Does Porkbun include hosting?

It sells website and email hosting as add-ons, but its core business is domain registration; many buyers point DNS elsewhere.

Can a domain registered elsewhere be transferred in?

Yes, transfers are supported for most TLDs and typically add a year to the registration. The domain has to be unlocked at the current registrar first.

Does Porkbun have a free plan?

No free plan is listed on the vendor's pricing page. Porkbun is sold on usage-based pricing.

What are the main drawbacks of Porkbun?

The trade-offs we noted: Smaller support organisation; Fewer enterprise features; Hosting products are basic.

Hosting

Porkbun

Domain registrar with low renewal prices.

What it is

Porkbun is a domain registrar known for straightforward pricing and a no-nonsense control panel. Registrations include WHOIS privacy and SSL certificates at no additional cost, and the panel provides DNS management, email forwarding and URL redirects without needing separate services. It also sells hosting add-ons such as a website builder and email hosting. It has built a following among developers who want a registrar that stays out of the way.

Porkbun pricing

Porkbun does not publish a plan ladder we could verify. Usage-based pricing.

Prices are read from the vendor's own pricing page. Vendors change plans without notice — check the source before you budget.

Key features

WHOIS privacy included
Registrations include privacy protection to keep personal details out of WHOIS.
DNS management
Full DNS control with forwarding and support for common record types.
Email forwarding
Forward addresses on your domain to an existing mailbox.
SSL certificates
Certificates for registered domains included.

Strengths and trade-offs

What works well

Cheap registration and honest renewals
Free WHOIS privacy
Clean interface without upsells

Where it falls short

Smaller support organisation
Fewer enterprise features
Hosting products are basic

Who it is for

Anyone buying domains who is tired of first-year pricing tricks.

Our verdict

The renewal honesty is the whole point. Registrars that hide renewal prices cost more over time.

Frequently asked questions

Does Porkbun include hosting?: It sells website and email hosting as add-ons, but its core business is domain registration; many buyers point DNS elsewhere.
Can a domain registered elsewhere be transferred in?: Yes, transfers are supported for most TLDs and typically add a year to the registration. The domain has to be unlocked at the current registrar first.
Does Porkbun have a free plan?: No free plan is listed on the vendor's pricing page. Porkbun is sold on usage-based pricing.
Who is Porkbun best for?: Anyone buying domains who is tired of first-year pricing tricks.
What are the main drawbacks of Porkbun?: The trade-offs we noted: Smaller support organisation; Fewer enterprise features; Hosting products are basic.

What we checked

Public APIOffers a documented API you can build against.Yes
Mobile appHas a native app for iOS or Android, not just a mobile website.No
Open source / self-hostableSource is open and the tool can be run on your own infrastructure.No
SSO (SAML)Supports SAML single sign-on on at least one plan.No

“Not checked” means exactly that — we have not verified it, and we do not guess.

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