What a domain registrar is, and how to choose a good one

When you register a domain, you do it through a registrar, a company accredited to sell domain registrations. The registrar you choose affects what you pay each year, how secure your domain is and how easy it is to manage. It's worth choosing carefully, and it's possible to move later if you change your mind.

Registrars, registries and resellers

Three kinds of organisations are involved in most domains:

• Registries run each extension. Each extension, such as .com or .ca, has a registry that keeps the master list of domains for it.
• Registrars sell registrations to the public and manage them on your behalf. For generic extensions like .com, registrars are accredited by ICANN. Country-code extensions have their own accreditation systems.
• Resellers sell domains through a registrar's systems, often bundled with hosting.

You deal with the registrar or reseller. They deal with the registry.

What to compare

Renewal price, not just the first year

Many registrars offer a low price for the first year, then charge much more to renew. Since you'll renew for as long as you keep the domain, the renewal price matters far more. Check it before buying.

Included extras

Look at what's included at no extra cost, such as:

• privacy protection for your contact details,
• DNS management,
• URL forwarding, and
• email forwarding.

Security

Your domain is valuable, and account takeovers do happen. Look for:

• two-factor authentication on your account,
• a registrar lock to prevent unauthorised transfers, and
• alerts when important settings change.

Some registrars also offer registry lock, a stronger, often paid, protection that requires manual verification before key changes. It's worth considering for very important domains.

DNS quality and features

A good registrar offers reliable DNS with an easy editor, supporting all the common record types. If you plan to use a separate DNS provider, check that changing nameservers is straightforward.

Ease of use

You should be able to find renewals, DNS, locks and transfer codes without searching through menus. A cluttered interface full of upsells makes simple tasks harder.

Support

When something goes wrong, such as a transfer stuck or a domain suspended, responsive support matters. Check what channels they offer and when.

Transfer policies

Check how easy it is to transfer out: whether transfer codes are available in your account, and any fees or conditions. A registrar that makes leaving difficult is a warning sign.

Should you keep all your domains in one place?

Keeping domains at one registrar makes renewals and management simpler. Some people prefer to separate their most important domains, or to keep domains at a different company from their hosting, so that a problem with one provider doesn't affect everything. Either approach is reasonable; what matters most is security and keeping track of renewals.

Moving to another registrar

If you're unhappy with your registrar, you can transfer your domain to another. You'll need to unlock the domain, get its transfer code, and start the transfer at the new registrar. For many extensions the transfer adds a year to the registration, so you don't lose the time you've paid for.

Buying an existing domain

When you buy a domain from someone else, it arrives at your chosen registrar, either by transfer or, if you both use the same registrar, by a move between accounts. Choose your registrar before you buy, so you're ready when the transfer code arrives. If you're shopping for a name, you can browse domains for sale on our marketplace.