Domain name come with a few alerts, but they are useful options if you are on a tight budget.
Creating a website takes important work and consideration. It is 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 store, a domain name is a business address. Without address, potential customers will not find your real-world store, and it is the same with domain names and websites.
Fortunately, buying a domain name is not complicated, and there are several ways to buy one. In fact, we have a step-by-step domain registration guide that should check the directions. That being said, you can take a domain name without using a dime if you are willing to face a few caves. We will show you how to do that.
Get a Free Domain Name From These Web Explorers
But First, Some Important Information;
There are a few things to consider when getting a domain name. Generally, domain names are not yours to keep permanently. They are usually free for a year or two, after which the registrar will charge a renewal fee. You may also lose the domain if you use it for what the provider sees as an illegal activity (spam, for example). Additionally, almost all registrars have the right to make changes to the registration agreement whenever they wish, and without your knowledge. Be sure to check with any potential registrar carefully before making a commitment.
Domain names rarely come with privacy protection. This means that your information as a domain owner is publicly available to anyone on the Whois website. If you are a brick and mortar business and your information is already available to the public, privacy will not be a major concern. However, if you are a blogger who does not want your personal address to be accessible to the entire internet, privacy protection is an important security measure. Depending on the registrar you are using, this could be as low as $ 2 per year or up to $ 20 per year.
Now that we’ve got you out of the way, let’s explore three ways to get a free domain name.
See Free Domain Subscribers
Dot TK and Freenom are domain registrars that allow you to access the domain for free. Allows you to search the domain, and select one of the five, free extensions: tk, .ml, .ga, .cf, and .gq. These are not the typical add-ons that you often see when browsing the web, in order to make your site — especially a business-focused site — appear graphic, or illegal. If you are planning a personal blog or site, this may not be a major problem, however.
Please note that you do not own these domains; registered and managed by Dot TK or Freenom.
Check Website Builder Services
Website builders, services and tools allow you to create a website quickly, and offer free domain names. However, free domain registration is only available for a limited time. This is usually a one-year window, after which you have to pay to maintain the domain for any renewal fees required by the service provider. This can be good if you need temporary hosting for a year or less, but be warned: there are often penalties associated with terminating these programs early. You may be charged a fixed amount of time remaining on your domain for the year, or you may be charged an annual renewal fee directly.
Wix is a well-known and flexible website builder that offers a free domain for one year with its annual plans. After this first year, however, you should renew the domain for $ 14.95 a year if you wish to maintain it. Wix free domain offers do not include private subscriptions; you have to pay another $ 9.90 a year.
Weebly is another solid option. Website Builder allows you to get a free domain with its Pro program (or other top subscription).
Squarespace is another option to build a website with a free one-year domain name. Domains registered with squarespace also include Whois privacy protection as part of the package, which is a fantastic deal if you go this route. Renewing domains with squarespace costs $ 20.
Visit Web Hosting Services
The third way to register a free domain is using web hosting services. As website builders, web hosting services often combine free domain registration with their packages to persuade you to commit to an annual plan. And as webmasters, web hosting services often have a fee associated with premature termination of the package, so you may be eligible to receive a full domain renewal fee if you decide to cancel the subscription. With that in mind, this option is great if you need a free domain name for a year or less.
Priced as $ 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 offers a free domain name. The price of a domain renewal depends on the type of extension, but .com renewals cost $ 17.99.
Hostgator includes free domain hosting with its annual or longer Hatchling plan ($ 3.95 per month per year).
