Google Domains is a consumer service offered by Google that helps everyday people register new domain names. You can also transfer existing domains to Google Domains if you have registered them elsewhere.
Unlike many competitors, Google keeps things simple with just domain registration. They do not offer hosting (at least not through the Google Domains platform). With that said, Google Domains does sync up with many other Google services, and as such, everything syncs up nicely.
In this Google Domains review, we will cover everything you need to know about the service, including pricing, features, customer support, and more.
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Pros:
- Competitive pricing on domain registration
- Choose from over 300 domain endings (aka top-level domains/TLDs/extensions)
- 24/7 Google support
- Runs on Google infrastructure
- Simple, transparent pricing
- Google 2-step verification for security
- Resources for website building
- Marketing resources and advertising services
- Easily integrates with third-party hosts and platforms like Shopify, Squarespace
- No misleading “first year” pricing – renewal rates are the same as first-year rates
- No upsells or cross-selling
- Extensive learning resources and knowledge base
Cons:
- Does not directly sell hosting plans (you’ll need a separate web host)
- Higher than average pricing on certain domain extensions
What is Google Domains?
Unlike many competitors, Google keeps things simple with just domain registration. They do not offer hosting (at least not through the Google Domains platform) or any other services. Competitors like Namecheap and GoDaddy offer more services to clients, but Google Domains chooses to keep things simple with just domains.
With that said, Google Domains does sync up with many other Google services, which are sold through different Google departments. For instance, you can add professional email with Google Workspace. This is technically a different product/service, but as with all Google services, everything syncs up nicely.
Who is Google Domains best for?
Google Domains is best for those looking for a simple, cost-effective domain registrar, and ideally for those who already have hosting elsewhere (or don’t mind shopping around to get hosting somewhere else). Google Domains does domains very well, but they don’t directly sell hosting packages.
It’s also a great choice for those who already use Google products and services. Google Domains integrates with other popular Google services, including Google Workspace (for professional email), Google Search Console (for traffic monitoring and SEO), Google Ads (for advertising), and more.
On the flip side, if you’re someone who would prefer to have hosting and domains with the same company, you may wish to look into other web hosting options.
Google Domains features
Google Domains has all the standard features that you would expect from a domain registrar, including powerful search and domain suggestion tools, easy domain transfers, renewal reminders/auto-renewal, and more. There are also some more unique features that set Google Domains apart, including:
Domain sharing
Allows you to assign coworkers or clients permission to manage a domain alongside you.
One-click DNSSEC
The free DNSSEC feature allows you to quickly protect yourself from attacks such as DNS spoofing.
Multi-domain registration
Allows you to quickly search for and register domains at once.
Simple DNS export
Allows you to quickly and easily migrate DNS to another provider by downloading DNS records to standard formats (YAML or BIND).
Free cloud DNS
Cloud DNS scales to meet the traffic needs of your website, while also providing super-fast DNS resolution.
Free Whois privacy protection
All domains registered with Google Domains come with free private registration for the Whois registry as well as RDAP. This helps protect your contact information from spammers.
Powerful integrations and add-ons
Google Domains integrates seamlessly with many Google products, including Workspace (for email), Google Sites (for web design), and more. Plus, third-party integrations with e-commerce and website building services like Shopify, Squarespace, Wix, and hosting services like Bluehost make it easy to set up a website with your Google domain.
What hosting types can users expect?
Google Domains is a domain registration service and does not offer web hosting at this time.
However, the service integrates with third-party services like Bluehost, Wix, Shopify, Squarespace, and Weebly. This makes it easy to sync up your domain to a third-party hosting provider and/or website builder.
Google also has two free tools that you can use to set up a basic website or blog:
- Google Sites – A free basic site builder that includes templates and layouts to make web design easy. Useful for basic websites.
- Blogger – A free blogging platform that allows you to create a custom blog to fit your style. Includes templates, flexible layouts and hundreds of background images for customization.
These free services are not “hosting” in the traditional sense, but they do still provide a free way to get a basic website or blog online. You can attach a Google Sites or Blogger site to your Google Domain to add a more professional look.
For most webmasters, however, a separate web hosting plan will be necessary. Alternatively, you can use a service like Squarespace or Wix (both of which integrate with Google Domains), which provide an easy way to build a website and host it.
What’s performance and liability like for Google Domains?
Google Domains does not offer hosting, so performance and reliability statistics are less relevant.
With that said, domains and DNS servers run reliably and consistently, thanks to Google’s advanced infrastructure. Google is trusted by some of the world’s largest companies to keep their products and services online, so you can certainly rest assured that your domains will be in good hands with Google Domains.
What kind of security is in place?
Google has rock-solid security on all of its products and services, and Google Domains is no different. All DNS servers run on official Google infrastructure, which features the same security standards that you can expect from other Google services.
Google Domains clients can also enable Google 2-step verification, an authentication process, for added account security. You can set this up to engage whenever any substantial change is to be made to your account or domain names.
Privacy protection is also included with all domains, for no additional cost. This includes Whois privacy protection as well as RDAP privacy protection.
Google Domains pricing
Google Domains offers competitive pricing on domain registration. Prices vary depending on the extension (domain ending). Pricing for some of the more popular TLDs is listed below.
- .com domain registration – $12/year
- .net domain registration – $12/year
- .org domain registration – $12/year
- .us domain registration – $12/year
- .me domain registration – $20/year
- .info domain registration – $12/year
- .store domain registration – $50/year
- .biz domain registration – $15/year
There are more than 300 domain endings available from Google Domains, and each is priced differently. With that said, the vast majority fall in the $12-$20 per year range.
Google Domains has very clear and transparent pricing. Domain renewals cost the same as the initial registration, so you won’t be drawn in by low pricing and then surprised by sky-high renewal rates.
There are also no hidden costs or surprises. Domain registration includes just about everything you’d need, including domain privacy, subdomains, and email forwarding. If you’d like to add a professional email, that will cost a bit extra (see below).
Professional email pricing (Google Workspace)
When registering a domain (or any time after that), you will have the option to add on professional email service. This allows you to register and use a custom email address using your domain (yourname@yourdomain for example). This is technically a separate service (Google Workspace, formerly Google G Suite), but you can add it during checkout with Google Domains. It basically allows you to have a Gmail account (and Google account) using your custom email address.
Google Workspace is more than just email, however. It allows you to create a Google account using your custom domain email address. This means you’ll have access to all the Google services, including Docs, Sheets, Drive, and more. For workspaces, this is a huge perk, as Google’s sharing and collaboration features are a must-have for the modern office.
There are a few different tiers of this service, with pricing details laid out below:
Business Starter – $6/month per user
- Custom and secure business email
- 30gb storage
- Up to 100 participants in video meetings
Business Standard – $12/month per user
- 2tb storage
- Up to 150 participants in video meetings
- Video recording for meetings
Business Plus – $18/month per user
- 5tb storage
- Up to 250 participants in video meetings
- Enhanced security and management tools
All three plans include all the basic functionality of a Google Workspace account; the main differences are simply in storage limits and the number of participants that can be in a video call at once.
With any plan, you can create unlimited email aliases/email accounts (but you’ll need to pay separately per user).
Google Domains customer support
Google Domains support is available via online chat or email. Google support is available 24/7, although there is no phone support available. It’s easy to navigate to the support section of the website, and after answering a few quick questions about your issue, you’ll be supplied with resources that you can use to troubleshoot the issue, as well as the option to easily contact support.
Google Domains also maintains a huge knowledge base that you can use to learn more about the process of owning and running a website/domains. They are a trusted authority in all things Internet, and these resources are invaluable (and free!)
FAQs
How much does a Google Domain cost?
Google Domain’s pricing varies depending on the extension you choose (.com, .net, etc.) Most extensions are $12 per year, including the popular .com, .net and .org. Some are as low as $7 per year, while others are $50 or more per year.
Does Google Domains offer premium domains?
Not at this time. “Premium domains” are domains that are already registered, and are put up for sale by their owners. Currently, Google Domains does not sell premium domains.
Can I build a website with Google Domains?
Google Domains is mostly for domain registration. They do not technically offer hosting (although you can build a basic site with Google services like Google Sites or Blogger). For a more robust web builder experience, it’s wise to use a service like Wix, Squarespace, etc. which integrate with Google Domains. In this way, you build the website on the third-party service, and then connect it with your Google Domain.
What domain extensions does Google Domains offer?
With Google Domains, you can register domains with 300+ different endings. This includes all the standard options like .com, .net, .org, and .info, as well as more niche offerings like .shop, .travel, and more.
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