Sad to say, the old saying”there’s no such thing as a free lunch” holds true when it comes to getting a free domain name. Many of the websites which advertise free domain names are actually charging fees, or supplying less appealing subdomains instead (www.yoursite.theirsite.com).
Nevertheless, despite their limitations, there are a couple valid services out there that will provide a free or low-cost domain name. With this manual we scoured the web and rounded up the best options.
Here are the 4 best ways to get a free (or nearly free) domain name:
Option 1: Get a Complimentary .Com with Internet Hosting
If it comes to deciding on a domain name for a website or professional email address, the majority of individuals are looking for a .com URL: www.yoursite.com. This is the most usual and professional-looking domain extension.
Because .com URLs are in high demand, it sadly is not possible get one completely free. However, you can get an excellent deal registering for a hosting plan which contains a .com domain at no cost.
For instance, using Bluehost, it is possible to purchase hosting starting at $2.95/month that includes a .com domain, professional WordPress site, as well as 5 specialist email accounts. To put it differently, you do not just receive a domain name of www.yoursite.com, however you can produce a top quality site for this, and receive up to 5 email addresses which use it, e.g. [email protected].
To begin with Bluehost, we have different guides on creating a Bluehost site, and establishing your professional email accounts.
Choice 2: Get a Free .Tk Domain Name
Developed by Freenom, the site dot.tk will enable you to enroll a .tk domain entirely free for up to a year. They also have .ml, .ga, .cf, and .gq domain names accessible free of cost.
So far as we could tell, this is the only service that delivers an actual domain completely free. Many other free domain name services are in fact giving you a subdomain (e.g. www.yoursite.weebly.com, or www.yoursite.wix.com). With dot.tk, you receive an real and tidy URL such as www.yoursite.tk. It’s also free to transfer the domain name to a hosting service to create your website or skilled email address.
The catch is that dot.tk only lets you register the domain name for as much as a year per time. While renewals are free, we can not guarantee it will remain like that later on.
If you’re trying to find a domain name you can use in the very long term (2years), it’s more difficult to pay the small fee for a. Com domain rather. After all, this seems more professional, and can be generally more trusted by people. On the flip side, if you only need a temporary domain name and aren’t overly concerned about looks, dot.tk provides a straightforward and free alternative.
Option 3For a Free Subdomain out of a Website Builder
If you’re looking to create a website but do not have the budget to get a hosting program, a completely free site builder is typically the next best option. You receive a free subdomain (e.g. www.yoursite.weebly.com) and resources to create a simple business website.
Website contractors are a new category of software suppliers that take away nearly all of the technical work. By way of example, using Weebly, our favorite supplier, you just drag and drop shapes and photos to design your site– just as you would like to make a powerpoint presentation.
The only catch is that website builders are somewhat restricted at the free level. You’re typically limited in your amount of storage and features, and needed to reveal modest advertisements on your website. And of course, your domain is somewhat clunkier (www.yoursite. weebly. Com, instead of only www.yoursite.com). Upgrading to a paid program gets around these limitations– and that starts at $8/month for Weebly.
A number of the other huge website builders comprise Wix and Squarespace (although Squarespace does not have a free version). Weebly is our favored amongst the three for their simpler editing tools and quicker rate, however you can click here to read a complete contrast. We also have a free guide on the best way best to create a web site with Weebly.
Option 4: Get a Free .Co. nf Domain Name
In biz.nf, you can register a. Co.nf domain name entirely free. Unlike dot.tk which only lets you enroll 1 year at a time, Biz.nf lets you have the domain for an infinite quantity of time.
What’s more, Biz.nf provides free basic hosting should you want to prepare a site with them. You get 1GB of storage, and 5GB of traffic per month, even though there are several substantial limitations, like no files over 2MB can be uploaded.
Another important limitation is that you cannot transfer your free domain name to another host, although there is an indication this will be accessible later on for a surcharge. Additionally, unlike. tk, . Co.nf is technically a subdomain possessed by biz.nf. As this has little gap to people aside from the slightly-longer URL (www.yoursite. co.. Nf), it does mean you’ll lose the URL if biz.nf ever discontinue service.
Nevertheless, if you’re just looking for a simple informational website, and are not too concerned about expanding or keeping it up for long, biz.nf supplies an impressive free service. If you’re looking for a long term solution, however, a low-cost hosting program with a. Com URL is a wiser option.
The Bottom Line
If you’re creating a website that’s meant to be temporary, or employed for testing functions, dot.tk and biz.nf both provide a completely free domain name. Nevertheless, there are a few’grabs’ into this free service, which we described above.
If you’re developing a website for your small business, we strongly recommend paying the small fee for a. Com domain instead. You get a more reputable domain name, and don’t have to worry as much about price increases or service interruptions. Together with Bluehost you can find a domain name, site hosting and professional email accounts for only $2.95/month.
Go to Bluehost
