Domain Registrar

Learning Focus

By the end of this lesson you will understand how Cloudflare Registrar works, how to register or transfer domains at cost price, and how it integrates with Cloudflare DNS.

What Is Cloudflare Registrar?

Cloudflare Registrar is a domain registration service that lets you register new domains and transfer existing domains at wholesale (at-cost) pricing. Unlike traditional registrars that add markup to domain renewals, Cloudflare charges exactly what the registry charges — with no surprise renewal price increases.

flowchart LR
    YOU["You"] -->|Register / Transfer| CF_REG["Cloudflare Registrar"]
    CF_REG -->|At-cost pricing| REGISTRY["Domain Registry\n(.com, .org, .dev, etc.)"]
    CF_REG -->|Auto-config| CF_DNS["Cloudflare DNS\n(Authoritative)"]

    style CF_REG fill:#f6821f,color:#fff,stroke:#e5711e
    style REGISTRY fill:#6b7280,color:#fff,stroke:#4b5563
    style CF_DNS fill:#2563eb,color:#fff,stroke:#1e40af

Why Cloudflare Registrar?

Feature	Cloudflare Registrar	Traditional Registrars
Pricing	Wholesale (at-cost), no markup	Discounted first year, then markup on renewal
Renewal pricing	Same as registration — no surprises	Often 2–3x higher on renewal
WHOIS privacy	Free, always included	Often a paid add-on ($5–$12/year)
DNSSEC	One-click, auto-managed	Manual setup (if supported)
Integration	Direct integration with Cloudflare DNS	Separate nameserver configuration needed
Upsells / ads	None	Aggressive upselling of add-ons

Supported TLDs

Cloudflare Registrar supports a wide range of TLDs. Some popular ones:

TLD	Approx. Cost/Year	Notes
.com	~$9.77	Most popular TLD
.net	~$10.77	Common for tech/networking
.org	~$10.11	Non-profits, organizations
.dev	~$12.00	Developer-focused
.io	~$33.98	Tech startups (higher registry cost)
.me	~$15.00	Personal sites
.xyz	~$10.00	Affordable alternative

info

Prices are wholesale and may change as registries adjust their fees. Cloudflare passes through the exact cost with zero markup.

Registering a New Domain

1. Go to Cloudflare Dashboard → Domain Registration → Register Domains
2. Search for your desired domain name
3. Select the TLD and review pricing
4. Complete payment — your domain is activated immediately
5. Cloudflare DNS is configured automatically — no nameserver changes needed

flowchart TD
    SEARCH["Search for\ndomain name"] --> SELECT["Select TLD\nand review cost"]
    SELECT --> PAY["Complete\npayment"]
    PAY --> ACTIVE["Domain active\n+ DNS configured"]
    ACTIVE --> ADD["Add DNS records\n(A, CNAME, MX, etc.)"]

    style ACTIVE fill:#16a34a,color:#fff,stroke:#15803d

Transferring an Existing Domain

Transferring a domain to Cloudflare Registrar saves you money on renewals and centralizes management.

Prerequisites

Before transferring:

• Domain must be at least 60 days old (ICANN requirement)
• Domain must be unlocked at your current registrar
• You must have the authorization code (EPP/Auth code) from your current registrar
• Domain must not be within 15 days of expiration

Transfer Process

flowchart TD
    UNLOCK["1. Unlock domain\nat current registrar"] --> AUTH["2. Get authorization\ncode (EPP code)"]
    AUTH --> ADD["3. Add domain to\nCloudflare (change NS)"] --> INITIATE["4. Initiate transfer\nin Cloudflare dashboard"]
    INITIATE --> CODE["5. Enter authorization\ncode"]
    CODE --> APPROVE["6. Approve transfer\n(email confirmation)"]
    APPROVE --> WAIT["7. Wait 5 days\n(ICANN required)"]
    WAIT --> DONE["8. Transfer complete!\nDomain at Cloudflare"]

    style DONE fill:#16a34a,color:#fff,stroke:#15803d

Step-by-Step

1. Unlock your domain at your current registrar
2. Request an authorization code (also called EPP code or transfer key)
3. Add the domain to Cloudflare if you haven't already (change nameservers first)
4. Navigate to Domain Registration → Transfer Domains
5. Enter the authorization code when prompted
6. Confirm payment — Cloudflare adds one year to your domain at cost
7. Approve the transfer via the confirmation email from your current registrar
8. Wait up to 5 days for the transfer to complete (ICANN mandated waiting period)

Important

Some registrars auto-approve transfers after 5 days. Others require you to explicitly approve via email. Check your current registrar's process.

WHOIS Privacy

Cloudflare Registrar includes free WHOIS privacy (also called "Redacted for Privacy") for all domains. Your personal information (name, address, email, phone) is automatically hidden from public WHOIS lookups.

WHOIS lookup on a Cloudflare-registered domain

whois example.com

# Output shows redacted information:
# Registrant Name: DATA REDACTED
# Registrant Organization: DATA REDACTED
# Registrant Email: Please query the RDDS service...

This is free and automatic — you don't need to enable it or pay for it.

Domain Management

Once your domain is at Cloudflare Registrar, you can manage:

Feature	Location
Auto-renew	Domain Registration → Manage Domains → Toggle auto-renew
Registration contact	Domain Registration → Manage Domains → Edit contact
DNSSEC	DNS → Settings → Enable DNSSEC
Transfer lock	Enabled by default to prevent unauthorized transfers
Transfer away	Domain Registration → Manage Domains → Unlock and get EPP code

Common Misconceptions

"Cloudflare Registrar is a loss leader — prices will go up"

Reality: Cloudflare has committed to at-cost pricing since launch (2018). There are no introductory discounts followed by price increases. The price changes only when the upstream registry changes their wholesale prices.

"I need to use Cloudflare Registrar to use Cloudflare DNS"

Reality: You can use Cloudflare DNS (authoritative) with any registrar. You only need to change your nameservers. Cloudflare Registrar is convenient but not required.

"Transferring my domain will cause downtime"

Reality: If you set up Cloudflare DNS before transferring, there is zero downtime. The nameservers are already pointing to Cloudflare during the transfer process.

Key Takeaways

• Cloudflare Registrar charges at-cost pricing — no markup, no renewal surprises.
• WHOIS privacy is free and automatic.
• Transfer requires unlocking, getting an EPP code, and waiting 5 days (ICANN rules).
• Registering directly on Cloudflare auto-configures DNS — no nameserver changes needed.
• You don't need Cloudflare Registrar to use Cloudflare DNS or any other Cloudflare service.

What's Next

• Continue to Email Routing to learn how to set up free email forwarding with Cloudflare.