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Domain registrar · Domain Registrars

Gandi free tier

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

Checked against Gandi's official pages on 1 Nov 2026. Free tiers change, so confirm before you commit.

What Gandi's free plan gives you

Nothing is free; you pay per domain per year.

Gandi free plan limits
LimitFree plan
First-year .com€11.00 ex. VAT (France)
Renewal .com€31.98 ex. VAT
Multi-year renewal€28.78/yr for 2-9 years
CurrencyEUR shown

The catch

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

Pros and cons

Good

  • Long track record
  • European company
  • Many ccTLDs

Watch out

  • Very high .com renewal
  • Prices shown ex. VAT
  • Not the cheap option any more

How to start on Gandi

  1. 1

    Search on gandi.net

  2. 2

    Read the renewal price line

  3. 3

    Register and set DNS

Gandi: questions

Is Gandi free?

Nothing is free; you pay per domain per year. Free plan ends: 1 year (renewable).

Does Gandi need a credit card?

Yes, Gandi asks for a card when you sign up.

What is the catch with Gandi's free plan?

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

What are the best free alternatives to Gandi?

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

Alternatives to Gandi

  • Cloudflare Registrar

    At-cost registrar

    62

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

    First-year .com
    About $11.17 (wholesale + ICANN fee)
    Renewal .com
    Same as first year
    Markup
    None

    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.

    Card needed1 year (renewable)
    .com renews $11.17/yr
  • 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
  • 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

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