Last updated on December 4th, 2020 at 07:58 am
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How much does a domain cost in South Africa?
How much does a domain cost in South Africa? This is the question most of you green website owners struggle with. But this ends today.
In this article, I will guide you through the cost of domain names in South Africa.
And if you stick around until the end, I will reveal how to actually get a free domain name. That is right. You can get a domain name with no cost.
How is that possible?
Continue reading to find out.
But in the meantime, the cost of domain registration is not a whole figure you can dish out and say, this is the cost of a domain. No, it doesn’t work like that.
Why?
It is because there is so much going on behind the scenes that end influencing the cost of domain registration.
Let me make something clear first:
When say the cost of domain registration, I mean the cost of a domain name. No web hosting company charges you for the registration process. But what you pay for is the domain itself.
A good example of factors influencing the cost of a domain is owned. If you want a domain already owned by someone else, it will cost you a lot more than registering a new one.
What is a domain name?
What is this thing you want to spend money on?
Basically, a domain name is the address readers will type into their web browsers to access your website.
Normally, a domain name starts with http(s) or www and ends with .com, .co.za, or .org etc.
That last bit is known as the domain extension.
For example:
www.google.com and www.News24.com
Now that you understand what a domain name is, you might be wondering why you need one.
Why do you need a domain name?
Again, you don’t want to spend your hard-earned money on something you don’t need. As such, purchasing a domain name can be an option for some of us. But those who are smart know have realized that it is actually a smart decision.
If you fall into any of the following categories, you are right to ask how much does a domain cost in South Africa.
- You want to start a website
Do you intend on building a website in South Africa?
Well, let me tell you this for free:
You can’t create a website without a domain name. In fact, it is the #1 thing on your list when starting a website.
Do I have a choice?
Mmm… no. You can’t run away from this.
Think about it:
From our definition above, we mentioned that a domain name is an address pointing to your web pages. This means that without that address, no one can find your website.
- You are considering a business idea/ website idea
Here is the thing:
Domain names in South Africa are selling like hotcakes. Everyone and their grandmas have a website nowadays.
What does that mean?
It means that if you have a business or website idea you want to start, you better rush now and reserve that domain name before someone else does.
And remember, once it is registered, you cannot get it, unless you purchase it from the owner.
This buying and selling of domain names bring me to the third category of people who need a domain name.
- You want to use it to make a profit
Did you know a domain name can make you rich?
If you don’t believe me, here are some examples:
- Voice.com was sold for over $30 million
- Toys.com was acquired for over $5 million
- Tesla.com paid over $11 million for their domain
And the list continues.
So what is the secret?
If you can identify a domain name that isn’t registered and you think it’s going to be in demand in the future, you can buy it now and wait.
How much does a domain cost in South Africa?
For those getting started with building websites, the best option available is to register a new domain name.
A new domain will cost you between R50 and R337 per year. This figure is not encrypted on a stone. The cost of a domain name will depend on the type of extension.
This could be the answer to how much does a domain cost in South Africa question.
But there is more.
A free domain name in South Africa
You can actually get a free domain name now.
How?
Every web hosting package comes with a free CO.ZA domain name.
This is what you must do to get it:
- Order a web hosting package of your choice
- Finish the registration
- You will get za domain free of charge
Factors influencing the cost of domain name
Here is why the cost of a domain may vary
Domain company you picked
A domain registrar or company is an organization mandated to sell and register domain names. Each of these domain registrars charges different prices, making it hard to answer how much does a domain cost in South Africa query.
As such, first look at the company you picked, is their prices cheap? Are they trustworthy?
If at any time you find yourself second-guessing, don’t overthink it. You have other options, like Truehost. We offer the cheapest domain names in South Africa.
As a rule of thumb, only buy from domain companies that are registered by ICANN.
One more thing:
Here is a little secret:
If you find a registrar offering additional packages alongside the domain, like free website builder, free DNS management, you got yourself a winner. Because this will save you a lot of money.
Top-level-domain you picked
TLD is a domain extension (the last part of the domain name). the most popular one is .com.
But that’s not the only one.
You must have seen other websites ending with .org, .net, .co, .gov among other domain extensions.
What do they mean?
These domain extensions tell you something about the website. For example:
- .co.za – known as country-code top-level domains. They represent a specific country
- .org – used by non-profit websites
- .gov – used by governments
- .edu – associated with educational websites
In the end, you may find that the .org domain costs more than the .co.za domain, because of what they stand for and significance associated with it.
Others that aren’t that popular, like .xyz and .pizza are cheaper.
How long will you keep the domain?
The length of the contract affects the price of the domain. If you intend to keep the domain for a longer period, you will pay more. This is because domain companies require you to renew the domain annually.
So if you choose for 5 years, you will pay 5 times more.
This is a good thing because you won’t have to worry about domain renewals for the next 5 or so years.
Domain add-ons
Along with domain names, some registrars may offer additional services such as domain privacy at a small fee.
While this is absolutely up to you to grab it, if you do, it will increase the cost of the domain name.
And if you don’t need them, you don’t have to add them
Frequently asked questions
How do I buy a domain name in South Africa?
To buy a domain name in South Africa, you need a registrar like Truehost.
- Navigate to domains page
- On the search box, type your domain name and hit search. If it is available, continue to the next step. But if it isn’t, repeat the same process with a different domain name
- Hit order now and follow instructions to complete the domain registration
That is how to buy a domain name in South Africa
How much does a domain cost per year?
The domain name cost per year will depend on the type. For example CO.ZA costs R50/year, .com costs R129.05/year, .co costs R337.29/year, etc
How much does it cost to host a website in South Africa?
The cost of hosting a website in South Africa depends with the type of hosting package you picked but ranges between R7 and R190 per month. Also, the package comes with different premium features. As such, you should pick a package depending on your website needs. For example, Student hosting plan costs R7 per month, Personal plan costs R50 per month, Business costs R70 per month.