How To Register Free Domains To Test Your Website
In order to create a complete website in WordPress, Joomla or any other CMS service, it is necessary to register a domain first, which, even though is not very expensive to keep, is not free. However, if you wish to simply test a website, registering a free domain is possible.
- What kind of free domains can I register?
- How to obtain a free domain
- Are these domains as good as popular TLDs?
- Are there are other free domains?
What kind of free domains can I register?
As you might have guessed, there is no way to register popular Top Level Domains (TLDs) such as .com, .net, .org, etc. No matter what you do, popular TLDs will always have a small cost, unless it is included in a website hosting plan. In order to register a free domain you should look for TLDs that are probably less common.
In this guide, we will see how to register .tk, .ml, .ga, .cf and .gq domains for free.
How to obtain a free domain
In order to register a free domain with the extensions mentioned above we’ll use Freenom.
Using this service is quite easy. First, you just have to enter the name of the domain that you wish to register without the extension. In this example we will use d3ktest. and as you can see in the screenshot below, all the provided extensions for it are available.
So, just click on Get it now to add your domain with the desired extension(s) to your cart, and then proceed to checkout. From there you can either forward the domain you picked to point to another domain, or use DNS. Forwarding will be applied immediately, while using DNS can take up to 24 hours to take effect.
Once you have decided whether you want to forward the domain or use DNS, you must select the time period for which you want to register the domain. As you can see from the drop-down menu, choosing anything up to 12 months is free, but strangely enough, one year costs 8.22€ ($9.67).
This does not mean you have to pay after one year has passed. As it is clearly stated in the website’s FAQ page, you can renew the same domain for free indefinitely; you just have to manually renew it every 12 months.
When you have picked a duration for the domain as well, click on Continue to reach the last step of the procedure, in which you will be informed of the total costs (which are zero). To continue from there, you’ll need to create an account, either by using your e-mail address, or signing in with your Google, Facebook, or Microsoft account.
After logging in, you will have to fill in your details and agree to the Terms & Conditions.
Once that’s done, your order will be completed and your free domain will be listed under the My domains page.
15 days before the domain expires, you can perform a renewal by navigating to Services -> Renew Domains.
Are these domains as good as popular TLDs?
The TLD you choose for your website plays a very important role for its success. The aforementioned unknown extensions will certainly not have the same effect as a .com, .net, .or other known TLD would have.
These TLDs are useful if you wish to experiment and test a website for free, rather than host a website with the goal of promoting it.
If you intend to get involved into the creation and promotion of a website for profit via Adsense or Affiliate marketing, a .com or .net domain is a much better option, and their costs are actually very low.
Are there are other free domains?
The above TLDs are not the only ones for which you can register a free domain. Freenom was mainly selected due to its ease of use and its ability to register multiple domains at once. If you wish to share other services with which you can register free domains, let us know by posting in the comments section below!
