Google Domains to Shut Down and Sell to Squarespace

Google has announced that it will be shutting down its domain registration service, Google Domains, by the end of 2023. The company said that it will be selling its domain portfolio to Squarespace, a website building and hosting platform, for an undisclosed amount.

Google Domains was launched in 2015 as a way for users to easily register and manage their domain names. The service offered features such as free privacy protection, email forwarding, DNS management, and integration with other Google products like Google Workspace and Blogger. Google Domains also partnered with several website builders, including Squarespace, to help users create their online presence.

However, Google Domains never gained much traction in the competitive domain market, which is dominated by players like GoDaddy, Namecheap, and Domain.com. According to Statista, Google Domains had only a 1.6% market share of the global domain industry in 2020, compared to GoDaddy’s 21.4%. Google said that it decided to exit the domain business after reviewing its product portfolio and focusing on its core strengths.

Squarespace, on the other hand, has been growing rapidly in recent years, thanks to its popular website builder and e-commerce platform. The company went public in May 2021 and reported a revenue of $621.1 million for 2020, up 28% year-over-year. Squarespace said that acquiring Google Domains will allow it to offer more value and convenience to its customers, who will be able to register and manage their domains directly from Squarespace’s platform.

What does this mean for Google Domains customers?

Google said that it will continue to support Google Domains customers until the end of 2023 and that it will provide them with a smooth transition process to Squarespace or another domain provider of their choice. Google also said that it will honor the existing pricing and renewal terms for all Google Domains customers until the end of their current subscription period.

Google Domains customers will receive an email from Google with more details on how to transfer their domains to Squarespace or another provider. Customers who choose to transfer their domains to Squarespace will receive a free year of domain registration and a 10% discount on their first website or online store subscription. Customers who choose another provider will need to follow the standard domain transfer process.

Google also assured its customers that their personal information and privacy settings will remain intact during the transfer process and that they will retain full ownership and control of their domains. Google said that it will not share any customer data with Squarespace or any other provider without the customer’s consent.

What are some alternatives to Google Domains?

If you are looking for a new domain provider, you have plenty of options to choose from. Here are some of the most popular ones:

• GoDaddy: GoDaddy is the largest domain registrar in the world, with over 84 million domains under management. GoDaddy offers a wide range of domain services, such as web hosting, email, SSL certificates, website security, and online marketing tools. GoDaddy also has a website builder and an e-commerce platform for creating your website or online store.
• Namecheap: Namecheap is one of the most affordable and reliable domain providers in the market, with over 13 million domains under management. Namecheap offers free privacy protection, DNS management, email forwarding, and two-factor authentication for all its domains. Namecheap also has a website builder and an e-commerce platform for creating your own website or online store.
• Domain.com: Domain.com is one of the oldest and most trusted domain providers in the market, with over 20 years of experience and over 2 million domains under management. Domain.com offers free privacy protection, DNS management, email forwarding, and web hosting for all its domains. Domain.com also has a website builder and an e-commerce platform for creating your own website or online store.

Google Domains is shutting down by the end of 2023 and selling its domain portfolio to Squarespace. Google Domains customers will need to transfer their domains to Squarespace or another provider before then. Google will provide more details on how to do so via email. If you are looking for a new domain provider, you can check out some of the alternatives mentioned above.

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