My web hosting company is offering a free domain name. Should I take this packaged deal?

The web hosting industry has become very competitive over the last few years. Cheaper hardware and better configuration and management software fuelled by high demand have resulted in tremendous growth in web hosting. So it is not surprising that most web hosting companies now give a free domain name with web hosting. In fact, some companies like Bravenet offer free web hosting with a domain name. You can read more about this in Free web hosting with a domain name

The question you would be asking yourself - "Is the domain name free and should I take it?"

Before I answer that, let us see how a firm can throw in a free domain name with a web hosting package.

Free domain name with web hosting packages

Nowadays, domain names prices have come down substantially. Network Solutions, for example, sells domain names for less than $15.00 - the domain name is free if you purchase a web hosting package from them. Other domain extensions like .info can cost lesser!

Since domain names are cheap, companies give them for free and absorb the costs in the web hosting package price. After all, a $15.00 domain name thrown in with a hosting package will only increase its price by about $1 per month.

So is the domain name free? - Yes, its just that you don't see the charges!

Very important points when going in for a web hosting package with a free domain name

Something free is always attractive. However, you need to keep the following in mind if you are going in for a free domain name + hosting package.

• Will the domain be owned by you?
  Confirm this with the company. The domain name has to belong to you. And thus, you should not be forced to host it always with them.
• Domain name: free for a year or free as long as you host with the company
  The domain name might be free for only a year. You would need to pay for it from the next year. This is fine as long as you don't end up paying a price that is way higher than the industry; i.e. your domain name should not cost you $100 from the next year.
  It might also be that you don't have to pay for the domain name as long as you host it with the company. This is acceptable. However, make sure that you have the provision to shift your web hosting (refer the above point)
• A control panel for your domain name
  Make sure that the company gives you a control panel or equivalent management section for the domain name. [Note: Te domain name control panel might be different from that of your web hosting account]. Using the control panel you would be able to manage your domain name and even purchase more if the need arises.
• Be judicious in choosing a domain name
  Just because its free, doesn't mean that you pick up any old domain name that comes your way. Be judicious in choosing a domain name because it would be your "name on the net". Read the article on how to get a domain name of choice for further details.