When it comes to getting your domain name, you have two choices: either you get it from the same company as your hosting, or somewhere else.
I personally recommend getting your domain name at another company, just in case something happens. That way, if you ever run into problems with your hosting, your eggs aren’t all in the same basket.
You can just take your website and move it somewhere else, instead of struggling to move your domain name to another company first.
Which company do we recommend?
I absolutely love Namecheap*. Their prices are really competitive compared to other domain name resellers and they also provide free tools that other companies don’t offer. They also don’t try to constantly upgrade you or make you feel locked in as some other companies might do.
Overall, if you want access to the best domain management platform that also comes with the cheapest price, Namecheap* is my recommendation (and where I host all of my domain names!)
They also offer privacy protection for free, something other companies can charge up to $10/year for. Trust me, it adds up. And the privacy protection is so so so important. Do not skip it!
Which companies do we avoid?
Mostly GoDaddy. They are the ones who “stole” a domain name from someone before (they purchased it so the person could only buy it from them). They are also awfully hard to integrate with other hosting and will be constantly finding ways to add a $5/month charge to your account to get more money out of you.
If you already have your domain name(s) with them, don’t worry. It’s fine, you can still use them! I just wouldn’t recommend them to new bloggers. You need a company that plays well with others, not someone who always wants to keep you in their ecosystem.
I would also recommend avoiding any companies that are in the Endurance International Group (EIG). They are a gigantic hosting company that buys smaller players and tends to make their support + product go down. This includes major hosting companies like:
- A Small Orange
- Bluehost
- Fatcow
- HostGator
- iPage
- Site5
- (See the full list here)
