Domain registrars are like fruits, they come in all shape, sizes forms and flavours. Like there is no “best fruit” in the world (I personally can’t decide between mango and pineapple), there is no best domain registrar either. People have different needs and depending on those some domain providers are more suitable for them than others.
There are four main factors that play an important role and which should help you to find the right domain registrar partner for you.
Support: A domain registrar has to be available and approachable. Most users don’t need support very often, but if they do, it should be fast, easily accessible but above all qualified. You want support from people who know what they are talking about. Check if the registrar you are looking at offers in-house support, or if their support is outsourced to a generic call-centre (possibly in a different country). Make sure you choose a domain provider with experienced and trained staff.
Location: Domain registrars, resellers or web agencies all offer digital services via the Internet, why does location matter? One reason for that could be the support hour coverage. A provider in a different country might only offer support during their local office hours, which could differ from yours. Some countries have much stricter online security requirements, privacy polices regulatinos and consumer protection laws. It is worthwhile checking that your data and rights are secured. Another more positive reason, using a local provider means you are supporting your countries economy and isn’t that always a good reason?
Products: Have a look what products and services your provider covers. If you plan to use your domain name for your personal email address or for your business or website, you need extra products like an email solution for web hosting. Some providers offer a selection of products and services on top of their domain names. Choosing a domain registrar that can offer you everything you need, reduces the amount of providers you need to work with. Less different contact people, less accounts to manage and control. Getting everything from one provider can be very convenient.
Price (of course): We might not be always willing to admit it but the price of products and services plays a role when we choose a provider. The pricing should be fair for both sides. Extremely low prices could be an indication of outsourced support (or no support at all). A low margin can result in less resources for the provider to maintain and improve their products and services. Based on the level of automation, that doesn’t need to be the case but it can’t hurt to ask why the prices are either too low or too high.
Those might not be the only reasons to take into consideration when choosing a domain registrar. There are for sure many more factors that can be important but we hope this gives you a good idea of things to watch out.
Feel free to contact us if you have questions or need help with anything.
