The Truth
There's no such thing as a truly free .com domain. "Free" domains either use worthless TLDs (.tk, .ml), have huge renewal fees, or require buying other services.
Types of "Free" Domains
Free TLDs (.tk, .ml, .ga, .cf)
Technically free but associated with spam, blocked by many services, no SEO value, and can be reclaimed without notice.
Free with Hosting Purchase
Many hosts offer "free" first-year domain when you buy hosting. Often locked to that host and expensive to transfer.
Subdomain on Free Platform
yoursite.wordpress.com, yoursite.github.io â free but you don't own the domain.
Cheapest Legitimate Options
Instead of "free," here are the cheapest real domain options:
| Option | First Year | Renewal |
|---|---|---|
| Spaceship .com | $1.00* | $9.98 |
| Cloudflare .com | $10.44 | $10.44 |
| Porkbun .com | $10.37 | $11.06 |
| Namecheap .com | $6.49* | $16.98 |
*First-year promotional pricing
GitHub Student Developer Pack
If you're a student: GitHub's Student Developer Pack includes a free .me domain (via Namecheap) for one year.
Requirements: Valid student email or student ID verification.
Our Advice
Don't chase "free." A real .com costs ~$10/year. That's less than a streaming subscription.
Free domain services often cost you more in wasted time, limitations, and eventual migration headaches.
Compare Cheap Registrars â