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 — some even 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.
Best “Free Domain” Hosting Overall
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 actually play both the roll of web host and domain name registrar; GoDaddy is the popular example. In either case, getting a complimentary domain name at signup, even if it’s just for the first year of the contract, is a great cost-saving pull factor for prospective customers.
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:
1. Bluehost.com
Monthly Starting Price $2.95
- FREE domain registration and site-building tools
- Unlimited domains, emails, and bandwidth
- Up to $200 in offers with Google, Bing, and Yahoo!
- Top-ranked WordPress host with tons of perks
- 24/7 customer support and online tutorials
- Get started on Bluehost now.
DOMAIN
RATING
★★★★★
Our Review
Bluehost offers all the freebies you need to get started with domain hosting. The company includes a free domain or transfer, plus unlimited bandwidth and storage. Go to full review »
| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | Domain Hosting Plans |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 days | 50 GB - Unlimited | FREE (1 year) | www.bluehost.com/domain |
2. Hostinger.com
Monthly Starting Price $1.39
- Lowest domain prices in the industry
- FREE registration on most plans
- Host up to 100 domains on most plans
- Domain privacy protection safeguards your info
- Unlimited resources and automatic backups
- Get started on Hostinger now.
DOMAIN
RATING
★★★★★
Our Review
Don’t be turned off by Hostinger’s remarkably low prices. The company’s insanely low pricing model extends to domain name services, as well as its premium support and impressive list of features. Go to full review »
| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | Domain Hosting Plans |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 days | 30 GB to 200 GB SSD | FREE (1 year) | www.hostinger.com/domain |
3. iPage.com
Monthly Starting Price $1.99
- FREE domain registration and transfer
- Unlimited disk space, domains, and databases
- $200 toward Google AdWords and Bing advertising
- Unlimited bandwidth and email addresses
- FREE online store and website builder
- Get started on iPage now.
DOMAIN
RATING
★★★★★
Our Review
With iPage domain hosting, users get a free domain name registration or a free domain transfer, and can host unlimited domains. The company offers unlimited bandwidth and emails, plus $200 in advertising credits to help get your website launched…. Go to full review »
| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | Domain Hosting Plans |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 days | Unlimited | FREE (1 year) | www.ipage.com/domain |
Best “Unlimited Domain” Hosting
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 following hosts, which allow you to park additional domain names on their servers for no added charge.
Not only will these hosts accommodate more than one or two domains, many promise unlimited disk space, databases, email addresses, and data transfer, so you can grow your business without bounds. Eventually, there may come a time when you’ll need to upgrade to a more resource-capable server, such as a VPS or dedicated hosting plan, but there’s a guide for that, too. Without further ado, the best unlimited domain hosting service providers:
4. iPage.com
Monthly Starting Price $1.99
- FREE domain registration and transfer
- Unlimited disk space, domains, and databases
- $200 toward Google AdWords and Bing advertising
- Unlimited bandwidth and email addresses
- FREE online store and website builder
- Get started on iPage now.
DOMAIN
RATING
★★★★★
Our Review
With iPage domain hosting, users get a free domain name registration or a free domain transfer, and can host unlimited domains. The company offers unlimited bandwidth and emails, plus $200 in advertising credits to help get your website launched…. Go to full review »
| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | Domain Hosting Plans |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 days | Unlimited | FREE (1 year) | www.ipage.com/domain |
5. InMotionHosting.com
Monthly Starting Price $2.29
- FREE domain name and seamless site transfer
- Includes 1-click installer with over 310 apps
- FREE SSDs for shared business hosting plans
- Easy installs for WordPress, Joomla, and others
- FREE backups and SSL certificate
- Get started on InMotion Hosting now.
DOMAIN
RATING
★★★★★
Our Review
Looking for leading-edge technology and fully reliable support. InMotion may be the host for you. Go to full review »
| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | Domain Hosting Plans |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90 days | Unlimited | New or Transfer | www.inmotionhosting.com/domain |
6. JustHost.com
Monthly Starting Price $3.95
- Host unlimited domains on one account
- FREE site builder and domain registration
- cPanel license included with easy app installations
- Get $200 in FREE ad credits for marketing
- 24/7 support available via phone, chat, and email
- Get started on JustHost now.
DOMAIN
RATING
★★★★★
Our Review
Taking the ubiquitous free domain registration to new levels, JustHost includes the perk with every plan it offers — including VPS and dedicated servers. Customers can host unlimited domains and subdomains, each with ample email accounts…. Go to full review »
| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | Domain Hosting Plans |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 days | 50 GB - Unlimited | FREE (1 year) | www.justhost.com/domain |
Get a Free Domain Name with Shared Hosting
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. There are too many quality hosts that will welcome you with a complimentary domain name along with 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 that offers a free domain registration with signup.
Check out our current favorite for a shared hosting plan with a free domain bonus:
Bluehost.com
Monthly Starting Price $2.95
- FREE domain registration and site-building tools
- Unlimited domains, emails, and bandwidth
- Up to $200 in offers with Google, Bing, and Yahoo!
- Top-ranked WordPress host with tons of perks
- 24/7 customer support and online tutorials
- Get started on Bluehost now.
DOMAIN
RATING
★★★★★
Our Review
Bluehost offers all the freebies you need to get started with domain hosting. The company includes a free domain or transfer, plus unlimited bandwidth and storage. Go to full review »
| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | Domain Hosting Plans |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 days | 50 GB - Unlimited | FREE (1 year) | www.bluehost.com/domain |
Get a Free Domain Name with VPS Hosting
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.
InMotionHosting.com
Monthly Starting Price $17.99
- HostingAdvice readers get 73% off the first term
- FREE site migrations and 2 hours of Launch Assist
- Handle 10x more traffic with virtually no downtime
- FREE cPanel/WHM licenses included
- Highly available servers with real-time redundancy
- Get started on InMotion now.
VPS
RATING
★★★★★
Our Review
Boasting market-leading VPS hardware, slick management software, and free SSD drives and backups, InMotion Hosting competes to win when it comes to managed VPS hosting packages. The host initiates its VPS customer relationship with free website migrations and up to two hours of launch assistance from an experienced SysAdmin. Go to full review »
| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | VPS Hosting Plans |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90 days | 45 GB SSD - 300 GB SSD | FREE (1 year) | www.inmotionhosting.com/vps |
Get a Free Domain Name with Dedicated Server Hosting
The goliath of web hosting, dedicated servers typically don’t come with a free domain name. Much like VPS customers, dedicated hosting shoppers have their eye on the performance potential, security measures, IP address allowance, and more techincal specs. Many users may have already parked their domain elsewhere with no desire 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:
Bluehost.com
Monthly Starting Price $79.99
- RAID 1 mirrored storage
- Minimum 3 IP addresses per plan
- Modern hardware, built and maintained in house
- 24/7 expedited support from a dedicated team
- Sign up to save at least 27% on your first term
- Get started on Bluehost now.
DEDICATED
RATING
★★★★★
Our Review
Built on modern technology, with a minimum of four cores per server, Bluehost offers reliable and flexible dedicated hosting options at an extremely reasonable price. We continually praise the company's shared hosting options for having fantastic hardware and a great management console, and the brand's dedicated server offerings are no different. Go to full review »
| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | Dedicated Hosting Plans |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 days | 500 GB - 1 TB | FREE (1 year) | www.bluehost.com/dedicated |
iPage.com
Monthly Starting Price $119.99
- Enjoy total control via b and CentOS
- Managed services, updates & 24/7 support
- Extensive security and mirrored storage
- Save 20% your first month by ordering today
- More discounts available with long-term plans
- Get started on iPage now.
DEDICATED
RATING
★★★★★
Our Review
If you need a fast and flexible dedicated server, iPage offers a very solid option. Whether you’ve outgrown your previous host, or know you have larger-than-average needs, iPage has you covered without breaking the bank. Go to full review »
| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | Dedicated Hosting Plans |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 days | 500 GB - 1 TB | FREE (1 year) | www.ipage.com/dedicated |
Best “Website Builder & Domain” Hosting
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:
7. iPage.com
Monthly Starting Price $1.99
- Choice of Weebly or WebsiteBuilder by iPage
- Mobile-optimized and easy-to-use setup wizards
- 100s of professionally designed themes
- FREE online store, shopping cart, and blogging
- Get +75% off your first month
- Get started on iPage now.
WEBSITE BUILDER
RATING
★★★★★
Our Review
Do you want your website built today. If you answered "yes," you should look no further than iPage. Go to full review »
| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | Website Builder Hosting Plans |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 days | Unlimited | FREE (1 year) | www.ipage.com/site-builder |
8. BoldGrid.com
Monthly Starting Price $4.99
- Fotolia and Flickr image databases
- Pre-built and customizable content with GridBlocks
- Responsive themes with tablet and mobile editing
- Generates clean, efficient, and compliant HTML
- SEO, gallery, and forms plugins
- Get started on BoldGrid now.
WEBSITE BUILDER
RATING
★★★★★
Our Review
After taking the BoldGrid suite of plugins for a test drive, we experienced how the company makes WordPress more accessible for beginners and much more efficient for professional developers. Because BoldGrid requires a separate hosting account and WordPress installation, it is a little more challenging for wide-eyed beginners to get started than it is for other website builders. Go to full review »
| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | Website Builder Hosting Plans |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90 days | 40 GB SSD - 120 GB SD | FREE (1 year) | www.inmotionhosting.com/boldgrid |
9. Bluehost.com
Monthly Starting Price $2.95
- Weebly or goMobi site builder
- FREE domain name registration
- Automatic daily, weekly, and monthly backups
- Get exposure with $200 in advertising credits
- Optional professional services help design, build and market your site
- Get started on Bluehost now.
WEBSITE BUILDER
RATING
★★★★★
Our Review
With Bluehost, new site owners have the drag-and-drop simplicity of the Weebly website builder and goMobi mobile site builder at their fingertips. This makes launching a new online brand, store, or personal site from scratch relatively painless. Go to full review »
| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | Website Builder Hosting Plans |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 days | 50 GB SSD - Unlimited | FREE (1 year) | www.bluehost.com/site-builder |
Best Domain Hosting for WordPress Websites
I’d say at least half of 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 poularity with a minimal setup time, a plethora of 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 favorites for hosting a WordPress domain:
Bluehost.com
Monthly Starting Price $2.95
- Recommended by WordPress Core since 2005
- FREE SSD storage and SSL certificate
- FREE domain registration and email
- Automatic installation and updates
- 63% discount for HostingAdvice readers
- Get started on Bluehost now.
WORDPRESS
RATING
★★★★★
Our Review
Aimed at personal bloggers and first-time users, Bluehost’s WordPress hosting packages are a great alternative to simple shared hosting. These service come at a premium, compared to Bluehost’s standard shared plans, but the WordPress optimization and platform-specific resources are arguably worth the cost. Go to full review »
| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | WordPress Hosting Plans |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 days | 50 GB SSD - Unlimited | FREE (1 year) | www.bluehost.com/wordpress |
A2Hosting.com
Monthly Starting Price $2.99
- Easy domain registration and transfer services
- DNS management and custom nameservers
- Unlimited email addresses and domain names
- Advanced security features and FREE HackScan
- 24/7/365 help from the A2 Guru Crew
- Get started on A2 Hosting now.
DOMAIN
RATING
★★★★★
Our Review
There are plenty of excellent cPanel shared hosting providers out there, so what sets A2 Hosting apart from the rest. Not only does the company offer a ton of features, but it has custom-built its packages for enhanced performance, speed, and security — putting your priorities above pricing. Go to full review »
| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | Domain Hosting Plans |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 days | Unlimited SSD | New or Transfer | www.a2hosting.com/domain |
Hostinger.com
Monthly Starting Price $1.39
- Lowest domain prices in the industry
- FREE registration on most plans
- Host up to 100 domains on most plans
- Domain privacy protection safeguards your info
- Unlimited resources and automatic backups
- Get started on Hostinger now.
DOMAIN
RATING
★★★★★
Our Review
Don’t be turned off by Hostinger’s remarkably low prices. The company’s insanely low pricing model extends to domain name services, as well as its premium support and impressive list of features. Go to full review »
| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | Domain Hosting Plans |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 days | 30 GB to 200 GB SSD | FREE (1 year) | www.hostinger.com/domain |
Best Domain Registrar and Hosting Company Combo
We’d be remiss to not 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, of course, 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.
GoDaddy.com
Monthly Starting Price $2.99
- World’s largest domain registrar with 17+ million domains under management
- FREE domain included with annual plans
- Manage your domains via cPanel or Plesk
- FREE email hosting at your domain
- 99.9% website uptime guaranteed
- Get started on GoDaddy now.
DOMAIN
RATING
★★★★★
Our Review
We’d be remiss not to include GoDaddy on this list of the top domain name hosting providers. Perhaps the most well-known name in the domain space, GoDaddy is widely recognized as the world’s top registration services company, and the $1 hosting is tough to beat. Go to full review »
| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | Domain Hosting Plans |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 days | 100 GB - Unlimited | FREE (1 year) | www.godaddy.com/domain |
Get Free Web Hosting AND Free Domain Name Hosting Today
So, is your new virtual baby an Amber or a Jonathan? Are you thinking 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.
Congrats — it’s a website!! While your kids get nicknames, domain names get extensions such as .COM, .GOV, or .NINJA.
As a final tidbit, it’s worth noting that not all web projects warrant a full-scale web hosting service. If you’re just dabbling in domain ownership or just want to try your hand at web design, you may be fine with a free hosting plan. Popular site builders like 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.
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