It might not be the first subscription that you think of but you’re probably familiar with the annual subscription fee charged to both register and renew your domain names. While you’re coming up with the best domain name for your business, you should also consider the best place to register Canadian domain names with the .ca extension.
How much does it cost to register a domain name in Canada?
Depending on the registrar you choose, it can cost between $5-$20 for a new .CA domain registration, and then $15-20 to renew your Canadian domain annually. Registering a domain name in Canada isn’t expensive, and it’s much cheaper than registering a ccTLD (country code top-level domain) compared to many other countries.
How many Canadian registrars are there?
CIRA, the Canadian Internet Registration Authority, is the governing body managing .ca domain registrations. They work with registrars who provide the ability for you to register.ca domains. As of today, there are 180 .ca certified registrars.
5 Best .CA domain registrars
Here’s some of the most popular registrars that we are tracking and why you might consider registering with them (all pricing in Canadian dollars):
1. GoDaddy
Pricing
- .ca New registrations: $19.99/yr
- .ca Renewals: $19.99/yr
- .ca Transfers: $19.99/yr
- Sale: $0.99/yr on your first domain for 1 year for new or transfers with the purchase of a 2nd year, limit 1 per customer
2. DotEasy
Pricing
- .ca New registrations: $5.00/yr
- .ca Renewals: $15.00/yr
- .ca Transfers: $5.00/yr
- Sale: $0.77/yr on your first domain for 1 year, limit 1 per customer
Added Benefits
- Free coming soon parking page
- Free domain forwarding
3. NameCheap
Pricing
- .ca New registrations: $15.66/yr
- .ca Renewals: $18.27/yr
- .ca Transfers: $15.66/yr
Added Benefits
- Free email on your .ca domain for 2 months
4. Rebel.com
Pricing
- .ca New registrations: $10.99/yr
- .ca Renewals: $18.99/yr
- .ca Transfers: $10.99/yr
- Sale: $1/yr on your first domain for 1 yr, limit 1 per customer
Added Benefits
- Free 1-page website with drag and drop website building
- Free email on your .ca domain for 3 months
5. Sibername
Pricing
- .ca New registrations: $10.95/yr
- .ca Renewals: $18.95/yr
- .ca Transfers: $10.99/yr
Added Benefits
- Free Weebly website site builder for 1 year
- Free 2 business emails with 100MB webmail storage for 3 years
Why would you want a .ca domain name?
Or why not get one of the more popular .com or one of thousands of new extensions out there now? With .com domains being more popular and having been around much longer, it is quite common to find that a name or phrase that closely matches your business is just not available.
If you’re a Canadian specific business, it’s a great way to communicate to your customer that you are providing products and services specifically to Canadians. It can also be a sign of trust that you have a clear, easy to find, Canadian domain name and ultimately part of building your branding and awareness. There are also local SEO (Search Engine Optimization) benefits for your business to having a country-specific domain – as having a .CA domain will improve your chances of ranking for relevant keywords on Google Canada. That’s really the key, you want to be found and the domain name is just one way that makes it easier for people to find you.
This article offers general information only, is current as of the date of publication, and is not intended as legal, financial or other professional advice. A professional advisor should be consulted regarding your specific situation. While the information presented is believed to be factual and current, its accuracy is not guaranteed and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. All expressions of opinion reflect the judgment of the author(s) as of the date of publication and are subject to change. No endorsement of any third parties or their advice, opinions, information, products or services is expressly given or implied by RBC Ventures Inc. or its affiliates.