NameSilo (affiliate link) is a US-based ICANN-accredited domain registrar founded in 2009 and headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. After reading several positive reviews and comments, I decided to try them out. They went straight to my preferred list of domain registrars, and I have been a customer for over five years. Overall, I have been quite satisfied and will recommend NameSilo. In line with many other registrars, NameSilo offers a series of hosting services. This review is only about NameSilo as a domain registrar.
Variety of top-level domains (TLDs)
At NameSilo, you can choose between several hundred different TLDs. Of course, you can register the generic TLDs (gTLDs) .com, .net, .org, .info, etc., but they also offer registration of the new gTLDs, e.g., .dev, .space, and the hundreds of other new gTLDs introduced recent years. NameSilo also offers country code TLDs (ccTLDs), including .us, .ca, .uk, and .eu. However, less common ccTLDs are not available. For example, it is not possible to register ccTLDs of most European countries through NameSilo.
Pricing
NameSilo is generally at the lower end of the pricing scale and pricing has been stable over the years. What you pay for the initial domain registration is more or less what you should expect to pay for renewal. I appreciate the pricing transparency at NameSilo. However, in line with many other registrars, NameSilo has recently offered initial low pricing for new gTLDs. The renewal price of a new gTLD can easily triple or more. E.g., you pay a couple of dollars for the registration while the renewal price is 15+ dollars.
NameSilo accepts various payment forms including major credit cards, major online payment systems such as PayPal, and the cryptocurrency BitCoin.
Upselling during domain registration is a widespread marketing tactic most domain registrars use. Common product offers are add-on packages to your domain, SSL certificates, and e-mail and web hosting plans. NameSilo also uses this tactic, but passively and not to an extent, impacting the experience of the purchasing process.
Control panel
The control panel is… well, it is not pretty, but it is relatively simple and allows you to fully manage your domains through self-service without needing manual configuration through the support team. It takes a little while to figure out navigation, but if you are somewhat familiar with domain registrar interfaces, you can learn this control panel. A significant advantage is that the self-service offers even advanced options, such as adding domain glue records for custom DNS and accepting or rejecting outgoing domain transfers.
NameSilo has been updating and implementing a new design for their website and control panel for a long time. Currently, the old and new designs are mixed together. This makes the website’s consistency weird and can be confusing at times.
Transferring domains
Since I often transfer domains between my favorite registrars during promotion offers, a smooth and fast incoming or outgoing domain transfer process is an essential factor when I pick a registrar. Some domain registrars are known for making this process complicated and time-consuming. NameSilo is not in this category. Transferring domains in and out of NameSilo is easy and hassle-free. I have never used a registrar that made the transfer process this easy and fast.
On several occasions, when I transferred domains between NameSilo and NameCheap, the transfer went through within 15-60 minutes. It’s not uncommon that other registrars release the domain five days after a transfer request. This is the maximum period a registrar is allowed to hold a gTLD domain queued for a registrar transfer. Domains can also be pushed between NameSilo accounts instantly.
Support
Support is available through a support ticket system, live chat, and phone. On a few occasions, I have contacted the support team through chat and e-mail. My experiences with the support team are positive. They replied to e-mails within a day and addressed my questions. On one occasion I unintentionally made a mistake with an outgoing domain transfer. NameSilo fixed the problem and even provided a refund.
Verdict
Pros
- Free whois privacy.
- DNSSEC support.
- Easy domain transfer in and out procedures.
- The control panel allows domain holders to manage most options through self-service and supports 2FA login.
- Free DNS. This service includes complete control of DNS records and free e-mail and domain forwarding. I have yet to use the DNS service, so I cannot comment on the reliability and performance.
- Proved to be trustworthy and rock solid over the years.
- Among the cheapest registrars.
- Good and fast support through support tickets, live chat, and phone.
- A wide selection of top-level domains.
- Accepts a wide variety of credit cards, online payments, and cryptocurrencies.
Cons
- No option to register common and popular ccTLDs of European countries.
- Renewal price hikes for especially new gTLDs. The renewal fee can easily triple or more in comparison to the initial registration price.
- The control panel interface could use a brush-up.
Overall, I have been satisfied with NameSilo (aff link) and will recommend them as a primary or secondary domain registrar. They provide straightforward domain management without making this more complicated than it has to be. The pricing transparency and stability are significant selling points. I appreciate the easy process for both incoming and outgoing domain transfers, and the support is responsive and helpful.