing you to use it for websites, email, and many other domain services
Apart from domain name registration, domain hosts offer several other services like hosting, data storage, security features, and sometimes even a web builder. Domain name hosts also offer robust technical support to aid you in solving various technical issues like connecting a website builder, or setting up security features for your website.
Tips for Choosing the Right Domain Name Hosting
As every user has different needs and there are numerous hosts available in the market, offering different features, choosing the right host might prove to be a bit tricker. Therefore, for your convenience, we compiled a list of features that you must take into consideration when opting for a domain name host.
Cost
The price of domains varies drastically, some cost less than $10, while there are numerous others with prices going up to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Several hosts also offer various services and add-ons like website and email hosting, which can also have a huge impact on the price. Therefore, before settling on a domain name host, research, weigh your options, compare them, and then decide. Also, make sure to opt for the services you absolutely need and don’t spend your money on unnecessary add-ons.
Privacy and Security
When looking for a domain name hosting provider, take into consideration the website security features and tools it offers. At the very least the host should provide you with an SSL certificate. Moreover, if you are spending money you should opt for a host that offers firewall and malware-scanning capabilities. There are countless hosting providers that offer all these services and more for free, while there are some that charge a hefty price for them. You can also opt for a third party to get all your security features sorted out.
Speed and Storage Space
When on the search for hosting options for your website, you should take into account the speed and storage space your host offers. These two factors play a pivotal role in the working of your website. In case your website is laden with heavy graphical content, you will require more storage space and speed.
A small website, that houses only a couple of images and lacks videos or built-in web applications, will most probably require only 5GB storage. Whereas a large online store, displaying hundreds of products, images, videos, and supporting built-in applications will require up to or more than 100GB of storage.
Moreover, most hosting plans that offer large storage and fast speed are expensive. Therefore, don’t be hasty with your host selection and take into account your needs and requirements to make an informed decision.
Support Options
Even though customer support might seem like something trivial and unimportant, trust us you will need them, despite your impeccable planning and technical skills. Therefore, take into account the hosting provider’s customer support, check their hours of availability, and the contact channels, like telephone, email, or live chat, that they offer.
Tips to Get a Free Domain Name
If you are on a tight budget and looking for ways to get a free domain, fret not as we have got you covered. Grab your reading glasses and read the following tips to get a domain for free.
1. Use a Free Domain Name Registrar
There are countless domain providers in the market that offer their services for free such as Freenom and Dot TK. They allow you to search for a domain, and make a choice from one of the five, free-of-cost extensions: .ml, .tk, .ga, .gq, and .cf. However, as these suffixes are not common, they can make your site look sketchy and illegitimate, which can be a major problem if you are running a business website. However, for personal and blog websites, this might not be a major issue. Also, keep in mind that you do not own these domains. They are owned and registered by the domain registrar you got them from. Therefore, you can neither sell nor transfer them to anyone else.
2. Explore Website Builder Services that Offer Free Domain Name
Website builders, the revolutionary tools that allow you to create websites in the blink of an eye also offer free domain names. However, the cost free domain name is available only for a limited time, mostly for a period of one year. Moreover, the free domain name is included as a part of the larger expensive package, and the registration expires once the package is up for renewal. Users are mostly given a one-year window after which you either pay to retain the domain or give up on it, there is no in-between.
This could be an ideal deal if you are looking for temporary hosting for a year or less. However, there is one caveat that you must keep in mind, usually, there are penalties associated with prematurely ending these plans. Upon cancellation, you might have to pay a fee for the time that is left on your annual domain or you might be charged with the renewed annual fee outright.
Also keep in mind that domain name renewal rates from website builders are pricer than those offered by dedicated domain registrars, like Namecheap. The best website builders we have come across, that also offer free domain services are:
Wix
Wix is a versatile and popular website builder that apart from countless other features also offers a free domain name for a period of one year with its annual web-building packages. However, if you wish to retain the domain name after the one-year time period, you must pay a renewal fee of about $1495 per year, and for private registration, you will have to pay $9.90 annually.
Weebly
Weebly is another powerful website builder that provides users with a free domain name with its pre-plan for a period of one year. Once your time is up you will have to pay $19.99 if you wish you renew it along with a privacy protection bill of $10.
Squarespace
Another top-notch website builder that offers a free domain name for one year. Those who opt for Squarespace domain registration will be provided with free WHOIS privacy protection as part of the package. After the one-year grace period, you will have to pay $20 per month if you wish you retain your domain name.
3. Consider a Web Hosting Service With a Free Domain Name
Similar to the tactic practised by website builders, web hosting services use free domain name registration as bait to lure you into committing to their annual plans. Web hosting services also associate penalty fees with early package termination. Therefore, you might have to pay the full domain renewal fee if you fail on the subscription. The domain registration renewal rates are also higher with web hosts than those from domain registrars. While researching we came across three excellent web hosting providers that also offer free domain registration:
Bluehost
Bluehost is among the cheapest web hosting services. It’s annual shared hosting is priced at $35.40, and includes a free domain name. However, website privacy isn’t included in the package. Therefore, you will have to pay an additional amount of $0.99 per month to avail it. The renewal prices of domain registration depend on the extension type. For example, if you have a .com extension, it will renew at a price of $19.99.
Hostinger
Hostinger is another great web hosting service that offers a free domain name. By subscribing to its premium plan users can get a free domain name as well as WHOIS privacy protection. Its domain registration renewal rates are quite reasonable and cost $13.99 annually.
HostGator
HostGator offers a free domain name with its annual or longer Hatchling plan for a period of one year. After the grace period, the domain name renews, the cost of which depends on the extension. For example, the renewal rate for .com extension is $18.99 per year while the privacy protection cost is about $14.95 that is billed annually.
