Every business website needs a domain name, such as yourbusiness.com, and a savvy business knows there are ways to save money and get a free domain. There are a number of black hat ways to do this, though there are only two legitimate ways a credible business should go about getting a free domain: through a web hosting plan or a site builder plan.
Quick tip: If you’re planning to build a website with the world’s leading content management system (CMS), WordPress, you’ll need a web hosting plan, so get a free domain name (and many other money-saving extras) by choosing a feature-rich provider such as Bluehost, for as little as $3 per month.
How to Get a Free Domain Name
As tempting as it may be, skip the shady black hat tactics. While there are roundabout ways of getting a free domain name, the majority of these are not professional domains (e.g., a .com) and without properly registering for a domain, you won’t actually get ownership of it. Instead, you can get a legitimately registered domain for free through services you’re likely using anyway, such as web hosting, or through a site builder plan.
Here are the two ways to get a free domain name:
- With a web hosting plan: Those building a site with the world’s leading CMS, WordPress, will need a web hosting plan in order for that site to be live on the web. Many top web hosting providers, such as Bluehost, GoDaddy, and DreamHost, include a free domain name with annual plans on top of many other extras that will save you money.
- With an all-in-one-site builder plan: If you’re looking for a fast and easy way of building a website, all-in-one site builders are a great solution. As the name states, plans with these site builders, such as Squarespace, come with everything a business needs, from web hosting to a free domain name for just $12 per month.
To find out which option is right for you, determine whether you want to build a site with WordPress or a site builder. To do this, consider your level of technical expertise and aptitude, site requirements and specs, the amount of time you have, and your budget. Those with some web design experience (or the time to learn) who need a highly custom site will find WordPress to be ideal, whereas those who want a professional-quality site quickly should use a site builder.
Option 1: How to Get a Free Domain Name With Web Hosting
Every site built with WordPress requires web hosting to be available live on the web, and so it’s worth getting more out of your web hosting plan by choosing one that includes a free domain. Not all web hosting plans are created equal and when looking for the best one for your site, consider other factors such as features, inclusions, ratings, and price.
Top Web Hosting Providers That Include a Free Domain Name
Bluehost | DreamHost | GoDaddy | |
|---|---|---|---|
Starting Price w/Annual Plan | $5.95/mo. | $3.95/mo. | $6.99/mo. |
Rating |  |  | |
Storage | 50GB | 50GB | 100GB |
Bandwidth | Unmetered | Unmetered | Unmetered |
Free Domain Name | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Free SSL Certificate | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Free Business Email | ✔ | N/A | ✔ |
Quick tip: Not sure which web host is right for you? Get the full review with all the information you need to choose from the best web hosting companies.
To help narrow down which hosting provider would be best for your business, answer a few short questions below. This will offer you a customized recommendation based on the responses you give.
Which Web Hosting Company Is Right for Your Domain?
Bluehost
Bluehost is a top web hosting provider that includes a free domain name with its plans. It also includes many other free extras, from a free SSL certificate to free business email, making it a great value for under $3 per month. Easily find and get your free domain name by using the search bar below.
DreamHost
DreamHost is another leading web hosting provider that offers a free domain name with its annual web hosting plans. For as little as $2.59 per month with a long-term plan, you get unlimited bandwidth, one-click WordPress installation, and a free SSL certificate. While it is the least expensive on the list, it does not include free business email hosting, which can save businesses a lot of money compared to, say, paying $6 per user, per month for staff email.
GoDaddy
GoDaddy is both a domain name registrar and a web hosting provider that includes a free domain name with its annual web hosting plans. It does include double the amount of storage compared to the other web hosting providers on the list, though it is also the most expensive provider on the list.
Quick tip: Save a great deal of money by building your own website with WordPress. If you’re not sure if you have the time or aptitude, see how easy it can be and learn how to make a WordPress website.
Option 2: How to Get a Free Domain Name With Site Builders
Those who are looking for an easy way to build a business website at an affordable price will find site builders such as Squarespace, Weebly, or Wix to be a good option. Plans start at around $12 per month and include everything needed to build, launch, and manage a professional business website, including a free domain name, web hosting, a drag-and-drop site builder, templates, and more.
Top Site Builders That Include a Free Domain Name
Squarespace | Weebly | Wix | |
|---|---|---|---|
Price | $12/mo. | $12/mo. | $13/mo. |
Rating |  |  | |
Free Domain Name | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Free SSL Certificate | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Drag-and-Drop Site Editor | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Free Trial | 14-day | N/A | 14-day |
Squarespace
Squarespace is one of the world’s leading site builders, and it includes a free domain name (as well as many other extras) in its all-in-one website plans. It’s known for having high-quality modern website templates that make it easy to build and design a professional-looking site. Plans start at $12 per month, but you can try it for free with a 14-day trial.
Quick tip: Interested in using Squarespace? Learn how to build a website with Squarespace.
Weebly
Weebly is a top site builder known for its simplicity and ecommerce features. Its business-quality plans include a free domain name and start at $12 per month. It’s a good solution for those who need to build a basic, informational website very quickly. It does not offer a free trial, though you can build a website with its drag-and-drop editing interface before purchasing a plan.
Quick tip: Interested in Weebly? Learn how to build a small business website using Weebly.
Wix
Wix is an all-in-one site builder known for its vast customization capabilities and user-friendly editing interface. Plans come with a free domain name and start at $13 per month for everything from templates to web hosting. It’s a good choice for those who want an easy-to-use site builder with a good deal of design freedom and flexibility.
Quick tip: Wondering if Wix is right for you? Check out the complete breakdown of Wix vs WordPress to find out.
How to Register a Free Domain Name in 4 Steps
The best way to register a free business domain is to use a domain registrar that offers free domains as a part of their web hosting plans. For example, Bluehost offers a free domain when you sign up for its $2.95 per month hosting plan, which includes 50GB of storage, a secure sockets layer (SSL) certificate, and five email accounts. To begin, select a hosting plan, then follow the prompts to search for a domain, select an available one, and buy web hosting.
Here’s how to register a free domain name in four steps:
- Choose a provider and plan: The first thing you need to do is choose which web hosting provider you’ll use and which plan works for your business.
- Search domains: After choosing your plan, the next step is to search for your desired domain name. You may find that your desired domain name isn’t available, so you might need to search to find one that is.
- Select a domain: Once you have found a suitable domain name that is available, select it by clicking the button to continue to the next step.
- Register the domain and purchase plan: The final step is to register your domain name and complete your web hosting plan purchase.
Quick tip: Want more insight? Get the step-by-step instructions on the process of domain name registration.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do I get a free email using my domain name?
Many hosting plans offer a free domain and at least one free email account with a matching email address (e.g., name@yourdomain.com). Bluehost offers the best deal, which includes five free business email addresses within its ultra-low-cost plan for just $2.95 per month. It also comes with many other money-saving extras too, such as a free domain name and a free SSL certification. Learn more about how to get free email.
How can I get a free website?
There are a number of ways to get a free website, from using site builders such as Weebly with a subdomain (and ads) to using an open source content management system, such as WordPress. Those building a professional business website will find WordPress to be the best solution, which is free to use and enables you to connect a custom domain with third-party web hosting. Learn more about how to build your small business website.
How do you choose a domain name?
Those looking to register a domain name for the first time will find how challenging it can be to find an available domain name. There are a number of things you can do to find and choose one, such as adding keywords or your location to your domain, keeping it short, and using the right domain extension. Learn more about choosing a domain name.
Bottom Line
For anyone looking to build a professional website that appears credible, the best way to get a free domain name is by choosing a web hosting plan that includes a free domain. As tempting as it may be to find a truly free domain, doing so will often waste a lot of time and compromise your ability to make a good first impression or maintain a secure and reliable site.
You’re going to need web hosting if you’re building a WordPress website, so it’s worth choosing a reliable and secure provider such as Bluehost, which includes a free domain name as well as many other money-saving extras. The small price of as little as $2.95 per month is well worth the integrity of your site (and business).
Mizu
if i dont pay after month my domain will be disabled?
Laura Handrick
Hi Mizu,
Yes, it’s very important to pay attention to the trial period end date. If you provide a credit card when you sign up for a free trial, the company will charge your card after the trial period ends. Good luck!
Laura
Dave
Some people say that Dot.TK is a SCAM.
and those people MIGHT be RIGHT.
Jeremy Marsan
As we outline in the article, Dot.Tk only lets you register for up to 1 year at a time. While renewals are currently free, we can’t guarantee it will remain that way in the future.
Oie White
as me for i been use for dacde now with no problem
i still on the grandfather plan wish try to get me to change
Oie White
the catch is if there not active on your for more then 25 or 30 day
they sometime bump you off make you have resign up for domain again
nasser heidari
merci
Krista Fabregas
De rien! Merci d’avoir lu et commenté.
Krista