Search and buy available domain names

A domain name is what people type into a browser to find a website - similar to how you use a street address to find a building. Every website, server, or digital device that is connected to the Internet has an assigned IP address that you can use to see or visit it. This IP address is a long string of numbers and letters that would be very difficult for people to memorize, so a domain name is simply a human-friendly version of that IP address.

When you type a domain name - like www.godaddy.com or www.google.com - into your browser, the domain name system, or DNS, takes this domain and translates it into its IP address, allowing the associated website to be found.

Having your own domain name can help you appear more legitimate to people who search for you or your business online. With a domain name, you can:

• Build a website for your storefront or ecommerce business
• Create a professional email with your domain name

As the world's leading registrar, GoDaddy can help you find the right domain name that suits your needs. You can use our search tool at the top of the page to check for domain name availability or use GoDaddy Airo to launch your idea online. No matter what stage of the process you're at, we can help you grow and build your online presence. – from web hosting services (that include free SSL certificates) to an AI Logo Generator that can help define your brand and a Digital Marketing Suite that makes it easy for you to manage your social media, SEO, and more. In addition, all of our products and services are backed by our amazing (and award-winning) customer support team.

To check domain name availability, just type it into GoDaddy's search bar and we'll tell you immediately if it is available or if someone else already owns it.

1. If it's taken, you can use our WHOIS Lookup tool to search for the owner and contact details of your desired domain name and then attempt to reach out to the owner using that information.
2. Or, you can try our Domain Broker service, where we negotiate acquiring the domain from its current owner on your behalf.

Domain name registration is the process of finding a web address (like GoDaddy.com or LilysBikes.com), and then signing up to use it. You technically don't own the domain, but once you've registered it, it's yours to use for as long as you continue paying the annual registration fee. If you let your domain registration lapse, the domain will become available for someone else to register. To help prevent accidental expiration, GoDaddy offers an auto-renew option for all customers. For an extra layer of prevention, our Ultimate Domain Protection (an optional add-on) allows you to keep your domain for an additional 90 days after expiration.

Every domain registered at GoDaddy includes the following features:

• Free domain privacy: Our built-in privacy helps safeguard your personal information.
• Free domain forwarding: Our easy-to-use tools make it easy to forward your domain to an existing website.
• Free DNSSEC: DNSSEC provides you with an extra layer of security and better protection against cyberattacks.
• Real-time monitoring: We monitor your domain to help ensure that is always up and running.
• Award-winning customer support: Our GoDaddy Guides are available to help you with any questions you might have.

The duration of your domain registration can vary depending on the domain extension you purchase. With most extensions, domain name registrars allow customers to register domains for up to 10 years at a time. Typically, customers register domains for one to three years. Some premium domains and gTLDs (like .au and .nl) have shorter registration periods.

If you want to extend your registration, it's easy to renew your domain with GoDaddy. You can choose to manually renew or set up auto-renewal, which helps ensure that your website name stays registered to you.

Purchase an annual Web Hosting plan or any annual Managed WordPress plan by GoDaddy and you'll automatically qualify for a free domain.

Once you click Add to Cart for a hosting or WordPress plan, you'll be given the option to select monthly or annual terms. Make sure to choose an annual term if you want to get the free domain.

Click Continue with These Options at the bottom of the page to move on to the next step. This is where you'll see a search bar to look for the domain name you want.

Once you've found the name you want, just add the domain to your cart and continue to checkout.

When deciding where to register a domain, you should consider the following:

• Pricing: Pay attention to both initial and renewal pricing.
• Privacy: Look for a registrar that includes privacy as part of domain registration and doesn't make it an additional upsell.
• Customer support: Consider what communication channels are offered - phone, SMS, chat, email - and if they are available 24/7 or only during specific hours of the day.
• Available domain extensions: If you want something more than a .com, .org, or .net, consider how many top-level domains the registrar offers.
• Additional offerings: If you're looking to establish an online presence, check if the registrar offers other services, such as an online store or website builder, hosting, SSL certificates, etc.
• Reputation: A company's track record speaks for itself. Check out customer reviews and Trustpilot ratings. Also, make sure that the company is ICANN-accredited.

Go ahead and take a look at the best domain registrars to see how GoDaddy compares against the rest. You’ll see there's a reason why GoDaddy is the go-to domain registrar for millions of people around the world.

GoDaddy is the global leader in domains, and we're trusted by over 20+ million customers around the world. But we stand out as a great choice for your domain purchase for several reasons:

• Wide selection of domain extensions: We can always help you register a great .com, but GoDaddy also offers over 500 domain extensions - like .agency, .pro or .store - that you can choose from to help your brand stand out online.
• Free domain privacy: GoDaddy protects your personal information by providing free domain privacy with your domain purchase. That means your personal information will not be publicly visible in the WHOIS database - at no extra charge to you.
• Comprehensive offerings: GoDaddy is more than just a domain registrar. We provide a wide range of services that you need to succeed online. From web hosting that's up to 40% faster and SSL certificates that inspire trust to an easy-to-use website builder, professional, domain-based email, and marketing tools to advertise your brand, you can find what you need to grow online with GoDaddy.
• Award-winning support: GoDaddy wants to make sure that you can thrive online, and our smart, friendly support experts are here to help you do just that. Even if you're not yet a customer, we're happy to chat with you and help you get the information you're looking for.

In order to better protect your domain (and your brand online) GoDaddy offers Domain Protection plans that defend your domain against online risks and unauthorized domain actions. With a Domain Protection plan, you'll receive notifications any time critical changes are made to your domain and you can verify if requests, such as a domain transfer, are legitimate or not. With GoDaddy's Domain Protection plans, you gain peace of mind knowing that your online presence is safeguarded, so you can focus on building and growing your business.

View GoDaddy Domain Protection plans.