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Porkbun free tier

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

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

What Porkbun's free plan gives you

Nothing is free to register, but WHOIS privacy is included at no cost.

Porkbun free plan limits
LimitFree plan
First-year .com$11.81
Renewal .com$11.81
WHOIS privacyFree
Prices shownInclude ICANN and registry fees

The catch

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

Pros and cons

Good

  • Same .com price on renewal
  • Free WHOIS privacy
  • Clear price table with fees included

Watch out

  • Promo TLDs jump a lot on renewal
  • No phone-first support culture
  • Hosting add-ons are basic

How to start on Porkbun

  1. 1

    Search your name on porkbun.com

  2. 2

    Check the renewal column, not just year one

  3. 3

    Add to cart and pay

  4. 4

    Point nameservers or DNS records at your host

Porkbun compared

Porkbun: questions

Is Porkbun free?

Nothing is free to register, but WHOIS privacy is included at no cost. Free plan ends: 1 year (renewable).

Does Porkbun need a credit card?

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

What is the catch with Porkbun's free plan?

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

What are the best free alternatives to Porkbun?

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

Alternatives to Porkbun

  • 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
  • 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

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