How to Get a Free Domain Name and Web Hosting (Oct. 2023)

Learning how to get a free domain name and web hosting seems like a remarkable bargain. After all, your custom domain name marks the beginning of a visitor’s journey to your site in the first place.

Unlike choosing a child’s or pet’s name, picking a domain often comes at a price (registration fees and annual renewals). Fortunately, many web hosting providers offer deals on domain names, including the first year’s domain name registration for free.

Let’s talk about some of the most popular ways to get a web hosting package on a budget, starting with a free domain registration.

Choosing a domain name is akin to choosing your child’s or pet’s name. Whether it’s your first or your fifth, you want the name you select to be unique, meaningful, and representative of the personality of your new brand (or baby).

As you’re mulling over domain names and domain extensions — or nicknames and middle initials — you’ll need to decide where to register and host your new online identity.

One of our favorite value-adds to discover in a web hosting plan, especially within the cost-conscious shared hosting market, is a complimentary, custom domain name registration. Many hosts will act as your domain registrar, allowing you to search for available domains directly from the hosting company’s signup page and select the desired domain name that matches your brand and website goals.

In reality, the web host is likely partnering with a third-party registrar and is merely acting as the go-between, but this is unbeknownst to the customer. Then there are companies that play both the web host and domain name registrar; GoDaddy is a popular example. In either case, getting a complimentary domain name at signup is a great cost-saving pull factor for prospective customers, even if it’s just for the first year of the contract.

When we evaluate the best domain hosts, we look for this perk, along with free hosting features such as an SSL certificate, easy-to-use website builders and control panels, and unlimited resources for email, disk space, and data transfer. Based on our findings, the hosting providers with the best domain hosting deals, including a complimentary registration for the first year of service, are below:

See more domain hosts »

For our fellow domain collectors, you may be looking to host more than one site on a single hosting account. Or maybe you just need to host multiple domains for various clients. You’ll need to find a provider that supports multiple domain hosting, and we’d like to call your attention to the plan below.

In the shared hosting space, a free domain is pretty standard. In fact, if you’re kicking the tires of a shared hosting service that limits you to a paid domain name, keep searching. Too many quality hosts will welcome you with a complimentary domain name, unlimited storage for website files, as many email accounts as you need, and other free web perks.

When shopping for a shared host, look for an easy-to-navigate interface; on a scale of 1 to 10, how difficult will it be for me to get started with hosting company XYZ? The ease of use should be counter-balanced with the quality of the customer support staff. SiteGround, for example, continues to impress our team with an awesome hosting management panel and a ridiculously attentive and amazing support team. Finally, price is, of course, a major consideration. But remember: You’re saving at least $15 per year by going with a host offering free domain registration with signup.

Check out our current favorite for a shared hosting plan with a free domain bonus:

In the virtual server hosting landscape, free ammenities are fewer and far between. The average VPS customer is more technically savvy and less interested in the marketing gimmicks, put simply. Still, a handful of popular hosting providers extend their free domain add-on to advanced hosting packages.

InMotion, for example, is a long-standing force to be reckoned with when it comes to virtual and dedicated servers. The company continues to offer a free domain registration for the first year of service, and you can read our full review of its VPS hosting plan offerings below.

The goliath of web hosting, dedicated servers typically don’t come with a free domain name. As with VPS customers, dedicated hosting shoppers focus on the performance potential, security measures, IP address allowance, and more technical specs. Many users may have parked their domain elsewhere without wanting to move it. So, the “free web domain” marketing strategy is often reserved for smaller hosting packages such as shared and WordPress hosting services.

However, a few well-known industry names, including Bluehost and iPage, continue to offer a one-year domain name registration free of charge with the purchase of a dedicated server:

If you’re searching for domain hosting, you’re likely in one of two camps: You’re already a website owner, and you just want to move your website domain to a more reliable or cost-effective home, or you are starting from nothing and know the first step to building a website is choosing its domain. If you’re in the latter bucket, this section’s for you.

We frequently judge the top hosting providers on their offerings for novice website owners — free site-building tools that let you design without coding, intuitive control panels wherein you can easily install WordPress or manage email accounts, attentive and on-call support staff, et cetera. First-time website owners want a host that will do a little hand-holding to ease them into website ownership, and a user-friendly drag-and-drop website builder can take you the rest of the way. The hosts below pack a one-two punch with their website builder and domain hosting plans:

I’d say at least half of the people searching for a free domain and web hosting are interested in launching a WordPress website. This estimate is based on the growing market share WordPress enjoys. The content management system (CMS) maintains its popularity with a minimal setup time, many templates, and an army of community evangelists ready to tackle customer support questions.

You’ll notice many favored domain hosts also specialize in WordPress services. Bluehost, for example, holds the prestigious recommendation of the WordPress.org team and has proudly held the recognition since 2005. Most all WordPress hosts worth considering will offer a free domain registration for at least one year. Some hosting plans include domain privacy and other add-on services.

Here are our current rankings for the best domain hosting for WordPress websites:

We’d be remiss not to highlight GoDaddy — the world’s largest domain name provider to date. Founded in the late ’90s, the domain registration and web hosting company achieved name recognition early, albeit with a controversial approach to marketing in the early days.

The company prides itself on offering affordable hosting as a commodity. GoDaddy’s bread-and-butter offerings include domain privacy, aftermarket domain name transactions, and primary domain registration. Read our expert’s take on GoDaddy as a hosting provider, including its dedicated servers, shared hosting, and domain hosting plans, for more information.

Free web hosting offers a way to create a website without incurring any costs. However, consider the pros and cons before choosing a free web hosting provider.

Pros:

• Cost: Free web hosting has no monthly or yearly fees.
• Ease of use: Many free web hosting providers offer user-friendly control panels and website builders.
• No technical expertise required: Free web hosting providers often offer guides and tutorials.

Cons:

• Limited resources: Free web hosting typically has limited storage space and bandwidth.
• Limited customization options: Free web hosting providers may have strict limitations on content and features.
• Ads and upsells: Free web hosting providers may display ads and try to upsell paid features.
• Lack of reliability and security: Free web hosting providers may not have the resources for strong uptime and security.

The decision to use free web hosting will depend on your specific needs and goals. A paid web hosting provider may be a better option if you need advanced features and strong security. It’s important to research and compare your options before making a decision.

The most common way to score a free domain name is through signup perks with the popular hosts listed above. Still, if you have your sights set on a truly free domain, you have a few options:

1. Use a subdomain: Many web hosting providers offer a free subdomain as part of their free web hosting plans. For example, if your chosen domain name is “mywebsite,” you could use a subdomain such as “mywebsite.hostingprovider.com” for free.
2. Use a domain name generator: Some websites, such as Namecheap, offer free domain name generators to help you find available domain names similar to your desired name. You can then register the domain name for free, although you may need to purchase web hosting to use it.
3. Use a top-level domain (TLD) that is free to register: Some top-level domains (TLDs), such as “.tk” and “.ml,” are free to register. Remember that these TLDs may not be as reputable or recognizable as more commonly used TLDs, including “.com” or “.org.”

It’s important to note that while you can register a domain name for free, additional costs may be associated with using it, such as web hosting or privacy protection fees. It’s also important to carefully research and compare your options before choosing a free domain name to ensure it meets your needs and goals.

So, is your new virtual baby an Amber or a Jonathan? Are you thinking of something edgy with a .NINJA domain extension or sticking with the classic .COM moniker (also known as a top-level domain, or TLD for short)? Whichever name you choose, it’s the first step in what’s sure to be a wild ride, hopefully with 18-plus years of revenue rather than diapers and college loans.

As a final tidbit, it’s worth noting that not all web projects warrant a full-scale web hosting service. If you’re dabbling in domain ownership or want to try your hand at web design, you may be fine with a free hosting plan. Popular site builders, such as Wix, will even throw in a free website domain that’s yours for life! However, it will be a subdomain of Wix.com. Get started with one of the top free web hosting companies in less time than it takes to make a baby.

Hopefully, our recommendation of 1&1 IONOS fulfills all your web hosting needs. Starting at just $1.00 per month and rated 4.9 overall, 1&1 IONOS gives users plenty of bang for the buck. Among our favorite features:

• Register domains for $1 (or FREE with hosting)
• FREE domain privacy to protect your information
• Easy setup with domain lock and 2GB email inbox
• 99.9% uptime, plus daily backups and recovery
• FREE SSL certificate for safer data transfers
• Get started on 1&1 IONOS now.

If you’d like recommendations similar to 1&1 IONOS and others in How to Get a Free Domain Name and Web Hosting (Oct. 2023), check out these popular guides. You’ll find comparisons of 1&1 IONOS to other hosts on pricing, features, support and more:

• Cheap Hosting like 1&1 IONOS
• VPS Hosting like 1&1 IONOS
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And of course, if 1&1 IONOS is your top choice, you can get started now at just $1.00/month. 1&1 IONOS is easy to set up and scale, no matter the size of your next project.