Choosing a domain registrar for your small business isn't the same as grabbing a personal domain. You need reliability, professional email options, easy management for multiple domains, and pricing that makes sense as you grow. The good news? You don't need to pay premium prices to get premium features.
What Small Businesses Actually Need
✓ Worth Paying For
- Predictable renewal pricing – No surprise price jumps
- Free WHOIS privacy – Keep your personal info private
- Easy DNS management – Point domains without headaches
- Bulk management tools – If you'll own 5+ domains
- Email forwarding – At minimum, free forwarding
✗ Skip These Upsells
- "Premium DNS" – Standard DNS is fine for 99% of businesses
- Website builders – Use dedicated tools instead
- SSL certificates – Your host provides these free
- "Domain protection" – Registry lock is usually free
- SEO tools – These don't help at the registrar level
💡 The Real Cost of Domains
The wholesale cost of a .com domain is $10.44 (Verisign registry fee + ICANN fee). Any registrar charging significantly more is adding markup. First-year promotions are common, but always check renewal prices—that's what you'll pay for years 2, 3, 4, and beyond.
Top 5 Picks for Small Business
Cloudflare Registrar
$10.44
/year (never changes)
Cloudflare sells domains at wholesale cost with zero markup—forever. Combined with their free CDN, DDoS protection, and SSL, it's hard to beat for any business with a website.
Requires using Cloudflare's nameservers (free tier available)
Porkbun
$11.06
/year renewal
Excellent support, low prices, and genuinely helpful staff. Porkbun includes free email forwarding and SSL certificates. Great choice if you want a registrar that feels approachable.
Namecheap
$16.98
/year renewal
Higher renewal than budget options, but Namecheap offers affordable professional email ($1.74/mo), hosting, and a solid all-in-one dashboard. Good if you want everything in one place.
Spaceship
$9.98
/year renewal
The lowest renewal price anywhere at $9.98—actually below wholesale. Owned by Namecheap, so you get reliable infrastructure. Modern interface, clean dashboard.
Squarespace Domains
$20.00
/year
Acquired Google Domains in 2023. Higher priced, but integrates smoothly with Google Workspace. If you're already paying for Google Workspace, the seamless integration may be worth the premium.
Full Feature Comparison
| Registrar | First Year | Renewal | 5-Year Cost | Privacy | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spaceship | $8.88 | $9.98 | $48.80 | ✓ Free | — |
| Cloudflare | $10.44 | $10.44 | $52.20 | ✓ Free | Forwarding |
| Porkbun | $10.37 | $11.06 | $55.30 | ✓ Free | Forwarding |
| Namesilo | $11.05 | $11.05 | $55.25 | ✓ Free | Forwarding |
| Dynadot | $10.86 | $10.86 | $54.30 | ✓ Free | Forwarding |
| Namecheap | $6.49 | $16.98 | $74.41 | ✓ Free | $1.74/mo |
| Squarespace | $20.00 | $20.00 | $100.00 | ✓ Free | Forwarding |
| GoDaddy | $0.01* | $21.99 | $87.97 | $9.99/yr | $5.99/mo |
*GoDaddy first-year pricing requires multi-year commitment. Privacy is an additional $9.99/year.
Professional Email Options
You have three main approaches to professional email (you@yourbusiness.com):
Option 1: Email Forwarding (Free)
Most registrars offer free email forwarding. Emails sent to info@yourbusiness.com forward to your personal Gmail. Simple, but you can't send FROM your business address without additional setup.
Available at: Cloudflare, Porkbun, Namecheap, Dynadot, Namesilo
Option 2: Google Workspace ($6/user/month)
Full Gmail experience with your domain. Includes Google Drive, Docs, Calendar. The industry standard for small business email. Works with any registrar.
Best for: Businesses needing collaboration tools
Option 3: Budget Email Hosting ($1-3/user/month)
Namecheap, Zoho, and others offer email-only hosting at lower prices. Less polished than Gmail but functional for basic needs.
Best for: Solo businesses wanting pro email without Google prices
Managing Multiple Domains
Many small businesses own several domains: the main brand, common misspellings, product-specific domains, or regional variations. Here's how registrars handle bulk management:
Best for 5-20 Domains
- Cloudflare: Easy bulk DNS management through their dashboard
- Porkbun: Clean interface, bulk renewal options
- Namecheap: Good organization tools, bulk transfers
Best for 20+ Domains
- Cloudflare: API access for automation
- Namesilo: Designed for bulk management, volume discounts
- Dynadot: Portfolio tools, bulk operations
💡 Pro Tip: Defensive Registration
At minimum, consider owning the .com, .net, and common misspellings of your business name. At $10-11/year each with a budget registrar, that's $30-33/year for brand protection—cheaper than dealing with a squatter later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I buy my domain from my web host?
Generally, no. Hosts like Wix, Squarespace, or WordPress.com often charge premium prices and make it harder to leave. Keep your domain separate at a dedicated registrar. It's easier to switch hosts when your domain isn't locked in.
Is it safe to use a cheap registrar?
Yes. All ICANN-accredited registrars follow the same security standards. Cloudflare, Porkbun, and Spaceship are all legitimate, well-established companies. "Cheap" just means less markup—not less security.
What happens if my registrar goes out of business?
ICANN requires registrars to have contingency plans. Your domain would be transferred to another accredited registrar. This is rare—the registrars we recommend have been operating for many years.
Should I register my business name as a .com or something else?
For most businesses, .com is still the default expectation. Alternatives like .co, .io, or industry-specific TLDs (.law, .shop) can work, but you may spend time explaining why you're not a .com. If the .com is available, get it.
How long should I register my domain for?
At least 1-2 years. Some SEO practitioners believe longer registrations signal legitimacy to search engines, but this isn't confirmed. The main benefit of multi-year registration is avoiding the hassle of annual renewals and potential expiration mistakes.
The Bottom Line
For most small businesses, Cloudflare Registrar offers the best combination of price, features, and reliability. You get wholesale pricing, free security features, and a platform that scales with you.
If you want simpler support and don't need Cloudflare's CDN, Porkbun is excellent. For absolute lowest price with no bells and whistles, Spaceship can't be beat.
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