Domain Registrar vs. Registry

What Is a Domain Registrar?

A domain registrar is an ICANN-accredited company authorized to sell domain name registrations directly to the public. When you "buy" a domain, you're actually renting it through a registrar for a set period (typically 1–10 years).

What registrars do:

• Process registrations: Accept your domain request, verify availability, and submit to the registry
• Manage renewals: Send expiration notices, process renewal payments, prevent accidental lapses
• Provide DNS management: Configure name servers and DNS records
• Handle transfers: Move domains between registrars when you switch providers
• Offer additional services: WHOIS privacy, email forwarding, website builders, hosting
• Customer support: Answer questions, resolve disputes, help with technical issues

Examples of domain registrars:

• GoDaddy
• Namecheap
• Cloudflare Registrar
• Google Domains (now Squarespace)
• Porkbun
• Dynadot
• Name.com
• Hover

Registrars compete on price, features, interface quality, and customer service. You can register the same domain through any accredited registrar—the domain itself is identical; only the service provider differs.

What Is a Domain Registry?

A domain registry (also called a domain name registry) is the organization that operates and maintains the master database for a specific top-level domain. The registry controls who can register domains under their TLD and maintains authoritative records of all registrations.

What registries do:

• Maintain the TLD database: Authoritative records of every registered domain under their extension
• Set pricing: Wholesale prices registrars pay (and pass to you with markup)
• Define policies: Registration requirements, dispute procedures, renewal rules
• Operate infrastructure: Name servers that make the TLD function globally
• Process changes: Updates from registrars for new registrations, transfers, deletions
• Enforce rules: Compliance with ICANN contracts and TLD-specific requirements

Examples of domain registries:

Unlike registrars, you typically don't interact with registries directly. They work behind the scenes, processing requests from registrars.

How Registrars and Registries Work Together

The domain registration system follows a layered structure:

The flow:

1. You decide to register example.com
2. Registrar (your chosen provider) checks availability with the registry
3. Registry (Verisign for .com) confirms availability
4. Registrar submits registration request with your details
5. Registry adds example.com to the .com database
6. Registrar charges you and manages your account going forward

Ongoing relationship:

• Registrar pays the registry wholesale price for each domain
• Registry maintains authoritative DNS for the TLD
• Registrar handles customer service and account management
• Changes (transfers, renewals, DNS updates) flow through registrar to registry

Why this structure exists:

ICANN created this separation to promote competition. If registries sold directly to users, they'd have monopolies on their TLDs. The registrar layer introduces competition—multiple registrars compete for your business while the registry maintains stable infrastructure.

Domain Registrar vs. Registry: Key Differences

The key distinction: Registries are wholesalers; registrars are retailers. You shop at registrars; registrars shop at registries.

Who Is My Domain Registrar?

To find which registrar manages your domain:

Check WHOIS/RDAP:

Look up your domain at lookup.icann.org or any WHOIS tool. The "Registrar" field shows which company holds your registration.

Check your records:

Search your email for domain registration confirmations. Look for charges from domain companies on bank/credit card statements.

Login to likely accounts:

If you have accounts with GoDaddy, Namecheap, or other registrars, check each dashboard for your domain.

Why it matters:

• Renewal payments go to your registrar
• DNS changes happen in your registrar's dashboard
• Transferring away requires unlocking at current registrar
• Support requests go to your registrar, not the registry

How Much Is Domain Registration?

Domain registration prices depend on both registrar markup and registry wholesale costs:

Typical .com pricing:

• Registry wholesale: ~$10/year
• Registrar retail: $10–18/year (competitive pricing)
• Premium registrars: $15–20/year (includes extras)

Why prices vary between registrars:

Different business models explain price differences:

• Loss-leader pricing: Some registrars discount first-year registration hoping to profit on renewals and upsells
• Transparency pricing: Cloudflare charges wholesale cost plus ICANN fees, no markup
• Premium pricing: Some charge more but include WHOIS privacy, better support, or cleaner interfaces
• Bundled pricing: Registration discounted when purchased with hosting

Why prices vary between TLDs:

Registries set different wholesale prices:

• .com: ~$10
• .org: ~$10
• .io: ~$30–50
• .ai: ~$70–100
• New gTLDs: $5–50+ depending on registry
• Premium/reserved names: $100–10,000+ (registry-designated premiums)

Check domain availability to see current pricing across extensions.

Choosing a Domain Registrar

Since you can register any domain through any registrar, focus on service quality:

Factors to consider:

Pricing transparency:

• What's the renewal price? (First-year discounts often hide higher renewals)
• Are there hidden fees for transfers, DNS management, or privacy?
• Is WHOIS privacy included or extra?

Interface quality:

• Is the dashboard intuitive?
• How easy is DNS management?
• Can you bulk-manage multiple domains?

Security features:

• Two-factor authentication available?
• Registrar lock to prevent unauthorized transfers?
• DNSSEC support?

Transfer policies:

• Easy to transfer away if you want to switch?
• Any transfer lock periods beyond ICANN requirements?

Support quality:

• Responsive customer service?
• Knowledgeable about technical issues?

Additional services:

• Email forwarding?
• Website builder integration?
• Hosting bundles?

Reputation:

• History of stability?
• No major security breaches?
• Positive user reviews?

Common Registrar Services

Beyond basic registration, registrars typically offer:

Domain privacy (WHOIS privacy):

Replaces your personal information in public WHOIS records with the privacy service's details. Many registrars now include this free.

Auto-renewal:

Automatically charges your card before expiration to prevent accidental lapses. Essential for important domains.

DNS hosting:

Name servers and DNS record management. Most registrars provide basic DNS; some offer advanced features like DNSSEC.

Domain forwarding:

Redirect one domain to another URL. Useful for alternate TLDs or misspellings pointing to your main site.

Email forwarding:

Route you@yourdomain.com to your personal email without full email hosting.

Transfer lock:

Prevents unauthorized transfer attempts. Should be enabled by default for security.

Domain brokerage:

Help acquiring domains owned by others, for aftermarket purchases.

Registry-Level Services

Some features come from registries, not registrars:

Registry lock:

Extra security layer beyond registrar lock. Changes require manual verification with the registry. Available for high-value domains at additional cost.

Premium domains:

Registries designate certain domains as premiums with elevated registration and renewal fees. These aren't set by registrars.

Sunrise and landrush:

When new TLDs launch, registries offer early access periods for trademark holders (sunrise) and premium early registrations (landrush).

DNSSEC:

Registry-level cryptographic verification that DNS responses haven't been tampered with.

Transferring Between Registrars

You can move domains between registrars while the registry stays the same:

Transfer process:

1. Unlock the domain at current registrar
2. Get authorization code (EPP code) from current registrar
3. Initiate transfer at new registrar with the auth code
4. Approve transfer via email confirmation
5. Wait for transfer to complete (typically 5–7 days)
6. Domain now managed by new registrar; registry unchanged

What transfers:

• Control of the domain
• Ability to renew and manage DNS
• Customer relationship

What doesn't transfer:

• The domain's registry (.com stays with Verisign regardless of registrar)
• Existing DNS records (export and recreate at new registrar)
• Domain history or age

Transfer restrictions:

• Domains must be unlocked
• Cannot transfer within 60 days of registration or previous transfer
• Must not be in redemption period

ICANN's Role

ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) oversees the entire system:

ICANN responsibilities:

• Accredits registrars: Sets requirements for companies to become domain registrars
• Contracts with registries: Approves and manages agreements with TLD operators
• Sets policies: Establishes rules for registration, transfers, disputes
• Manages root zone: Coordinates the authoritative DNS root
• Handles disputes: Oversees UDRP trademark dispute process

ICANN fees:

Every domain registration includes an ICANN fee (currently $0.18/year for most gTLDs), collected by registrars and passed to ICANN.

Becoming a Registrar vs. Using One

For most people:

Use an existing registrar. No need to understand the technical infrastructure—just pick a reputable provider and register your domain.

For businesses with large domain portfolios:

Some organizations become registrars themselves to:

• Eliminate middleman markup on thousands of domains
• Have direct control over registration infrastructure
• Offer registration services to their own customers

Becoming an ICANN-accredited registrar requires significant investment: technical infrastructure, insurance, ICANN fees, and ongoing compliance costs. Only worthwhile for companies managing massive domain volumes or building domain-related businesses.