Most web hosting providers offer a free domain name for the first year when you sign up for one of their annual plans. It’s a nice perk because domain names usually cost around $10-30 per year.
Essentially, you’re getting a little bonus that covers your domain registration cost for that first year.
Now, here’s the thing about those “free” domains. While they’re free for the first year, you’ll typically have to pay for them when it comes time to renew. But hey, a year’s worth of savings is still pretty sweet, right?
Here’s A Quick List of My Top Three Picks:
Best Overall For Businesses
- Free domain, SSL, and email
- Excellent customer support
- Free daily backups
- 100% Customer focused
- Plans starting at $2.99/month
Good Budget Friendly
- Free domain, SSL, and email
- Good customer support
- Free weekly backups
- Too many changes & upsells
- Plans starting at $2.99/month
Fair Third Option
- Free domain and SSL only
- Fair customer support
- No free backups available
- Chat support only at $2.95
- Plans starting at $2.95/month
SiteGround
Best For Small Businesses
Pros and Cons
- Excellent Support
- Free Domain
- Free Email
- Free SSL
- Daily Website Backups
- 30-Days Money-Back
- High Renewal Costs
- Database Size Limit
Why I Picked It
I chose SiteGround because they’re a very reliable web hosting company and their customer support is amazing. I use them to host this website. They’re a bit pricier than some other options, but totally worth it for the peace of mind!
Who It's For
SiteGround is great for small businesses or someone looking to create a website but do not have a lot of experience and need a dedicated customer support team ready to help them.
Features & Specs
- 10 GB SSD Storage
- Free Email Migrator
- Unlimited MySQL Databases
- Free CDN
- Enhanced Security
- Power & Hardware Redundancy
- Out-of-The-Box Caching
- Unlimited Subdomains
- Friendly Site Tools
- 100% Renewable Energy Match
- Transfer Websites to Clients
- The Ability To Add Collaborators To Help You
My SiteGround Experience
I’ve had a fantastic experience with SiteGround. They offer a free domain for the first year on all their plans, and their hosting is one of the best at a budget-friendly price. I’ve been with them for a couple of years now, and honestly, I couldn’t be happier.
What I love about SiteGround is that they’re all about keeping things simple and providing excellent service.
Their website is easy to navigate, their customer support is amazing, and they don’t annoy you with a bunch of advertisements to buy services you don’t need.
Plus, their hosting infrastructure is super reliable and fast, which is crucial for keeping your website visitors happy.
Oh, and did I mention they’re also committed to sustainability? They match 100% of their energy consumption with renewable energy, which is great for the environment.
If you’re looking for a great hosting provider with a free domain, I highly recommend checking out SiteGround. They’ve earned my trust, and I’m confident you’ll have a great experience with them too.
Hostinger
Best For Cheap Price
Pros and Cons
- Good Support
- Free Domain
- Free Email
- Free SSL
- Weekly Backups
- 30-Days Money-Back
- Higher Renewal Costs
- No Priority Support
- Too Many Website Changes
Why I Picked It
I like Hostinger because their prices are really hard to beat, especially if you’re just starting out. It’s a good way to get a website up without spending a fortune, even if it means you would have to deal with their frequent website changes.
Who It's For
Hostinger is a good option for beginners who want to create a website for themselves and if you’re on a tight budget, but keep in mind they change their website layout frequently, which can be frustrating.
If you value consistency, excellent customer support and a smooth user experience, you might want to consider spending a bit more for a different hosting provider. In my experience, I do not recommend Hostinger for small businesses.
Features & Specs
- 100 Websites
- 100 GB SSD Storage
- Free WHOIS Provacy
- Free CDN on More Expensive Plans
- Free DDOS Protection
- LiteSpeed Caching
My Hosting Experience
Hostinger also offers a free domain for the first year on all of their hosting plans.
But here’s the thing I’ve learned about Hostinger – and this is from my own experience using them for a while – sometimes, you really do get what you pay for.
They have this habit of constantly changing their website layout and features. It felt like every time I logged in, something had moved! That can be a real pain, especially when you’re busy and just want to get things done.
Honestly, it made me feel like they weren’t putting much emphasis on making things easy for their users. And for me, that was a dealbreaker.
There are other web hosts out there that offer a more stable and consistent experience while still providing you with a free domain name and I prefer SiteGround over them.
Bluehost
Best For Your First Blog
Pros and Cons
- Free Domain
- Free SSL
- Cheap Renewal Costs
- 30-Days Money-Back
- Free Email - 1st Year ONLY
- Basic Customer Support
- No Free Website Backup
Why I Picked It
I like Bluehost because they’re beginner-friendly and easy on the wallet, which was perfect when I was just starting out. However, I wasn’t a huge fan of their customer service, so I eventually switched to a different host.
Who It's For
Bluehost is a good starting point for beginners creating their first blogs and looking for an affordable and easy way to do it.
However, they might not be the best option long-term because their customer support and billing practices aren’t the greatest.
Features & Specs
- 10 GB SSD Storage
- cPanel Access
- Free CDN
- DDos Security Protection
- Free WordPress Staging Site
- Free Malware Scanner
My Bluehost Experience
Bluehost is a popular choice, especially for beginners because their platform is pretty easy to use. They do offer a free domain for the first year, and then you have to pay for it after that.
Personally, I’ve used Bluehost in the past, and while they were great for getting started, I’ve found that there are better options out there now.
My main issue with Bluehost was their customer support. It wasn’t always easy to get the help I needed, and I felt like they could have been more transparent with their billing practices.
Namecheap
Best For Low-Cost Shared Hosting
Pros and Cons
- Free Domain
- Free Email
- Free SSL
- Cheap Renewal Costs
- 30-Days Money-Back
- Free Domain is Not a.com Domain
- Good Customer Support
Why I Picked It
I like Namecheap website hosting because they’re affordable and I already buy my domain names from them. Their cPanel is a little tricky to figure out at first, but overall they’re a good host to create a website with, if you’re on a really tight budget.
Who It's For
Namecheap is a great option for people who are new to creating websites and are looking for affordable web hosting, especially to keep costs down.
Just a heads up, they use cPanel, which can be a bit tricky to navigate at first, but if you don’t mind that you’re all good. If you’re looking for web hosting for small businesses I recommend SiteGround instead of Namecheap.
Features & Specs
- 20 GB SSD Storage
- cPanel Access
- Free CDN
- Apache/Litespeed Server
- MySQL Databases
- PHP MyAdmin
- Free WHOIS Domain Privacy
My Namecheap Experience
Namecheap is a well-known player in the domain name world, and have recently started offering web hosting services. They offer some really competitive prices, especially for people just starting their online journey.
Now, here’s the thing about their free domain offer. When you sign up for one of their annual hosting plans, you typically get a free domain for the first year.
It’s a pretty sweet deal, as it saves you some money upfront.
However, keep in mind that the free domain they provide is not a .com domain extension, so if you need a free domain name that ends in .com you’ll have to check one of the other hosting provider on this list.
Also, you’ll need to renew the domain at regular price after the first year. So, factor that into your long-term budget.
In terms of the hosting itself, Namecheap offers solid performance. Your website will be in good hands, and you shouldn’t experience any major issues.
But, there’s one thing to consider: they use cPanel. cPanel is a popular hosting control panel, but it can be a bit overwhelming for beginners.
It might take some time to get used to its interface and features. If you’re not tech-savvy or prefer a more user-friendly dashboard, you might find cPanel a bit challenging.
But hey, don’t let that discourage you! If you’re willing to learn it or already familiar with cPanel, Namecheap is definitely a great option. They provide good value for your money, and their hosting service is reliable.
HostGator
Best For Beginners and Bloggers
Pros and Cons
- Free Domain
- Free SSL
- Cheap Renewal Costs
- 30-Days Money-Back
- Free Email Trial - 1 Month ONLY
- Basic Customer Support
- No Free Website Backup
- No Free CDN
- No Free Website Transfer
Why I Picked It
I like HostGator because their plans are pretty straightforward, even though they’re not the absolute best and definitely not my first choice (SiteGround). I figured it’s a good starting point for someone who doesn’t want to spend a lot of money on web hosting.
Who It's For
HostGator is a good option for someone who is just starting out and need a simple website up and running. They’re owned by the same company as Bluehost, so their pricing and plans are pretty similar.
Features & Specs
- 10 GB SSD Storage
- cPanel Access
- MySQL databases
- phpMyAdmin access
- Free Malware Scanner
My HostGator Experience
HostGator offers a free domain for the first year on all their web hosting plans.
Now, here’s the thing about HostGator. They’re a decent choice for basic needs, kind of like Bluehost. They’re actually owned by the same company, so you’ll see some similarities in their plans and pricing.
In my experience, they generally get the job done. But, to be honest, there are a couple of things that keep them from being my top recommendation.
First off, their customer support could be better. While they’re helpful, they don’t always go the extra mile. I’ve had better experiences with other hosts who really prioritize customer satisfaction.
Second, HostGator could be more upfront about their resource limits. It’s not always clear how much traffic or bandwidth each plan can handle before your website’s performance starts to slow down. That can be a bit of a concern, especially if you expect your business to grow quickly.
Which Web Hosting With Free Domain Name Would I Use?
As a website designer, I’ve tried my fair share of web hosting providers. If you’re asking me which one I’d recommend with a free domain name, I’d have to say SiteGround.
They really stand out from the crowd, not just because they offer a free domain, but because their customer service is really good. They’re genuinely invested in helping their customers succeed, and that’s something I truly value.
