Tucows’ Hover makes registering domains simple.
One of the most common questions I’m asked by non-domainer friends is which registrar I recommend they use.
It’s a tough question to answer. I typically try to find out more about what they’re looking for. Will they register a bunch of domains? Are they tech savvy?
I think I have a new recommendation for friends that want a simple way to register a handful of domain names: Hover.
(Yes, I know the Hover brand has been around since the beginning of 2009. But I didn’t have a chance to try it until today.)
Why the recommendation? Hover is simple. It’s easy. It has instant phone support. If I tell someone to try Hover, I don’t have to worry about them calling me back and asking for help.
Let me show you an example of its simplicity and how it offers you greater control over your experience:
From one account management page I can choose what type of communications I receive from the company. I can select the exact dates I want renewal notices. And all without refreshing a page.
Some other registrars offer these options. But it often takes an advanced degree to find the user controls.
Managing individual domains on Hover is also easy.
Hover isn’t designed for domainers as registrations are $15 including whois privacy. (Transfers are $10.) But I wouldn’t hesitate recommending Hover to any of my entrepreneur friends.
Parent company Tucows is trying to take this “simplicity” message and extend it to the mobile phone industry in the U.S. Now there’s an industry in need of more simplicity!
Josh S. says
Of the registrars I use, I prefer Name.com and Dynadot.
I have a name at Joker.com, and its interface is so bad, it makes me want to make a terrible pun… GoDaddy could stand to simplify their system, too. As it is now, it’s a laggy labyrinth.
Josh says
Nice and simple for beginners, mind you once you learn how to use most of them it no longer matters.
Ill be keeping Hover in mind for friends who plan on a one time reg.
Sam says
It’s great that hover.com actually categorizes all the TLDs (though they are still too broad and could use subcategories). All the other registrars need to do this!
Hover.com is very fast and shows *all* the available domains.
My usual go-to, namecheap.com, loads only 10 at a time, apparently from newest to oldest, and then warns “order out-of-date, please start a new search” before I get to check the whole list of options… (though they also waste time/page space showing unavailable domains.)
So, I’ll be using hover.com first when I search!
Thanks for the find,
—Sam