Domain Registration: GoDaddy vs 1and1

[mail2me]

I use GoDaddy and pretty happy with it. Regular pricing is around $10/year. 1and1 has domain registration for around $6/year.

Which is better? Worth the switch? GoDadday does seem to offer a lot of features that 1and1 doesn't but I don't seem to really have a need for all that though.

1and1 does give free private registration, but someone also warned that in case I get unsolicited mail, that 1and1 will forward and charge $5 per mail (a bit scary!). Supposed to be in their fineprint terms that nobody has time to read at the time of signing up.

On the GoDaddy side, GoDaddy endorses and uses Playboy Cover girls (dubbed GoDaddy Girls) to promote their business, which gives me a feeling that the company may not have sound ethics, but no biggie.

Would like to get some options before I decide. Go GoGirls or stay Private with 1and1?

BTW, what I meant above by more features with GoDaddy is that you get unlimited subdomains, emails etc with a standard domain registration whereas 1and has limits for those at $6/year (such as 5 subdomains etc), but those limits are sufficient for me at the moment.

[Merovingian]

I was recommended namecheap.com by others on this forum, and I have been very happy with them to this point. I have three domains with them, and no issues whatsoever. I'd say if you are happy with your current provider, don't switch.

By the way, this really isn't "Off-Topic".
Shouldn't this go in the "Email Comments, Questions, and Miscellaneous" discussion forum ?

[mail2me]

This is the 1and1 fine print involving the $5 fee. It is not that bad because 1) Obvious junk mail will be discarded, and only mail unable to be scanned will be forwarded without a written request. Also this is supposed to be added value that GoDaddy charges $7 separately, so I guess if you are really worried abut the $5 charge then you can disable it. I checked the GoDaddy $7 private registration agreement and they also charge for forwarding important mail communication. They state in the agreement however that they will only do so after you have authorized the shipping option, charges and credit card. The fact that they will first contact you before forwarding is not mentioned in 1and1 agreement, but I don't think that is really an issue because except for something that is not scannable like a manual which also happens not to be junk mail, and if everyone gets such stuff and are charged at 1and1 then I guess they will become very unpopular. So I think the free private registration that come with $6/year is a good thing and not a negative point as it sounds in my original post.

2.3.2
1&1's corporate address will be the postal address displayed in the public WHOIS database for the Private Domain Name. You hereby authorize 1&1 to receive, sort, open, forward, and destroy any and all mail sent to 1&1 on your behalf in its sole discretion. Third class and "junk" mail will be discarded upon receipt or returned to the sender unopened. First-class mail and mail received via certified mail or courier, including but not limited to Federal Express, United Parcel Services, and similar services, will be opened and all such mail that can be scanned will be scanned and sent to you via the e-mail address associated with the 1&1 account for the Private Domain Name. You acknowledge that you will have five (5) calendar days from the date such mail is sent to you via e-mail to request in writing that a copy of such scanned mail be forwarded to you via postal mail. You acknowledge that unless you direct us otherwise in writing within such five (5) calendar day period, all such mail will be destroyed five (5) calendar days after a scanned copy is sent to you via e-mail. All mail that is unable to be scanned will be forwarded to you at your expense at the postal address associated with the account for the applicable domain name.

2.3.3
1&1 reserves the right to charge you for, and you are responsible for paying, all fees and costs associated with 1&1 forwarding postal mail. 1&1 further reserves the right to charge an administrative charge of $5.00 per item forwarded. You authorize 1&1 to apply any such charges to your credit card pursuant to the 1&1 GT&C.

I guess everything now depends on a comparison of features, and what I would have to forfeit for saving $4 per year for each domain (not that I have many), but I think the 1and1 restrictions don't really affect me. The restrictions will definitely affect someone who wants to have unlimited sub-domains, URL forwarding etc.

[theog]

1and1 says they will scan the mail and mail it to you... so no fee unless your email on file with them is not good... then it will be your fault.

I don't do private regs... I use a po box instead....

I use 1and1 and godaddy (for years)... both are good... 1and1 you get free email, but it has imap as well... godaddy does not have imap... email accounts are fairly useless for me... but then, gmail has free imap (even if it does have some issues, still free).

For just domains, I don't think you can go wrong with either one... email or webhosting, I'd look someplace else....

[jeeva]

I register my domain name here Removed It provides hosting,domain name register, domain appraisal, online file folder, ssl certificate etc...


Moderator: URL Removed

[David]

Originally Posted by jeeva

I register my domain name here xxxxxxxxxxxxx It provides hosting,domain name register, domain appraisal, online file folder, ssl certificate etc...

You are posting to a thread that is nearly 3 years old jeeva. Are you associated with the company you mention?

[robert@fm]

I too had my suspicions.

It's not 100% certain, but past experience is that when someone revives a dead thread (such as this one) in order to post a "recommendation" to it (which of course is pointless because the thread is not current), it's often (if not usually) thinly-disguised spam.

[Tsunami]

I didn't pay attention to the date of the opening post, so I wasn't even aware this was an old thread revived.

That said, I had one domain with GoDaddy and stay away from them now. I found their support incredibly hard to reach, which was a turn off. Their silly slogans are a turn off as well (the girls on their page don't bother me that much ) ... On the other hand I heard some horror stories on 1and1 as well.

Just saying GoDaddy, who get constant praise on domainers forums, isn't that good at all IMO.

I also think this isn't exactly a dead thread even when there's a large time gap between two posts. Domain registrations are as relevant and as much an important part of the web as it was a few years ago. Topics like this never really become irrelevant as long as people will continue to register domains.

[robert@fm]

Originally Posted by Tsunami

I also think this isn't exactly a dead thread even when there's a large time gap between two posts. Domain registrations are as relevant and as much an important part of the web as it was a few years ago. Topics like this never really become irrelevant as long as people will continue to register domains.

But the point is, there's a difference between casting Thread Necromancy to say "I know this is an old thread, but I too am of late having this problem..." and doing so to say "I recommend spammer.com for this" (unless by that point the thread has already been exhumed^Wrevived); in the latter case there's no point in the "recommendation", as the thread has died, so it's almost certainly thinly-disguised spam (as was the case with the "child-friendly" email service "recommended" last year -- in a thread which had lain dormant for five years...).

(Note to Edwin: Could we please have a [strike] container? I believe adding one is a simple config option, no hack required...)