Network Solutions domain registration review

Network Solutions has been around longer than I’ve been alive. Set up in 1979 as a technology consulting company, it later became the first operator of the DNS registry in 1991 under a sub-contract with the US DISA. It’s been a core part of what we’re used to seeing every day online now.

It’s also a domain registrar which anyone can sign up for with a wealth of TLDs available. I’ve been purchasing domain names for about 25 years and I’ve been reviewing web hosting and domain services for the past 10 years. When evaluating Network Solutions, I’ve used that experience as well as conducted hands-on testing, looked at its features, and investigated other verified reviews of the services available.

You can also take a look at our list of the best domain registrar services.

Network Solutions: My Experience

Network Solutions is very easy to sign up to and very keen to upsell. I searched for domains, found a very cheap one at 99c and then stared in awe as the price increased massively. That’s because you’re given the price for the first year, but Network Solutions immediately suggests tying yourself in for five years. Only the first year is particularly cheap. It also adds a free trial for domain privacy and starter hosting, and suggests a lot of other add-ons as well.

Be careful while you look through the basket so you only pay for what you actually want. Once you’ve bought a domain, you’re taken to a dashboard that looks identical to the Domain.com one because Network Solutions has acquired Domain.com.

Network Solutions: Features

Predictably, Network Solutions follows a similar path to Domain. That means you’re paying extra for every service you might need. There’s a domain lock, but other than that you need to pay for Whois privacy protection—something that tends to come for free with other domain registrars.

Its dashboard is also like Domain’s, which means it’s simple but fairly unattractive. You can easily connect your domain here to a website or email hosting, with Network Solutions keen for you to sign up to its own services. There are free trials available but generally, there are better hosting options out there. You can also connect your social media with separate guides for each type of account. Other than that, expect to pay. Even domain forwarding costs extra here.

Network Solutions: User experience

Like Domain, Network Solutions is very focused on upselling. You can ignore all this, but at times you do need to be aware of what has been added to your basket before tapping the buy button. That makes Network Solutions feels a little cynically designed.

The trend continues when looking around the dashboard, applying domain privacy, adding marketing tools, and so forth. But it is simple to find and change nameservers at least and if you want an all-in-one solution, Network Solutions is exceptionally keen to provide that.

Network Solutions: Customer support

Network Solutions has the usual suspects for support. There’s an AI chat bot which helps with a lot of commonly asked queries. At the time of writing, it also offered me a 20% discount on SSL certificates so it’s worth consulting once in a while. If you need to talk to a person, you can switch over by asking to do so.

Elsewhere, there’s the knowledge base which provides a lot of how-to guides for many situations. The knowledge base and chat bot should solve most of your problems, but if not, you can call Network Solutions with phone support being a neat bonus that not every domain registrar offers. There’s also a ticketing system.

Network Solutions: Pricing

One year fees for most TLDs with Network Solutions are fairly competitive, but they don’t tell the full story. Sometimes, you only get this discount if you commit to a longer period of time and in all cases, renewals end up much more expensive than the enticing first year offer.

There are also many hidden fees with domain privacy, SSL certificates, and even domain forwarding all costing extra. Even ICANN fees are added on in the basket so that initial fees seem cheaper than they truly are.

Network Solutions: Specs

Should I buy Network Solutions?

Buy it if…

• You want something reliable. With so much experience in the field, you’re in safe if expensive hands with Network Solutions. For some users, that’s worth the price.
• You want an all-in-one solution. Everything from domains to hosting to email is available here which simplifies your decision making somewhat.
• You want to add features individually. By requiring payment for so many services, you only pay for what you need. That could work well for some users.

Don’t buy it if…

• You want the cheapest domains. Network Solutions rarely works out cheapest so if price is everything, go elsewhere.
• You hate upselling. At every turn, Network Solutions tries to upsell you on its products. This can get annoying.
• You want a stylish onboarding experience. Network Solutions lacks good looks even if it does get the job done.

Network Solutions: The Competition

• GoDaddy: If you need web hosting as well as a domain, GoDaddy is the superior choice. It’s more visually appealing and a better price, even with upselling.
• Porkbun: For cheap domains and a no-frills experience, Porkbun is the place to go. It requires a little more knowledge at times, but its prices are great.
• Dynadot: Another good option for value, Dynadot misses a few TLDs but it’s otherwise great for stockpiling domains over time.

How I tested Network Solutions

• Searched for two domain names and bought them
• Investigated the Network Solutions dashboard
• Looked at features and support options

I signed up for an account with Network Solutions and purchased two domain names. I then looked through the dashboard to see what was available for free and how easy it was to make adjustments. I also looked at how simple it was to get advice from the help center, and I looked at other details like how to cancel auto-renew.