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Domain name registration means paying a registrar to record a name in the registry for a year at a time, with you as the registrant. At NameBest you search the name, see the first year and renewal price side by side, and register it with WHOIS privacy, DNS and auto renew already set.
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A registration is the right to use a domain for the period you paid for, usually one year, renewed every year after that. The registry that runs the extension (for example the .com or .io registry) keeps the master record, and the registrar is the company that files your registration and collects the yearly fee. Your name, or your company's name, goes into the registry record as the registrant, and that makes you the owner of the registration for as long as it stays renewed.
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The whole process takes a few minutes and you can do it without talking to anyone.
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Type a word or a full domain into the search box. We check the extensions most people buy and show each one as Available, Taken or Premium, with the first year price and the renewal price in the same row. Read domain search results explained if a status is unclear.
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Pick one domain or several. The cart shows today's total and what each domain renews at, so you know the second year cost before you pay.
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Enter your email and a password, then the 6 digit code we email you. Your cart stays saved while you do it.
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Add the details of the person or company that will own the domain: name, address, phone and email. You become the registrant in the registry record.
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ICANN rules require every registrant to confirm their email address. We send a link right after registration. Click it within the deadline in the email so the domain keeps resolving. See verify registrant email.
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You do not pick add ons or bundles. Each domain has one yearly price, and these come with it.
| Included | What it does |
|---|---|
| WHOIS privacy | Keeps your name, address and phone out of the public record where the registry allows it |
| DNS management | A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT and SRV records in a plain editor |
| URL forwarding | 301 or 302 redirects, with paths |
| Custom nameservers | Point the domain to your host or CDN |
| Transfer lock | On from day one, you switch it off when you want to move |
| EPP code | Available in your dashboard at any time |
| Auto renew | On by default, with emails 30 and 7 days before expiry |
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Most extensions register for one year and need nothing more than your contact details. A few have their own registry rules, and the search result tells you about them before you add the domain to your cart.
Compare every extension and its prices on the list of domain extensions.
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Every result shows two numbers: the price for the first year and the price at which the domain renews. On some extensions, such as .xyz and .io, the renewal costs more than the first year. The first year and renewal price are both shown before you pay, so year two holds no surprise. The current figures for every extension are on the domain prices page, and the domain name cost guide explains what makes one extension cost more than another.
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Each registration runs for one year and renews automatically every year after that. Some extensions, such as .ai, require a longer first term at the registry, and the search result shows that before you buy.
Yes. You are the registrant recorded in the registry. You can update your details, change nameservers and move the domain to another registrar with the EPP code from your dashboard.
Yes. A domain does not need hosting. You can register it now, keep it parked, forward it to another address or point it to a website later.
Usually within a minute or two after payment. The domain then appears in your dashboard and starts resolving once DNS is set.