Domain Registration

Search for your domain name, if it's available choose a TLD, and  follow the checkout process. Your domain will appear in your Hosted.com® Account for easy DNS and renewal management.

Hosted.com® offers cPanel Web Hosting for flexible control, WordPress Hosting for performance-tuned sites, and Email Hosting for creating a professional identity. Each hosting plan includes free SSL* and expert support to match your website and business needs. * Ts & Cs apply.

At Hosted.com®, we offer a wide range of domain extensions (TLDs) for registration. You can choose from popular options like ".com", ".us", ".online", ".io", and more. Our Domain Search Tool allows you to check if your desired domain name is available for registration. Simply enter the domain name you would like to register, and it will display if it's available, as well as similar options for cheap domain registrations.

While cheap domain registration may seem a great way of starting on your journey to set up a website without breaking the bank, there may be long-term more expensive costs, like the domain's renewal price. Also, getting the perfect domain name can be an investment. A great domain name as opposed to a "cheap" one can give you a better return on your spend. It can make your website memorable, more visible, and attract more traffic, leading to more sales. If you want to keep the cost of domain registration lower, consider using a less popular extension. For example, ".com" is a better choice for a TLD for good reason, making it more expensive. While other less-used TLDs like ".net", ".online", and ".tech", are generally more budget-friendly both upfront and when renewing. Once you have more budget available you can register a new domain and point the original domain name to it.

Choosing the right domain provider can make a big difference in how you manage your website, if your hosting is with them as well. Hosted.com® offers excellent pricing without hidden costs for registration and renewals. You can manage every aspect of your domain from our user-friendly Customer Portal, including features like creating sub-domains, email accounts, DNS (Domain Name System) records, and more. Not only that, but we can also give you everything your website needs, including Web Hosting, SSL Certificates, and a Website Builder. All in one place with an easy and intuitive platform to manage it all.

In case you need assistance, our expert Support Team is on hand to help you with any queries you may have.

Before you start searching for a domain name, take the time to come up with a few domain name options and extensions (TLDs).

Prioritise keeping it short and as simple as possible i.e., if your business has a fairly long name, try shortening it with initial letters, or a combination of letters and words e.g., Marty Field's Big Cake Shop could be "mfbcakeshop.com" or "mfb-cake.shop".

If you are battling to find a name, use our free AI Domain Name Generator. It is an online tool that can make it a quick and easy process to find the best domain name for your SME business.

It may even be worthwhile to register a couple of variants, especially if you have a company name that is often spelt incorrectly. You can then point those variant domain names to your main website.

For more information, please read our Blog Articles: What the Right Domain Name can do for Your Business and Transform Your Business Dreams into Reality with the Perfect Domain Name

If you have registered more than one domain for your company, these can be pointed (forwarded) to your existing company website. This means that when any of these domain names are entered into a web browser, whether as a URL address or a in a search, they will all redirect to your website. For more information refer to our Knowledgebase Article: What Does Domain Pointing Mean.

You are the registered owner of your domain, even if you register via an ISP (Internet Service Provider) or when transferring from one to another. If you ask an ISP to register a domain for you, please ensure you double check that all your information is correct prior to registration. For more information refer to our Knowledgebase Article: Will I Be The Owner Of The Domain If I Register It Through An ISP.

Globally, every domain name ends with a full stop (dot) and either letters or a word. This suffix is called a TLD (Top Level Domain) or domain extension. This is the first level of a hierarchical DNS (Domain Name System) structure.

They come in various groups, such as:

- gTLDs (Generic Top Level Domains), which are usually 3 or more letters in length e.g., most easily recognizable are .com, .org, .net, .edu, .gov.

- ccTLDs (Country Code Top Level Domains), these are 2 letters and are generally based on the ISO 3166 code, e.g. .us, uk, il, etc.

- geoTLDS (Geographic Top Level Domains), these are associated to countries e.g., .nyc, .boston, .chicago, .vegas.

For a full list of TLDs maintained by IANA (Internet Assigned Numbers Authority), please click here.

For more information refer to our Knowledgebase Articles: What Is A Top Level Domain (TLD) and Why Is A .com TLD A Better Choice For A Domain Extension.

A Registrant is an individual or entity that registers a domain (domain name) with a Registrar. All information pertaining to said Domain Registration is available to the public via a global database called: Whois.

This information can be kept private via the WHOIS Privacy, please contact our Sales Team if you have any questions.

For more information refer to our Knowledgebase Articles: What Is A Domain Registrant?, What Is A Domain Registrar? and What Is A Domain Registry?.

A Registry runs a database for specific TLDs. They are responsible for policies and delegating IP addresses and the DNSSEC and DNS infrastructure. The Registry interacts with Registrars, for an in-depth overview of a Registry's services, please refer to the ICANNwiki Registry page.

A Registrar has to initially be ICANN Accredited before they can sell any Registry's TLDs. Registrars can sell TLDs from multiple Registries and are the direct face to the public. You can refer to the ICANNwiki Registrar page.

For more information refer to our Knowledgebase Article: How To Know The Difference Between A Registrar And A Registry.

Domain registrations typically last for a specific period, commonly one year or longer, depending on your registrar's or hosting provider's policies. You can renew your domain registration before it expires to maintain ownership and continuity of your web address and online visibility.