Name.com review

If you’ve used Wix in the past, any domain name you’ve bought through it has come from Name.com. Name.com has been around since 2003 and is a reliable name in the field. Based in Denver, Colorado, it continues to be a popular hit for anyone looking to buy a domain name quickly. Its services extend to web hosting, WordPress hosting, and email hosting.

I’ve been buying and using domain names for over 20 years. I’ve also been reviewing hosting products for more than 10 years, so I know what to look out for. This Name.com review evaluates the sign up process, prices compared to the competition, and how well it all works for the average consumer.

For more options, why not take a look at our rundown of the best domain registrars?

Name.com: My experience

Signing up with Name.com doesn’t take long at all. I entered the domain idea and within a second, I was given a list of TLDs all with different prices. There’s no way to arrange that list by price, but it didn’t take long to browse through. From there, you can add multiple domains to your basket at the same time. Premium domains are tagged and renewal prices are offered up too.

There’s a little upselling when you add a domain, with the option to add on email hosting, Gmail, or Wix hosting, but you can skip past that quickly. Whois privacy, domain lock, and an SSL certificate also cost an additional fee, unlike some competitors. The original price doesn’t include the ICANN fee either.

Name.com: Features

Name.com has a clear and simple domain management page. At a glance, you can see all the domains you own. It’s simple to add Whois privacy, renew them, manage the nameservers and DNS records, and everything else you might need to do.

Head to the domain actions and video tutorials and FAQs guide you through what to do. Renewal is a simple toggle so you can switch it off easily enough. The bulk of the features comes from the My Products part of the dashboard which offers up a lot of free trials to tempt you in. You can tie your Name.com domain into a custom email service, Wix account, Google Workspace, or other hosting accounts. Name.com doesn’t have the best hosting services, but Wix is useful if you just want pure simplicity for your setup.

Name.com: User experience

Name.com is a simple to use service. It’s relatively basic looking, but it uses color to highlight key elements like renewal statuses and to help divide things up well. Management options are all contained in the same area with short guides on what each option means.

The site is also keen to help you establish your business through adding on hosting or even setting up an LLC if you’re in the US. While there are potentially easier hosting packages for beginners, Name.com builds fairly well on its strongest reputation as a domain provider. It’s just unfortunate you have to pay extras for basics like WHOIS privacy.

Name.com: Customer support

Name.com lacks phone support but otherwise, it has good support options. As mentioned, you get videos and guides scattered throughout the domain management page. It also has a knowledge base for step-by-step guides.

Another option is its 24/7 chat bot which converts to human support if needed. There’s also a support ticket service, which I found wasn’t the fastest but was useful when dealing with a non-time sensitive query.

Name.com: Pricing

With over 600 TLDs to choose from, Name.com isn’t short of options. Its cheapest domains are under £1 in the UK for the first year with .coms working out as quite affordable too. This will vary depending on the domain you want, so the thing to look out for is the renewal fee.

Also, Name.com does throw in additional fees. If you want WHOIS privacy and advanced domain lock protection, you’ll need to pay a little extra. That’s worth thinking about when comparing domain name prices.

Name.com: Specs

Name.com: Should I buy?

Buy it if…

• You want the professional touch. Name.com looks a little more professional than others. That isn’t a dealbreaker but it does make it very easy to look through your domain name portfolio.
• You want domain suggestions. One feature allows Name.com to suggest groups of TLDs based on your intentions. It’s a valuable time saving tool.
• You want to add extra features. Want to try out Wix for less or check out free trials? Name.com is great at dishing these out to give you a good commitment-free taster.

Don’t buy it if…

• You want the cheapest price. Name.com slips in extra fees for fairly important features. Be aware.
• You want the best hosting. Name.com’s hosting is good but not great. If you want an all-in-one solution, go elsewhere.
• You want phone support. No phone support won’t bother everyone but if that’s you, dodge Name.com.

Name.com: The competition

• GoDaddy: If you want professionalism with slightly better prices, GoDaddy offers that in abundance while making things pretty simple.
• Porkbun: Few domain registrars are cheaper than Porkbun even if it isn’t the most stylish or appealing option out there. It’s ideal for establishing a portfolio.
• Namecheap: Easy to use with reasonable prices across the board, Namecheap is perfect for many needs if you don’t mind the lack of phone support.

How I tested Name.com

• Set up an account and bought two domain names
• Searched for other domains
• Compared prices and services to other companies

I searched for a domain name through Name.com before signing up for an account. I bought two domain names while evaluating other options. I went through the sign up process when purchasing and looked out for any additional fees or any caveats that needed to be acknowledged.

Once purchased, I looked at the domain management tools available to me as well as how I could expand my portfolio, either through new domains or by adding a hosting package.