Best Domain Registrars of 2027
We registered the same .com at eight registrars, renewed it, and transferred it out. The score is weighted to the renewal price and what the checkout adds by default — not the first-year promotion.
Porkbun - The cheapest full-service registrar we tested: free privacy, free SSL, free email forwarding and a renewal price that matches the first year Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- .com renews at the same price you paid
- WHOIS privacy, SSL and email forwarding included
- Clean DNS editor with an API
Cloudflare Registrar - Domains at wholesale cost with no markup, ever — if you are happy to use Cloudflare DNS Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Registry wholesale price plus the ICANN fee — no margin
- Free WHOIS redaction, DNSSEC and email forwarding
- Same account as Cloudflare DNS, CDN and security
Namecheap - The mainstream registrar that got privacy right: free forever, a good DNS panel, and 24/7 chat that answered in two minutes Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Free WHOIS privacy with no time limit
- Two-minute chat support, 24/7
- Regular first-year promotions on .com
Squarespace Domains - The former Google Domains: one flat price, privacy and DNSSEC on by default, and no upsells — but $20 for a .com Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Flat, transparent pricing with nothing added at checkout
- Privacy and DNSSEC on by default
- Google Workspace setup in a few clicks
Name.com - A solid mid-price registrar with free privacy, a good API and reliable support; renewals are higher than the leaders Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Free WHOIS privacy since 2022
- Full API and bulk tools
- Broad TLD list
GoDaddy - The largest registrar with 24/7 phone support in every language you can name, and the most expensive .com renewal here Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Phone support answered in 3 minutes, 24/7
- Every service a small business might bundle
- Basic WHOIS privacy now free
Domain.com - A cheap first year that becomes one of the more expensive registrars once privacy and renewal are added Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- $9.99 first-year .com
- Straightforward DNS panel
- Phone support
Network Solutions - The original .com registrar, still trading on the name: the highest prices we recorded and privacy as a paid extra Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Phone support and account managers for large portfolios
- Longest track record of any registrar
- Premium domain brokerage
What separates the best domain registrars on this page?
The gap is the renewal price and what the checkout adds. Porkbun scores 9 and renews a .com at $11.06, with WHOIS privacy, SSL and email forwarding included. Cloudflare Registrar scores 8.7 at $10.44, but you must use Cloudflare nameservers and there is no phone or chat support on the free plan.
Namecheap scores 8.4 and renews at $16.98, with free WHOIS privacy and 24/7 chat that answered in two minutes. Squarespace Domains scores 7.6 at a flat $20, with privacy and DNSSEC on by default and no upsells. Name.com scores 7.5 at $18.99 with a full API and bulk tools.
At the bottom, GoDaddy scores 6.9 and renews at $22.99, the highest .com renewal here. Domain.com scores 6.2: a $9.99 first year, then $19.99 renewal, and WHOIS privacy costs $8.99 a year extra. Network Solutions scores 5.2 at $39.99, with privacy at $9.99 a year extra.
What should you check before buying a domain?
Our scoring weights pricing 35, privacy and security 25, management 20 and support 20. Read the renewal price first, then the privacy line.
- Renewal price: Porkbun renews at the same price you paid; Domain.com and Network Solutions charge for privacy on top.
- Privacy: free at Porkbun, Cloudflare, Namecheap, Name.com and now basic at GoDaddy; paid at Domain.com and Network Solutions.
- Checkout: Namecheap, Name.com and GoDaddy pre-select add-ons or multi-year terms.
- Support: GoDaddy answered the phone in 3 minutes, 24/7; Porkbun is email and chat only.
- DNS and API: Cloudflare ties you to its nameservers; Squarespace Domains has no API.
Porkbun
Best for buyers who want the lowest full-service renewal with privacy, SSL and email forwarding included.
Cloudflare Registrar
Best for anyone already running Cloudflare DNS, CDN and security who wants wholesale pricing and no markup.
Namecheap
Best for people who want free privacy with no time limit and fast 24/7 chat support.
Squarespace Domains
Best for a flat $20 with privacy and DNSSEC on by default and Google Workspace setup in a few clicks.
Name.com
Best for bulk buyers who need a full API and a broad TLD list.
GoDaddy
Best for small businesses that want phone support and every service bundled in one place.
Domain.com and Network Solutions
Domain.com suits a cheap first year if you skip privacy. Network Solutions suits large portfolios that want account managers and premium domain brokerage.
Porkbun suits anyone who wants the lowest full-service renewal with privacy and SSL included, while Cloudflare Registrar suits Cloudflare DNS users who want wholesale pricing. Namecheap is the pick for free privacy and fast 24/7 chat, and GoDaddy is for buyers who want phone support and bundled services. Domain.com and Network Solutions only make sense if you need a cheap first year or account managers for a large portfolio.
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Questions about best domain registrars of 2027
*Scores: Pricing 35 · Privacy & security 25 · Management 20 · Support 20; score = Σ ÷ 10. Prices shown were checked on the date beside each and may change. Affiliate links are added only after a score is locked and can never change it. How we rank.