Need recommendations on a Registrar

[Alex Ethridge]

I currently own nine domain names under four different registrars and want to get them all consolidated into one account with a single registrar. I tried Dotster this morning where I already have three registered and FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY AND CORRECTLY and it led me into a situation where I now have two accounts at Dotster. (And I did log in before I started the transfer processes.) I tried to get this straightened out with tech support; but, I finally became so frustrated, I just gave up.

So, now I'm looking for another registrar that is reasonably priced and whose web pages work correctly. I have only very few days left to get this done.

Whom can you recommend that is low-priced and safe and whose web pages don't lead me in circles?

[johnfl68]

I tried out Hover.com a couple of years ago, after getting fed up with another registrar that is always pushing extras when you try to do anything on their site.

The process was simple and painless, they are not pushy (well, maybe a few too many email reminders when a domain is getting ready to renew/expire - but is that really a bad thing?).

They are Canadian, a daughter company of Tucows, that has been around for a long time. But the prices are reasonable, and although I have never had to call for any issues, they say when you call during business hours, you will always get a real person to talk to within 1-2 rings.

Based on the ease of transferring my first domain to Hover, I have since transferred all of my domains to them, and can't be happier.

John

[Alex Ethridge]

Thanks to johnfl68. I just transferred two domains to Hover. It went smoothly, and considering this was my first try, I guess you could say very smoothly.

[artemis]

Is this thread still open? I'm also looking for a new registrar...

[artemis]

yep this thread appears to be active ... Great ! no need to start a new one since this is the same topic...

Who is Everyone using for a registrar currently? I'll check out hoover.com but I was really hoping for a recommendation from someone who has had more experience with them... such as how good they are when your client who wants to do some of their own admin forgets to register the domain? And the other things that come up over time :-).

I've been using Aplus.net for maybe 15 years? Back when they used to be names4ever ... used to love them... still think their service is great... I've had numerous problems over the years and they have all been handled...

but I can't handle their stinking website... the idea is to be able to get routine business like transfers and renewals done online quickly without spending a lot of time communicating with reps... ever since Deluxe for business bought them and changed their interface, I find that I have to call them for routine assistance... oh gosh, I can't tell you how much I hate their interface and I manage what seems like a lot of domains to me between my own and clients...

also Aplus does not have a-record editing capabilities...

so I use go-daddy for domains where I need to be able to edit the a-records but I don't like them either... they're constantly on the upsell and maybe I don't have a very good sense of humor but I don't think their advertising is funny...

so - Help please !

I'd love a recommendation for

* a good solid registrar
* with a robust control panel
* .com names and most others) are about $10/year (less is better of course)...
* also ideally you've had enough experience with them that you've had to get their help to fix a situation...

Virtual Chocolate and Thanks in advance for any assistance you can provide,

Diane
the grasshopper

[artemis]

to add to the above...

does anyone have experience with Epik.com? http://www.epik.com/

they're a 1st level registrar ...

i've had them on my list to check out since they were a party in handling a domain that a client purchased

anyhow, if you have any experience with them or suggestions on how to check them out, I'd appreciate it -- I did just register one .info name with them to test the waters...

[kitchin]

If anyone's wondering, FutureQuest no longer does domain registration itself. (It was through Dotster.) Generally you always hear Enom is the best, but it's expensive unless you go through a reseller, or are a reseller. Gandi is fine and seems to have great attitude, but sometimes payments do not go through for me because it is based in France. The forums show other people with the same issue, so at least they are open about it. I have one credit card that works and one that does not. The company has servers in Baltimore now, but I guess they still use a French bank here. Should not be a problem but it is. Not good for last minute stuff!

I'm recommending Namecheap for now, though I don't know much about them except the interface is pretty simple and they played good guy in the fight against GoDaddy's stance on that SOPA bill in Congress a while back. GoDaddy relented and switched sides. But kept their ultra annoying web interface.

[artemis]

Hi kitchin - thanks for the response!!

Thanks for the reminder on Dotster, will have to take a look at them and will look at Namecheap since you mentioned them. (Had forgotten all about Dotster, hasn't it been 10+ years?).

Does Namecheap allow a record editing? I have a client with a name with gandi, two actually. They're ok but I don't go out of my way to register with them. For one thing, they're more $ and now that you say your payment doesn't always go thru - yikes! I may make a point of transferring those names later.

Thanks for the additional ammo on GoDaddy. I really-really-really do not care for the way they treat women.

Enom huh-- which one? eNom1014, Enom2, enom375, Incorporated (or one of the other dozen listed on internic's registrar list) I was wondering about them.... I'm just a poor ignorant grasshopper ... who is Enom?

[artemis]

oh my - enom wants a $1,595 fee or a "deposit" of $6,995 to get $9/yr pricing on all tlds... sheesh.... they are the big boys and girls aren't they !

Epik (which does have a name record editing) will register .com domains for $10/yr - the trend (for nonresellers anyhow, the ones I've shopped so far) seems to be to charge more for other tlds - I paid $12.49 for the .info domain yesterday... let's see $2.49 or $1,595... humm... tough choice

[artemis]

Still would love to hear from anyone who wants to share their experience --

especially with registrars who have robust control panels that include a record editing... if the registrat doesn't have a record editing, I'm personally not interested in them, but some others might be.

and especially if you've had issues with them or not

(thanks again to Kitchin for sharing the warning about last minute payments with Gandi, I've gotten lucky there because the people I have who use them are the last minute sort)