Ultimate Google Domains Review. Find Out What Sets it Appart!

Ultimate Google Domains Review. Find Out What Sets it Appart! .elementor-19992 .elementor-element.elementor-element-19992{text-align:center}Last Updated on February 21, 2020By the end of this review, you may realize that Google Domains, while adding a small bit of complexity to your website building efforts, is the best thing you have never heard of. Currently in Beta, this service is not only reasonably priced but offers perks you cant get anywhere else (for free).G Suite. Disclosure As an independent review site, we get compensated if you purchase through the referral links or coupon codes on this page â€" at no additional cost to you. Dismiss alert In this article, not only will you learn about all of the perks and feature that Google Domains offers for each and every domain registration, but you will also learn how they stack up against other popular domain registrars.You might also like: Cheap domains Table of Contents Our Google domains reviewProduct analysis: Google Domains is a domain registrar apartFeatures of registering your do main name through Google DomainsGoogle Domains vs other top domain name registrarsGoogle Domains vs GoDaddyBlueHost vs Google domain name registrationGoogle Domains Vs NameCheapWhere to register with Google DomainsGoogle Domains Pros and consGoogle Domains is one of the best registrars butOur Google domains reviewProduct analysis: Google Domains is a domain registrar apartIf youre wondering, Is Google Domains good?, the answer is a resounding yes.Even going in blind, youll get just as much and more than you would with domain registration anywhere else. However, a common misconception is that Google Domains offers some sort of hosting.Google Domain Hosting, as of now, does not exist. They offer domain registration, forwarding, parking, and integration with G Suite in order to create email addresses.Google Domains does not offer website or blog site hosting and only partners with other hosts to help you create a website that your domain can be linked to. These partners include Google Sites, which is not the same as Google Domains and allows you to create free, wiki-type websites with no hosting costs.If youre a little bit lost, its likely youre not quite sure how domain names get assigned or how theyre completely separate from hosts and hosting companies. You can learn more about the domain name registration process and accredited domain name registrars by watching the following video. Google Domains is still not in the “Alpha” stage. Its important to realize that this product is still in open, yet active, development. In 2014, Google began building and launched an invitation-only version of Google Domains.In early 2015, Google Domains moved into an “open” Beta where it remains today. This means that anyone can use the service and take advantage of the benefits but that Google isnt really promoting it, because they feel that they havent perfected it yet for the average user.All-in-all, it feels like a fairly well-polished product already, and as it has b een several years, an official launch may not be far off. While that may give the product points for being fully finished, it also means that this “best-kept secret” wont be that way for much longer.Features of registering your domain name through Google DomainsMore than anything else, Google Domains proves that it values your personal security and privacy. They foot the bill for any costs associated with keeping your name, address, and other information used to register a domain private if at all possible, on as many domains as possible. Registering a domain with Google? Get the same DNS servers as Google. That means your domain will hook up to your website flawlessly and as quickly as possible.Full email, phone, and chat support are available to all users once theyve been on the platform for a few months.. Documentation for certain features is also available and used as first-line self-service for questions.All interfaces are clean, uncluttered, and intuitive. They are also step-by-step easy for everything from registering your domain to linking it to a popular website builder or third-party hosting provider.The “partners” of Google Domains include BlueHost, Wix, WordPress, Weebly, Shopify, and SquareSpace. You can easily integrate with any of these to build a website (though additional costs may apply when you sign up with these services).Site builders: not your only optionYou do not have to use any of Googles partnered services or integrated website builders. You are free to register your domain name with Google Domains and then choose any third-party hosting services provider to build and host your website.There is no penalty for doing this. The only difference is you will lack support from Google Domains (phone, chat, or email) during the process of setting this up. However, the support from your would-be host should be able to pick up the slack.You will also not have access to the nice step-by-step integration tutorials and resources Google pr ovides for use with its promoted integrated website builders and service providers.New partners and integrated services are also introduced occasionally. A few years ago, the only way to build a WordPress site and have it “integrated” was to go through BlueHost. Now you can use WordPress.org.Domains are domains: no “better” registrar will change thatOne of the hard facts of this review that cannot be understated, is that Google Domains is a domain name registrar that offers other services in addition to this registration.All domains, no matter the registrar, are registered in a nearly identical way. There is nothing that makes this feature of Google Domains offerings standout or special, because theres no way for it to be.Google Domain prices and plansAfter any promotional pricing has expired, the industry average for a .com sits around $14 per year. Right now, Google Domains offers .com registration, no promotions included, for $12 per year.The only other “popular” host that regularly beats these prices is NameCheap. Its also worth noting, however, that Google Domains has seen a decrease in costs per domain over time, and they have also been first to offer certain domain name types or Top Level Domains (TLDs such as .com’s or .net’s.All other domain types are also competitively priced and often will beat the price of the competition by a few dollars for the most popular domain endings. When you figure in all of the at-cost features Google offers, or the fact that they take care of secure and private registrations free of charge, thats bargain pricing no matter how you look at it.Google Domains vs other top domain name registrarsAs Google Domains is only a registrar and offers no hosting services, comparing it to these other hosting companies that also offer domain registration is relatively simple. More than anything, it comes down to price and security.Google Domains vs GoDaddyWhen you compare GoDaddy to Google Domains based on price, its no contest. Not only does Google Domains offer better service, but they also offer it for a few dollars less per year.In addition, you also get free WHOIS privacy protection with Google, something GoDaddy charges even more for and its additional for every domain you register with them.If you like GoDaddy hosting, you can also register your domains with Google Domains and then link them to GoDaddy hosting. This gives you several advantages while saving you money.BlueHost vs Google domain name registrationBlueHost is partnered with Google Domains to provide seamless integration. It is the only “true” third party hosting service that is currently partnered and integrates this easily.If you compare their registration services, however, their costs are very similar. At both registrars, basic .com domains start at around $12 per year. However, Bluehost also offers first-year discounts while Google Domains offers more subdomains with no hosting fee and WHOIS privacy features for no additi onal charge. Check out BlueHost special offers here Google Domains Vs NameCheapRight now, NameCheap offers .com domains for less than a dollar more than what Google Domains charges. However, NameCheap also runs a lot of specials and offers free WHOIS security and privacy protection on a number of TLDs.Out of all the registrars out there, NameCheap is the closest to offering what Google Domains has on offer. Its no surprise as they both have a similar mission: to get more people to build things on the web.In short, when it comes to NameCheap vs Google Domains, the latter is all about domains. You can register your domain with Google Domains and get hosting through NameCheap to have the best of both worlds. Check out NameCheap special offers here Where to register with Google DomainsWhen youre buying a domain from Google Domains, you have a few options. The following bullet points will help you find the right place to start.Transfer a Domain: transferring a domain from another r egistrar to get the benefits offered by Google domains? This is the place to get started. Pricing varies depending on the domain type (TLD type) and other variables.Look Up a New Domain: new domain availability is shown with this easy lookup tool. Various TLDs are also suggested if the main TLDs (.com, .net, and .org, if not specified) are taken.View All Plans and Pricing: while most of the prices offered by Google Domains are competitive, some are a little high. Its worth taking a look before you commit, even though you need to register every domain individually.No matter what stage youre at, you should have no trouble getting set up with a Google Domains account or registering a domain with Google Domains. That is unless you live outside of the 15 currently supported countries.Right now, Google Domains only supports users from Australia, Brazil, Canada, the UK, the USA, Japan, India, and eight other countries. You can, however, sign up to receive alerts if new countries, or your c ountry specifically, become available.Google bases this decision off of the billing address on the account. If you happen to live in an unsupported country but have a billing address in a supported country, youll be able to use the service.Certain domain names may also not be available for transfer. Google Domains does not support all TLDs on the market and may charge more to transfer domains that it does not readily support yet or that are “registry premium”.There are a lot of positives with this program, and the pricing is no worse than with any of the most popular domain name registrars. In some cases, its even a little better for the most popular TLDs.The main detracting factors are how limited the program is. Though it is in Beta, this is a service only available in about 15 countries and that doesnt support integration with most major hosting providers.Further, choosing to register your domain with Google Domains and then going to look for another third-party hosting compa ny adds a layer of complexity that most people just dont want or need. For instance, if you register with BlueHost (a partner with comparable pricing) and choose their hosting, everything is in one place, and all you lose is free WHOIS privacy registration and ease of G Suite integration.Ultimately, if the added steps are worth it to you, go for it. Privacy is becoming more important by the day, and who knows, Google Domains could grow into a much more influential product over time.Pros ConsIntegration with G Suite100 custom email addresses per domain100 subdomains per domainWHOIS privacy and securityBacked by the Google brandExcellent customer support for all via phone, chat, or emailFirst chance to register several new Top Level DomainsThere are cheaper options out thereOnly 15 countries availableGoogle Domains is a Beta program so survival is not guaranteedGoogle Domains is one of the best registrars but...A lot of ground has been covered in this Google Domains review. However, i ts worth summarizing the key points.First, Google Domains, at the risk of sounding redundant, is a Beta program and has been for quite a few years. Yes, Google seems to like to develop new things and keep them in development for a while, but they also have culled quite a few programs over the years, even decent and middling programs.While it looks like Google Domains is here to stay at this point, there is always the chance that it would end up scrapped and never make it to a full release. If that does happen, however, there will likely be plenty of time and support dedicated to getting all users migrated to other registrars.While choosing to go with Google Domains isnt risky, its got more upside and little to lose unless you want a cheaper registrar.Further, getting in now may make it easier to integrate any new features that may be added in the near future.Our Google Domains review final ratingGoogle is a trusted name with a reputation thats nearly sterling. Theyre one of the bigg est companies in the world and manage the worlds most popular search engine.Given that, why is their domain registration service so relatively unknown? Is it even worth looking into? In short, “yes”. If you care about privacy and want to make a bet on Google, then Google Domains is worth spending a little time considering.We award 4.5 out of 5 starsEditor's rating 4.5/5 Check out NameCheap special offers here Domain registrar reviews What is a name server