Why it’s best: HostPapa is more feature-rich than the competition, offering additional add-ons for security, small businesses, and operations at a slight upcharge.
We tested domain parking services with dummy websites, parking domain names and assessing key features of the tool. Our testing considered customer service and overall user experience, add-on features available, migration support presence, absence, and experience in each tool. We’ve summarized our findings to help you find a great domain parking service.
What is a Domain Parking Service?
It happens to many people at one point or another: You come up with a brilliant idea for a website. You run to your computer, look up the domain name, and find out it’s available. But you aren’t ready to build a site and launch a business on your new domain.
“I should probably go ahead and buy it anyway,” you think. The problem? You have nowhere to point it to.
That’s where domain parking comes in. You can save your domain for later, pointing it to a single page.
The investment is worth it because domain names are cheap, but a lost opportunity is expensive. Good domains are snapped up daily, and the resale prices in the domain aftermarket are often outrageous — if the domain you want is even for sale.
How To Choose a Domain Parking Service
When researching domain parking providers, consider:
Migration support presence: This perk is especially valuable if you’re parking a domain from an exterior or pre-existing site in transition. Talk to sales and determine if this is available — and if so, see if it comes at an additional cost.
Budget: It’s best to look for a low-cost domain parking service, as your scope is quite simple. You won’t want it to exceed $10 to $20 a month.
Ease of use: Interface navigation should be simple, and your domain redirection process should be supported by plenty of documentation and assistance. Determine if the proposed solution will be workable for your knowledge level.
Customer support: Hosting and transitioning domains can be complex. You might consider checking to see if customer support is free or if it costs extra.
Fantastic support for exterior website parking while offering access to over 400 TLDs.
With over 400 TLDs, DreamHost gives you plenty of options for registering and parking a domain.
If you’ve already registered a parked domain with another provider and you want to switch it over to DreamHost, its custom control panel makes it easy. You can transfer your domain with just a couple of clicks. And once you’re on DreamHost, you’ll benefit from powerful email spam and phishing protection.
And unlike many other providers, DreamHost offers WHOIS privacy protection with all domain registration plans at no additional cost.
Pros and cons of DreamHost
Pros
Additional email spam and cybersecurity protection
24/7 chatbot support, live chat support during business hours
Affordable price range
Cons
Limited live support; available only during business hours
What customers are saying about DreamHost
A reliable and affordable hosting provider, Dreamhost offers great customer service and a variety of plans. It is easy to use, though there are some complaints that the speed and webmail could be improved.
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GoDaddy
Best for earning potential
Inexpensive parking plan with additional opportunities to profit
24/7 customer support for additional support when you need it
Privacy protection and ongoing traffic monitoring for peace of mind and extra protection
GoDaddy offers advanced security, helpful knowledge base materials for self-service, and CashParking services to help you earn passive income from your parked domain.
GoDaddy’s CashParking tool allows you to turn your parked domains into a steady stream of passive income. Here’s how it works: GoDaddy’s advertising partner will place context-relevant ads on your site, which converts visitors into customers without you lifting a finger.
CashParking plans begin at $9.59 monthly. You’ll be able to earn 80% of your ad revenue when you park a domain, and your membership price includes the cost of a free GoDaddy Auctions membership — connecting you to top-rated domain sellers and buyers. It’s a lucrative structure for those willing to invest the time in the domain shuffling game.
Another benefit to using GoDaddy is that their domain registration plans include privacy protection for free. You can add security features such as malware scanning and threat monitoring for an extra fee.
Pros and cons of GoDaddy
Pros
Free WHOIS privacy protection included
Cons
May not be the best value depending on your needs
What customers are saying about GoDaddy
A well-known player in the web hosting business, GoDaddy is a decent option for those needing web hosting and a domain for their website. Its hosting prices align with other companies but are not among the cheapest. GoDaddy provides helpful video guides and 24/7 phone and live chat support.
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HostGator
Best for full-featured hosting plans
Domain locking for extra assurance against unauthorized transfer attempts
24/7 customer support for additional support when you need it
Enjoy feature-rich plans, with the option to opt for a VPS, reseller, or dedicated hosting plan.
If you’re using the Baby plan or higher, you can park domains on your HostGator account for no additional cost. That rules out the lowest-priced Hatchling shared hosting plan, but the Baby plan isn’t much more expensive. And with the Baby plan, you get unlimited storage, unlimited bandwidth, and a free secure sockets layer (SSL) certificate from Let’s Encrypt.
HostGator offers VPS, reseller, and dedicated hosting plans if you have more demanding hosting needs than a shared plan.
And HostGator offers plenty of useful features with their domain registration plans, including domain locking and automatic domain renewal to ensure you don’t accidentally lose any domains. But if you want WHOIS privacy protection, that’ll cost you another $14.95 per year, which is about $1.25 a month.
Pros and cons of HostGator
Pros
Highly rated customer support
Cons
Cybersecurity protection (via WHOIS) comes at an additional cost
What customers are saying about HostGator
HostGator is a good fit for beginners seeking a web host with various features. The customer service and prices are favorable but avoid paying for unnecessary extras. Note there are limitations to the SEO capabilities.
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Hostinger
Best for budget domain parking
Transfer assistance if coming from exterior web host
24/7 customer support for additional support when you need it
Hostinger offers low-cost tools for the budget-savvy domain manager, and is incredibly easy to use.
If you’re on a tight budget and looking for a host and domain registrar, then Hostinger is likely the right provider for you.
With Hostinger, you can get hosting with domain parking for as low as $1.99 per month. That’s the cost of the Premium plan, which allows you to have up to 100 parked domains.
Hostinger offers an easy-to-use control panel and transfer tool for managing your domains. It also offers free WHOIS privacy protection.
Pros and cons of Hostinger
Pros
Low prices to suit nearly every budget
Cons
Customers report inconsistent speed
What customers are saying about Hostinger
Hostinger is one of the best hosting companies for people who are starting with a website and seeking low prices. The customer service and mail server could use some improvements, though.
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HostPapa
Best domain parking add-on features
Proactive monitoring and advanced cybersecurity support
24/7 customer support for additional support when you need it
HostPapa is more feature-rich than the competition, offering additional security, small business, and operational add-ons at a slight upcharge.
HostPapa is an excellent domain parking option, especially if you’re willing to pay a little more in exchange for advanced features.
Specifically, HostPapa’s $9.95 per year Protection Power website security add-on includes proactive monitoring, real-time threat alerts, and its advanced content delivery network.
As for hosting, the Starter plan works for two domains and includes unmetered bandwidth, 100 GB storage, and a free SSL certificate for the first year. Upgrading to the Business or Business Pro plan gets you unlimited domains, unlimited storage, and many other extra features as well.
Pros and cons of HostPapa
Pros
Advanced features available
Knowledgeable and efficient customer service team
Cons
Higher prices compared with the competition, especially after add-ons
What customers are saying about HostPapa
HostPapa is a solid domain registration and web hosting service that is simple to navigate. They have servers around the world and good support. The prices are affordable, but VPS hosting can be more costly.
Frequently Asked Questions About Domain Parking Services
What are the advantages to domain parking?
Simply buying a domain and then not doing anything with it does reserve the domain and keeps anyone else from buying or using it. Without parking it, however, the domain will simply sit idle, and should anyone type the domain into their browser, they’ll find a blank page. Parking the domain gives you more control over what appears if anyone visits your domain and gives you more options.
What is cybersquatting?
Cybersquatting is when someone “captures'' a domain with no true intention of using it — holding it hostage until organizations pay a high price simply to maintain their branding and brand equity in the community. Inflation of domain prices is a serious issue, with hundreds, if not thousands, of domain dealers. However, it can also be considered an economy of its own.
How do domain names work?
When you type the name of a website in the URL bar, such as Whoishostingthis.com, the domain name is not what your computer uses to load the website. Your computer asks a server, known as a name server or DNS (domain name system) server, what address corresponds to a domain name. Usually, this server is provided by your internet service provider (ISP).
What is ICANN?
ICANN, or the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, is the nonprofit organization tasked with keeping track of all the domain names that have been registered.