Up until they got sued by Meta, Freenom was the most popular site for those looking to register a free domain. Users trying to access the website are now greeted with a technical error. It is unknown how long this will last, but it has been like this since the beginning of 2023.
It’s time to start looking for alternatives. While nothing can replace Freenom, we think that these four options are as close as they can get.
Free Subdomain
First things first, a subdomain is not the same as a domain name. A domain would look likedomain.com, whereas a subdomain would be subdomain.domain.com. A free subdomain is a great way to get a site up and running without having to pay for the cost of a domain, although not as professional.
Gilect offers a free subdomain to everyone that signs up for their free hosting plans. All you have to do is enter your email and you’ll be immediately good to go. The only downside is that your subdomain is locked into Gilect, meaning you cannot change its nameservers and your website must be hosted with Gilect.
EU.ORG
EU.ORG has been around since 1996, and it probably hasn’t been updated since, judging by its outdated website design. This website claims to offer free domains. Don’t let that fool you, eu.org is a subdomain, so your “domain” would look like this: yoursite.eu.org.
There are some upsides to this service. For example, eu.org is a short and easy to memorize subdomain. Furthermore, you are allowed to change the nameservers of the subdomain and point it to wherever you want.
However, there is a major deal breaker with EU.ORG. Because of its popularity, many domains are already taken. Whereas Freenom offers 5 different extensions, EU.ORG only offers one. If you find an available domain you want, you’ll be greeted with another surprise:
All subdomains registered with EU.ORG will have to go through a review process, meaning the subdomain won’t be immediately available to use. It isn’t quick either, it usually takes a few weeks, but there have been cases where users waited months for approval.
iFastNet
iFastNet offers an exclusive deal to those who purchase its hosting plans. All hosting plans come with a free domain included!
Prices start at $2.99/month. If you opt to pay yearly, you are granted a free domain for however long you pay for hosting. Domain extensions include .com, .net, .org, and more. If you opt to pay monthly, you receive a free domain for a year only. Domain extensions are also limited to .space, .site, and a few other less common ones.
Use the promo code “GILECT” to claim 25% off recurring for each payment made.
If you are interested in iFastNet, we wrote a review on them highlighting important details and whether they are worth your money.
NameSilo
While free will always be the best, almost free is the next best thing. NameSilo offers some of the cheapest domains around, with no hidden costs. Here are some of the cheapest extensions:
.xyz | $2.39 first year | $10.58 renewal
.top | $$1.88 first year | $4.88 renewal
.icu | $2.59 first year | $6.49 renewal
Use the coupon “gilect” to get $1 off of your first domain purchase.
There are no alternative free domain providers, but if you can spend a few dollars, both iFastNet and NameSilo are the best choices you have. Otherwise, if you don’t mind waiting, EU.ORG is an excellent choice. If you need to immediately get a website online, then a free subdomain is the only option remaining.