HostGator domains: what a "free" domain really costs
HostGator gives you a free domain with hosting. Here is what it costs from year two, what's charged if you cancel, and how to move it.
A .com is free for the first year with longer HostGator hosting terms, or $12.99 on its own. From year two it renews at $22.99 a year, and domain privacy is a paid add-on (about $14.95 a year). If you cancel hosting in the first year, HostGator deducts $17.99 from your refund for the domain. To save, you can move the domain to Namecheap, where privacy is free.
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HostGator domain prices
The real cost over three years
Do you need domain privacy?
Without privacy, your name, email and sometimes address can appear in public WHOIS lookups, which leads to spam. Many registrars, including Namecheap, include privacy free. At HostGator it's an add-on, so the cheapest route is to keep the domain elsewhere.
How to move a domain away from HostGator
- Log in to your HostGator account and open the domain's settings.
- Unlock the domain and request the EPP (authorization) code.
- Start the transfer at the new registrar, such as Namecheap, and enter the code. Transfers usually add a year to the registration.
- Approve the confirmation email. Most transfers finish within about a week.
- Check that your website and email DNS records still point at HostGator if you're keeping the hosting.
New domains can't be transferred for 60 days after registration under ICANN rules, so plan the move after that.
Keeping the domain and hosting separate
You don't need to move your hosting to move your domain. Point the domain's nameservers or DNS records at HostGator and the site keeps working. Separating them also means you keep control of the domain if you ever change hosts.
More: HostGator pricing, HostGator review and Namecheap review.
Questions
Is the HostGator domain really free?
For the first year with 12+ month hosting terms. It then renews at $22.99 a year for .com.
Does HostGator include domain privacy?
No. Privacy is a paid add-on, about $14.95 a year.
What happens to my free domain if I cancel?
If you cancel hosting in the first year, HostGator deducts $17.99 from your refund and you keep the domain.
Can I transfer my HostGator domain?
Yes, after 60 days. Unlock it, get the EPP code and start the transfer at the new registrar.
- HostGator domain pricing and refund terms as reported by HostAdvice (2026) and Checkthat (2026)
- Namecheap domain renewal pricing (Avaradar, Oct 2026)
- ICANN transfer policy
Based on published pricing, plan terms and specs, plus published reviews, noted above. Prices change often; check the cart before you buy.
Jean founded ShopHighSpeed after trying to find one straight answer about business internet in his own town. He has been a Comcast and Verizon Fios customer, and ranks providers on what they actually deliver, not on what they advertise.