Best domain registrars 2026: independent ranking
We rank domain registrars for individuals and small businesses by verifiable facts only: the regular price to renew a .com domain for a year (not the first-year promo), the price to transfer a .com in, free WHOIS privacy, two-factor sign-in, DNSSEC, free email forwarding, ICANN accreditation and the company's track record. Every fact links to the registrar's official page or to the official IANA registrar list and carries the date we checked it. Paid placement never changes the Score.
| # | Company | Who it serves | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dynadot | 98 | $11.62 | Yes | Yes | Free WHOIS privacy DNSSEC Free email forwarding |
| 2 | Porkbun | 93 | $11.81 | Yes | Yes | Free WHOIS privacy DNSSEC Free email forwarding |
| 3 | Hostinger Domains | 82 | $20.19 | Yes | Yes | Free WHOIS privacy DNSSEC |
| 4 | Hover | 77 | $19.99 | Yes | Yes | Free WHOIS privacy DNSSEC |
| 5 | Gandi | 76 | $38.38 | Yes | Yes | Free WHOIS privacy DNSSEC Free email forwarding |
| 6 | OVHcloud Domains | 68 | $16.49 | Not verified | Yes | DNSSEC |
| 7 | IONOS Domains | 65 | $20.00 | No | Yes | DNSSEC |
| 8 | Name.com | 64 | $19.99 | Not verified | Yes | Free email forwarding |
| 9 | INWX | 64 | $18.50 | No | Yes | DNSSEC |
-
- .com renewal, per year (regular price)
- $11.62
- Free WHOIS privacy
- Yes
- Two-factor sign-in
- Yes
Pros
- Low .com renewal price
- Hides your contact details in WHOIS for free
- Two-factor sign-in protects the account
- Free email forwarding on your domain
Details Visit site ↗ 100% backed by facts
-
- .com renewal, per year (regular price)
- $11.81
- Free WHOIS privacy
- Yes
- Two-factor sign-in
- Yes
Pros
- Low .com renewal price
- Hides your contact details in WHOIS for free
- Two-factor sign-in protects the account
- Free email forwarding on your domain
Details Visit site ↗ 100% backed by facts
-
- .com renewal, per year (regular price)
- $20.19
- Free WHOIS privacy
- Yes
- Two-factor sign-in
- Yes
Pros
- Hides your contact details in WHOIS for free
- Two-factor sign-in protects the account
- Cheap .com transfer
- Supports DNSSEC for .com
Details Visit site ↗ 90% backed by facts
-
- .com renewal, per year (regular price)
- $19.99
- Free WHOIS privacy
- Yes
- Two-factor sign-in
- Yes
Pros
- Hides your contact details in WHOIS for free
- Two-factor sign-in protects the account
- Supports DNSSEC for .com
- Accredited by ICANN
Cons
- Email forwarding only with a paid mail plan
Details Visit site ↗ 100% backed by facts
-
- .com renewal, per year (regular price)
- $38.38
- Free WHOIS privacy
- Yes
- Two-factor sign-in
- Yes
Pros
- Hides your contact details in WHOIS for free
- Two-factor sign-in protects the account
- Free email forwarding on your domain
- Cheap .com transfer
Cons
- Expensive .com renewal
Details Visit site ↗ 100% backed by facts
-
- .com renewal, per year (regular price)
- $16.49
- Free WHOIS privacy
- Not verified
- Two-factor sign-in
- Yes
Pros
- Two-factor sign-in protects the account
- Cheap .com transfer
- Supports DNSSEC for .com
- Accredited by ICANN
Details Visit site ↗ 73% backed by facts
-
- .com renewal, per year (regular price)
- $20.00
- Free WHOIS privacy
- No
- Two-factor sign-in
- Yes
Pros
- Two-factor sign-in protects the account
- Cheap .com transfer
- Supports DNSSEC for .com
- Accredited by ICANN
Cons
- WHOIS privacy is a paid extra
Details Visit site ↗ 90% backed by facts
-
- .com renewal, per year (regular price)
- $19.99
- Free WHOIS privacy
- Not verified
- Two-factor sign-in
- Yes
Pros
- Two-factor sign-in protects the account
- Free email forwarding on your domain
- Accredited by ICANN
Details Visit site ↗ 75% backed by facts
-
- .com renewal, per year (regular price)
- $18.50
- Free WHOIS privacy
- No
- Two-factor sign-in
- Yes
Pros
- Two-factor sign-in protects the account
- Supports DNSSEC for .com
- Accredited by ICANN
Cons
- WHOIS privacy is a paid extra
- Email forwarding only with a paid mail plan
Details Visit site ↗ 100% backed by facts
Not ranked yet: not enough verified data
These services are known to us, but we haven't verified enough facts to rank them fairly.
- Cloudflare Registrar (57% backed by facts)
- GoDaddy (site closed to automated checks, )
- NameSilo (site closed to automated checks, )
- Namecheap (site closed to automated checks, )
- Network Solutions (site closed to automated checks, )
- REG.RU (site closed to automated checks, )
- Spaceship (site closed to automated checks, )
- Squarespace Domains (67% backed by facts)
Sites marked as closed refuse automated reading (403 error, captcha or a robots.txt ban). We don't bypass such protection, so we can't verify their facts and they are not ranked. This says nothing about their quality. A company can send links to its official pages to [email protected].
How we calculate the Score
50%
Price
The regular one-year renewal price of a .com domain ×3 and the price to transfer a .com in ×1 ($10 scores 100, $40 or more scores 0; listed price without VAT, ICANN fee added when charged separately), plus free WHOIS privacy ×2.
25%
Security
Two-factor sign-in for the account (an authenticator app, a security key or a mandatory code), and DNSSEC support for .com domains.
10%
Features
Free email forwarding from addresses on your domain to an existing inbox, with no mail plan to buy.
15%
Reliability
Accreditation by ICANN in the official IANA registrar list, and the company's track record (20+ years gets full credit).
How to choose a domain registrar
Look at the renewal price
The first-year price is a promotion. Compare what a .com costs to renew each year, and check whether the price includes the ICANN fee and VAT.
Make sure privacy is free
WHOIS privacy should come with the domain. If it is a paid add-on, add its yearly cost to the renewal price.
Turn on two-factor sign-in
Whoever controls your registrar account controls your website and email. Choose a registrar with two-factor sign-in and switch it on right away.
Keep the domain in your own name
Register the domain to yourself or your company, not to a web designer or a hosting plan. Keep the contact email current: transfer and renewal notices go there.
Check what is included
Free DNS, email forwarding and DNSSEC save you from buying extra services. A web host's free domain often renews at a high price after the first year.
Frequently asked questions
Which domain registrar is the best right now?
The registrar at the top of the ranking above has the highest Score by our public methodology. Check the factor bars — price, security, features — and pick the leader in what matters most to you.
Why do you compare the renewal price and not the first-year price?
Many registrars sell the first year of a .com for a few dollars and then renew it at two or three times the price. You pay the renewal every year for as long as you keep the domain, so it is the price that matters. We show the regular renewal price from the official page, without VAT.
What is WHOIS privacy and do I need it?
WHOIS is a public directory of domain owners. Privacy hides your name, address, phone and email there, so spammers cannot collect them. Many registrars include it for free; some charge for it every year.
Can I move my domain to another registrar?
Yes. For a .com you unlock the domain, get the transfer code and start the transfer at the new registrar; the transfer price usually adds one year to the registration. A new .com usually cannot be transferred in the first 60 days after registration.
How do you rank domain registrars?
By facts from official pages and the IANA registrar list, each with a link and a check date, combined by a fixed public formula. Registrars whose sites block automated checks are listed separately and are not ranked.