Domains · head to head
Hover vs NameSilo
What each costs, whether there's a free plan, and what each is best for, from prices checked on their own sites.
| Fact |  Hover |  NameSilo |
|---|---|---|
| .com first year | $18.99 | $17.29$11.05 in its free Discount Program |
| .com renewal | $18.99/yr | $17.29/yr$11.05 in its free Discount Program |
| Transfer | $18.99 | $10.80 |
| ICANN fee | Not stated | Not stated |
| Privacy | Free on supported domains | Free |
| Checked | Oct 18, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 |
| Website | Visit | Visit |
The difference in short
- NameSilo is cheaper for the first year: $17.29 against $18.99. NameSilo's first-year price: $11.05 in its free Discount Program.
- NameSilo renews for less: $17.29 a year against $18.99. Renewal is what you pay every year after the first.
- Free with a domain at Hover: free WHOIS privacy on supported domains. At NameSilo: free WHOIS privacy, email forwarding, Domain Defender and DNS.
- Hover is best for domains and email with human support; NameSilo for many domains, through the Discount Program.
What's good, and what to watch for
Hover
- Same $18.99 to register, renew and transfer .com
- Free WHOIS privacy and two-factor authentication
- Human support by phone, email or live chat ('No bots')
- One of the highest .com prices here at $18.99/year
- No hosting or website builder: connect the domain to another service
NameSilo
- WHOIS privacy, email forwarding, Domain Defender and DNS are 'always 100% free'
- Anyone can join the Discount Program free and pay $11.05 to register or renew .com
- Bulk prices for 50 or more domains
- Without the Discount Program, .com costs $17.29 a year
- Its pages don't say whether the $0.20 ICANN fee is included
Other domains options
Cheapest first where the prices compare.
Spaceship
Cloudflare Registrar
Dynadot
PorkbunFAQ
Which is cheaper, Hover or NameSilo?
NameSilo is cheaper for the first year: $17.29 against $18.99. NameSilo's first-year price: $11.05 in its free Discount Program. Prices checked Oct 18, 2026 on each company's own site.
Which renews for less, Hover or NameSilo?
NameSilo renews for less: $17.29 a year against $18.99. Renewal is what you pay every year after the first.
What comes free with a domain at Hover and NameSilo?
Free with a domain at Hover: free WHOIS privacy on supported domains. At NameSilo: free WHOIS privacy, email forwarding, Domain Defender and DNS.
What else should I compare with Hover and NameSilo?
Other domains options we've checked: Spaceship ($9.98/yr (.com renewal)), Cloudflare Registrar ($10.46/yr (.com renewal)), Dynadot ($10.88/yr (.com renewal)), Porkbun ($11.08/yr (.com renewal)).
Keep comparing
- Hover: pricing, free plan and alternatives
- NameSilo: pricing, free plan and alternatives
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- Dynadot vs NameSilo
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- NameSilo vs Porkbun
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- Namecheap vs NameSilo
- NameSilo vs Squarespace Domains
Built from the prices and facts we checked on each company's own site. We haven't tested either hands-on.How we work