compare the best domain hosting of 2024
Search our expert reviews to compare the leading domain hosting companies.
Learn more about their special offers & get your site up
and running today.
Last Updated: Oct 2024
Our Most Popular
①
GoDaddy -Secure & reliable domain hosting solution, complete for any website 108,571 reviews by
✔ Automatic domain transfer
✔ Free SSL certificate
②
Namecheap -Budget-friendly domains for every need 16,921 reviews by
✔ Privacy protection included
③
Domain.com -A stable and secure platform to host your website 2,542 reviews by
✔ Save 25% with code TOPDOMAIN
④
Bluehost -Fast & reliable hosting with advanced security add-ons 15,696 reviews by
✔ Unlimited subdomains
✔ Limited Offer- starting at $1.99/mo
⑤
Crazy Domains -Affordable domain hosting service that’s fast and reliable 5,759 reviews by
✔ 60-day money-back guarantee
✔ Free domain transfer
⑥
IONOS -Fast and secure hosting to help your business grow 23,677 reviews by
✔ Easily connect domain with email & hosting
✔ Free domain transfer
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✔ Free SSL security & domain privacy
✔ Free domain transfer
⑧
HostGator -Easy & affordable domain hosting with intuitive site building tools 9,617 reviews by
✔ Unmetered disk space & bandwidth
⑨
Hostinger -Scalable domain hosting solutions for fast websites 33,355 reviews by
✔ 24/7 customer support
Looking to grow online? Check out industry-leading website builders:
①
Jimdo -Modern website designs with advanced features 4,365 reviews by
✔ Personal website assistance
✔ Free image library
②
Web.com -Build a website designed to achieve your goals 2,292 reviews by
code: BUILD50
✔ Mobile friendly design
✔ Unlimited expert support
Top 10 Best Domain Name Hosting of 2024
It’s always fun to launch a new website. Of course, picking a domain name, or website address, is the first thing you need to do when making a website. You will need the help of a domain name host in order to buy a domain name.
There are many things that will affect your choice of hosting, such as price, support options, speed, privacy, and general user experience. These are the factors we used to make a list of the 10 best domain name hosting services of 2024.
Find out everything you need to know about domain name registration and hosting in this article. This way, you can buy your domain name with confidence.
What Is Domain Name Hosting?
As soon as you buy a domain name, you are given the exclusive right to use that name for a set amount of time. In the background, your domain name owner will use the Domain Name System (DNS) to register that domain name so that you can use it for other domain services like websites and email.
Most domain name hosts do more than just help people register domain names. Quite a few of them will also run websites and sell domain names. They will also store your data and add security features to keep your domain name from being stolen.
Most of the time, your domain name is used for a website. However, many hosts also let you use it for email addresses or to send people to another domain.
A lot of domain name hosts offer technical support because you might need it to set up security for your site, connect a website builder, or do some other technical job.
How to Choose the Right Domain Name Hosting for Your Needs
It’s very hard to pick the right host for your domain name because each host is different and each user has different needs. Here are some common things you should think about when picking a domain name host that works for you.
Support Options
Think about when customer service is open and what methods are available, like live chat, phone, email, and so on. Do you feel sure that you can fix any problems with your website by yourself? If not, having help you can count on can be important.
Privacy/Security
Before you choose a domain name hosting service, you should think about how safe your website is. You should have an SSL certificate on your site at the very least. At some point, you should also think about getting your computer a firewall and the ability to scan for malware.
These services may be provided for free by some server companies, while others may charge extra for them. It’s also possible to get some or all of your protection from someone else.
Speed/Storage Space
Think about how fast and how much room your host gives you if you want to host a website on your domain. It is generally thought that the more graphics you have on your website, the more room and speed you will need.
A small website with only a few pictures and no movies or built-in web apps will probably not need more than 5GB of space. On the other hand, a big online store might need 100GB or more.
Plans with a lot of space and fast speeds cost a lot, so make sure you get a plan with just the right amount of space and speed for your needs. Over time, if your needs change, you should be able to get a better one.
Cost
The last thing to think about is cost. The price of a domain can be anywhere from less than $10 to several hundred thousand dollars. Different hosts offer different services, such as email and website hosting, which can change the price you pay.
Carefully think about what services you really need, then look at how much each host charges for those services to help you make your final choice.
How Does Domain Name Hosting Work?
Before you can understand how domain name hosting works, you need to know how a domain name works. You ask the Domain Name System for something when you type a domain name into your computer.
After that, the Domain Name System finds the name servers that are linked to that domain name. It tells the name servers about your request, and they send it to the web server that hosts the site. Following this, the web server sends the browser details about that site.
The domain web host is in charge of the name servers, and your website host is in charge of the web server. It is the job of the domain name host to add your domain name to the DNS and keep the name servers up and running so that your domain name stays live online.
Domain Name Hosting Glossary
There are certain things you will come across when comparing domain name hosts. It’s important to know what these terms mean before making a choice, so we’ve given you a basic explanation of some popular terms here.
Domain Name
A domain name is a group of characters that stands for a particular thing on the internet, like a computer, server, or website. The Domain Name System sets standard rules for names and makes it easier to communicate with the internet. Domain names are listed in a hierarchy.
Domain Registrar
A domain registrar is a company that buys domain names, reserves them, keeps name servers up to date, and makes sure that once a domain name is reserved, it is properly registered with the DNS. It also gives every domain name an IP address. Another name for a domain server is a company that hosts domain names.
IP Address
An Internet Protocol (IP) address is a unique number that is linked to a network or computer that is connected to the internet. Every network that wants to link to the internet needs to have an IP address. To talk to another network over the internet, a network first finds the other network’s IP address and then sends information to that address.
Uptime
A name server, which is basically just a powerful computer that you pay your hosting company to keep up, is where your domain name is stored. You can’t expect every computer to work all the time; sometimes they will crash or need to be taken offline for repair. This is called “downtime,” and the time when they are working is called “uptime.”
Most domain hosts will claim a certain amount of uptime, like 99%. If you want to choose a hosting provider, read the fine print and make sure you agree with the uptime they claim.
Keep in mind that big numbers like 99% can seem more powerful than they really are. If a computer is 99% uptime, it will be down three to four days a year on average. If it is 95% uptime, it will be down about 18 days a year.
FAQs
Do domain name hosts have any hidden fees?
Most of the time, good domain name hosting companies are clear about how much they charge. Still, most of them work like yearly subscriptions, with auto-renewal turned on by default. If you forget to use the website and get a bill out of the blue, this could be a surprise. If you’re not sure if you’ll need your site in the coming years, make sure to turn off auto-renewal.
What is dedicated hosting?
Your site will share a server with other sites when you use shared hosting. You have your own computer that is only used for your site when you host it. If you have a website that gets a lot of visitors, dedicated hosting is better, but it costs more than shared hosting. If you want something even simpler than shared hosting, you can get free hosting, but you usually can’t use your own domain name with it.
Why are disc space limitations important to consider?
How much information you can put on your site is limited by disc space. You might use up all of your hosting provider’s disc room if your site has a lot of videos and pictures or is just very big. Most of the time, this just means you need to buy more to make your site work right, but keep disc room in mind as you look for a hosting service.
Our Top 3 Picks ⬇
①
GoDaddy
A wide selection of domain hosting options
Read GoDaddy Review
You’ll no doubt be familiar with GoDaddy, the somewhat snarky, slightly scandalous, and seriously silly domain hosting service that combines humor and domain hosting in a professional and reliable way. Between that and perks like affordable pricing and a free SSL certificate with most plans, GoDaddy is a great deal.
Pros
✅ Global data centers
✅ Loads of domain hosting plans to choose
Cons
❌ Pricing disclosure is not transparent
GoDaddy
②
Namecheap
Reliable 99.9%+ uptime.
Read Namecheap Review
Namecheap provides a range of hosting solutions designed to meet varying needs, from beginners to established businesses. Its affordable shared hosting plans offer a solid entry point for newcomers, while VPS and dedicated hosting plans cater to more complex needs.
Namecheap’s user-friendly services simplify the process of establishing and managing an online presence. Overall, Namecheap is a versatile, cost-effective choice for web hosting with an emphasis on customer convenience and support.
Why we chose Namecheap – Namecheap offers a good balance of affordability, security, and reliability. Geared towards individuals and small- to medium-sized businesses, it provides a solid hosting environment.
Our experience – We found Namecheap impressively straightforward to get started with. The dashboard was intuitive and we were able to quickly set up a basic WordPress website.
Pros
✅ Reliable uptime
✅ 24/7 live support and comprehensive knowledge base
Cons
❌ Lacks phone support
Namecheap
③
Domain.com
Reliable domain hosting from an industry pro
Read Domain.com Review
Domain.com is responsible for powering more than 1.2 million websites, a task that this industry-veteran handles with ease. Founded in 1998, Domain brings more than 20 years of experience to small and medium-sized businesses, offering comprehensive hosting plans and smart website design capabilities and competitive prices.
Pros
✅ 99.9% uptime on all plans
✅ 24/7 customer support
Cons
❌ Limited website building options