A domain gives a site an address people can remember and return to. WordPress.com lets customers register or transfer a domain, manage its settings, and use it with a WordPress.com site or a site hosted elsewhere. That creates useful content opportunities around choosing a name, comparing costs, and preparing a transfer.
At a glance
- Choice: More than 350 domain extensions, including .com, .org, .blog, and .shop.
- Buying options: Register a domain on its own, or use the first-year domain offer included with an eligible annual or multi-year WordPress.com plan. Standard domain renewals are separate.
- Privacy: Free privacy protection on supported domains. Registry and registrant-type exceptions apply.
- SSL: Free SSL for domains connected to WordPress.com-hosted sites. Registration alone does not provide SSL for a website hosted elsewhere.
Getting started
Send readers to WordPress.com Domains to search for a name. Existing domain owners can follow the domain transfer guide.
For a transfer, check the supported extension, the 60-day age and previous-transfer restrictions, the registrar lock, and the authorization code. Domain registration and website hosting are separate services.
Core talking points
Explain the first-year offer
Annual, two-year, and three-year site plans include a domain credit for the first year. Monthly plans do not. The offer does not pay for renewal of a domain already registered at WordPress.com; later renewals follow the domain’s standard rate. Check the chosen name and extension in checkout.
Keep privacy and SSL conditions visible
Privacy is enabled automatically where supported, but it is not universal. For example, .ca privacy is available for individual registrants, not organizations. SSL depends on the domain being connected correctly to a WordPress.com site, and provisioning can take time.
Prepare the transfer
Transfers usually take five to seven days. A completed transfer generally adds a year of registration, subject to the maximum registration term. Preserve the website and email DNS settings during the move. Transferring a domain does not move email hosting automatically. Keep the existing email service connected through the correct DNS records.
Manage the address and email
DNS management and email forwarding help owners use their domain with a website and an existing inbox. A dedicated Professional Email mailbox is a separate service; the domains page advertises a three-month trial. Review the trial’s checkout terms before purchase.
Consider long-term ownership
WordPress.com also offers the 100-Year Domain for long-term projects. Keep that offer separate from ordinary domain registration and the first-year credit bundled with a site plan.
Content angles
Written comparisons
Compare the full ownership cost. Consider registration, renewal, privacy availability, DNS tools, and hosting separately. Compare the same domain extension and billing period rather than relying only on first-year promotional prices.
Reviews and explainers
Make a transfer understandable. Walk readers through eligibility, unlocking, authorization, and keeping website and email settings intact. Explain the difference between transferring a domain and connecting it to a site.
Video and streaming
From an idea to an available name. Explore the public domain search and alternative extensions. A transfer explainer can use the public guide; showing a completed transfer requires a domain the creator controls.
Naming and brand usage
Write WordPress.com in full, with a capital W and P. Keep the hosted service distinct from the WordPress open-source software. Use the official assets and follow the WordPress.com brand guidelines.
Resources and links
Find a domain · Domain pricing · Privacy exceptions · SSL setup · Domain transfers · 100-Year Domain
