Google Domains

Chris.M

Chris.M

Member
Has anyone here received an invite? I'd love to get some feedback on how users are finding it in comparison to, say, Namecheap or Name.com. Being able to purchase domains through Google is something that I've been hoping to see for a while. It's a dream come true for folks (like myself) who are wired into their ecosystem. Convenience + "the Google factor." Not much to dislike.
 
Can't say that I've gotten an invite or know anyone that has.

Probably still wouldn't use them - as great as Google is I'm not liking this mass monopoly they're getting on the internet in some ways. Namecheap works great for me.
 
I'd be curious to see how viable this would be in the long run.

Let's assume that Google Domains will reach the "launch publicly" stage. We already have a plethora of excellent, established registrars. Namecheap is constantly doing something great for customers and attracts new folks with creative campaigns. Name.com places a great deal of emphasis on new TLDs (I'm not sure how much business it actually drums up - I have no interest in .NINJA domains), and GoDaddy is... GoDaddy. Then we have others, like Hover, which I have no experience with - but Hover in particular seems to do well. Dynadot's also pretty solid.

So... how would this end up playing out for Google? Just from what I've seen so far, it looks like they're relying on very competitive pricing (with the automatic inclusion of WHOIS privacy) and interface simplicity. They've got flawless Wallet + Google Apps integration as well, but I can't see this being a hugely important "make or break" factor for people. And naturally, they have one big thing going for them: it's a Google venture. The latter doesn't particularly comfort me. I can see them dumping the domains division fairly quickly if things don't pan out. This is fine, but it'll also give us an idea as to how dedicated they are + what they're willing to pour in resource-wise if it doesn't transform into a self-sustaining entity within ['x' amount of time].

I'd be hesitant to transfer my existing domains over, at least for a while, due to this uncertainty of viability. I can't tell if they're viewing this as a long-term investment or simply just testing the waters. But hell, I'm still interested.
 
Last edited:
I use Hover, and I like it. What I like most about it is the clean UI, no adverts, and no up-sells. Breath of fresh air...
 
I'll have to check them out. These reasons are specifically why I moved away from GoDaddy. So far namecheap is holding up pretty well for me and I've had no issues but I wonder how long it will last as they continue to grow.

At first glance it doesn't look like Hover offers hosting either, which is immediate bonus points in my book :)
 
KH-Jonathan said:
Can't say that I've gotten an invite or know anyone that has.

Probably still wouldn't use them - as great as Google is I'm not liking this mass monopoly they're getting on the internet in some ways. Namecheap works great for me.
Click to expand...

I have invite if anyone is interested ?

Don't trust Google...so I would be happy to give it up for some advice
 
Just transferred a domain to Google Domains yesterday for testing/review purposes. I've been a long time user and advocate of NameCheap. Right off hand, I don't see that changing any time soon. If you have any specific questions on Google Domains let me know and I'll dig into it.
 
I've had my domain through Google Apps for some time, but it started when they just resold from other registrars. Mine was through eNom, and the options available for resold domains vs one bought straight through eNom is appalling(ie it doesn't allow you to set private nameservers/glue records). About a year ago I just moved mine to it's own eNom account so that I could setup proper nameservers. Not sure I'd want to switch to using Google as a registrar if they'll have the same kinds of restrictions.
 
Heh, wow. So it would appear that the general consensus is, "YUCK. NO." :p You're all buzzkills, I tell you!

KH-DavidL said:
Just transferred a domain to Google Domains yesterday for testing/review purposes. I've been a long time user and advocate of NameCheap. Right off hand, I don't see that changing any time soon. If you have any specific questions on Google Domains let me know and I'll dig into it.
Click to expand...

I'm curious about the interface in general. I recently heard someone say that it's so simple, they couldn't imagine switching back to their previous registrar. This is really what sparked my curiosity. I use Namecheap and Name.com for my domains, and I prefer Name's by far. Once Namecheap modernizes their own to match their gorgeous website, I can see that changing. Does Google offer any new or innovative functionality over the current big boys?

KH-LukeM said:
I've had my domain through Google Apps for some time, but it started when they just resold from other registrars. Mine was through eNom, and the options available for resold domains vs one bought straight through eNom is appalling(ie it doesn't allow you to set private nameservers/glue records). About a year ago I just moved mine to it's own eNom account so that I could setup proper nameservers. Not sure I'd want to switch to using Google as a registrar if they'll have the same kinds of restrictions.
Click to expand...

Ouch, I would hope they don't have those restrictions with their registration services. If they lock you down and allow you to only use the domain with "in-house" services... no thank you. That's a great point and one that I didn't think of. I can't see it being the case now, but if it is, they'll have some issues.
 
Chris.M said:
Heh, wow. So it would appear that the general consensus is, "YUCK. NO." :p You're all buzzkills, I tell you!
Click to expand...

While this does appear to be the general consensus, not only on this thread, but every where that I've read, I wouldn't completely rule them out, yet. I mean, it is Google after all. They'll do what it takes to succeed, trust me.

Chris.M said:
I'm curious about the interface in general. I recently heard someone say that it's so simple, they couldn't imagine switching back to their previous registrar. This is really what sparked my curiosity. I use Namecheap and Name.com for my domains, and I prefer Name's by far. Once Namecheap modernizes their own to match their gorgeous website, I can see that changing. Does Google offer any new or innovative functionality over the current big boys?
Click to expand...

Seems that we both have an affinity for simplicity and functionality. =) Google is well known for keeping it simple and that's exactly what they've done here. Check after the break for screenshots I snapped from my panel for you. However, let me more specifically answer your "innovative functionality" question. To the mass/general public, no. However, a few key areas/points for reference.

  • DNSSEC - This is a setting/function that not all registrars (including NameCheap) offer. Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) protect your domain from attacks such as DNS cache poison attacks and DNS spoofing.

  • Synthetic records - Pretty cool feature for automatically setting up Google Apps/App Engine records. In reality, pushing their own services more, however making it very simple for those using it.

  • It's Google - This will be a pro/con depending on each user. However, their infrastructure and abilities are just, amazing. For example, every domain transfer I've ever dealt with, at absolute minimum took over 24 hours to complete. Transferring one of my domains from NameCheap to Google Domains was 100% complete in less than an hour, (with global DNS resolution fulfilled as well).
Over all synopsis, I don't see any reason to not test it out for yourself, if lucky enough to receive a beta invite. Remember, it's still in beta and Google does listen to feedback. I could only imagine it getting better with time, however I also see more "integration" with their own services (yuck).

Screen Shots:
--
aimg.knownhost.com_file_thumbnail_2014_9_04_e91e695e072537f457dca00468bf5d1f.png

aimg.knownhost.com_file_thumbnail_2014_9_04_5be5d438ef59f2ef39420f6b4c276b75.png

aimg.knownhost.com_file_thumbnail_2014_9_04_7d88bced8d5d5d1610239e155ae0ed28.png

aimg.knownhost.com_file_thumbnail_2014_9_04_9729517f57a37243f1d675e8eddbf8a5.png

aimg.knownhost.com_file_thumbnail_2014_9_04_100d68a359df8d42c2a488e2b5bc70b4.png

aimg.knownhost.com_file_thumbnail_2014_9_04_d80732c25c5983dd1ed115a6cfb91d96.png

aimg.knownhost.com_file_thumbnail_2014_9_04_3f46d4552b53baa7817b98e4e609c50f.png
 
David, that's exactly what I wanted to see; thanks! I was lucky enough to snag an invite earlier this morning, so I'll have some fun familiarizing myself with it over the weekend. I like what I see so far. ;)
 
Chris.M said:
David, that's exactly what I wanted to see; thanks! I was lucky enough to snag an invite earlier this morning, so I'll have some fun familiarizing myself with it over the weekend. I like what I see so far. ;)
Click to expand...

Sounds good. Hope all is well, you know how to get me if you have any questions.
 
I've got 4 Google Domains (Beta/Invite-Only) Registrar invites available, let me know if you want one. (PM or Email in sig).
 
Just from briefly using Google Domains, I think it's safe to say that I won't be leaving Namecheap anytime soon either. It's nice, but lacking. I'll keep the domain I have registered with them, but they're certainly not going to replace NC as my registrar of choice. Will be interesting to watch how Google develops this further - I'm seeing more and more invites floating around lately.

The backend redesign that Namecheap is working on, though... give it to me now. ;)
 
Chris.M said:
I'm seeing more and more invites floating around lately.
Click to expand...
I'd imagine there's a reason why, heh. I can honestly admit, I've never seen transfers complete so quickly though, it's crazy. Further, I'm anxious to see what that add to it, to make it worth while. Never imagined Google would cost more than some one else and not have way more to offer.

Chris.M said:
The backend redesign that Namecheap is working on, though... give it to me now. ;)
Click to expand...
>< WAY over due.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top