Everything You Need to Know About Google Domains

In just the last few weeks, Google has taken the Internet by storm with its newly unveiled logo. Everyone seems to have an opinion about the update—even the New Yorker. In times like these, it’s easy to forget that the service Google provides extends far beyond that of a search engine logo. In fact, the company launched Google Domains back in January—a straightforward, well-priced service that’s currently available to the public in its beta testing form. If you’re interested in hearing about something other than the Google logo’s lost serifs or alleged evolution towards Comic Sans, check out the pricing and features of the company’s domain service summarized below.Free private registrationIt’s pretty widely understood that Google’s debut in the domain field means going head-to-head with companies who were previously collaborators. One of the major competitive perks offered by Google Domains is free private registration, whereas popular contender GoDaddy charges $7.99+ for the same feature.Compatibility with popular website buildersGoogle doesn’t offer its own website builder just yet, but solves this issue by integrating with Squarespace, Wix, Weebly, and Shopify. It’s a good idea to weigh each third-party builders’ fees when deciding which service to employ. Users also have the option of integrating their domain with Google Apps and Blogger for free.Domain management toolsGoogle Domains’ goal is to simplify the way users purchase, transfer, and control their domain names. As a result, customers are provided with an uncomplicated set of management tools intended to get things done. The array includes dynamic DNS, TTL configuration, Google Synthetic Records, security provisions such as domain locking, and management capabilities for both resource records and name servers. Keep in mind that the interface only allows users to work with one domain name at a time, which can be problematic for those who have a large number of domains to contend with.Email and website forwardingGoogle Domains fittingly offers free email forwarding to any Gmail address. The obvious assumption is that individuals interested in Google Domains have also made the switch to Gmail by now—you’ll end up paying for it if you’re still on Yahoo or some other email provider. Users can generate as many as 100 email aliases for each domain. The free website forwarding feature is pretty simple, allowing users to forward visitors from one domain URL to a central website. (For example, typing in www.choose.net would send you to www.choose.com.)Customer serviceGoogle Domains is still in beta, but customer support has been reviewed favorably. Users who encounter any problems are free to utilize the chat, phone, and email support options.PricingDepending on which top-level domain (TLD) you choose, you’ll pay anywhere from $11 to $110, though the standard offerings like .com clock in at $12. Google offers quite a mix of TLDs to consider, with quirkier options including .guru, .ninja, .ventures, and more. As for domain renewal, your initial purchase charge remains consistent from year to year, and you can pay for up to 10 years of registration at a time.