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Should Hover Domains Be Your Go-to Registrar?

Sezmi

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7.5 Out Of 10

Who is Hover?

Hover Domains was established in 2009 by Tucows Inc. as an offshoot. It is the second-largest ICANN accredited domain registrar online. Hover’s M.O. Their M.O. is to stick to what they know.

Let’s face it, most people only know them through their podcast ads on shows such as Hello Internet and 99.9% Invisible. Gray and Roman may be promoting them, but you really want to see how they stack up.

This domain registrar deals only in domain buying, managing, and transfer.

Hover offers email services, but they don’t offer any other complementary products like website hosting, website builders, or website building.

Hover Pricing

Register a Domain from Hover

Remember that a domain does not mean a website. It is not an email address, app or other service. It is simply your online address. It allows people to find you. To create a website you will need hosting.

This will be a deeper dive into the pros and cons of Hover, but it is an important distinction to make. It helps us understand Hover’s goals.

They are not looking for an all-in-one solution. In fact, they do the exact opposite. Their focus is on simplicity. Their goal is to get you your domain and let you use it wherever it’s needed through app integrations.

How does Hover compare to other domain-registrators? This is our Hover Domains review with pros and cons.

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The benefits of hovering

Interface

Hover’s interface makes it as easy as possible to use. It is simple, clean, and easy-to-use. The most prominent element on the homepage is the domain search. This makes it easy to find where you want to start.

After you have searched for a domain you will be presented with a list of results that includes a match and additional recommendations. Hover provides a wide range of top-level domain options, more information on this in a moment. It also makes it easy to navigate through them using different filter categories.

It is also very easy to check out. To get my domain from my cart into my dashboard, it took only four steps. Hover is a domain registrar that takes simplicity seriously.

There are many TLDs

Website owners need to ensure that their domain registrars have all of the TLDs they desire, especially if they are buying in bulk. Hover offers a wide range of TLD options beyond generic domains. These are broken down into categories to make it easier to find the right match. They now offer over 460 TLDs as of March 2020.

Hover offers many country-specific domains that can be used internationally. This makes it an excellent choice for anyone looking to purchase domains in different countries/regions, or even cities.

Transparent Pricing

There are many pricing options available to domain registrars, from low upfront pricing and high renewal rates to more expensive domains that have cheap renewals.

Hover’s pricing is very straightforward. The table below shows the pricing of all their TLD types. They offer WHOIS privacy protection which protects your personal information like name, address and contact information from spammers and marketers.

Prices do not include ICANN fees. However, you will need to add $0.18 to your order (more details in the cons).

Hover offers discounts on renewal rates for domains with 10 or more registered. The pricing table shows how pricing is broken down by domain ranges.

Support for “Real Person”

Hover’s excellent customer service is something I haven’t experienced. Hover claims they are fellow hateful of the phone tree and don’t use automated systems. You are connected to someone whether you call in, email, or chat live.

Hover has a very robust coverage schedule. Contact them via email, phone or live chat weekdays from 8:00 AM to 11:00 PM ET and weekends from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM ET.

The “Need Help” tab is also available and follows you around the site. It offers frequently asked questions, answers, and a link to their live chat.

Integrations

Hover is a domain registration and management platform that focuses on email. However, it also offers a wide range of apps to integrate your domain with. These include website builders such as Wix, eCommerce platforms such as Shopify.

The actual process of integrating your domain aside from the integration options is quite simple. Hover offers step-by-step instructions to each app, making it simple for even the most tech-savvy website owners.

They will even do some of the work for your site (such as adding your DNS records and connecting your domain to your website platform).

Data Protection

Hover went above and beyond to ensure that my data was secure. This was something that really stood out to me when I registered a domain. There is nothing worse than receiving many spam emails right after registering a domain. Or being retargeted with ads.

WHOIS privacy is somewhat protected, but Hover allows you to choose how your data will be shared. After purchasing my domain, I received an email asking me to confirm my consent preferences.

Cons of hovering

There are no complementary products

Hover’s sole focus on domains is a pro but also a drawback.

A domain can be purchased with many products. An SSL certificate is required to make your website secure. Although you can purchase it separately from a third-party, I find it easier to manage it with your domain.

Hosting is something I prefer to keep separate. However, many domain owners prefer to have their domains and hosting merged into one, even if this is not the best for performance.

Namecheap offers competitive hosting. GoDaddy provides affordable managed WordPress hosting with domains. Most hosting companies offer domain registration, or even free domains with their hosting purchases (such as Bluehost and Bluehost).

These types of products are not available through Hover. Although you can buy domain email (AKA match domain name to email address), if you want the ease of hosting and website building all in one place, then you are out of luck.

High Prices

Hover has a straightforward pricing model, which is a plus. However, they are more expensive than other domain registrars. This is their biggest disadvantage as a domain registry.

Namecheap is a good place to start comparing prices. Hover. Namecheap allows you to purchase a.com domain for $10.98 plus $0.18 ICANN fees. The domain then renews at $12.98. Hover will allow you to get the same.com domain for $12.99 and then renew it at $14.99.

When you look at specialty TLDs, the pricing discrepancy is even greater. Compare this.condos domain with Namecheap and Hover.

If you’re looking to save money on a domain purchase or renewal and don’t mind the upselling/cross-selling that typically comes with those registrars, there are better choices out there for you than Hover.

Hover is a good choice for those who are willing to spend a little more on a domain registrar with a straightforward interface that doesn’t allow them to cross-sell or upsell.

Conclusion

If you are:

• You want a simple domain buying and installation experience
• You need a registrar who offers lots of support
• You want to keep your domain and email with the same provider
• You don’t need any additional products, other than email.

Hover Domains is the right fit for you.

Register a Domain from Hover

If you are:

• Experienced in getting online
• You are looking to save on domains, especially specialty TLDs?
• You want to keep your domains and hosting in one place?

There are better options available for you (I mainly use Namecheap). Check out my article, where I discuss the best domain registry.