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Creating a website takes significant work and consideration. It’s not enough to simply build a website or find a hosting provider to keep it running on the world wide web. You need a domain name to attract visitors and customers, too. If you think of your website as a brick-and-mortar shop, the domain name is the business address. Without an address, potential customers won’t find your real-world store, and the same is true for domain names and websites.
Fortunately, purchasing a domain name isn’t complicated, and there are several methods for buying one. In fact, we have a step-by-step domain registration guide that you should check out for pointers. That said, you can pick up a domain name without spending a dime if you’re willing to deal with a few caveats. We’ll show you how to do that.
Some Valuable Information
There are a few things to consider when securing a domain name. Typically, domain names are not yours to keep indefinitely. They’re usually free for a year or two, after which the registrar bills you for the renewal. You may lose the domain if you use it for what the provider deems an illegal activity (spamming, for instance). In addition, nearly all registrars reserve the right to make changes to the registration agreement whenever they wish, and without notifying you. Be sure to check any prospective registrar carefully before committing.
Domain names rarely come with privacy protection. This means that your information as the domain owner is publicly available to anyone snooping around the Whois database. If you’re a brick-and-mortar business and your info is already publicly available, privacy likely won’t be a major concern. However, if you’re a blogger who doesn’t want your personal address available for the internet to see, privacy protection is an important security step. Depending on the registrar you use, this can be as low as $2 per year or as high as $20 per year.
Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s explore the three methods for obtaining a free domain name.
1. Check Out Free Domain Registrars
Dot TK and Freenom are domain registrars that let you obtain a domain for free. They let you search for a domain and choose from one of five non-cost extensions: tk, .ml, .ga, .cf, and .gq. These aren’t the suffixes you commonly see as you browse the web, so they can make your site—particularly a business-focused site—appear sketchy, or even illegitimate. If you’re whipping up a blog or personal site, this may not be a major issue, though.
Please note that you do not own these domains; they are registered and owned by either Dot TK or Freenom. You’re simply given the right to use them, so you cannot sell or transfer the domain names to anyone else.
2. Explore Website Builder Services
Website builders, the services and tools that let you quickly create a website, also offer free domain names. However, the no-cost domain registration is only available for a limited time. More specifically, the domain name is included as part of a larger package and expires when said package is up for renewal. This is usually a one-year window, after which you must pay to retain the domain at whatever renewal fee the service provider dictates. This could be ideal if you need temporary hosting for a year or less, but be warned: there are usually penalties associated with prematurely ending these plans. You may be charged a prorated fee for the time remaining on your annual domain or charged the annual renewal fee outright.
Note that domain name renewal rates from website builders are usually pricier than those offered from dedicated registrars, like Namecheap. Keep this in mind if you choose this avenue and stick around for more than a year.
Wix is a popular and versatile website builder that offers a free domain for one year with its annual plans. After this first year, however, you must renew the domain for $14.95 per year if you wish to keep it. Wix’s free domain offer does not include private registration; you must pay an additional $9.90 per year.
Weebly is another strong option. The website builder lets you get a free domain with its Pro plan (or other high-tier subscriptions). After the one-year grace period, your domain name must be renewed for $19.99 per year with privacy protection billed separately at $10 per year.
Squarespace is yet another website building option with a free one-year domain name. Domains registered through Squarespace also include Whois privacy protection as part of the package, which is a pretty sweet deal if you go this route. Renewing domains with Squarespace cost $20 per month.
3. Visit Web Hosting Services
The third free domain registration method utilizes website hosting services. Much like website builders, web hosting services often bundle free domain name registration with their packages to coax you into committing to an annual plan. Also like web builders, web hosting services generally have penalty fees associated with early package termination, so you could be on the hook for the full domain renewal fee if you decide to flake on the subscription. Renewal rates are also higher with web hosts than those from dedicated registrars. With these points in mind, this method is good if you need a free domain name for a year or less.
Priced at $35.40 for an annual shared hosting package ($2.95 monthly for the first 12 months), Bluehost is one of the cheapest web hosting services that offer a free domain name. This package does not include domain privacy, which is an additional $0.99 per month. Domain renewal pricing depends on the extension type, but a .com renewal costs $19.99. Domain privacy is billed at an additional $15 per domain per year.
Hostgator includes free domain hosting with its annual-or-longer Hatchling plan ($3.95 per month for an annual plan). After the free period ends, domain renewal averages about $18.99 per year for a .com extension, with privacy protection billed at $14.95 annually.
Hostinger is another option to consider, with reasonable domain renewal rates. Its premium shared hosting plan costs $2.59 per month with an annual commitment, which includes a free domain with Whois protection. Domain renewal with Hostinger costs $13.99 annually.
Conclusion
Domain registration doesn’t need to be pricey. Registration services, such as Dot TK and Freenom, offer free domain names, and they’ll get the job done provided that you don’t mind a funky-looking URL extension. Web hosts, such as Hostgator and Squarespace, let you grab a free domain name, too, but with time-centric limitations. Still, if you’re on a tight budget, these no-cost domain options come in handy.
For more web hosting tips, check out The 6 Best Free Web Hosting Services for Tight Budgets and Linux vs. Windows: How to Pick the Best Server OS for Your Website.
