Getting a domain is the first step to building a website or establishing a business email. The best registrars make domain names affordable, secure your data with WHOIS domain privacy and SSL, and provide technical support when you need it. We compared dozens of domain registry services based on cost, support, and features to help you find the best option from our top picks below.
Best Domain Registrars at a Glance
IONOS: Overall Best Domain Registrar for Small Business | |||
 | $1 first year + $17 (2-year registry)* |
| or |
GoDaddy: Save Money When Managing Multiple Domains | |||
 | $3.99* |
| or |
DreamHost: Bundled Domain With WordPress & Email Hosting | |||
 | $7.99* |
| or |
Domain.com: Best Standalone & Multi-year Domain Registration | |||
 | $9.99 |
| or |
Hostinger: Bundled Domain, Email & AI Website Builder | |||
 | $2.99 first year (site builder plan)* |
| or |
InMotion: Great Customer Service | |||
 | $5.99/month the first year (domain + unlimited email and websites)* |
| or |
SiteGround: Best for Those Wanting an Ecommerce Site Builder | |||
 | $17.99/year for domain plus $2.99/month for the first year for hosting* |
| or |
Scala Hosting: Bundled Domain With Cloud Hosted Email & Websites | |||
 | $19.95/month for cloud hosting* |
| or |
Bluehost: Free Domain With WooCommerce-ready Websites | |||
 | $9.95/month for WooCommerce the first year* |
| or |
*First-year pricing listed. May renew at a higher rate. Some plans require a 2-year purchase. **Requires an email or web hosting plan. | |||
A domain registrar is a company that provides domain registration to ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. ICANN manages the Domain Name System (DNS). A registrar is a trusted provider of services and must comply with the DNS rules and regulations ICANN establishes. These rules are created to protect your investment.
Anyone who wants to build or own a website must register their domain name through a domain registrar. The registrar collects information like the name of your business, a physical address where you can be reached, and the name of an administrative contact or owner. This helps ensure that any disputes that arise around a domain name can be resolved easily by a registered agent or owner of the domain.
For a step-by-step walk-through, read our article showing the process for business domain name registration.
How the WHOIS Database Is Used for Domain Registration
While researching buying your domain or building your website, you might read about the WHOIS Database (pronounced “who is”). ICANN manages the WHOIS Database, which includes an entry for each of the 351 million domain names connected to the internet. (Source: Siteefy). The WHOIS Database allows internet users to look up registration information about every registered domain.
These days, most domains are protected by Domain Privacy, meaning personal information connected to your domain name is protected from spammers or hackers. With Domain Privacy, your personal information remains hidden.
Pro tip: Before buying a domain name, make sure you’re not already entitled to get a free domain name with your existing web hosting, email hosting, or site builder plan.
IONOS: Overall Best Domain Registrar for Small Businesses
Pros
- $1 .com domains (first-year pricing)
- Domain privacy, SSL, and 2GB email address included free
- Create alias forwarding emails
- Free domains bundled in email hosting ($12/year), website builder ($12 the first year), and website hosting plans ($12 the first year)
Cons
- $1 domain renews at $17 after the first year—higher than some other providers
- Domain.com and Hostinger are cheaper long term for standalone registry
- Small businesses on a budget needing a domain for website and business email
- Startups and entrepreneurs looking for the cheapest place to buy a domain
- Those looking for the cheapest domain registry bundles for email and web hosting
- Temporary URLs to use for short-term web projects
- Vanity URLs for ad tracking and short-term marketing campaigns
Product/Plan | .com Domains From | Email Hosting Plans From | Website Builder Plans From | WordPress Hosting Plans From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Cost (First Year) | $1* | $12/year | $12/year* | $12/year* |
Renewal Cost per Year | $15 to $20 | $12 | $60 | $96 |
Free Domain | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Free SSL | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Free Email | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
*Renews at a higher rate after the first year | ||||
IONOS is one of the best cheap domain registrars for small businesses. It’s feature-packed for a domain registrar at any cost, but at $1 for the first year, IONOS is the cheapest path to a domain with a free SSL certificate and a 2GB business email address. Your domain renews automatically annually at $15 to $20—still a bargain for what is included.
Known primarily as a web host, IONOS offers a free domain name with email hosting for $12 per year. If you need web hosting, plans that include a free domain, SSL, and email account start at $12 a year—just $1 a month for the first year.
While these are introductory rates, IONOS remains valuable when it comes time to renew. Annual renewal costs for its email hosting plan remain $12 after the first year, and its website builder plan goes to an affordable $60. If you’re hosting WordPress or some other kind of website, hosting will run you $96 per year. Considering everything that’s included, any of these are a remarkable value.
Pro tip: If you need to build a website for your small business, check out our review of the best cheap website builders before you decide.
GoDaddy: Best Registrar for Multiple Domains
Pros
- Plans for multiple domains with big savings via GoDaddy Domain Club
- All domains include domain privacy
- Domains 99 cents for first year, $21.99 for second year (2-year purchase)
- Free domain with hosting from $5.99/month for first year
- Easy to register domains
Cons
- Web hosting can be more expensive than alternatives
- No free domain with sitebuilder plans
- Agencies and small businesses that need to host a large number of websites
- Individuals looking to “park” a domain to use later
- Beginners who’ve never purchased a domain before
Product/Plan | Web Hosting Economy | Web Hosting Deluxe | Web Hosting Ultimate |
|---|---|---|---|
Cost per Month* | $6.99 | $9.99 | $14.99 |
Domain per Year | Free | Free | Free |
Free SSL | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Storage | 25GB | 50GB | 75GB |
Unlimited Bandwidth | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Free Email Address | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
*Billed annually; renews at a higher rate | |||
GoDaddy is the world’s biggest domain registrar, managing an impressive 75 million domains worldwide. It’s also among the most popular sources for web hosting, email, and website builder plans. More importantly, if you manage many domains, GoDaddy may be the most affordable option.
Pro tip: GoDaddy offers deep savings with its Discount Domain Club, a premium membership service providing members with steeply discounted domain names—as low as $8.85 per domain, per year. If your business needs more than 11 domain names for various business functions, a GoDaddy membership may be right for you.
With a first-year domain-only purchase price of just $3.99, GoDaddy domains renew at $21.99 a year—slightly more expensive than other domain providers. However, all GoDaddy domains include domain privacy for free, which saves GoDaddy users $10 to $20 a year—easily offsetting the additional expense of the domain renewal.
All of its plans are competitively priced, but to receive the best pricing, you have to make a three-year commitment. If this fits the bill, we recommend the $5.99 per month Web Hosting Economy plan, which includes everything you need to get started with your new small business website.
While GoDaddy is primarily for domain name registration, its web hosting packages are a good value. Its Web Hosting Economy plan starts at $5.99 a month and includes a free domain, an SSL certificate, and domain privacy. If you need a site builder, plans start at $9.99 a month.
DreamHost: Best Bundled Domain, Email & WordPress Hosting
Pros
- Hosting plans include a domain, SSL, email, and a no-code WordPress website builder (BoldGrid)
- $7.99 .com domains (first-year pricing), renews at $17.99
- Domain privacy included free
- 97-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- Charges a $9.99 transfer fee, which most other providers do not
- No email or email forwarding with Domain-only or Starter hosting plan
- Small businesses planning on building a WordPress website
- Cheap hosting for special events or short-term projects
Product/Plan | .com Domains From | Starter Hosting Plan | DreamHost Hosting Plan | VPS Hosting Plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Cost (First Year) | $7.99* | $2.95/month** | $16.95/month** | $13.75* |
Renewal Cost | $17.99/year | $6.99/month | $19.99/month | $15.99/month |
Free Domain | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Free SSL | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Free Email Account | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
WP Website Builder | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ |
*Renews at a higher rate after the first year **Billed annually for the first year; renews at a higher rate | ||||
DreamHost offers users a domain starting at just $7.99 a month, but the real value of the DreamHost system comes when you choose one of their hosting plans. With annual payments, web hosting is available for just $2.95 a month for unlimited sites, and all plans come with access to a no-code, drag-and-drop WordPress website builder.
In addition to its website builder, DreamHost makes a strong case for businesses that have multiple websites. The unlimited websites plan includes unlimited domains, emails, bandwidth, and storage. That’s on top of a free SSL certificate with each domain you’re hosting and includes domain privacy for the first year.
DreamHost also includes other features that make it worthwhile, including daily backups and free WordPress site migration. DreamHost also automatically updates WordPress core and security as updates become available. The most valuable feature they include in hosting is BoldGrid, the award-winning WordPress page builder theme that makes it easy to build a WordPress website from scratch.
You can purchase a domain without hosting through DreamHost for $7.99, and the annual renewal is just $17.99, making DreamHost more affordable than many of the other registrars we reviewed. The Starter web hosting package includes everything you need to build a website, and it renews annually at just $6.99 a month.
Domain.com: Best for Standalone or Multi-year Domain Registration
Pros
- Secure your domain for up to five years at a time
- Dedicated domain registrar
- Affordable .com domains from $9.99 per year
- Option to add domain privacy and protection
Cons
- Adding privacy, protection, and SSL makes it a far more expensive than IONOS or GoDaddy
- Not the best option for those wanting web or email hosting in addition to a domain—try DreamHost instead
- Long-term domain registration
- Those wanting an easy way to secure a domain and multiple domain names or extension variants all at once for up to five years
Product | .com Domain Registration for 1 Year | Privacy & Protection | SSL Certificate From | Sitelock Security From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Cost | $9.99/year | $8.99/year | $19.99/month | $3.99/month |
If you’re looking for an affordable way to buy domains on multi-year contracts, Domain.com is the solution you’re looking for. Domain.com is a domain registrar that offers flat-fee .com domains for $9.99 a year. This makes it easy for you to put any of your domain name ideas into play quickly and easily.
You can buy your domain on contracts up to five years in length. What you won’t find with this standalone registrar, however, are bundled solutions for domain, website, and business email, unlike with Bluehost and DreamHost.
For those who later decide to build a website, Domain.com makes it easy to transfer your domain, forward your domain, or upgrade your account to include hosting. It even has a website builder plan, though the builder is quite limited in functionality and design features. It pales compared to the value you get with the best drag-and-drop website builders.
Pro tip: Need help coming up with that perfect address? Read our guide to choosing a business domain name for tips and guidance.
With Domain.com, the price of your domain remains the same. There is no introductory period, so it renews for the same $9.99 you paid for the first year. Additionally, you can add domain privacy and an SSL certificate, all on the same multi-year agreement. However, adding an SSL certificate can be expensive, so proceed cautiously or consider another registrar.
Hostinger: Best Domain With AI Website Builder Bundle
Pros
- AI website builder and content creator included with all plans
- Most affordable domain-only package with free domain privacy
- Free domain in site builder plans starting at $2.99 a month
Cons
- No email or SSL with domain-only plan (unlike IONOS)
- Website builder not included on Single hosting plan
- Small businesses looking for least-expensive domain privacy
- Inexpensive hosting with an easy-to-use, drag-and-drop website builder
- Businesses needing only a single email address
Product/Plan | .com Domains From | Website Builder Plan |
|---|---|---|
Cost (First Year) | $7.99* | $2.99/month* |
Renewal Cost per Year | $13.99 | $9.99/month |
Domain Privacy Included | ✓ | ✓ |
Free Domain for 1 Year | ✕ | ✓ |
Unlimited Free SSL | ✕ | ✓ |
Free Email Account | ✕ | ✓ |
Website Builder | ✕ | ✓ |
Number of Websites | N/A | 100 |
*Billed annually for the first year; renews at a higher rate | ||
Hostinger is a registrar and web hosting provider known for providing an affordable hosting solution for small business websites. It’s also included on our list of best web hosting services. However, its standout features are its artificial intelligence (AI) website builder and content creator, which can help you build your website faster and better. Read more about the advanced AI features in our Hostinger review.
The Single hosting plan has features most small businesses will need. That includes a free SSL, WordPress page builder theme, and weekly backups. However, these features notwithstanding, Hostinger’s web hosting offerings are not as robust as those from other web hosts like IONOS or Bluehost. Because it is primarily a hosting provider, Hostinger makes transitioning from a domain-only purchase to a hosting plan simple.
Hostinger’s site builder plans come with a free domain and unlimited free SSL (you can build up to 100 websites in the plan using the site builder or WordPress). For domain-only purchases, you can get a .com domain for $7.99 for the first year and $13.99 a year thereafter, which makes Hostinger one of the more affordable domain solutions we reviewed. And no matter how you register a domain with Hostinger, free domain privacy is included.
InMotion: Best Domain Registrar for Customer Service
Pros
- 24/7/365 customer support on all plans
- Most plans include free domain name, SSL certificate
- Ample storage on all plans
- Website builder on all plans
Cons
- Domain privacy is not included, but is available for an extra charge
- Free domain not included in lowest tier plan, $19.99 additional charge
- Beginners who rely on customer support for guidance and information
- Small businesses looking to build a simple website quickly and need a page builder
Product/Plan | Core | Launch | Power | Pro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Cost/Month for First Year* | $2.99 | $5.99 | $5.99 | $13.99 |
Renews At | $9.49 | $12.99 | $16.99 | $23.99 |
Domain Cost | $19.99 | Free | Free | Free |
Free SSL | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Storage | 100GB | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Bandwidth | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Email Addresses | 10 | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
*With annual billing | ||||
InMotion is a web hosting provider that also sells domain names. It is known for having excellent customer service both on the sales and technical side. Chat support is available on all tiers 24/7/365, and phone support is available to the top two tiers of users, the Power and Pro plans.
For users on the Core plan, or if you’re just looking to park your address until you’re ready to build a website, a new domain name will run you $19.99 a year. Or you can get one for free if you sign up for its second tier or higher of service, starting at $5.99 a month for the Launch tier. The Launch tier includes many valuable features, including unlimited email addresses. It renews at an affordable $12.99 per month after the two-year introductory period expires.
InMotion is a feature-packed domain registrar and hosting service that provides small businesses with virtually everything they need to set up a website and grow their business. With plans starting at an affordable $2.99, there’s an InMotion plan to fit any budget. Its top-shelf customer support can have you up and running fast.
SiteGround: Best Domain Registrar for Easy Ecommerce Website Building
Pros
- No-code Weebly website builder comes free in web hosting plans
- Unlimited email addresses on all plans
- Unlimited sites after base tier
- Custom setup wizard for other CMS (WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, and more)
- Daily backups
Cons
- No free domain on any tier of service, a $17.99 added expense
- Storage space is very limited and number of visitors is capped
- Renewal price is much higher than some competitors
- Beginners who are building an ecommerce site
- Small businesses that are going to need multiple email addresses
Product/Plan | StartUp | GrowBig | GoGeek |
|---|---|---|---|
Initial Cost per Month* | $2.99 | $4.99 | $7.99 |
Renews At | $14.99 | $24.99 | $39.99 |
Domain Cost | $17.99 | $17.99 | $17.99 |
Storage Space | 10GB | 20GB | 40GB |
Visitors per Month | ~10,000 | ~100,000 | ~400,000 |
Bandwidth | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
*With annual billing | |||
SiteGround is a domain registrar and hosting provider that is ideal for some novice users who need a website builder and ecommerce solution. Every SiteGround domain and hosting package comes with free access to Weebly, an ecommerce site builder from Square. It’s easy to use and fast to learn. In fact, Weebly is one of the best website builders for small businesses.
SiteGround plans start at $2.99 a month for the first year, plus $17.99 for the domain. While SiteGround is a good choice for beginners, it may not be the best for every small business. SiteGround caps the number of visitors depending on which plan you choose, and storage space is also quite limited. If you need more storage space or unlimited visitors, consider DreamHost or Bluehost instead.
SiteGround is a great place to get a domain and web hosting if you need a good deal on a great website builder and aren’t too concerned about traffic. For some ecommerce businesses, SiteGround could be the ideal solution.
Scala Hosting: Best Domain Registrar With Cloud Hosting
Pros
- Affordable cloud hosting starting at $19.95/month
- Shared hosting plans starting at $2.95/month
- Unlimited bandwidth on all tiers of service
- Unlimited email on all tiers
Cons
- Lowest tier doesn’t have a free domain, a $19.99 expense
- Priority support reserved for highest tiers of service
- Small businesses that need higher security or cloud-based virtual private server
- Businesses needing unlimited email accounts
Product/Plan | Mini | Start | Advanced | Entry Cloud |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Cost per Month for First Year* | $2.95 | $5.95 | $9.95 | $19.95 |
Renews at | $9.95 | $12.95 | $15.95 | $24.95 |
Domain per Year | $19.99 | Free | Free | Free |
Storage | 10GB | 50GB | 100GB | 50GB |
Bandwidth | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Websites | 1 | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Priority Support | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
*With annual billing | ||||
Scala Hosting is not the ideal solution for all users, but its big selling point is its high-security cloud service, which gives users a secure, virtual private server (VPS) for $19.95 a month. If security is your top concern, a VPS with Scala Hosting is the way to go.
In addition to its cloud services, Scala Hosting provides shared hosting solutions that are more in line with the competition. In fact, with unlimited email addresses and unlimited bandwidth on all tiers of service, Scala Hosting is a worthy competitor to the other domain registrars and hosting providers we reviewed.
Scala Hosting provides VPS services starting at $19.95 a month on its Entry Cloud tier. Prices scale from there depending on the amount of storage your website will need. But the 50GB that includes will be more than ample for most small businesses. The Entry Cloud tier also includes priority support, so you won’t be left waiting in the queue if you have a question or run into difficulties.
Bluehost: Bundled Domain, SSL & Email in WooCommerce Store Plans
Pros
- .coms from $12.99 the first year
- Free domain with hosting plans from $2.95/month
- Easy and free to transfer your domain from another registry
- Set up alias forwarding emails
- From five to unlimited email accounts included
Cons
- Domain privacy isn’t included in the base tier
- Fewer domain extension options than competitors
- WooCommerce (and WordPress) has a much higher learning curve and site build time than Weebly for ecommerce
- Businesses planning to build a WordPress website or needing to migrate an existing site from another hosting company
- Those looking for affordable .website, .tech, and .org domains
Product/Plan | .com Domain Registration From | WordPress Website Plans* From | WordPress Online Store Plans* From |
|---|---|---|---|
Cost | $12.99/year | $2.95/month | $9.95/month |
Renewal Cost | $12.99/year | $10.99/month | $24.95/month |
Free Domain | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
Free SSL | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
No-code WordPress Site Builder | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
Free Email Accounts | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
*With annual billing | |||
Bluehost is a top web hosting service that is known for affordability and reliability. For small businesses considering building an online store in WordPress, the Online Store plan comes in at just $9.95 a month the first year. It comes complete with a managed WordPress installation, WooCommerce pre-installed, and more than $450 in upgrades and add-ons included. This makes Bluehost’s online store plan a great value for your business.
Domains cost $12.99 a year unless you buy a hosting package, which includes your domain and SSL. Also, domain-only purchases do not have an SSL certificate, though you can buy one for an additional fee. Similarly, Bluehost does not offer free domain privacy. If you’re just looking to secure a domain name and have no plans to build a website, you’re better served by IONOS or GoDaddy, which both include an SSL certificate with their domains.
If you plan to build a small business website on WordPress, Bluehost is one of the best places to buy a domain. Domains are $12.99 a year, and you can get a domain free with an SSL certificate and business email for $2.95 a month for the first year, making Bluehost one of the most affordable ways to take your small business online.
How We Evaluated the Best Domain Registrars
Getting the right business domain name for your website and professional email is a vital part of your business branding. However, with so many ways to register a domain, it can be confusing to figure out which offers the most value for your business. To help you choose, we ranked the best domain name registrars based on factors important to small businesses, including:
- Cost: Ideally, domain registration should start at $10 or less for the first year for a .com domain. Other top-level domains can cost more, such as .io, which can run up to $40 a year. The registrars we reviewed all offer inexpensive .com domains, and providers with options for free .com domains scored higher as well.
- Ease of use: Some domain registrars make registering a new domain easier than others. We chose providers that eliminate needless steps and options to help you avoid confusion. Most even have generators to give you domain name ideas should your first choice be taken.
- Features: Domain registrars that provide added value scored well. In fact, all of the domain registrars we chose for this review provide various value-added services, like SSL certificates or free email forwarding, which save you money.
- Customer service: Every domain name registrar on this list has to be reachable. That means they provide effective, timely support. Most of the providers we included here provide some version of 24/7 support. This means you can get your problems solved when you need to.
- Security: All the domain name registrar services on this list have to offer a significant number of security features, including verification steps, WHOIS privacy, and a free SSL (if purchased through hosting plans).
- Firsthand experience: Nothing substitutes for firsthand experience. We have worked with all of the domain registrars included here and knew from our own experiences the value and service they offer to customers.
Key Considerations When Choosing a Domain Registrar
Selecting the right domain registrar is one of the most important decisions you can make when securing your small business’s presence on the internet. There are several key considerations to take into account before you make your final decision.
Here are a few questions to consider:
- How much does each domain cost? Does the registrar offer introductory pricing? What is the regular annual domain registration fee after the introductory period ends?
- What features are included with the domain? Does the domain registrar provide value-added features like free SSL certificates, domain privacy, or email forwarding?
- What features do you need? Are you just buying the domain to protect your brand identity? Or are you looking to build a website, host a company email, or build a brand presence online? Does the registrar you’re considering provide the features to accomplish these goals?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the safest domain registrar?
When it comes to safety and security, top level domain registrars like IONOS, GoDaddy, and Hostinger are all on pretty even ground. All must follow exacting standards to maintain their status with ICANN. These standards include providing optional domain privacy, securing your domain registration with features to deter would-be domain thieves from attempting to steal your domain, and other means of locking your domain to prevent transfer.
Does it matter what domain registrar I use?
Yes, it matters which registrar you choose. Domain registrars vary wildly in terms of price and features. Some include value-added features like free SSL and domain privacy, while others allow you to host websites, company email, and more. Ultimately, the registrar you choose will be determined by the features you need most.
What is domain name privacy & is it worth it?
Domain privacy keeps the contact information used to register your domain on WHOIS as private. It reduces spam and junk mail and is especially ideal for businesses that want to keep their physical addresses private (like home-based businesses). Some domain registrars include this free, while others charge around $11 to $20 per year—but the added security is well worth it.
Bottom Line
The best overall domain name registrar for small businesses is IONOS. Domains are available through IONOS for as little as $1 a month the first year, WHOIS domain privacy is included, and there are multiple options depending on what you need. Alternatively, for standalone domain registry, we recommend Domain.com as it costs just $9.99 a year for a .com domain and you can register your domain for multiple years at a time.
