The 5 Best Domain Registrars for Small Businesses
Elizabeth Kraus has more than a decade of first-hand experience building and growing a boutique digital marketing agency and double that in small and mid-size business marketing management. She provides expert answers to marketing questions related to branding, content marketing, web development, email, social media, and SEO.
Hazel Emnace writes content for small businesses in the USA, Australia, South East Asia, and New Zealand, from engaging copy to marketing tips for business owners.
To get a domain for your website or business email, you need a trusted domain registrar. The best domain registrars for small businesses are affordable, secure, and provide quality support. They also have value-added features like bundled web or email hosting, SSL security, and domain privacy. In this article, we’ve shortlisted the best domain registration sites to help you find the right one for your professional needs.
Based on cost, features, and use cases, here are the best domain registrar services for small businesses:
- IONOS: Overall best domain registrar for small businesses—get a .com domain, SSL certificate, and email for $1 the first year
- Bluehost: Ideal domain registrar for those wanting a free domain bundled with business email and WordPress website hosting
- Domain.com: Excellent dedicated domain registration service for small businesses wanting to register a domain for up to five years
- GoDaddy Domain Club: Great domain registrar for registering and managing multiple domains at a discount
- Google Domains: Top domain registrar for those wanting email forwarding with up to 100 aliases
Best Domain Registration for Small Businesses at a Glance
Domain Registry | Starting Cost for .com Domains (per Year) | Plans/Bundles With Free Domain | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
 | $1* | ✓ |
|
 | $12.99 | ✓ |
|
 | $9.99 | ✕ |
|
 | $8.85** | ✕ |
|
 | $12 | ✕ |
|
*First-year pricing; renews at a higher rate.
**Premium Club Membership registrations, renewals, and transfers for portfolios with 50-plus domains do not include the cost of GoDaddy Domain Club membership. Individual .com domains are available from $20 for the first two years.
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IONOS: Overall Best Domain Registrar for Small Businesses
IONOS
What We Like
- $1 .com domains (first-year pricing)
- Domain privacy, SSL certificate, and 2GB email address included
- No extra charge for private registration, unlike most others on this list
- Free domains bundled in email hosting ($12/year), website builder ($12 the first year), and website hosting plans ($6 the first year)
What's Missing
- $1 domain renews at $15 to $20 after the first year—higher than most other providers
Best For
- 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
IONOS (formerly known as IONOS by 1&1 and 1&1 IONOS) tops our list of the best domain registrars for small business websites due to an abundance of low-cost domain registration options. If all you need is a domain, you can purchase it for $1 for the first year and get not only a domain name but a 2GB business email account and a free SSL certificate. Even with the renewal rate of $15 to $20, this is a bargain for what is included.
By comparison, a .com domain purchase at Domain.com costs $9.99, but adding private registration costs $8.99 more. And this doesn’t include email or an SSL account. Plus, Domain.com doesn’t offer email hosting apart from adding a Google Workspace account, and an SSL certificate will cost you at least $19.99 per month. With Bluehost, your all-in-one plan with domain, SSL, and email costs over $54 for the first year and doesn’t include private registration.
If you need email hosting, you also have the option to get a free domain name with IONOS email hosting for $12 per year. Alternatively, IONOS has all-in-one website builder plans from $1 per month for the first year that come with a free domain and SSL as well as a free email account. If you need website hosting, plans with a free domain, SSL, and an email account start at 50 cents a month (the first year).
IONOS Domain Pricing & Options
Product / Plan | .com Domain Registration From | Email Hosting Plans From | Website Builder Plans From | WordPress Hosting Plans From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Cost (First Year) | $1* | $12 | $12* | $6* |
Renewal Cost per Year | $15 to $20 | $12 | $60 | $96 |
Domain Included | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Free SSL | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Free Email Account | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
*Renews at a higher rate after the first year
No matter what combination of services you need, IONOS has the best domain registration options for startups and small businesses on a budget. No other provider comes close to offering as much value, especially during the first year. It’s also known for top-notch security and 24/7 live customer support, and is one of the best cheap website builders as well as domain name registrars for small businesses.
IONOS’ $1 per year domains are also ideal if you want a domain for a short-term project, such as a temporary website or a vanity URL to use for paid advertising and marketing campaigns. As they include an email account, you can also set up alias emails on these domains to track user engagement on your website and via email inboxes.
Bluehost: Best Way to Get a Domain & Email Free With Web Hosting
Bluehost
What We Like
- .com URLs from $12.99 the first year
- .website URLs from $1.99
- Free domain with hosting plans from $2.95/month
- WordPress hosting comes with a free WordPress site builder, .com domain, SSL, and email accounts for an all-in-one solution
- Easy and free to transfer your domain from another registry
What's Missing
- Free private registration isn’t included, unlike IONOS
- Fewer domain extension options than competitors
Best For
- 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
Bluehost is known for its small business web hosting services that come with a free domain for one year. It’s also a top WordPress-recommending hosting company with all-in-one plans inclusive of a domain, SSL certificate, web hosting, and emails on your domain. Plus, all Bluehost Website and Online Store plans come with a free, no-code WordPress website builder, making it one of the easiest ways to build a WordPress site.
While domain privacy isn’t included for free, it is offered as an add-on. However, this nearly doubles your domain name registration cost per year. If budget is an issue but you want domain privacy, go with IONOS or Google Domains instead.
Bluehost Domain Pricing & Options
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 |
Domain Included | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
Free SSL | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
No-code WordPress Site Builder | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
Free Email Accounts | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
*With annual billing
If you’re planning to build a small business website on WordPress, Bluehost is one of the best places to buy a domain. It will save you time as you won’t have to figure out how to redirect or migrate your domain from another registrar. Plus, there are bundled solutions to save you money.
Domain.com: Best Place to Buy a Domain With Multi-year Registration
Domain.com
What We Like
- Secure your domain for up to 5 years at a time
- Dedicated domain registrar
- Affordable .com domains from $9.99 per year
- Option to add domain privacy and protection
What's Missing
- Bundled options to add privacy, protection, and SSL security quickly drive up the cost of buying a domain—far more expensive than IONOS
- Not the best option for those wanting web or email hosting in addition to a domain—try Bluehost instead
Best For
- 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 5 years
Domain.com is a versatile domain registrar with a solid value for money for .com domains. It is an excellent choice for small to medium-sized businesses looking for the best place to buy a domain name—without the need for hosting. The process is quick and simple, with the option to purchase a domain for five years without renewing it for the foreseeable future.
Domain.com makes domain transfers easier, and you can complete the payment process in as little as a minute. It also has website builder plans, but they don’t come near to the value offered by the best website builders for small businesses (and they don’t include a domain). IONOS’ site builder plans would be better, as would other website builders that include a domain at no cost the first year in plans, such as Wix and Squarespace.
Regardless of the length of your domain registration contract, your .com’s annual registration cost will be the same at Domain.com. Additionally, you can add protection and privacy for $8.99 per year. A one-year contract including privacy and protection comes out to $18.98 (or for five years for $98.90). Adding an SSL certificate drives your cost up dramatically, so if you need SSL security, you should buy a domain through IONOS instead, since it’s included for free.
Domain.com Domain Pricing & Options
Product | .com Domain Registration for 1 Year | Privacy & Protection | Sitelock Security From | SSL Certificate From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Cost | $9.99/year | $8.99/year | $19.99/month | $3.99/month |
If you’re just looking for an affordable domain registrar, Domain.com is a good choice. It’s trusted and reputable, with more than 300 domain extensions available to customize your URL. Plus, you can reach their support team by phone if you need help.
GoDaddy Domain Club: Best Domain Registrar for Managing Multiple Domains
GoDaddy Domain Club
What We Like
- Save money with bulk domain management
- Purchase individual .com domains for 1 cent the first year plus $19.99 the second year (must pay for 2 years)
- One of the most popular domain registrars
- Additional resources for small businesses including a website builder, web hosting plans, payment processing systems, email accounts, and marketing tools
What's Missing
- Generally more expensive for a similar value as offered by IONOS or DreamHost
Best For
- Best domain registrar for those managing 11 or more domains
- Agencies that want low-cost bulk domain URL management to save money buying, renewing, and transferring domains
As one of the most recognized names among the best domain registrars, GoDaddy is the world’s biggest, managing an impressive 75 million domains worldwide. It’s a one-stop shop for web services such as web hosting, email, and website builder plans. Although you get deep first-year discounts on domain names, plans renew at a significantly higher price range, with $18.99 for .com and $19.99 for .org.
However, GoDaddy offers a robust savings option for professionals managing multiple domains with its Discount Domain Club. This premium membership offers discounted domain pricing, which benefits those who plan to register or manage multiple domain names.
GoDaddy features a powerful and user-friendly domain management interface. It allows domain name transfers, changing name servers, managing bulk domain renewals, and customizing domain settings right on your dashboard. However, unless you’re managing 11 or more domains, you can find similar features at a more affordable rate on IONOS or Domain.com.
GoDaddy Domain Club Domain Pricing & Options
Basic Club Membership | Premium Club Membership | Single .com Domains From | Site Builder Plans From | WordPress Hosting From | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cost (First Year) | $59.88* | $239.88* | 1 cent** | $119.88 | $107.88 |
Renewal Cost per Year | $95.88 | $239.88 | $19.99 | $143.88 | $119.88 |
Club Domain Purchase & Renewal Cost | $11.99 each | $8.85 each | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
Free Domain for 1 Year | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
Free SSL | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
Email Accounts | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓*** | ✓*** |
*Does not include the cost of domain purchase and renewal
**Two-year purchase required; the second year billed at $19.99
***Depending on the plan, get one to five free Microsoft Office 365 mailboxes free for one year
GoDaddy doesn’t offer the best price for individual domain purchases. However, its Domain Club offers significant discounts, especially for those managing more than 50 domains. If you need multiple domains but fewer than 11 domains, you’ll be better off purchasing them through Domain.com or Google Domains. If you’re looking for ways to get a domain included with other services your business needs (e.g., website builder or email hosting), try IONOS or Bluehost.
GoDaddy is one of the most popular domain registrars. If you do have a domain through GoDaddy already, see how easy it is to set up a subdomain on GoDaddy to use with your business website.
Google Domains: Best Domain Registrar for Email Forwarding
Google Domains
What We Like
- Transparent pricing and doesn’t increase on renewal
- Domain name privacy included free
- .com domains from $12
- Live support available 24/7
- Easily set up business email with Google Workspace
- Secure servers on Google infrastructure
- Create up to 100 aliases (e.g., customercare@yourdomain.com) and forward them to your existing email
What's Missing
- Though it says pricing starts at $7, this is not for .com and other business-appropriate domain extensions
- Getting business email to use with your domain isn’t cheap ($6 to $18 per month to add Google Workspace)
Best For
- Businesses planning to use Gmail for business email
- Those wanting an easy domain registration process
- Small businesses looking for 24/7 human support for domain issues or management
Google Domains offers in-demand domains starting at just $7 per year in addition to .com domains for $12 a year. While it can’t match IONOS’ $1 first-year pricing, over time, you’ll save money with Google Domains because the price you pay doesn’t increase on renewal.
Likewise, Google has a basic website builder, but you can’t add it directly when purchasing your domain. Additional setup steps are required if you get your domain through Google, no matter what content management system you use to build your website. For a seamless process, register your domain with IONOS by choosing a site builder plan or with Bluehost with WordPress hosting.
Google Domains Domain Pricing & Options
.com Domain Registration (& Renewal) | .com Domain Plus Google Workspace From | |
|---|---|---|
Cost per Year | $12 | $84 |
Renewal Cost per Year | $12 | $84 |
Private Registration | ✓ | ✓ |
Free SSL | ✕ | ✕ |
Email Account | ✕ | ✓ |
As a top domain name registrar, Google Domains integrates easily with other Google tools, making managing your domain easy from your Google account. For example, if you plan to use Gmail for business email, you can register your domain name through Google while setting up your Google Workspace account, saving the hassle of connecting your domain and email manually.
Now that you’ve decided on the best domain registrar for your small business, learn how to choose the right domain name for your brand in six easy steps.
How We Evaluated the Best Domain Registrars for Small Businesses
It’s vital to get the right business domain name for your website and professional email as 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 reviewed and analyzed the best domain name registrars based on factors that often matter most to small businesses, including:
- Pricing: Domain registration sites should offer low-cost pricing, ideally under $10 for a domain for the first year. Some domain endings are more expensive than others, and we made sure each of the best domain registrar services offers cheaper options. Providers with options for a free domain also scored higher.
- Ease of use: We removed highly complicated domain name registrars that require multiple steps (and confusing setup practices) to get a domain.
- Features: The best domain registration services add value for small businesses with money-saving extras like bundled email and web hosting packages, domain privacy, and domain parking.
- Customer service: Every domain name registrar on this list has to be reachable, and based on reviews, we made sure issues were resolved.
- 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: We’ve tested and used the platforms listed here, including on some of our own projects. This firsthand experience gives us added confidence in recommending these providers.
After considering the above criteria, we found that IONOS is the best domain registrar for small businesses overall. There are several very inexpensive options for buying domain names. All come with private registration, a free SSL certificate for those planning to use their domain for a website, and a free email account to use with your custom URL.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which is better: .com or .net?
Both .com and .net are top-level domains (aka TLDs). However, each domain represents a different type of business. The .com extension is short for commercial, meaning any business or enterprise, whereas the .net is short for network, representing the technology or web services industry. If you’re still on the fence, get more information on .com vs .net.
What do I do if my desired domain name isn’t available?
Domains are notoriously challenging to find, so if you’re seeking a fairly common or very short domain, chances are it’s already taken. In this case, try adding a keyword, location, or verb. For example, a cafe named Sunrise Cafe might try sunrisecoffee.com, sunrisetampa.com, or drinksunrise.com. For more inspiration, check out these domain name ideas.
What is domain name privacy & is it worth it?
Domain privacy keeps the contact information used to register the domain as private, so no one sees your contact information by searching for your domain. It’s great for reducing spam and junk mail, but it’s especially ideal for online-based businesses that want to keep their physical addresses private (including home-based businesses). Some domain registrars include this free, while others charge around $11 per year—but the added security is well worth it.
Bottom Line
The best overall domain name registrar is IONOS based on the security, support, and domain options it offers. However, if you plan to build a WordPress website, the best value is choosing a low-cost, yet feature-rich web hosting plan through Bluehost. It includes a free domain and free business email with Bluehost’s hosting plans that cost as little as $2.95 per month for a 12-month contract.
You Might Also Like…
- Ready to use your new domain? Learn how to create a professional email address.
- Follow our step-by-step instructions to set up business domain name registration.
