Free domain names have come to stay on the World Wide Web, especially free top-level domains attached to web hosting plans. However, it is not unexpected that every corner has two sides. While there are pros to free names, there are cons, and this piece intends to uncover both.
A major benefit of a free domain is cost-effectiveness, which is very important for any website owner. With the reduction in the cost of building a website, the owner can save on expenses and have more funds for other web development tasks. Additionally, since most free names last for one year, you have enough time to collect money for renewal when they expire, and you can renew for one, two, or three years and more. For a short location, it’s like a gift as it may not require an extension. Therefore, free names are very useful for special events and festivals, since there is no need for renewal after the events are over.
Also, web developers don’t joke around with free domains because they add value to their jobs. The majority of web developers register multiple domain names for one website to defeat cybersquatters. Cybersquatters register many variations of popular websites with the intention of selling them to the website owners or profiting from their popularity.
On the other hand, a major disadvantage of a free domain is the limited service. When you attach a free TLD to a web hosting plan, you can only use it for one year and renew later. If you get a subdomain (which is not recommended for legitimate online businesses), you won’t have access to the Domain Management System (DMS), which is the basic proof of domain ownership. Even a free subdomain can be inundated with wanted and unwanted ads, which may not be ideal for your business. It also must not be dependent, as the domain owner can block it at any time and this can lead to loss of rank, visitors, backlinks and so on.
Therefore, extra care should be taken when opting for free domain names. It’s very important to get your free names from a reliable source, especially if you’re attaching a TLD to a web hosting package. It is highly recommended to stay away from free subdomains unless you want to be online for fun. Subdomains aren’t ideal for online business, so you can pay to register a name (after all, it’s not expensive) or get a free name attached to a web hosting package.
