Domain names
How to pick a domain name people remember, what to do when yours is taken, and how renewals and transfers work.
- When the domain name you want is taken
Nine ways to find a name that still works, which modifiers to add, and the mistakes that make a domain hard to remember.
- Move your domain from Squarespace or Wix
Step by step: unlock your domain at Squarespace or Wix, get the authorization code, avoid 60-day locks and keep your website and email working.
Domain names in five minutes
A domain is your business's address on the web, like yourbusiness.com. It also gives you email addresses like you@yourbusiness.com. You don't buy a domain once and keep it forever: you register it for a year or more, and it stays yours as long as you renew it.
When you buy through Force Domains, you search and check out on our storefront. You are the registered owner and manage the domain from your own storefront account. We are the reseller, and the registrar of record is Wild West Domains, LLC.
Compare the renewal price, not the first year
Many registrars advertise a low first-year price and charge more every year after. Before you buy anywhere, look at what years two and three cost. Here, a .com is $24.99 a year, the first year and every year after (prices as of , before taxes and fees).
Pick a name people can say and spell
Keep it short and easy to say over the phone, skip hyphens and numbers, and choose a .com when you can get one. Search the name on Google and in the USPTO trademark database before you buy. If your first choice is taken, add a word that says what you do or where you work.
Bring a domain you already own
A transfer changes only where the domain is registered. Your website and email stay where they are hosted, but save your DNS records before you start so they keep working. Unlock the domain, get the authorization code from your current registrar, and start the transfer on our Domains page. A domain registered or transferred in the last 60 days usually can't move yet; the rules come from ICANN's Transfer Policy. If your domain is at Squarespace or Wix, follow our step-by-step guide.
Domain name questions
Do I own the domain if I buy it here?
Yes. You are the registered owner and manage the domain from your own storefront account. Force Domains is the reseller, and the registrar of record is Wild West Domains, LLC. You can transfer it to another registrar, except in the 60 days after a registration or transfer.
Can I register a domain now and build the website later?
Yes. A domain works on its own. Many businesses start with the domain and a business email address and add the website later.
What happens if my domain expires?
The registrar of record sends renewal notices before it expires, and auto-renew keeps it from lapsing. After it expires there is usually a grace period to recover it, but recovery can cost more, so leave auto-renew on.
Does moving my domain move my website?
No. A transfer only changes where the domain is registered. Your website and email stay with whoever hosts them. Save your DNS records before you start so they keep working after the move.
Ready to buy? Domains