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The best domain registrar in the UK is the one with a fair renewal price, not the one with the cheapest first year. Many registrars advertise a domain for a few pence, then charge much more on renewal or tie the offer to a multi-year purchase.

Prices checked on 9 November 2026. We show pound prices where the registrar lists them, say whether VAT is included, and give an approximate £ price for dollar prices. This guide ranks ten registrars by what a UK site owner actually pays.

Quick Overview

  • What a .co.uk and a .com domain cost across UK registrars.
  • Which registrars include privacy for free.
  • Why the first-year price is not the real price.
  • Which registrar suits beginners, small businesses and money savers.
  • What to check before you buy.

Comparison Table: The 10 Best Domain Registrars in the UK

Prices checked on 9 November 2026. £ prices for dollar prices are approximate, converted at the 8 November 2026 rate of US$1 = £0.75, with the dollar price in brackets. VAT is shown where the page states it.

#RegistrarBest for.co.uk price (as listed).com price (as listed)Privacy
1PorkbunLow, steady pricesAbout £4.20 a year ($5.66), same on renewalAbout £8.80 a year ($11.81), same on renewalIncluded, per its page
2KrystalUK business support£7.99 a year ex VAT, same on renewal£11.99 a year ex VAT, same on renewalIncluded
3Cloudflare RegistrarAt-cost pricingNot confirmed on its pageAt cost, no markupFree WHOIS redaction
4123 RegFamiliar UK registrar£3.99 a year for new customers; renewal not listed£0.01 first year; renewal not listedIncluded with eligible domains
5GoDaddyBig brand, wide choice£0.01 first year, then £12.99 a year, after a required 3-year purchasePrice not listed in poundsIncluded free, per its page
6Names.co.ukUK-based registrarFree first year; renewal not listed£1.99 first year; renewal not listedDomain Proxy listed; details not given
7NamecheapLow prices and a familiar namePrice not found on its pagePrice not found on its pageNot stated
8IONOSDomain plus hosting bundle£1 first year, normally £10, ex VAT; renewal not stated£1 first year, ex VAT; renewal not statedNot stated; free wildcard SSL with the first contract
9FasthostsUK registrar and hosting£1 first year on multi-year registrations; then £12.83 a year ex VAT£1 first year on multi-year registrations; then £16.92 a year ex VATNot stated
10Squarespace DomainsSimple, all-in-one site owners.co.uk not mentioned on its pageFrom about £7.50 a year ($10), taxes includedIncluded for eligible domains

Which Registrar Should You Pick?

Beginner

Pick a registrar that includes privacy and shows the renewal price clearly. Krystal and Porkbun are the clearest in this list.

Small business

Choose a UK registrar with phone or chat support, such as Krystal, 123 Reg, Names.co.uk or Fasthosts.

Money saver

Compare renewal prices, not first-year offers. Porkbun and Cloudflare publish steady prices, but check .co.uk support before you buy.

Hosting and domain together

Buy from your host if you want one login, but check you can transfer the domain away later.

Related read: Domain vs web hosting

The 10 Best Domain Registrars in the UK

1. Porkbun: Best for Low, Steady Prices

Porkbun lists .com at $11.81 (about £8.80) and .co.uk at $5.66 (about £4.20) a year, with the same price on renewal, and says WHOIS privacy is included. The prices are in US dollars and include ICANN and other fees.

A laptop on a clean desk showing a simple search box with a small notebook beside it, nobody in the shot, no logos, no readable text

Porkbun at a glance

Price: about £4.20 a year for .co.uk ($5.66) and about £8.80 for .com ($11.81), the same at renewal. Good at: low, predictable prices with privacy included. Best for: owners who want steady renewal prices. Watch out for: US-dollar pricing, so a small currency conversion on your card.

2. Krystal: Best for UK Business Support

Krystal lists .co.uk at £7.99 and .com at £11.99 a year excluding VAT, with the same price on renewal and WHOIS privacy included, with Krystal shown as the registrant. It is a UK company with phone, chat and ticket support.

A small office desk with a landline phone, a notepad and a cup of tea beside a laptop, nobody in the shot, no logos, no readable text, no cables

Krystal at a glance

Price: £7.99 a year for .co.uk and £11.99 for .com, ex VAT, the same at renewal. Good at: clear pricing with privacy included and UK support. Best for: UK site owners who want no renewal surprise. Watch out for: it is not the cheapest first-year price, and VAT is added to the listed price.

3. Cloudflare Registrar: Best for At-Cost Pricing

Cloudflare sells domains at cost, with no markup on registration or renewal, and offers free WHOIS redaction. It lists more than 390 TLDs, but its page did not mention .co.uk, so check its full TLD list before assuming you can register one there. Best for: owners who want no markup. Watch out for: .co.uk support is unconfirmed on its page.

4. 123 Reg: Best Familiar UK Registrar

123 Reg lists .co.uk at £3.99 a year for new customers and .com at £0.01 for the first year, with domain privacy included on eligible domains. The page did not list renewal prices, so check the renewal price before you buy. Best for: UK beginners who want a familiar name. Watch out for: promotional first-year prices and unlisted renewal prices.

5. GoDaddy: Best Big-Brand Choice

GoDaddy lists .co.uk at £0.01 for the first year, then £12.99 a year, after a required three-year purchase, with privacy included free. The page did not list a .com price in pounds.

A desk calendar showing three years in a row beside a laptop and a pencil, nobody in the shot, no logos, no readable text

GoDaddy at a glance

Price: £0.01 for the first year of .co.uk, then £12.99 a year, after a required 3-year purchase. Good at: wide choice and a big-brand name. Best for: people who want a familiar registrar. Watch out for: the three-year requirement and the jump after the first year.

6. Names.co.uk: Best UK-Based Registrar

Names.co.uk lists a free first year for .co.uk and £1.99 for .com, while renewal prices are not shown and first-year offers do not apply to renewals. It lists a Domain Proxy service but gave no details or price. Best for: UK site owners who want a UK registrar. Watch out for: confirm renewal prices and privacy before you buy.

7. Namecheap: Best for a Familiar Low-Price Name

Namecheap is a popular registrar known for low prices. Its domain page did not list .com or .co.uk prices, only a general range of $6 to $15 for TLDs such as .net and .org, so no price is given here for either. Best for: cost-conscious buyers who want a well-known name. Watch out for: compare renewal prices, not first-year offers.

8. IONOS: Best for a Domain and Hosting Bundle

IONOS lists .co.uk and .com at £1 for the first year, excluding VAT, with .co.uk normally £10. The page lists a free wildcard SSL certificate with the initial contract, a domain transfer lock and 24/7 support, but did not state renewal prices. Best for: owners who want a domain and hosting in one place. Watch out for: the renewal price is not shown, so check it before you buy.

Related read: Top 10 best web hosting in the UK

9. Fasthosts: Best for a UK Registrar and Hosting

Fasthosts lists a £1 first year for .com and .co.uk on multi-year registrations only, two per customer and new customers only. After the first year it lists .com at £16.92 and .co.uk at £12.83 a year, excluding 20% VAT. It has 24/7 phone support.

A person holding a pen over a printed price list next to a laptop, seen from behind at a desk, nobody looking at the camera, no logos, no readable text

Fasthosts at a glance

Price: £1 for the first year on multi-year registrations, then £12.83 a year for .co.uk and £16.92 for .com, ex VAT. Good at: UK-based support and registrar plus hosting in one place. Best for: UK owners who want phone support. Watch out for: the multi-year requirement and VAT on top.

10. Squarespace Domains: Best for All-in-One Site Owners

Squarespace sells domains for people who build their site there. Its page says "only $10" with taxes and fees included (about £7.50), but does not list .co.uk or a renewal price, and says WHOIS privacy is included for eligible domains. Best for: Squarespace site owners. Watch out for: confirm .co.uk availability and the renewal price, and how easy it is to transfer out.

How We Picked

We looked at five things for every registrar:

  • The price of a .co.uk and a .com, including renewal.
  • Whether privacy is included.
  • Whether first-year offers need a multi-year purchase.
  • Whether it suits UK owners.
  • Where it falls short.

We did not rank registrars by affiliate commission, and some registrars here may not pay us anything. Prices change often, so confirm every figure before you buy. Where a registrar's own page did not state a detail, we said so instead of guessing.

FAQ

What is the best domain registrar in the UK?

It depends on your needs. Krystal suits UK support and clear pricing, Porkbun suits low steady prices, and 123 Reg and Names.co.uk suit UK beginners.

Is a free or £0.01 domain really free?

The first year may be, but renewal usually costs more, and some offers need a multi-year purchase. Check the renewal price first.

Should I buy my domain from my host?

You can, but buying from a separate registrar makes it easier to move host later. Make sure you can transfer the domain away.

Do I need domain privacy?

It hides your personal details from public lookups. Many registrars include it free, so choose one that does.

What is the difference between a domain and web hosting?

A domain is your website's address and hosting is where its files live. You need both.

Related read: Domain vs web hosting

Final Verdict

Final Verdict

The best domain registrar in the UK is the one whose renewal price you can live with. Krystal and Porkbun publish clear, steady prices, while 123 Reg, GoDaddy, Names.co.uk, IONOS and Fasthosts offer tempting first-year deals that cost more later. Check the renewal price, the term and whether privacy is included before you buy, and keep your domain separate from your host if you may want to move later.