Why are you still paying $15–$20 a year for a .com domain when Cloudflare charges $9.77—the actual wholesale price? That question alone is what pulls most people into looking for a real cloudflare registrar review, and honestly, it’s the same reason I moved half my portfolio there.

The pitch sounds almost suspicious: “We don’t mark up domains. Ever.”
But here’s the kicker—it’s actually true.
And also, there is a catch. We’ll get to that.

Let’s break down what Cloudflare does right, what it does wrong, and whether you should start transferring your domains today.

What Does “At-Cost” Pricing Actually Mean?

Cloudflare sells domains at wholesale rates, the same price they pay the registries. No promos. No upsells and No renewal tricks.

For example:

A .com domain costs Cloudflare $9.59 + $0.18 ICANN fee = $9.77
A .net domain? Same story. Wholesale + ICANN.
Renewal? Exactly the same price—no first-year discount scam followed by a $22 sticker shock.

Meanwhile, registrars like GoDaddy and even Namecheap rely heavily on upsells and overpriced renewals because domains are their cash cow. Cloudflare is the opposite. Domains are basically a loss leader for them.

It’s refreshing. It’s weird.
And for people managing a large domain portfolio, it can save real money—every single year.

The Security Features: Why Free WHOIS Matters

Cloudflare includes free WHOIS privacy across all supported TLDs. Not “first year free.” Not “add $2.99/month for protection.” Just included.

Your name, phone, and address are automatically masked using privacy redaction. As it should be.

The kicker?
Some registrars still charge extra for this. In 2025.
That alone makes Cloudflare feel like it’s built for people who care about security but hate being nickel-and-dimed.

The User Experience: Dashboard & UI

If you already use Cloudflare for DNS, the Registrar interface feels natural. Clean. Fast. No dark patterns. No endless upsell banners.

If you’re migrating from GoDaddy or Bluehost?
It might feel almost too minimal.

Cloudflare’s dashboard is built for people who want:

DNS changes
Registrar details
Minimal fluff

Beginners may find it “plain,” whereas technical users (and especially anyone managing several domains) appreciate the speed and clarity.

Transfers are simple too. Unlock your domain, paste the auth code, wait a few minutes, done. No hostage-style “Are you sure?” retention screens.

The One Big Downside: The Nameserver Lock

Here it is. The part Cloudflare doesn’t market heavily:

If you use Cloudflare Registrar, you MUST use Cloudflare Nameservers.

No exceptions. No custom nameservers.
This is the tradeoff that makes the whole at-cost model work.

For most devs, this is fine—Cloudflare DNS is arguably the best on the planet:

Fast
Free
Ultra-reliable
Easy to manage

But if your setup involves:

Custom vanity nameservers
External DNS providers
Certain enterprise routing setups
…then you’re out of luck.

Switching to Cloudflare Registrar means committing to their ecosystem. That’s the deal.

If you’re okay with that? You’ll love it.
If you’re not? Stick with Namecheap.

Cloudflare Registrar vs. the Competition

Cloudflare vs. Namecheap

Namecheap Pros:

Great UI for beginners
Supports custom nameservers
Good support and chat

Namecheap Cons:

Renewals are significantly more expensive
Constant add-on upsells

The Cloudflare Pros:

Wholesale pricing forever
No upsells
Best DNS management in the industry

Cloudflare Cons:

Forced Cloudflare DNS
Fewer supported TLDs

Cloudflare vs. GoDaddy

This one’s easy.
If you’re using GoDaddy in 2025, you’re burning money.

GoDaddy pushes website builders, email add-ons, privacy upsells, and renewal prices that make your eyes water. Cloudflare is the polar opposite—barebones, honest, and cost-efficient.

The only reason to stay with GoDaddy is if you need phone support or if you’re locked into their ecosystem. Otherwise… run.

FAQ

1. Does Cloudflare support all TLDs?

No. They support most popular ones, but not everything. Country-code TLDs can be hit or miss.

2. Does the price increase after the first year?

No. That’s the entire point. The renewal price is the same as the registration price—wholesale cost + ICANN fee.

3. Is it hard to transfer my domain to Cloudflare?

Not at all. Unlock at your old registrar, grab the EPP code, paste it into Cloudflare, and wait. Takes minutes.

4. Can I use custom nameservers?

No. This is the biggest limitation. You must use Cloudflare DNS.

5. Is WHOIS privacy included?

Yes—free on all supported TLDs.

Conclusion

Cloudflare Registrar is hands-down the best deal in domain management if you already use—or are willing to use—Cloudflare DNS. No markup. No surprise renewals and No upsells. Just honest pricing and fast DNS.

But if you need hand-holding, prefer a fancy UI, or require custom nameservers? You’ll hate it.

Bottom line:
If you know how to change nameservers, switch today.
If you want a friendlier beginner experience, Namecheap’s safer.