Compare New Zealand Domain Name Costs and Registrars
Our guide explains how to register your .co.nz, .com (or any other domain) with the best registrar, pick the right domain name and avoid problems in advance. We also outline important must-know domain registration facts. We compare 1st Domains, Godaddy, FreeParking, Google Domains and more
Updated 12 February 2024
Domain registration often gives rise to more questions than answers. Our guide explains everything you need to know about buying a domain name for your business. We look at the pricing, must-know tips to consider before choosing a domain and other considerations such as business email and the registrar's service. We compare the pricing and service of ten trusted registrars offering .co.nz and .com domains to New Zealand businesses.
Our guide covers:
Our View: The Three Best Domain Registrars
Our list below (Best Domain Registration and Renewal Companies) includes the eight most popular and trusted registrars offering .co.nz and .com domains. Our view is that the following two registrars offer the best value, service and ease of use (i.e. technical features).
Know this first: How do I register my domain name?
Domain registration often gives rise to more questions than answers. Our guide explains everything you need to know about buying a domain name for your business. We look at the pricing, must-know tips to consider before choosing a domain and other considerations such as business email and the registrar's service. We compare the pricing and service of ten trusted registrars offering .co.nz and .com domains to New Zealand businesses.
Our guide covers:
- Five Must-Know Domain Name Tips
- Best Domain Registration and Renewal Companies -.co.nz and .com Comparison
- Domain Names - Frequently Asked Questions
- Domain Names and Email - What Service is Best?
Our View: The Three Best Domain Registrars
Our list below (Best Domain Registration and Renewal Companies) includes the eight most popular and trusted registrars offering .co.nz and .com domains. Our view is that the following two registrars offer the best value, service and ease of use (i.e. technical features).
- 1st Domains - the cheapest with freephone support, locally owned by the team behind Voyager Internet.
- GoDaddy - the international domains giant with 24/7 support and many features
Know this first: How do I register my domain name?
- First, you’ll need to make sure your domain name is available – check this first using any domain registrar.
- If the domain is free, you can then register it. You’ll need to decide if you register the domain for one or two years and then arrange payment. Domain registrars accept credit cards and debit cards, and some also accept bank transfers.
Five Must-Know Domain Name Tips
How important is a domain name, and what is best for my business?
Choosing the right domain is very important, but also structuring it is critical:
- Don’t register a complicated domain – you need something that people can remember and easy type in. For example, if you’re Jones Brothers Plumbing Company Auckland 2014 Ltd, don’t create a domain such as JBPCAL.co.nz, but instead, look at jonesplumbing.co.nz or jonesplumbersauckland.co.nz.
- Don’t use numbers or hyphens – having something like jones-brothers.co.nz or jones2014ltd.co.nz is annoying for people to type in. For this reason, keeping it simple helps.
- Pick the right domain extension – you can get a .com, .kiwi, a .nz or even a .biz, but it’s arguably that a .co.nz is sufficient for what you need to do. If your business is New Zealand-focused, a .co.nz is best rather than an American-styled .com or .net. Our SEO team suggested MoneyHub uses a .co.nz because New Zealanders, who MoneyHub is aimed at, identify with seeing a .co.nz domain and trust it.
- Make sure you own it – we’ve seen many clients come to us frustrated that their former ‘lone wolf’ web developer is holding their domain and they can’t contact him or her. It takes two minutes to register a domain – make sure you own it (or use a trusted web development company to register it for you) to prevent any access or renewal issues later on.
What is better, a .co.nz, .nz, .com or .net domain? Does it matter?
This guide explains the answer in detail: Google geo-targets its results to rank New Zealand extensions (.co.nz and .nz) higher for New Zealand searches because they are more relevant. If your audience is international, the .com domain can still be relevant for wider reach.
Do domain names help with SEO?
- This isn’t a yes or no answer. If you register a domain “123456XYZ222.co.nz”, then people won’t click on it if you come up in a search result as it looks like a spam website. This means your SEO will suffer, and you’ll probably receive less organic search leads.
- Ultimately, having a domain that people want to click on (such as the name of your company) will help with SEO. And the right domain extension too, such as .co.nz, suggests you’re relevant to New Zealanders.
Where should I register my domain name?
Our domain name registrars price guide (Best Domain Registration and Renewal Companies) outlines what’s important when selecting a domain registrar, the features you may need and the add-on options.
How long do you own a domain name for?
The standard registration is for one year, but you can choose to register for two years or more. You’ll be sent a domain renewal notice every year if you register and/or renew it for one year. You’ll need to pay the fee before the expiry date to ensure your domain, website and any email service stays live.
Best Domain Registration and Renewal Companies -.co.nz and .com Comparison
Our list below includes the eight most popular and trusted registrars offering .co.nz and .com domains. Our view is that the following three registrars offer the best value, service and ease of use (i.e. technical features).
- 1st Domains - the cheapest with freephone support, locally owned by the team behind Voyager Internet.
- GoDaddy - the international domains giant with 24/7 support and many features
Table 1 - Domain Registrars and Costs (Prices Exclude GST)
Domain Name Registrar |
.co.nz Registration and Annual Renewal Cost |
.com Registration and Annual Renewal Cost |
Free DNS Service? |
$29.50 |
$31.50 |
Yes |
|
$27 |
$21 |
Yes |
|
$65.10 |
$20 |
Yes |
|
$38.95 |
$41.55 |
Yes |
|
$37.99 |
$34.99 |
Yes |
|
$39.95 |
$19.95 |
Yes |
|
$49.95 |
$51.49 |
Yes |
|
$52.89 |
$52.89 |
Yes |
Domain Names - Frequently Asked Questions
The list of FAQs below answers some of the most regular queries business owners have about domain name registration and ownership.
Can I change the domain name of my website?
Yes – you’ll need to purchase a new domain and either let your existing domain expire or re-direct it to your new domain. Re-directing is a good way to ensure no lost traffic from existing customers.
How do I host a domain name?
The best way is to either connect the domain to a website builder, such as Weebly or SquareSpace, or purchase hosting from a hosting company. Whatever option you choose, you’ll pay a monthly fee for hosting your domain name.
How can I check who owns a domain name?
The best way to do this is by using a WhoIs tool which is specific for New Zealand – this trusted website is the best tool for this. All you need to do is enter in the domain, i.e. MoneyHub.co.nz, and run the “Domain Search (WhoIs)” and, if the domain is registered, click on the “More Details” button. The “Registrant Name” within the WhoIs report is the person or company who owns the domain.
Can I get a free domain?
Yes – but it won’t be a .co.nz or .com, it will be a sub-domain of a hosting company such as Weebly.com. If you purchase a service from Weebly, you will be offered a free domain (which is usually a .com, so not as helpful for a New Zealand business).
How do I redirect a domain to another domain or website?
You need to set up a ‘301 re-direct’ or ‘302 re-direct’ using your domain registrar. It’s simple, but each domain registrar has a unique interface to do this. Once set up, all traffic will be sent to your new domain.
Can I change my domain name on Shopify, Wix, Squarespace, Bluehost or Weebly?
Yes – all you need to do is to follow the instructions from the website service (i.e. Shopify, Weebly) and link a new domain to your website. The changeover usually takes less than a couple of hours.
Domain Names and Email - What Service is Best?
- There are many options, and most domain registrars sell ‘email exchange’ services which offer email hosting. However, in our experience, the best service for reliable and flexible email is Google Workspace. We have no relationship with Google other than using their service, which has proven to be near-faultless. Small Business Web Designs also offers Google Workspace to all of their clients as the preferred email platform.
- While it costs around NZ$8 per month per email address, this is arguably worth the cost given the dependence any business has on reliable emails.
- Google Workspace also integrates into phones, laptops and has a browser login, meaning access is seamless.
- There are alternatives - Zoho Mail offers a business email service for free. However, no account support is offered.
- Before committing to any business email, read the reviews of the service provider and make sure you understand the pricing which can add up if you increase the number of email accounts you need.
