Ask HN: reliable domain registration

7 points by something ↗ HN
what's the best?

8 comments

[ 2.8 ms ] story [ 27.8 ms ] thread
Try http://searchyc.com for old threads on this topic.

I've used godaddy for years. I do not like their cluttered site and constant upselling when all I want to do is a simple renweal. But I do trust them to not screw up or sell/squat-on my domain searches.

A few months ago I had a gripe about some auto-renews that I didn't intent to have happen. They gave me a refund without too much drama.

+1 for GoDaddy. They're not particularly interesting, but they (in my experience) get the job done, and don't front-run/pre-register domains you search for.

This is one of those things where I would go for the old/established/boring over new/startup/innovative/WebX.0 services - your chosen provider should be simple, long-lasting, and have a very good and long-established reputation.

Are people who get godaddy domains able to transfer those to other people without drama? I know one case where a domain owner wanted to transfer a domain to a successor owner, but godaddy instead transferred the name to a name-squatter on expiration. Maybe this was an aberration, or maybe this was routine practice. What is your experience?
NameCheap.com all the way
I have had a handful of domains through 1and1 - so far, so good. No problems. Admin interface is friendly. Notices via email for all renewals. Don't know how that compares, but I have been happy. Heck, I tossed their referral link on my VERY low traffic sites and each domain has consistently paid for it's self.
Another vote for 1and1, been with them for over 4-5 years, not a single issue. I love how they hold on to the domain after a year after you cancel it... just in case you want it back without any extra charge.

I've never used them for hosting, just domain names, and would definitely recommend them.