Top 10 Domain Hosting Companies of 2012

Top 10 Domain Hosting Companies of 2012

A domain hosting service enables you to give your website its unique identification and address on the Internet. When choosing a domain hosting service, it's important to find one that offers all the services and features you need at a reasonable cost. Our editors have compiled this list of best domain hosting services to help you choose the right one for your needs.

• RANK	WEB HOST	HOSTING PRICE	MONEY BACK	DOMAIN SERVICES	HOSTING FEATURES	CUSTOMER RATINGS	MORE INFO
  		$2.95	Anytime	FREE Domain UNLIMITED Domains UNLIMITED Subdomains FREE Domain Transfer Domain Privacy	Unlimited Space FREE Site Builder Green Hosting		iPage Review Visit Site
  2		$3.75	Anytime	FREE Domain UNLIMITED Domains UNLIMITED Subdomains FREE Domain Transfer	Unlimited Space Unlimited E-mails FREE Site Builder		Justhost Review Visit Site
  3		$3.95	90 Days	FREE Domain with Hosting UNLIMITED Domain Hosting FREE Domain Transfer UNLIMITED Subdomains	Unlimited Space FREE Site Builder Fast Tech Support		WebHostingHub Review Visit Site
  4		$4.42	No	UNLIMITED Domains UNLIMITED Subdomains FREE Domain Transfer Domain Privacy International Domains	Unlimited Bandwidth Free Ad Credits MySQL Databases		Godaddy Review Visit Site
  5		$3.15	30 Days	1 FREE Domain Name UNLIMITED Domains UNLIMITED Subdomains FREE Domain Transfer	Unlimited Space FREE Site Builder Green Hosting		Review Visit Site
  6		$4.95	Anytime	FREE Domain UNLIMITED Domain Hosting UNLIMITED Subdomains UNLIMITED Add-Ons	Unlimited Space Unlimited E-mails FREE Site Builder		Review Visit Site
  7		$4.17	90 Days	FREE Domain FREE Domain Transfer Domain Privacy	Unlimited Space 99.9% Uptime FREE Site Builder		Review Visit Site
  8		$3.96	45 Days	Free domain UNLIMITED Subdomains FREE Domain Transfer	Unlimited Bandwidth Unlimited Space Unlimited FTP Accounts		Review Visit Site
  9		$1.99	30 Days	Unlimited Domains Private Name Servers Free IP Tables Firewall	ECommerce Ready Control Panel Full Root Access		Review Visit Site
  10		$4.95	Anytime	FREE Domain Unlimited Domains FREE Domain Migration	Unlimited Space Green Hosting FREE Site Builder		Review Visit Site

Getting started with domain registration

Any time you build a web site, you will need to choose and register a domain name. Like personal identification badges, domain names identify websites so that they can be accessed by users on the Internet. When you register a domain name, you become the rightful owner of that name and the content displayed on your website. A domain name can be as important as your company’s brand name -- for this reason, it’s important to pick a domain name that is unique, memorable, and appropriate for your purposes.

Domain hosting vs. web hosting

Domain hosting and web hosting are separate services, but both are necessary for website construction. Domain services help you register a name for your website; web hosting services provide the storage space for online content. Many web hosts also provide domain registry, and some offer package deals if you sign up for both services from the same site. As the owner of the website, you can choose to register your domain and host your website on the same provider or on separate ones.

How much does domain hosting cost?

Domain hosting rates vary, but most cost under $10 per domain name. However, it’s important to consider the services offered by each service. If you’re looking for the bare minimum, a cheap domain hosting service might be the best choice. But if you need additional features such as refund periods, website security, money-back guarantee, or guaranteed uptime, then it might be worthwhile to pay extra.

Multiple domain hosting

Some domain web hosting services allow you to register for more than one website at once. These multiple domain hosting services often offer lower prices or package deals depending on the number of domains. Some domain registrars even offer unlimited domain hosting. Multiple domain hosting services can save you time and energy by consolidating your websites. By registering all your websites on the same hosting service, you can achieve the greatest efficiency in managing and maintaining them. Besides enabling you to manage all your domain names from one central location, multiple domain hosting services also let you increase your online presence and promote your site’s visibility on the web. This is especially helpful for sites whose success depends on heavy online traffic, including e-commerce, directories, news, online media, or pay-per-click campaigns. Having multiple domain names makes your web content more accessible to wider audiences. Of course, if you are only concerned with maintaining a single website, then a multiple domain provider might not be the best choice. However, if you’re planning to maintain sites, a multiple domain service provider offers the convenience and ease of accessing all your domains in one place, as well as economical advantages.

Changing domain hosting services

As domain service prices fluctuate, it might be an economical idea to transfer your domain name to a different provider. Domain and web hosting services compete among each other to offer the best rates. With just a little research, a savvy website owner can often find a good deal through renewing a domain name with an existing host or switching to one with a lower rate. Domain service reputability Just as with any other online service, it’s important to choose a domain hosting service with an established name and reputation. Unwary users can be caught off-guard by a hosting service that doesn’t have the necessary resources or server requirements. In the most serious cases, users have lost access to domain names and web content -- not to mention the financial losses that result from a hosting service going bankrupt. Fortunately, domain hosting reviews such as our editors’ top-ten list can point you in the right direction. With some research and comparison, it is possible to find a domain hosting service that is both cheap and reliable.

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