Skip to main content

At-cost registrar · Domain Registrars

Cloudflare Registrar free tier

Sells domains at the registry's wholesale price with no markup, so renewals never spike.

Checked against Cloudflare Registrar's official pages on 1 Nov 2026. A few details were not stated on the official page; those are marked “Not stated” or worded with care. Free tiers change, so confirm before you commit.

What Cloudflare Registrar's free plan gives you

No markup on domains, plus free WHOIS redaction, DNS and SSL.

Cloudflare Registrar free plan limits
LimitFree plan
First-year .comAbout $11.17 (wholesale + ICANN fee)
Renewal .comSame as first year
MarkupNone
WHOIS privacyFree redaction

The catch

Your domain must use Cloudflare's DNS, and .com wholesale rose to $10.97 on 1 November 2026, so the at-cost price rose with it.

Pros and cons

Good

  • No markup on any renewal
  • Free DNS, CDN and SSL
  • WHOIS redaction included

Watch out

  • Must use Cloudflare nameservers
  • Not every TLD is supported
  • No first-year promos

How to start on Cloudflare Registrar

  1. 1

    Create a free Cloudflare account

  2. 2

    Open Domain Registration and search

  3. 3

    Pay the at-cost price

  4. 4

    Add DNS records in the same dashboard

Cloudflare Registrar compared

Cloudflare Registrar: questions

Is Cloudflare Registrar free?

No markup on domains, plus free WHOIS redaction, DNS and SSL. Free plan ends: 1 year (renewable).

Does Cloudflare Registrar need a credit card?

Yes, Cloudflare Registrar asks for a card when you sign up.

What is the catch with Cloudflare Registrar's free plan?

Your domain must use Cloudflare's DNS, and .com wholesale rose to $10.97 on 1 November 2026, so the at-cost price rose with it.

What are the best free alternatives to Cloudflare Registrar?

Porkbun, GoDaddy, Dynadot. Compare their limits on this page or open each one for details.

Alternatives to Cloudflare Registrar

  • Porkbun

    Domain registrar

    62

    A low-markup registrar that charges the same for a .com in year one and every year after.

    First-year .com
    $11.81
    Renewal .com
    $11.81
    WHOIS privacy
    Free

    The catch: Cheap banner prices on .site, .xyz and similar are first-year sales; .site renews at $28.84.

    Card needed1 year (renewable)
    .com renews $11.81/yr
  • GoDaddy

    Domain registrar

    62

    The biggest registrar, with a near-free first year that comes with a long commitment.

    First-year .com
    $0.01 with 3-year purchase
    Renewal .com
    $22.99/yr
    Commitment
    3-year purchase required for the promo

    The catch: The 1-cent year one only applies to a 3-year purchase, and each extra year is $22.99.

    Card neededTerm you buy
    .com renews $22.99/yr
  • Dynadot

    Domain registrar

    62

    A long-standing registrar known for fair prices and free privacy on eligible TLDs.

    First-year .com
    Not confirmed
    Renewal .com
    Not confirmed
    WHOIS privacy
    Free on eligible TLDs

    The catch: The price page would not load for us, so check the .com renewal yourself before buying.

    Card needed1 year (renewable)
    Paid from .com registration
  • Gandi

    Domain registrar

    62

    A long-running European registrar whose .com renewals now cost far more than year one.

    First-year .com
    €11.00 ex. VAT (France)
    Renewal .com
    €31.98 ex. VAT
    Multi-year renewal
    €28.78/yr for 2-9 years

    The catch: The .com renewal is almost three times the first-year price.

    Card needed1 year (renewable)
    Paid from .com registration (EUR only)
  • Hover

    Domain registrar

    62

    A simple, upsell-free registrar that costs more than the bargain options.

    First-year .com
    Not confirmed
    Renewal .com
    Not confirmed
    WHOIS privacy
    Free on supported domains

    The catch: Calm and simple, but you pay more per year than at Porkbun or Cloudflare.

    Card needed1 year (renewable)
    Paid from .com registration
  • Name.com

    Domain registrar

    62

    A US registrar with a good API, also part of the GitHub Student Pack.

    Pricing page .com
    Shows $13.99 next to $21.99
    WHOIS privacy
    Listed at $0.00
    Student offer
    Free domain on select TLDs via GitHub Pack

    The catch: The pricing page does not say which of its two .com figures is the renewal, so check the cart.

    Card needed1 year (renewable)
    Paid from .com registration

Tools for your new site