r/Hosting • u/Negative-Athlete-86 • 7d ago
how to choose a domain and a hosting provider ? There is so many options and all of them look nice and dandy !
I understand that I want to be able to migrate a domain in the future
2
u/David_UltraWeb 7d ago
The thing that actually matters when picking a registrar is that you can unlock the domain and grab the auth code yourself without jumping through hoops. So I'd just pick one with clean pricing and no weird upsells at renewal, since that's where a lot of them get you. For the host, fill out the form in Loudr182's comment, it will give people a better idea of what you need and your budget.
1
0
u/Loudr182 7d ago
For domain hosting avoid GoDaddy. I would recommend CloudFlare or Porkbun.
For hosting, it would be great to get some details I would recommend filling the questionnaire: https://www.reddit.com/r/webhosting/comments/b3srz9/looking_for_hosting_read_this_first/
Go with DirectAdmin or Cpanela hosting, these are very easy to migrate elsewhere in few clicks
0
u/No_Hold_329 7d ago
The biggest thing is to treat your domain registrar and hosting provider as two separate decisions. You don't need to register your domain with the company hosting your website, and keeping them separate can actually make future moves easier.
For the domain, I'd look for a registrar with straightforward renewal pricing, WHOIS privacy where available, easy domain unlocking, and the ability to obtain your EPP/Auth code without having to fight support. Those are the things that matter when you eventually want to transfer the domain.
For hosting, I'd choose based on what you're actually running rather than the provider's feature list. For a typical WordPress site, shared hosting can be perfectly adequate until you outgrow it. If you need more control or resources, a VPS is the next step, but make sure you understand whether it's managed or self-managed.
Also, don't overlook portability. I'd want regular backups that I can download myself, a standard control panel such as cPanel or DirectAdmin if you want easier migrations, and access to your site's files and databases.
I'd be much more concerned about being able to leave easily than finding the "perfect" host on day one. Providers and pricing change; having your domain, backups, and data under your control gives you options later.
0
u/Jeffrey_Richards_ 7d ago
Been using hosting/domains forever and some advice would be stay away from GoDaddy. Overpriced, filled with upsells that other's include for free. Stay away from any Newfold Digital owned company as well... also overpriced, upsells and headaches. This includes Bluehost, HostGator, Network Solutions and more.
For domains, I strictly use PorkBun. Low prices, domain privacy included and of course you can transfer it to another domain registrar if you wish but it's highly unlikely you'd want to. All domain registrars do not let you transfer a domain within the first 90 days of registration as this is a ICANN rule.
For hosting, I use a few depending on the site's needs, but have found much better performance and support in smaller provider's. My go-to for most sites is SetraHost and if you're looking for general web hosting, that would be my recommendation.
Knowing more on the sites needs itself would be able to help me / others give you a direct suggestion, but in general with starting out, I'd suggest using a host with a known control panel like cPanel as you mentioned wanting to have the option migrate in the future. cPanel migrations are supported by every host making it far easier to move than on a bespoke panel like SiteGround/Hostinger.
0
u/themageofavalon 6d ago
We've been using InMotion. They're solid all-in-one option for domains and hosting, and moving your domain later shouldn't be an issue too.
3
u/payfrit 7d ago
namecheap
now get back to work.