How To Get a Domain Name for Free [3 Super Ways]

A domain name is the address of your website. People know your domain name and come to your visit through it.

However, you can’t own a domain name permanently; you can just rent and renew it yearly.

If you look online, you may see thousands of websites. Some have niche, short, and brandable names, while others are difficult to remember.

On the other hand, people buy domain names for thousands of dollars, while others are looking for a free one.

Beginners who are just starting to blog and want to try a domain name want free names. The primary reason is not to have a budget at all, and another reason is that if anything goes wrong, they don’t have to lose money.

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How to Get a Domain Name for Free (100% Discount)

This post is about how to get a domain name for free. I searched and scoured the Internet to find many ways to do so.

I found several ways to get a domain name for free. However, each method has different terms and conditions. Let’s find out.

1. Get Free Domain Name with Registrar

While almost all domain registers charge an average of $12 per domain, few companies offer free domains.

Though they are free, they work exactly like any other domain name. You can also get DNS servers and point them to custom nameservers.

However, there are a few limitations, mainly not having transfer rights. Usually, if you register a domain from regular companies like Namecheap or GoDaddy, you can transfer or sell your domain to any other registers or domain management companies.

On the other hand, free domain registrars restrict the right to transfer or sell your domain. You have to keep it with them until you cancel.

You can’t register top-level domain extensions like .com, .net, .org, .co, and more from free companies.

Though free domain providers are enticing, they can often be time-consuming and worthless. Suppose you want a free domain name for your business and type your desired name, but when you click ‘Availability,’ you will see a list of names.

However, when you try to get one, you will see they are unavailable anymore.

Here are the top, and I think only 3 free domain providers exist till now.

Freenom
Dot TK
GetFreeDomain.Name

Pros and Cons

Pros

Free domain for unlimited time

Cons

No top-level and popular domain extensions
Spammy and untrustworthy available extensions
No ownership and no transfer right
Unreliable provider
Susceptible to third-party and hackers

My recommendation: If you need a domain name for branding, authority, or a company site with professional email, don’t get it from free registers. Instead, go for trusted and popular ICANN-accredited domain registrars.

2. Free Domain Name with Hosting Providers

Many web hosting providers offer free domain names for promoting hosting services, mainly for the first year, with hosting plans and professional email addresses. This is the best way to get a free domain name.

There are hundreds of web hosting companies that are also ICANN-accredited domain registrars. Some of them are the top registrars, and they offer free domain names if you buy hosting plans.

If you have budget constraints, getting a free domain name with a hosting package is the best way to start your online business. There are no extra features between free domains with hosting plans and paid domains.

Here are the top 5 hosting companies that offer a free domain with hosting.

A) Bluehost

Bluehost is WordPress’s recommended web hosting provider and is also a top-rated WordPress provider for website speed and uptime.

Bluehost offers a free domain name for one year if you purchase any of its hosting packages. The offer expires 90 days after you buy the hosting plan.

You can use a free domain coupon to register a new one or transfer an existing one into Bluehost. Also, you can’t purchase a premium domain using the free coupon. The free domain applies to the following extensions.

.com
.net
.org
.biz
.info
.co.uk
.us
.co
.space
.website
.blog
.online
.site
.store
.tech

Also, there is no money-back guarantee for a free domain. After one year, your domain will be renewed at a regular price automatically unless you cancel your account.

Another condition is that you can’t transfer your newly registered domain name within 60 days.

Get Free Domain with Bluehost

B) Hostinger

Hostinger is one of the cheapest web service providers that offers domain names, web hosting, and a website builder.

You can get up to 75% off on yearly hosting packages with a free domain name worth $9.99 for 1 year. Hostinger lets you register one free domain with the top-level extensions. After 1 year, it will renew your domain automatically at the regular price.

The free domain must be registered within 12 months of creating your account with Hostinger. Here are the free domain extensions you can get with the hosting plans.

.com
.net
.org
.xyz
.link
.live
.digital
.space
.website
.email
.online
.site
.fun
.tech
.click
.uno
.in
.host
.store
.press
.me
.help

Hostinger charges only $2.99 per month for its basic hosting plan. However, this offer is only valid if you buy this package for 48 months or 4 years. On the other hand, you must pay $3.19/month if you buy the basic hosting plan for one year.

Get Free Domain with Hostinger

C) DreamHost

DreamHost is another top web hosting service that offers free domain names with hosting plans. The hosting price is one of the cheapest in the market.

You can build a fast, secure, and always-up website with zero risk. 1.5 million website owners worldwide trust DreamHost. For only $2.59/mo, you can start your dream journey with a free domain name.

You must register your free domain name within the first 3 months of creating your account and getting your hosting plan. Also, this discount is applicable to any annual shared or DreamPress plans; you can’t get a free domain if you get a monthly package.

The free domain credit is only available for the following extensions.

.com
.net
.org
.co
.art
.bar
.blog
.click
.cloud
.club
.design
.help
.info
.io
.love
.me
.online
.shop
.site
.store
.tech
.us
.or
.xyz

Get Free Domain with DreamHost

D) HostGator

HostGator is one of the oldest and most familiar web hosting providers that offer cheap hosting services.

With tons of web hosting packages, 99.99% uptime, a free SSL certificate, WordPress installed, and a free domain name for the first year, you can build your online business from here.

Free domains are available for only 12-, 24-, or 36-month HostGator Shared, WordPress, or Cloud hosting plans. The offer is only valid at the time of hosting sign-up. After one year, the domain will be renewed at the regular price.

However, if you cancel your hosting plan within the first year, you must pay a non-refundable $17.99 domain fee with taxes. Also, you can’t transfer the domain within 60 days.

Get Free Domain with HostGator

E) InMotion Hosting

InMotion is another web hosting provider for hosting small businesses and large enterprises. It offers industry-leading control panels and up to 20X faster web hosting.

Like Bluehost, HostGator, or Hostinger, InMotion offers free domain names with shared hosting plans.

It provides a free domain name for the first year with its Shared and WordPress hosting plans. However, the offer for the Shared Core package is not available.

Also, you must get a yearly plan to enjoy the free domain and SSL. The price starts from $5.99/mo.

Get Free Domain with InMotion Hosting

3. Get a Free Domain with Website Builder

A website builder is another option for getting a free domain, in addition to a domain registrar and web hosting companies.

Website builder has the complete package from domain to template and tool to start your online store for a monthly fee. Some of the all-in-one website builders offer free domains for the first year.

Here are the top 3 website builders that offer free domain names with their hosting plans.

A) Wix

Trusted by 250M+ users globally, Wix is crowned the top website builder for creating any website without limits.

From online stores and service sites to portfolios and blogs, Wix has all the necessary tools and software to start and run your website.

Wix provides simple hosting, a powerful enterprise-grade infrastructure, and built-in marketing tools to grow your business.

It has over 900+ free and customizable templates crafted for all niches.

Wix offers a free domain for the first year with all premium plans. After 1 year, the domain will be renewed at the regular price.

The free domain voucher is only available for the following extensions.

.com
.net
.org
.info
.biz
.rocks
.pictures
.co.uk
.club
.space
.xyz

Get Free Domain with Wix

B) Weebly

Like Wix, Weebly is another popular name in the website builder industry. It promises to help you build professional websites that grow your business.

Weebly provides custom domains and hosting, website builder, eCommerce, and marketing tools.

Weebly has free Personal, Professional, and Performance plans. Among them, only Personal and Performance plans have the free domain.

These two annual plans include a standard-priced domain name. You must register the domain name within 45 days of purchasing your plan.

Get Free Domain with Weebly

C) Squarespace

Squarespace is designed to sell products. You will get everything you need to start your website and market your business on this platform.

It has hundreds of templates for every niche. From online stores to service websites, Squarespace offers flexible, designed templates with customization options.

Squarespace offers a free domain with all website builder plans. You can register a free domain name for the first year with monthly or annual plans. After the first year, the domain will be renewed at the standard price.

The domain must be registered within one year, and there is a limit to one domain per website.

Get free Domain with Squarespace

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Final Thoughts

A free domain name is more convenient for beginners who are looking to build a website within a limited budget. I have shared three ways to get a free domain: domain registrar, hosting company, and website builder.

Free domain registrars are not reliable. You may not get your preferred name available, and the extensions are spammy.

On the other hand, website builders are expensive options. They are unnecessary if you don’t need to start an eCommerce business or online store, and the pricing is high.

Finally, I recommend using hosting providers. You can get a free domain with cheap hosting plans.

However, no matter where you get a free domain, you must consider the renewal pricing and security features. Sometimes, it could be better to register a domain name for a couple of dollars instead of getting a free one with a high renewal price.