Name.com is a domain registrar founded in 2003 by Bill Mushkin. Demand Media bought it in 2013, and it now describes itself as part of Identity Digital, the company formed when Donuts and Afilias merged their brands in 2022, per ICANNWiki.
The reason people compare is the renewal. The Name.com pricing page shows a .com at $13.99 for the first year and $21.99 to renew. Since November 1, 2026 every registrar pays Verisign $10.97 a year per .com, so most of Name.com's renewal is margin. The six registrars below all renew a .com for less, ordered from the simplest flat price to the most bundled.
Prices below are as of November 6, 2026. Our method is on How we review tools.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Price | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Porkbun | One flat .com price every year | .com $11.81/year | Web |
| Cloudflare Registrar | At-cost renewals on Cloudflare DNS | .com renewal $11.17/year | Web |
| Dynadot | Free extras such as a branded email | .com $10.88/year with code | Web |
| Spaceship | The cheapest first year | .com from $3.18 first year; $10.88 renewal | Web |
| Namecheap | Free privacy and bulk search | .com from $6.48 first year with code | Web |
| Squarespace Domains | All-in pricing after Google Domains | From $10 first year | Web |
Porkbun
Porkbun is the cleanest swap for a Name.com customer tired of renewal jumps. A .com costs $11.81 to register, $11.81 to renew and $11.81 to transfer, ICANN fee included, with free WHOIS privacy and a free SSL certificate, per the Porkbun domains page.
Against Name.com's $21.99 renewal, that is roughly $10 a year saved on each .com. A transfer also adds a year to the registration, so moving costs about what one renewal would.
Best for: Owners of a few .com names who want a renewal price that never moves after year one.
Pricing:
- .com: $11.81 per year to register, renew or transfer.
- WHOIS privacy and SSL: free.
Watch out for:
- No first-year discount on .com, so a promo elsewhere, such as Name.com's own $11.89 new-customer code, can be cheaper for year one.
- Porkbun raised .com to $11.81 on November 1, 2026 after the Verisign increase, and future wholesale rises will pass through the same way.
Official site: Porkbun.
Cloudflare Registrar
Cloudflare sells domains at cost, passing on the registry and ICANN fees with no markup across more than 390 endings. DomainOffer lists its .com renewal at $11.17, close to the wholesale cost.
Name.com lets you point a domain anywhere. Cloudflare does not: the Cloudflare Registrar FAQ says every domain must use Cloudflare nameservers, and moving DNS elsewhere means moving the domain to another registrar.
Best for: A site already on Cloudflare that wants the lowest renewal and one dashboard.
Pricing:
- At cost, no markup.
- .com renewal: $11.17 per year.
Watch out for:
- Cloudflare nameservers are required for every domain.
- Under ICANN rules a domain cannot change registrar for 60 days after registration, a transfer or a contact change.
Official site: Cloudflare Registrar.
Dynadot
Dynadot lists the same $10.88 for registering, renewing and transferring a .com, with coupon 899COM shown on the Dynadot .com page. That is about half of Name.com's renewal.
It also bundles more than most budget registrars: URL forwarding and stealth forwarding, advanced DNS, a one-page website and one branded email address come free with each .com.
Best for: A small business that wants an email address on its domain without a separate host.
Pricing:
- .com: $10.88 to register, renew or transfer (coupon 899COM).
- Forwarding, one-page site and one branded email included.
Watch out for:
- Prices can vary with exchange rates.
- Premium .com names are priced differently from the standard rate.
Official site: Dynadot.
Spaceship
Spaceship is the registrar to pick if the first-year price matters most. DomainOffer lists a .com at $3.18 for year one with code COMPROS, $10.88 to renew and $3.94 to transfer in with code SPSCOMTR.
Privacy is free on eligible names through Withheld for Privacy, and the ICANN fee is added at purchase, per the Spaceship domains page. The renewal is still about half of Name.com's.
Best for: A new project that wants a cheap first year and a fair renewal after it.
Pricing:
- .com: from $3.18 first year with a promo code; $10.88 renewal; $3.94 transfer with a code.
- ICANN fee added at purchase. Free privacy on eligible domains.
Watch out for:
- The low first-year and transfer prices depend on promo codes that can change at any time.
- The $10.88 renewal is more than three times the promo first year, so budget for year two.
Official site: Spaceship.
Namecheap
Namecheap is the large, familiar choice. Domain privacy is "FREE for life" on every eligible domain, which avoids the add-on question Name.com customers keep raising, per the Namecheap .com page.
Its Beast Mode bulk search checks up to 5,000 names at once, handy if you hold a portfolio. First-year promos are frequent; on October 26, 2026 the price tracker DomainOffer listed $6.48 for new customers with code NEWCOM648.
Best for: Someone moving several domains who wants free privacy and a familiar dashboard.
Pricing:
- .com from $6.48 for the first year with code NEWCOM648 and $18.48 regular renewal, per DomainOffer on October 26, 2026; promo codes vary.
- Domain privacy free for life on eligible domains.
Watch out for:
- Renewal costs more than the promo year. DomainOffer put the regular .com renewal at $18.48 on October 26, 2026, before the November 1 wholesale rise.
- First-year discounts apply, so check the renewal price in the cart.
Official site: Namecheap. Our listing: Namecheap.
Squarespace Domains
Squarespace took over Google Domains customers and says its domain service "includes the best of Google Domains", with all-in pricing that covers "even taxes and fees", per the Squarespace Domains page. WHOIS privacy is included on all eligible domains.
The page advertises a domain "for only $10", and price trackers list $10 for a .com first year. It suits people who want the checkout total to match the sticker price.
Best for: A former Google Domains user who wants simple, tax-inclusive billing.
Pricing:
- Domains from $10 for the first year, taxes and fees included.
- .com renewal price not published.
Watch out for:
- Renewal price not published.
- Domains renew automatically by default, with an email reminder 30 days before.
Official site: Squarespace Domains.
How to choose
| If you need | Pick |
|---|---|
| The same .com price every year | Porkbun |
| The lowest renewal on a Cloudflare site | Cloudflare Registrar |
| Free email and forwarding with the domain | Dynadot |
| The cheapest first year | Spaceship |
| Free privacy for a large portfolio | Namecheap |
| Tax-inclusive pricing after Google Domains | Squarespace Domains |
When to stay with Name.com
Stay with Name.com if service matters more to you than about $10 a year per .com. Its Trustpilot score is 4.3 from 6,345 reviews, and recent complaints got replies with a refund offer. After any transfer, ICANN rules block another registrar change for 60 days, so a domain you plan to sell soon may be better left where it is.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Name.com?
Name.com describes itself as part of Identity Digital, the domain company behind the former Donuts and Afilias businesses. Demand Media announced it had bought Name.com in January 2013.
How much is a .com at Name.com?
The pricing page lists $13.99 and $21.99. Price trackers label $13.99 as the first-year price and $21.99 as the regular renewal and transfer price, with a SAVE15 code taking new customers to $11.89 for year one. Domain Safe Pro, a security add-on, costs $7.99.
Is Name.com a good registrar?
It is reliable and well reviewed, with 4.3 from 6,345 reviews on Name.com's Trustpilot page. Recent complaints about the add-on and billing got replies offering refunds. Its weak point is price, not service.
How do I find an available domain before choosing a registrar?
Use a neutral search tool first, then buy wherever the renewal is lowest. Our Instant Domain Search alternatives page lists fast checkers that do not tie you to one registrar.
