The Web Hosting Blog of Host Color

I have just participated to a forum discussion in Web Hosting talk about domain names. The WHT user named “LiteBulb” posted “I have came across a lot of sites that offers domain registration”, and then asked “Is there any reason that i should register with a registrar instead of a reseller? How do i differentiate between the both of them?”. I have answered him and then decided to post some more in our blog. So…

Domain registrars

There are 3 different types of website service providers who offer domain name registration. On top are companies like VeriSign who operate the different extensions. VeriSign operates .COM and .NET web addresses. .ORG is operated by Public Interest Registry, NAME is operated by Global Name Registry, BIZ by NeuLevel, .INFO by Afilias Limited. The newest top-level domains such as .MOBI are operated by mTLD Top Level Domain, .ASIA by DotAsia, and etc.

There are list of ICANN accredited registrators for each domain extension. The ICANN accredited list of registrars can be found on organization’s website.

Each of those registrars can be considered from consumers’ point of view as 1st level domain name registrar. There is a long list of accredited registrars.

Some of them are “traditional domain registrars”, companies recognizable with the domain name products they sell. Some of them are GoDaddy, Register.com, Dotregistrar, 123.co.uk, and many other. They make money exclusively from selling domain names, although most of them entered in other website services markets like web hosting. The reason to do this is probably to increase their product portfolios and profits.

There are also companies who have contracts with ICANN accredited domain registrars and use their application interfaces to offer domain name registration. Some of those have thousands of domain names others less. Host Color is one of these companies. We offer .COM, .NET, .ORG, .BIZ, .INFO and .NAME domain registration for $9.95/year.

When it comes to domain names only, you can either go with any well-established and reputable ICANN accredited registrar and to get web hosting from companies like Host Color, or to register your domain name with any reseller of ICANN accredited domain registrar who has good reputation and offers low cost domain registration.