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How to Buy a Domain Name

A beginner's guide to choosing and purchasing your first domain for $10-15/year.

1What is a Domain Name?

A domain name is your website's address on the internet. Just like how a phone number connects to your phone, a domain name connects to your website.

Examples:

  • google.com → Google's website
  • amazon.com → Amazon's website
  • yourapp.com → Could be YOUR website

2How to Choose a Good Domain

Do This

  • Keep it short (under 15 characters)
  • Make it easy to spell and pronounce
  • Use your brand name if possible
  • Prefer .com, but .io, .co, .app are fine for tech

Avoid This

  • Hyphens (my-cool-app.com looks unprofessional)
  • Numbers (app2go.com is forgettable)
  • Misspellings (flickr worked, but you're not flickr)
  • Premium domains for MVPs (don't spend $1000+ on a test)

3Where to Buy a Domain

Vercel Domains

Recommended

If you're deploying with Vercel (which you should for Next.js apps), buy your domain here. It auto-connects to your projects, handles HTTPS, and requires zero DNS configuration.

Buy from Vercel

Namecheap

Reliable, affordable, good interface. Requires manual DNS setup.

Cloudflare Registrar

At-cost pricing (no markup). Great if using Cloudflare for CDN.

Porkbun

Cheap and cheerful. Good for bulk domains.

Google Domains

Now Squarespace Domains. Still works, but less recommended.

4How Much Should You Spend?

$10-15
Standard domain/year
Recommended for MVPs
$50-100
Premium-ish domain
Only if perfect fit
$1000+
Premium domain
Wait until validated

MVP Rule: Don't spend more than $20 on a domain until you've proven your idea works. You can always upgrade to a better domain later, and 301 redirects will preserve your SEO.

5Step-by-Step: Buying from Vercel

  1. 1
    Go to Vercel Domains

    Visit vercel.com/domains

  2. 2
    Search for your domain

    Type in your desired name and see if it's available

  3. 3
    Add to cart and checkout

    Pay with credit card. You'll own it for 1 year (auto-renews).

  4. 4
    Connect to your project

    In your Vercel project settings, add the domain. It auto-configures DNS and HTTPS.

6Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • ✗
    Buying from sketchy registrars

    Stick to reputable providers. GoDaddy is okay but pushy with upsells.

  • ✗
    Forgetting to renew

    Enable auto-renew. Losing your domain is painful.

  • ✗
    Using free/temporary domains for real projects

    yourapp.vercel.app is fine for testing, not for customers.

  • ✗
    Over-investing before validation

    Test your idea first. A $10 domain works just as well for an MVP.

7Already Have a Domain?

If you bought your domain elsewhere, you can either:

Option A: Transfer to Vercel

Cleanest solution. Takes 5-7 days. Follow Vercel's transfer guide.

Option B: Point DNS to Vercel

Keep domain where it is. Add CNAME records pointing to Vercel. Slightly more complex.

DNS Propagation: Changes take 24-48 hours to spread globally. Your site might work for some users before others.

Ready to Start Building?

Got your domain? Head back to the Starter to pick your app template.

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