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Zee Academy · Lesson 03 · Domains and DNS Infrastructure

Where and How to Buy a Domain (Namecheap, GoDaddy, Cloudflare, CARNET)

A domain is your digital address on the internet. Learn how to choose the right ending (.com, .hr, .de), why the renewal price matters and how to turn on WHOIS privacy.

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What you will learn

  • A domain (.com, .hr, .de, .ba) typically costs around €10–30 a year.
  • Cloudflare Registrar sells domains at cost, with no markup, and includes free WHOIS privacy.
  • Namecheap offers a simple interface, responsive support and fair prices.
  • GoDaddy is the best-known registrar worldwide, but be careful: the first year is often heavily discounted, and the renewal price after that can be much higher.
  • For .hr domains: in Croatia, companies and registered sole traders can get one free primary .hr domain through CARNET.

Comparing registrars: where should you buy a domain?

The right registrar depends on your target market and how transparent the pricing is:

  • Cloudflare Registrar: very cost-effective for .com, .net and .org, with no price jump at renewal.
  • Namecheap: a good balance of a friendly interface, simple DNS management and reliable support.
  • GoDaddy: handy for quick domain searches and wide availability, but always check the renewal price so there's no unpleasant surprise 12 months later.
  • CARNET (.hr): if you run a business registered in Croatia, ask for your free primary .hr domain.

Protecting your privacy (WHOIS privacy)

Always check that WHOIS privacy protection is turned on. Without it, your name, address and phone number can be publicly visible to anyone on the internet.

Step by step

  1. Check domain availability from the terminal

    whois mojabrenddomena.com

    Shows whether the domain is free and which registrar manages it.

  2. Test a domain's DNS resolution

    nslookup mojabrenddomena.com 8.8.8.8

    Asks Google's DNS (8.8.8.8) where the domain currently points.

Tip from practice

Pick the domain ending your audience trusts most. For the German market a .de domain usually feels more familiar than a generic ending, for Croatian customers .hr comes first, and for international projects .com is the safe choice.