Which domain registrar do you recommend?
I've been using GoDaddy for a long time (as probably it was one of the first international registrar that would take my local credit card) but after recent news and pointing out different issues with them I'd like to move out.
Since I own some regional domains that I'd like to move not all registrars are possible as a destination (I know, for instance, that Namecheap won't work due to the lack of .SE support).
What are some reputable domain registrars where I could move my domains to?
Very happy with Namecheap [1]. I have 3 domains registered with them, one of them going back a long time. Never had problems with anything from search to payment.
They have 2FA support that works with the open source TOTP apps too.
[1]: https://www.namecheap.com
I regularly use three different providers depending on needs.
- Gandi for general usage, free and hassle-free https://www.gandi.net/
- Njalla when my privacy is needed and don't want to risk the domain from being taken over/down because of moral/ethical issues (nothing illegal, but for "frowned upon" websites) https://njal.la/
- dnsimple when needing absolute control over as much as possible, flexibility in using APIs for controlling the zone and for really important domains, costs 5 USD per month minimum though https://dnsimple.com/
NearlyFreeSpeech.NET is the registrar I use. They're a web hosting company, so domain registration is not their only service, but they have an excellent company philosophy and customer-friendly policy set.
I've been using them for about 10 years now, and they have been extremely reliable, zero-maintenance; and the web-interface is very easy to use and logically organised. (no javascript!)
Their prices aren't too bad either, since domain registration isn't their main priority.
Only downside is that they don't support all domain types, only the legacy GTLDs and a small list of new ones: https://www.nearlyfreespeech.net/services/domains
Very happy with Porkbun ( https://porkbun.com/ ). Newer registrar, but their console is clean, nice looking, and it's easy to update settings.
As it hasn't been mentioned yet, I use namesilo.com.
What originally drew me to their service was 2FA, no additional services bullshit (i.e. I'm never going to buy "web hosting" from a domain registrar, I don't want the current-customer-spam they all use to cross-sell) and decent prices.
They've recently started selling "web hosting" but so far it hasn't really been pushed, and their focus seems to be very much on domains still.
A lot of the .se registrars are in Sweden, but if you're just using it as a name hack then your options may be more limited (eNom/Tucows, Name.com, and Dyn (which was acquired by Oracle and then subsequently by name.com)).
Maybe try Hover? Based out of Canada, provided by Tucows.
You might have to use more than one registrar to get coverage on all your regional domains, depending on how many you have.
In The Netherlands, I use openprovider (https://openprovider.com/). They are actually a reseller solution for agencies and such, but it works equally well for personal domain registration needs. Pricing is competitive, service is excellent, and they are small enough to pick up the phone if necessary.
I also like to think that a registrar with a support desk that operates in my local language (Dutch) reduces the attack vector for social engineering.
I've migrated a few dozen domains from Godaddy to Namecheap, for various reasons, mostly because Godaddy absolutely sucks.
Namecheap tech support is great. Loving their dynamic DNS application too since I'm taking advantage of my 500mbit up/down running a server at home. I've had no problems with Namecheap since I started using them a few years ago and finally migrated everything over to them a few months ago.
Goodbye Godaddy!! Good riddance!
A little tangent, but I have ~ 50 domains I've bought from... many different places over the years. I've been meaning to develop my ideas with them, but they've been ending up just.. idle. I recently created a small tool to manage my un-used domains better
https://www.newsy.co
Hopefully, those who are in a similar situtation can also find it useful.
I always use the French company OVH (https://www.ovh.com/fr/domaines/). It's very reliable.
They have a lot of extensions, including the ".SE" that you want, and they offer 10 Mo to host your own mini site and an e-mail account of 5 Go with every domain.
Gandi has been working well for me. It just chugs along. Good UI. Doesn't try to upsell me anything or be my friend. All the mails I received in 5+ years were purely transactional: payments and notifications for expiring domains where I don't have auto-renewal enabled.
Surely that is true for other registrars as well, but I've had no reason to look further.
But I don’t know if they support .SE though.
For .SE domains, Frobbit seems reliable, but I haven’t tested them myself https://frobbit.se/
I moved mine to google because it's pretty much zero stupid. I do sometimes feel captured by the borg.
I am using Google domains. Haven't had any complaints, neither from friends nor from here at HN.
Ranking the domain providers I've used:
1. Google Domains (Simple and easy)
2. Namecheap (Pretty decent)
3. Gandi.net. Perfectly fine.
4. Godaddy (cheap/ubiqutous, a bit of a hassle)
5. Oneandone. Spammed me constantly.
I've been using easydns. They have very good support and have lots of nice features (including lots of experimental new DNS stuff.) The owners of the company have principles I agree with and the site is easy to use.
I use iwantmyname both for myself and my company and they have always been excellent. Loads of domains (I've never had a problem with something not being supported), good support, system works really well for me too.
I’ve used iwantmyname.com for years and am very happy with them. I’ve got around 50 domains in there but have managed as many as 150 through them before. Good support when I’ve needed it and simple but powerful interface.
It's great if you don't like giving away your personal data. They accept payments with cryptocurrencies as well.
gandi.net has been ok for me.
Most of the large cloud services companies have registrar arms: AWS, Google Cloud, etc. I currently use Gandi.net but am considering a transfer to my AWS account to simplify my security posture.
Porkbun & Namesilo is what I ended up with over many years.
Dynadot has been my preference for some time. I migrated everything from Godaddy a few years ago. It offers Who Is privacy as standard and don't spam me every day.
Porkbun
1. No questions asked 48 hour cancellation
2. Free WHOIS
3. Cheapest in most TLDs
4. Most user friendly Dashboard and processes
5. Plethora of payment options (crypto included)
Namecheap.com
And maybe still.. Name.com although not cheap.
Dynadot = crooks. Research. Search and see my extended reply/post below. Nightmare scenario.
NameSilo is very good and been using it for years
Well, you basically started with the worst one, so things are looking up for you!
For personal projects I use Gandi, for work I use AWS Route53 Domains.
I've always used Gandi and have no complains