To start a website you will need a domain name and web hosting when using WordPress as your Content management system(CMS).
The domain name will be the address of your website.
There are many domain name registrars which you can buy a domain name from.
I will help you to look for the right things when choosing a domain for your first WordPress Website.
How to Choose a Domain Name Registrar
Few things to look for when choosing a domain name registrar.
Company reliability
No one likes to get scammed. To prevent that and lower the risk always choose a reputable company to buy from.
The company has been around for a while and has good reviews from real people who have bought from them.
Domains
Choose a registrar that has the extensions you are looking for.
The most popular domain extensions
Source: Domain name stat
Most companies have popular extensions like:
- com
- net
- org
- info
- co
- me
It is recommended to choose a .com extension if possible.
Pricing
Pricing may vary slightly or a lot between companies. I like to look at prices now, which may be discounted heavily, and also for renewal pricing, because the renewal price will be the price you will pay every year.
Whois Privacy
I like and use only companies who have free whois privacy included.
This means that spammers, scammers, and other people who are scraping data online will not spam you, or call you.
Your name, company name, phone number, email, and address will not be found on the internet or connected to this domain name.
Honest and genuine people will reach you through your website. They will not be looking for information on who owns the website.
Here I share some of my favorite domain name registrar companies.
1. NameSilo
The company is founded in 2010 and is well-known among web experts. I have personally used it for 10+ years!
Domains
Namesilo has a huge list of domains. They have 400+ domain extensions.
Pricing
| Extension | Price now | Renewal price |
| com | $10.95 | $10.95 |
| net | $11.79 | $11.79 |
| org | $10.79 | $10.79 |
| info | $3.79 | $17.49 |
| co | $9.99 | $24.99 |
| me | $7.99 | $16.99 |
Whois Privacy
They have FREE Whois privacy and have had it for a long long time. This is why I have been married to them for a long long time too.
Pros
- Cheap .com domains
- Huge amount of domain extensions
- Consistent pricing
- Bulk discounts
- Free WHOIS privacy
Cons
- It looks a bit outdated
Best for
Best for beginners who want to keep options open and have domain names separately from web hosting.
If you just need a domain name and want to point it to your social media, link tree, free blog, YouTube, Shopify site, or Etsy in this case Namesilo is the perfect solution for you.
2. Cloudflare
Cloudflare is a known company for its other services. For me personally, they are known for FREE SSL certifications. Now you can register a domain name with them too.
Domains
Cloudflare has 300+ domain extensions available.
Pricing
What is special about Cloudflare is that they sell domain names for wholesale prices.
| Extension | Price now | Renewal price |
| com | $9.15 | $9.15 |
| net | $10.10 | $10.10 |
| org | $10.11 | $10.11 |
| info | $16.18 | $16.18 |
| co | $22.00 | $22.00 |
Whois Privacy
Cloudflare has free whois privacy included
Pros
- Wholesale pricing
- Reliable and secure service
- FREE Whois Privacy
Cons
- Need to have an account first to register a domain name
- Doesn’t show all available extensions
Best for
Cloudflare is best for experienced users and for those who value price and security.
Get a Free Domain Name with the Web Hosting Plan
I recommend only one Web hosting company (the one that I currently use), Hostinger.
With them, you can get a free domain name for the first year when you purchase a multisite web hosting plan that starts at $2.99/mo( when you pay for 48 months).
Hostinger is well-established, affordable, secure, and beginner-friendly, read more below.
3. Hostinger
Hostinger is a great web hosting company that is an employee-owned company established in 2004. They are becoming more and more popular because their service is affordable and beginner-friendly.
I have used this web hosting company for 3+ years now for all my websites and I have never been this happy with any other web hosting company.
Domains
You can buy a domain from Hostinger.
You can also get one domain for free with a multisite 12-month plan.
Pricing
| Domain | Price | Renewal |
| com | $9.99 | $13.99 |
| net | $12.99 | $13.99 |
| org | $7.99 | $15.99 |
| info | $3.99 | $19.99 |
| co | $23.99 | $30.99 |
| me | $9.99 | $16.99 |
Whois Privacy
Hostinger has Free privacy, but it may vary depending on domain name extension, and your country.
Pros
- Cheap web hosting pricing with high-quality service
- Free domain for the first year (with a multisite plan, 12 mo+)
- Affordable domain names/renewal prices
- Free whois privacy
- Beginner-friendly, modern-looking interface
- Free SSL that you can install with one click
- Easy to install WordPress
- Free modern Email accounts by Titanmail.
Cons
- Free domain is included only with multisite 12-month plans (but it is fair enough)
Best for
Hostinger web hosting company is best for beginners on a budget.
You get:
- Cheapest possible hosting
- Free domain name for a year
- 30-day money-back guarantee, if you change your mind.
You can get your website up and running very fast online.
Final words
I have used Namesilo for years, but their interface is a bit outdated, I think it is the only con they have.
Cloudflare is also a good option since they have wholesale pricing and free whois privacy (just like Namesilo).
The least hassle you will get when purchasing domain and hosting, in my experience Hostinger is a great choice. And yes, you get a domain for free for the first year.
Notice: Companies may change their domain name (web hosting) pricing after I wrote this.