About Porkbun
Porkbun is an ICANN-accredited domain registrar offering competitive pricing on hundreds of TLDs along with free WHOIS privacy, SSL certificates, URL forwarding, email hosting, and basic web hosting. It's known for its transparent pricing, quirky brand voice, and strong customer support.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Transparent pricing with no upsells at checkout or renewal markup
- WHOIS privacy and SSL included free for the life of the domain
- Wide selection of TLDs at competitive prices
- Clean, modern dashboard with full DNS controls
- Responsive customer support with a friendly, human tone
- Public API and bulk tools for power users
Cons
- Web hosting offering is basic compared to dedicated hosts
- Email hosting features are limited next to Google Workspace or Microsoft 365
- No phone support; help is via email/ticket only
- Promotional first-year prices revert to regular renewal pricing
- Smaller brand recognition than legacy registrars like GoDaddy
Key Features
Domain Registration
Register domains across 500+ TLDs with transparent, competitive pricing and no hidden fees at renewal.
Free WHOIS Privacy
WHOIS privacy protection is included free with every eligible domain registration, hiding personal contact info from public lookups.
Free SSL Certificates
Every domain comes with a free AutoSSL/Let's Encrypt certificate that auto-renews for the life of the domain.
URL Forwarding
Built-in URL and email forwarding lets you point a domain to another site or address without needing hosting.
Email Hosting
Affordable mailboxes via Porkbun's own email hosting plans, with optional integrations for Google Workspace.
Static Hosting & Web Hosting
Simple static site hosting plus shared web hosting plans for lightweight sites and landing pages.
DNS Management
Full-featured DNS editor with support for A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, ALIAS, and DNSSEC records.
API Access
Public REST API for programmatic domain management, DNS updates, and SSL retrieval.
Two-Factor Authentication
Account security with TOTP-based 2FA and registrar lock to prevent unauthorized transfers.
Bulk Domain Tools
Bulk registration, transfer, and DNS management for users handling large domain portfolios.
Pricing
- Free WHOIS privacy
- Free SSL certificate
- Free URL forwarding
- Free DNS management
- Per mailbox pricing
- Webmail access
- IMAP/SMTP support
- Spam filtering
- Free static site hosting tier
- Custom domain support
- Free SSL
- Simple file uploads
- Shared hosting plans
- cPanel-style management
- Email mailboxes included
- Free SSL
Best For
Buying a Domain for a New Project
Register a fresh domain with privacy and SSL included so you can launch quickly without paying extra fees.
Consolidating a Domain Portfolio
Transfer domains away from pricier registrars to take advantage of lower renewals and cleaner DNS tools.
Lightweight Static Site Hosting
Host a simple landing page, portfolio, or microsite directly through Porkbun's static hosting product.
Custom Email on Your Domain
Set up affordable mailboxes on your own domain without needing a full Google Workspace subscription.
Programmatic Domain Management
Use the Porkbun API to automate DNS updates, SSL retrieval, and domain provisioning in DevOps workflows.
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