What’s a good domain registrar in 2026? I’m reading a Forbes article, and it mentions security. Security for a domain name? Maybe I’ll need domain name security when I set up a small static web site? I’m curious to know who people in this community like.
Indeed. Years ago, I used Godaddy.com and namecheap.com but I’ve since moved all my domains to the following registrars:
GoDaddy and Namecheap are built to upsell. They monetize panic, renewals, privacy, SSL, email, hosting, and every little checkbox. The domain is the bait. Everything else is the revenue.
Cloudflare Registrar is the opposite. They sell domains at wholesale cost. You get:
- registry price
- free WHOIS privacy
- automatic DNSSEC
- native integration with Cloudflare DNS, WAF, and TLS
For me, I wanted my domains inside my security and network perimeter.
If you already run Cloudflare for DNS, WAF, CDN, and automated/bot traffic control, keeping the registrar there makes sense.
iwantmyname specialize in:
- ccTLDs
- weird country domains
- premium, brandable TLDs
- long-term ownership continuity
They were originally built for startups, journalists, and international brands that needed:
• .io (a few of my .io domains started at iwantmyname.com. But Cloudflare now supports .io and others as well), .tv, .ai, .co, and dozens of country registries.
Many of those TLDs cannot be handled cleanly by Cloudflare Registrar or US-centric registrars. They require local registry relationships. iwantmyname has those.
So the split is deliberate:
- Cloudflare → mainstream TLDs, DNS-integrated, security-first. Good place for professional websites that require traffic filtering, website security, and performance solutions.
- iwantmyname → specialty TLDs, brand assets, global registry access. Good place to park domains or hobby/homelab domains.
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I’ve been using dreamhost and noip - I’ll have to look into Cloudflare and iwantmyname and see how they compare.
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Thank you for mentioning DNSSEC and WHOIS privacy. Both helped me learn what in particular was a security issue with domain names. SSL certs also fall into that category. I used GoDaddy in 1995, and there wasn’t any security that I remember. Now I want it.
My phase 1 is setting up email (e.g. fastmail) and a public presence I can access from anywhere. This includes a small static website that’ll force me to make some architectural decisions and get some experience.
Cloudfare clearly covers all the bases, but I’m leaning toward “less is more” right now, and a service like iwantmyname seems easier to start with. They also make a point of no restrictions on leaving, so moving to a big provider later shouldn’t be too painful.
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No they (iwmn) were helpful to me when moving domains to Cloudflare registrar. Even when I was locked out of my account because of Authy app issues.
They had 3rd party verification solution in place where I had to verify with passport and video call before they could remove Authy from my account.
Not all companies are that helpful when you lock yourself out. 
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alright. Wow! That’s treating your customer right. Happy to hear it. I’d hate being in that situation.
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Yeah, lesson learned for me was stop using Authy! lol
I had three 2FA apps on my iPhone, and Authy was the only one that failed to re-sync access correctly when I upgraded phones:
I’m using Cloudflare for registrar having recently switched from SquareSpace. I got on the latter when Google spun off their registrar services to them. Wasn’t happy with it and went looking and decided upon Cloudflare.
Of course, Cloudflare provides way more than just registrar and the basics are free – including basic mitigation. Haven’t been on it long but it works.
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FWIW: My son experienced the same issue with Authy. So, it isn’t just you. 
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