It can be surprisingly tricky to choose the best domain registrar. Many offer attractive introductory rates, buffered by high renewal rates, inclusions and contract lengths. To help take the guesswork out of the process and to avoid any surprises along the way, we’ve rounded up the top domain registrars Australians should, at the very least, have on our radar.
Note: the below list represents a selection of our top category picks, as chosen by Forbes Advisor Australia’s editors and journalists. The information provided is purely factual and is not intended to imply any recommendation, opinion, or advice about a financial product. Not every product or provider in the marketplace has been reviewed, and the list below is not intended to be exhaustive nor replace your own research or independent financial advice. For more information on how Forbes Advisor ranks and reviews products, including how we identified our top category picks, read the methodology selection below.
The Forbes Advisor Small Business team is committed to bringing you unbiased rankings and information with full editorial independence. We use product data, strategic methodologies and expert insights to inform all of our content to guide you in making the best decisions for your business journey.
We analysed the top players in the space and narrowed it down to scrutinise and rank the top 10 best domain registrars across 12 key metrics. Our ratings consider factors such as transparent pricing, employee self-sufficiency, compatibility with third-party integrations, access to customer support and ratings. Our Australian-based editorial team also added an additional layer of research and rigour to the ranking process to ensure our final list were well-suited to the local audience. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Domain registrars are authorised to connect your business name with your online site.
When registering a domain name, you typically do so for a year, though you can renew it for up to 10 years. The ownership of a domain name is not permanent. You’re not actually owning it, but renting it for the length of your registration term. You must renew it once the term ends to continue using it.
Besides providing the basic service of domain name registration, many domain registrars offer web hosting, email accounts, website-building tools and SSL certificates for website security. Some registrars provide extra features, such as privacy protection, that safeguard registration details (such as your name, phone number and address) from being publicly accessible in the WHOIS database.
As you consider which domain registrar to use, it’s essential to look at the total package of services, pricing, customer support and overall reputation. Some registrars may offer very low prices for initial registration but then have high renewal rates or charge extra for services that others include for free. Therefore, it’s crucial to research and compare several domain registrars before making a decision.
When choosing a domain name registrar for your business, it’s vital to consider a variety of factors. For example, you not only want a registrar that offers the domain name extensions (e.g., .com or .biz) you’re looking for, but also offers competitively priced domains (for your first year and every year thereafter), and includes money-saving extras.
Here’s what to consider when choosing a domain name:
Most registrars offer discounted rates for the first year, making the initial purchase quite affordable. However, the renewal rates for subsequent years can sometimes be significantly higher. This increase can catch you by surprise, especially if a registrar doesn’t send a notification beforehand that you’ll be charged. Therefore, it’s essential to understand the full pricing structure, including both the introductory and renewal rates, before making a decision.
Most domain registrars will offer top-level domains (TLDs). For example, .com or .org. However, if you’re interested in a unique or specific extension such as .blog, or .store, or a country-specific one such as .au in Australia, you’ll need to ensure the registrar you choose supports it. Not all registrars offer these extensions, so it’s an important factor to check if you have a specific TLD in mind. Of course, if you’re an Australian business selling into the US market, a .com extension will be much more important than .au
Leading domain registrars usually provide comprehensive help centres, including robust documentation and tutorials on how to connect your domain to popular content management systems such as WordPress or email hosting providers. The user interface and management dashboard of the registrar should also be intuitive and easy to navigate.
Even with the best planning, you may encounter issues or have questions that require help. When evaluating a domain registrar, consider the hours during which support is available and the channels it uses—phone, email, live chat, etc. Also, consider looking at user reviews to assess the registrar’s reputation for customer service. The best domain registrars provide timely, helpful support and can be invaluable when you’re managing your online presence.
Think of registering a domain name as a bit like signing a lease on a new apartment. The registration period is your lease term, often starting with a one-year commitment. But, you have options. You can choose to lock down your digital address for up to 10 years. This longer commitment can be a smart move, financially and practically, securing your spot on the web and often saving you a bit of money over time. Just remember, as with any lease, it’s up to you to renew it when the term ends if you want to keep your spot.
If you ever spot a better deal or want to switch for other reasons, you should be able to take your domain name with you. This is what we call domain transferability. But, similar to moving houses, it can come with a bit of legwork (and sometimes, extra costs). So before you sign up, get to know your registrar’s policies. How long after your initial registration can you move? Is there a fee? Is it difficult to switch?
Every registrar has rules about what happens when your domain registration period ends. It’s kind of like what happens when your apartment lease runs out. Some give you a grace period to renew with no extra charges, while others might slap on a hefty late fee. And if you don’t renew in time? Your domain could end up back on the market or even on the auction block. So do yourself a favour and get familiar with your registrar’s expiration policies. It could save you a tonne of headaches (and potentially, your domain) down the line.
Finally, many domain registrars offer more than just a domain name—they come with perks. These might include things such as web hosting, email services, website builders, privacy protection and more. It’s like the gym and pool in your apartment complex, adding convenience and value to your lease. But remember, not all perks are created equal. The quality, cost and usefulness of these services can vary from one registrar to another, so shop around. And if the extra services don’t fit your needs or your budget, you can always get them from another source.
The cost of a domain name can vary based on a variety of factors. The extension you choose (.com, .net, .org, etc.), the popularity of the name and the registrar you select all play a role in determining the price, though it averages $10 to $60 AUD per year. However, domains can be significantly more expensive—in the thousands—for notable-sounding domains.
The pricing structure is often set up as an annual fee, although some registrars offer discounted rates if you register for multiple years upfront. This is the “lease” on your little piece of the internet, and it needs to be renewed when it expires, similar to a rental agreement.
While the upfront cost of a domain name might seem straightforward, there can be hidden fees to watch out for. Some registrars charge extra for services that others include for free, such as privacy protection, which keeps your personal information out of the public WHOIS database. Other potential fees to watch out for include transfer fees, late renewal fees and charges for additional services such as email hosting or SSL certificates.
In the US, ICANN and WHOIS are the non-profit corporations responsible for keeping the internet secure and the naming structure of websites as it is. It requires anyone who registers a domain to provide accurate identifiable contact information, including name, address, email and phone number. Not everyone is comfortable with that information being public.
In Australia, the not-for-profit .au Domain Administration (auDA) is tasked with overseeing the management of our country code Top-Level Domain (ccTLD)—the .au domain—on behalf of Australians. AuDA is an independent body endorsed by the Australian Government and it allocates .au domain names to users. The .au extensions are valid for up to five years. You can read more about auDA here.
Many Australian businesses will licence both the .au as well as the .com extension, especially if they have global customers and clients.
Picking your domain name is like naming your first kid—it’s a huge decision and it’ll be around for a while. You need to ensure that the name you choose for your online presence is easy to find, memorable and leaves the right impression.
Discovering the perfect .com can be a bit of a challenge. If your first-choice domain is taken, don’t despair—there are plenty of ways to get creative.
Sure, .com is king when it comes to domain extensions, but it’s not the only player in the game. There’s .net, .org, .edu, .gov and a slew of others. And while .com is memorable, less popular extensions can be less expensive—though there are exceptions, such as the increasingly trendy .io and .co.
Bear in mind that some extensions have restrictions. For instance, you can’t snag a .edu or .gov unless you meet specific requirements. But at the end of the day, all extensions work the same way. Choose one that fits your brand and audience.
When it comes to domain names, a few common mistakes can have lasting effects:
In order to determine the best domain registrars for small Australian businesses, Forbes Advisor researched providers in the space and narrowed it down to the 10 top providers. We analysed them across five primary categories for a total of 12 different metrics. Then, we gave more weight to the features that matter most to small businesses.
Here are the metrics we used to evaluate the top domain name registrars.
Pricing is one of the driving factors in determining which of the leading domain name registrars are the best. This accounts for 40% of our scoring. Domain name pricing is notoriously tricky—many registrars offer low-cost introductory pricing, followed by a steep increase in pricing upon renewal. By looking at both the intro and renewal rates, we got a complete picture of long-term affordability.
While most domain registrars offer largely the same feature set, there are common features that many overlook, which is why we weighed this at 30% for our scoring. For example, the inclusion of domain name privacy, domain transfers, security and business email. We considered which providers offered these to determine further which ones offer the best value for the price.
It can be difficult enough to find an available domain name, but it shouldn’t be difficult to use a domain registrar’s site to buy a domain. Additionally, upon purchasing a new domain, it should be as easy as possible to connect your new domain to your content management system (CMS).
We combine features, value for the money, popularity and ease of use to account for 10% of our total score.
Domain registrar services should also help connect domains to websites through educational resources and guides. Not only should these be very easy to follow, but there should also be step-by-step instructions for all of the leading content management systems (e.g., WordPress, Squarespace and Shopify).
To gain insight into how users find these domain registrars, we looked at third-party user reviews. We considered how the providers were rated and what users like and dislike about the various domain registrars.
As straightforward as buying a domain should be, users often discover nuances during the checkout process or after becoming a customer. To avoid any surprises, we included our insights gathered from first-hand experience using these domain registrars.
A Note on Star Rankings
You will note that we have included a star rating next to each product or provider. This rating was determined by the editorial team once all of the data points above were considered, and the pros and cons of each product attribute was reviewed. The star rating is solely the view of Forbes Advisor editorial staff. Commercial partners or advertisers have no bearing on the star rating or their inclusion on this list. Star ratings are only one factor to be considered, and Forbes Advisor encourages you to seek independent advice from an authorised financial adviser in relation to your own financial circumstances and investments before you decide to choose a particular financial product or service.
Featured Partners
1
Namecheap
Starting price
$9 AUD
Renewal cost
$21.94 AUD
Free WHOIS privacy
Yes
2
Bluehost
Starting price
$19.50 AUD
Renewal cost
$US19.99 ($30 AUD)
Free WHOIS privacy
No
3
HostGator
Starting price
$US12.95 ($19 AUD)
Renewal cost
$US19.99 ($30 AUD)
Free WHOIS privacy
No
NameCheap, Domain.com and Google Domains are our top choices for domain registration companies. Paired with great reputations, they also offer a variety of value-added services with attractive pricing.
The cheapest domain registrar can vary depending on different factors such as the domain name, extension and additional features you want. However, GoDaddy and NameCheap are consistently low-cost, especially for the first year. However, pay attention to renewal costs.
Yes, it is possible to get a domain name for free. Certain providers such as Freenom offer them, but usually only for certain extensions and often with limitations. Additionally, some hosting packages may include a free domain name as part of the service.
Domain registration usually happens almost instantaneously once payment is processed and the domain is available. However, it can take up to 48 hours for the new domain to propagate throughout the internet, meaning for it to be accessible from everywhere.
In simpler terms, DNS turns domain names into IP addresses. This allows humans to use easily understandable names (such as “forbes.com”) instead of numerical IP addresses when accessing websites on the internet.
Not all domain registrars offer the same domain name extensions (.com, .net, ,au etc.) or features. Some include free domain privacy. Others offer additional web services, such as web hosting, email and marketing tools. Many of the best web hosting services usually offer domain registration.
A domain registrar service will let you quickly search for available domains. Once you’ve chosen one that you like, the service will walk you through the checkout process and offer guidance on how to connect your domain to your site.
The short answer is: You can’t. Domain registration is more like a rental or leasing service. Most domain registrars allow you to register your domain for up to 10 years at a time, and they’ll usually offer an auto-renewal service, so you don’t lose your domain. In Australia, the .au extension is available for a maximum of five years at a time.
Using one of the domain registrars listed here, you can enter the domain name that you would like to use in the designated name search field. If the name is not in use, no information will come up and you can claim that name. If the name is currently in use, you can find out information that includes the domain name owner, creation date and expiration date.
The most popular domain extension, .com, stands for commerce. Other commonly seen ones include .net for network, .org for organisation, .edu for education, .gov for government, .info for information, .biz, for business, . mil for military and .pro for professional. Many countries also have domain names that end in letters related to them, such as .uk for the United Kingdom, .ru for Russia, .au for Australia and .cn for China.
