Chapter 2: Choosing Your Domain Provider

What to Consider When Choosing a Provider

Before you rush to register a domain, here are a few things to look for:

• Price: Some providers look cheap… until renewal time.
• Check the Renewal Price: Many providers offer a low first-year price, then boom — renewal hits you like a surprise boss battle.
  Tip: Always look at the 2nd and 3rd year costs before committing.
• DNS Management Tools: You’ll need to configure DNS — make sure it’s easy to use.
• Security Options: 2FA, domain locking, and WHOIS protection.
• Customer Support: Always a good backup in case something breaks.

⚠️ Watch Out for Tricks!

Some providers use marketing tactics to lure you in with a super low initial price — but the renewal fee might be way higher. For example:

• GoDaddy sometimes starts cheap but renews at a much higher rate.
• Hostinger is known for having more stable renewal pricing and better long-term value.

Pro tip: Check their pricing tables or FAQs for the real numbers before you buy.

For testing purposes, you can also use DuckDNS — it’s a free dynamic DNS service.
⚠️ Note: Since it’s a free service, your subdomain could be lost or recycled if not used for a while. Ideal for short-term or non-critical use.