Table of Contents
- Google Domains Review – Secure and Easy to Use
- Benefits of Google Domains
- Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy Google Domains
- Pricing
- Ease of Use
- Domain Migration
- Security
- Customer Support
- What Do the Customers Think?
- Best Easy-to-Use Domain Registrar
- Namecheap Review – Flexible and Affordable
- Benefits of Namecheap
- Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy Namecheap
- Pricing
- Ease of Use
- Domain Migration
- Security
- Customer Support
- What Do the Customers Think?
- Best Affordable Domain Name Registrar
- Domain Registration – Buyers’ Guide
- Pricing
- Ease of Use
- Domain Migration
- Security
- Customer Support
- Namecheap vs Google Domains – Final Verdict
As an online course creator, you have to choose an appropriate domain name as it can be a huge factor to gather customers as it represents your brand image.
Two of the best domain registrars we’ve come across recently are Namecheap and Google Domains. However, which one is more suitable for online course creators?
That’s what we aim to find out in this post. We’ll go over their strengths and weaknesses in order to determine which one would suit you best.
| Features | Google Domains | Namecheap |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | 3 and a half stars | 4 and a half stars |
| Ease of Use | 4 stars | 3 stars |
| Domain Migration | 3 stars | 4 stars |
| Security | 4 stars | 4 and a half stars |
| Customer Support | 4 stars | 4 stars |
Now that we’ve gone over some of the general features of both services, let’s have a closer look to determine which one’s better.
Google Domains Review – Secure and Easy to Use
Google Domains, as the name suggests, is a domain registration service that was launched by Google in 2015.
When it comes to domain registrars, Google Domains is highly compatible with a number of different popular web development platforms such as WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, etc.
When it comes to domain management, one aspect that we were disappointed with was the fact that Google Domains does not offer domain hosting most domain registrars do.
That being said, there are certain benefits if you choose Google Domains.
For example, you can easily use other Google services such as Google Search Console, G-suite, etc. to gather analytics and make your website the best it can be.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Email forwarding capabilities • Intuitive interface • Privacy protection free of charge • Google’s DNS servers • Full integration with other Google tools • Responsive customer support | • Relatively expensive compared to other domain registrars |
Benefits of Google Domains
As an online course creator, you might already have a Google user account. You can use this existing Google user account to get started with Google Domains.
Furthermore, you can use that same Google user account to access other services along with Google Domains such as Google Analytics, Google Search Console, etc. All of these services will help you build a website that effectively gathers traffic.
If you’ve already used other Google services, you won’t have any trouble getting used to the interface of Google Domains as it uses the exact same aesthetic and intuitive interface.
As mentioned earlier, Google offers free privacy protection. When you register domain names, your personal information gets added to the Whois registry which is public for all to see.
Typically, a domain registrar charges you a fee to hide your personal information from this registry. On the other hand, Google Domains hides your information and replaces it with generic privacy information free of charge.
When you use Google Domains, your website will be powered by Google’s DNS servers. A DNS server can be thought of as what connects your domain to your web server.
Not all DNS servers work great and the DNS server you operate on can have a great effect on page load times and performance.
With Google Domains, you get to use DNS servers that are powered by Google’s own infrastructure. They are one of the best-performing DNS servers out there currently and you get access to them free of charge.
Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy Google Domains
Pricing
While Google Domains is not the cheapest option in the market, the thing that’s great about them is the fact that they have the most transparent pricing out of all their competitors.
This means that you know exactly how much it will cost to register domain names with Google Domains.
Unlike its competitors that tend to lure you in with first-year discounts only to raise prices when you renew. Another example is the presence of hidden fees that are not mentioned in the pricing plans.
Ease of Use
As mentioned earlier, Google Domains is extremely easy to get the hang of and if you’ve used other Google tools prior to this, you’ll have no trouble using the Google Domains dashboard.
Everything you need is within one or two clicks with all of the important tools outlined on the main dashboard.
As an online course creator, you won’t have to spend much time learning the Google Domains dashboard which will leave you with more time to work on your online course.
Domain Migration
Domain transfer with Google Domains is completely hassle-free.
That being said, the service is not free as Google requires you to pay upfront for an additional year when you migrate to Google Domains.
The process itself is easy and you’re offered 24/7 customer support to help with any issues that may arise.
All you need is an authorization code from your previous domain registrar. You then provide this code to Google Domains and then wait for your migration to be approved.
Security
Google Domains does offer many great services to secure your websites such as free Cloud DNS support, privacy protection as well as great options to prevent DNS spoofing and cache poison attacks.
That being said, we were surprised to find that Google Domains does not provide SSL certification as part of its package.
SSL certificates can play a huge role in making your website secure and if you go for Google Domains, you’ll need to buy an SSL certificate from a third party.
Customer Support
The customer support for Google Domains is extremely responsive and helpful.
While Google Domains does a great job of ensuring you don’t run into any issues to begin with, the customer support team is available via phone, live chat, and email should you run into any problems.
Google Domains also has a knowledge-based style help center that you can go to to find solutions to common problems that users face during domain registration.
What Do the Customers Think?
As we expected, all of the reviews we came across for Google Domains were extremely positive. People love its modern interface and ease of use.
People love the fact that they get access to Google’s advanced DNS servers free of charge when they sign for domain management with Google Domains.
They also love the fact that they don’t have to make a new account and can just get started with their existing Google account.
Some of the reviews we came across said:
Best Easy-to-Use Domain Registrar
The best easy-to-use domain registrar is Google Domains thanks to its intuitive interface that is recognizable to anyone who has used any Google tool before. Even if they haven’t, the dashboard is so easy to get the hang of that you’ll be an expert in no time.
Namecheap Review – Flexible and Affordable
It’s fairly obvious from the name but Namecheap is one of the most affordable options available out there for domain registration.
Their cheapest plan is as low as $0.99 with many additional add-ons.
Furthermore, their service goes way beyond domain names as they provide free privacy protection, full DNS access, security for your domain names, and 24/7 customer support.
One great thing about domain name registration with Namecheap is the fact that it offers domain migration free of charge.
You also get access to a plethora of useful extensions that Namecheap updates regularly to ensure your website runs smoothly.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Helpful customer support • Free domain migration • Easy to use • Free privacy protection • Highly affordable | • Downtime is more frequent than competitors • Annoying renewal charges |
Benefits of Namecheap
Namecheap is definitely the option to go for if you don’t have a lot of money to work with. This can most likely be the case if you’re an online course creator that already pays for a bunch of other services.
Another great thing about Namecheap is the fact that it does not charge you for domain migration as Google Domains does. Thus, if you already have a website set up that you want to transfer over to Namecheap, you can do it hassle-free and free of charge.
The process of domain migration is also very easy. All you have to do is fill out a form and submit a request, your domain will then be transferred anywhere between 30 minutes to 6 days (Namecheap’s average processing time).
Namecheap may not have a universally recognizable interface as Google Domains does but it’s still extremely intuitive and easy to use. As an online course creator, you’ll get the hang of the dashboard in no time.
As we mentioned earlier, there are many domain extensions that come with Namecheap’s plan. You can use these domain extensions to make your job much easier and more streamlined.
It also provides analytics that you can look at to make certain decisions about how to build and adjust your website.
Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy Namecheap
Pricing
As mentioned earlier, Namecheap is extremely affordable compared to its competitors.
They also sell domain hosting as part of their plan, unlike Google Domains. Thus, you won’t have to go through the hassle of finding a web hosting service along with your domain registration.
Namecheap charges a renewal fee of about $8 per year which is annoying but the price of domain registration itself is quite cheap at around $9 per year for their standard plan.
Ease of Use
As we mentioned earlier, Namecheap’s interface is quite simple and easy to use.
However, this is only if you’re only concerned with the domain management features that Namecheap has to offer.
That being said, Namecheap has many more features such as hosting services, a logo maker, email registration, a supersonic CDN, and much more.
If you want to make use of all these features, you may find yourself confused as the interface starts to get cluttered and confusing once you delve into these secondary features.
Domain Migration
Similar to Google Domains, Namecheap offers domain migration services that are easy and hassle-free.
You will have to fill out a form and wait for some time until your domain is migrated.
Domain migration to Namecheap can take anywhere between 30 minutes to 6 days.
The aspect to note when it comes to domain migration to Namecheap is the fact that they offer domain migration services free of charge, unlike Google Domains.
Security
Namecheap has many different features that help keep your website secure.
When it comes to Namecheap vs Google Domains, Namecheap definitely comes out on top when it comes to security.
It offers two-factor authentication to keep your account secure. Furthermore, you can also use the Namecheap VPN service to keep your data safe from spying from your ISP or other people on your network.
Furthermore, unlike Google Domains, Namecheap provides you with a variety of SSL certificates to make your domain more secure.
Finally, as we mentioned above, Namecheap offers privacy protection which prevents your personal information from showing up in the Whois registry.
Customer Support
Namecheap’s response time to customer queries is extremely quick. Their support team provides detailed solutions to any problems you may face.
You can talk to a real person via live chat or email them your query.
In addition to customer support, you can also take advantage of their knowledge base and how-to videos to solve any issues that may arise.
What Do the Customers Think?
As expected, the most popular aspect of Namecheap is its value for money. It’s extremely affordable and the number of features you get for the price are pretty much unparalleled.
People love the fact that they don’t have to look for a third-party web hosting service as Namecheap provides that as part of its package.
Furthermore, less tech-savvy individuals appreciate the fact that its interface for domain name management is extremely simple to use.
Here are some of the reviews we came across online:
Best Affordable Domain Name Registrar
The best affordable domain name registrar is Namecheap thanks to its budget-friendly plans that offer a wide variety of features to its customers. Not only is it cheap but it’s also hassle-free with helpful customer support to help you with any issues you face.
Domain Registration – Buyers’ Guide
It can be extremely tricky to choose the best domain name registrar for your website.
It can get especially confusing if you’ve never bought a plan before as you may not understand what exactly you need as an online course creator.
Luckily, there are some specific aspects that you can think about which can help you determine the best domain name registrar for yourself.
These aspects are:
Pricing
Naturally, with every service or tool you buy as an online course creator, the price will be a huge factor.
As an online course creator that has not yet started to sell their online courses, you may not have a big budget and thus, you have to be very conservative with the amount of money you spend to register a custom domain name.
We recommend that you don’t go above $10 per year when you register a new domain for your online course website.
Ease of Use
With pretty much every tool you utilize as part of your online course creation journey, it’s highly important that that tool is easy to use or at least, easy to get the hang of.
This is because you don’t want to spend an extended amount of time learning a specific tool as this is time wasted that could’ve been used to make your online course better.
Thus, when you opt for a domain name registration service, ensure that its dashboard is easy to get the hang of.
Domain Migration
If you have an existing domain and would like to move it over to another domain name registrar, you’ll go through the process of domain migration.
If you want to utilize domain migration, you need to ensure that the registrar you move to has adequate features to support a hassle-free migration.
Some registrars have charges for migration while others do it for free.
Naturally, the best choice would be a registrar that offers migration free-of-charge and is easy and hassle-free.
Security
Your online course website will cater to hundreds of students worldwide. Thus, you need to ensure that it is as secure as possible.
If your website is compromised, it can lead to disastrous consequences. Your students won’t be able to access courses that they paid you for and you may even end up losing all your data.
Not only will this be harmful to you but it will also be harmful to your brand image as students will lose faith in you and your ability to provide the courses that they paid you for.
Thus, it’s highly important that whatever registrar you choose offers premium security services to make your website safe from malicious attacks and hackers.
It’s usually a good idea to go for a domain name registrar that offers SSL certificates as part of its plans.
Customer Support
You will cater to hundreds of students.
If you run into any issue on your website, all of those hundreds of students may be affected by it.
Thus, it’s important that whatever registrar you choose has a responsive and helpful support team that can help you solve any issues you run into in the least amount of time possible.
Want to know about getting into the online course business? CLICK HERE
Namecheap vs Google Domains – Final Verdict
We’ve come to the end of our post for Namecheap vs Google Domains.
At the end of the day, we have to go with Namecheap as our winner.
This is because not only is it affordable but it also offers better security and more convenient domain migration features compared to Google Domains.
Which registrar do you think is better? Let us know in the comments below.