Last Updated on November 29, 2022

Hover Review (2024)

  • Only offers domain registration and email; no hosting
  • Specializes in domain registration
  • Simple, user-friendly, and efficient

When it comes to registering a domain name, there are many companies competing for your business. Many try to offer dozens of different services, while others like Hover focus on their own specialties. In this review, we will take a look at what this company offers along with details on pricing, features, customer support, and more.  

Pros:

  • Highly specialized domain name registration service
  • Powerful domain name search features
  • 300+ top level domains/extensions available 
  • Monthly “featured domains” offer sale pricing on certain domain extensions
  • Easily connects to Squarespace, Etsy, Shopify, Instagram and more
  • Simple, upfront pricing
  • Powerful domain management and DNS tools
  • Bulk pricing
  • Budget-friendly professional email service
  • Quality customer service

Cons:

  • Does not offer website hosting
  • Limited selection of services

Hover is a domain registrar. A domain registrar is a company that can help facilitate the process of registering a new domain name. Clients can go to Hover to register a domain with over 300 different extensions (.com, .net, .org, etc.)

Hover essentially handles all the backend steps that are necessary to register and maintain domains. They are accredited by ICANN, the nonprofit organization tasked with managing domain name databases. Hover also offers professional email services, which allows users to obtain custom email addresses using their domain names ([email protected], for example). 

Unlike many competitors, Hover only offers domain names and email. They are not a web host, which means you will need to use a different company for hosting or operate your own in-house servers. 

Hover.com is best for small businesses and individuals looking for a quality domain name registrar, who already have hosting (or are open to using a different company for hosting). Because Hover does not offer web hosting, you won’t be able to get all the services you need from Hover.

Hover is also a good option for high-volume domain registration. This registrar offers powerful tools for power users who are registering or managing many domains. Plus, there are bulk discounts available for frequent purchasers. 

Overall, Hover is a good option for those looking for domains and email. If you want web hosting or other services (and would prefer to keep everything under one roof), then you may wish to look elsewhere.

Hover offers all the features that you would expect from a domain registration service, such as domain transfer, auto-renewal, user-friendly control panel, and more. Because they are so specialized in domain names and email, they offer some features that you won’t find anywhere else. Here is an overview of some of the more unique aspects of Hover’s services.

Hundreds of top-level domains

Hover offers the ability to register domains with over 300 different TLDs/extensions. They of course offer all the standard TLDs like .com, .net, etc., as well as less common options like .global, .shop, .live, and many more. 

Domain name suggestion tool

Hover makes it easier to find an available domain name by providing AI-driven suggestions when you search for a domain name. You can type in your desired name or even just a few related keywords, and Hover will suggest various names – and let you know if they are available to register. 

Connections to third party services

Hover makes it very simple to connect your domain name to dozens of different services that you may use to create or host your website. You can connect to eCommerce platforms like Shopify and Etsy, plus services like Squarespace, Weebly, Instagram, Envato, and many more.

Bulk pricing

Hover offers bulk pricing for customers that register many domains. This is beneficial for agencies, domain name investors, and high-volume webmasters. 

Unlimited email addresses

If you opt for the email service add-on from Hover, you will be able to register as many email addresses as you need. You can add emails for employees or different company departments with the click of a button.

In general, Hover’s features and services are powerful, yet easy to use for the beginner webmaster. They make it simple to set everything up, from your domain name servers setup to professional email setup. 

Unlike most competing domain registrars, Hover does not offer web hosting.

Hover does not offer web hosting, so performance and reliability statistics are not relevant. With that said, when it comes to domains and email services, Hover uses the latest technologies to ensure a reliable, secure experience. You can check the status of Hover services at HoverStatus.com 

Hover uses the latest technologies in order to ensure security and reliability for all their products. Email uses encryption technology, while domain maintenance meets all standards set out by ICANN. 

Hover also offers domain name privacy for free with all domain name registrations. This helps keep your personal information private and secure. SSL certificates are offered by hosting companies, rather than domain registrars, so Hover does not have SSL.

Hover’s lineup of services is fairly simple, as they only offer domain name registration and email services. Pricing overall is competitive with industry standards, and costs are transparent so that you’ll know the total cost upfront. The checkout process is simple, with minimal upsells. Here is an overview of pricing for Hover’s services. 

Hover domain name pricing

Hover offers domain name registrations at competitive rates and with minimal upsells. They offer more than 300 different extensions/TLDs. Here are prices for some of the most popular extensions:

  • .com domain registration – $14.99 per year
  • .net domain registration – $17.49 
  • .org domain registration – $13.99
  • .info domain registration – $13.99 
  • .biz domain registration – $17.99 
  • .co domain registration – $25.99 
  • Other extension domain registration – prices vary
  • Premium domain name registration – prices vary
  • Whois domain name privacy (add-on) – FREE

Hover includes Whois domain privacy with all domain registrations, which is a great value. Many registrars charge extra for this. You will want domain name privacy in order to protect your personal email and contact information from spam.

For the most part, Hover charges the same for domain renewals as they do for the initial 12-month term. So if you register a .com, you’ll pay $14.99 for the first year, and $14.99 per year after that. A few extensions (.org, .xyz, etc.) do renew for a few dollars more per year than the initial registration fee, but this only applies to a small handful of extensions. 

If you purchase a domain that is on sale, the renewal cost may be higher. In this case, you’ll get the sale price for the term you purchase upfront, and then you will pay the standard renewal rate after that. 

Hover also has a handful of “featured domains” every month. These are domains that are on sale in a given month, for discounted prices. You can often save 70% off or more, for the initial registration term. 

Overall, Hover has competitive pricing on most extensions. They are not necessarily the cheapest out there (Namecheap, Godaddy, Google Domains, etc. have cheaper prices on some extensions), but considering the free Whois privacy protection, and Hover’s advanced features, they offer a great value overall. 

Hover professional email pricing

Hover’s other main service offering is professional email, which allows you to use a custom email address using your URL. For example, you could register and use [email protected] as your email address. 

There are a few different packages available from Hover:

  • Forward-Only – $5 per year
    • Allows you to register a custom you@yourdomain email address, which forwards to your existing email
    • Requires existing email address from another provider
  • Small Mailbox – $20 per year
    • Up to 10gb of storage
    • Powerful email client
    • Support for IMAP, POP and Webmail
    • Mail forwarding
    • Ad-free private email
    • Vacation auto-responder
    • Built-in antispam and antivirus
  • Big Mailbox – $29 per year
    • Up to 1tb of storage (1000gb)
    • All features of Small Mailbox plan

Do note that you need to keep your domain at Hover in order to use their email services. You’ll either need to register the domain there or transfer it in from another registrar.

Uniquely, Hover allows for unlimited email addresses with each plan. There is no additional fee for this. 

Email services are synced up to renew when domain names renew, so you’ll never risk one expiring while the other remains. If you have auto-renew turned on, you will never have to worry about keeping your domains or email online. 

Hover offers customer service representatives available via phone or chat. They clearly list their phone number on the website, making it easy to contact them. They can be reached at:

  • North America: 1-866-731-6556
  • International: +800-371-69922

Phone representatives are available weekdays from 8 am to 8 pm ET, and Weekends from 12 pm to 5 pm ET. You can contact chat representatives online through Hover’s website during the same business hours. 

Hover’s support staff is generally knowledgeable and friendly. They also have an extensive online help center and knowledge base library, which you can often use to find answers to questions or issues you may have. 

However, it should be noted that Hover is not known for great customer service. Poor support is one of the most common complaints about Hover on rating sites like TrustPilot and the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

Can I design a website using Hover?

Not directly, no. Hover does not offer web hosting, nor a website builder. You can register domains and obtain email account addresses from Hover, but you will need to go elsewhere to find hosting and/or a website builder.

Is Hover right for me? 

If you are someone who frequently registers domains, and already has a hosting service, Hover is a good option. Its advanced domain management tools, coupled with bulk discounts and competitive email pricing, make them a good option for power users.

Does Hover offer domain name privacy?

Yes, WhoIs domain name privacy is included for free with all domain name registrations.

Can I have multiple email addresses with Hover?

Yes, Hover allows users to create unlimited email addresses using a single email plan. There is no additional cost for extra email addresses (so long as they use the same domain and the domain is registered with Hover). 

Does Hover charge more for domain renewals?

In general, no – Hover’s domain renewal pricing is the same as the initial registration cost. There are a few exceptions for specific extensions like .org, which renew for a few dollars more. The other exception is when there is a sale going on – if you register a sale domain, you will get the sale price only for the initial term that you prepay for; after that, you will pay the standard renewal fee.

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