Domain name without hosting with OVHcloud
Get a domain name from OVHcloud without hosting
Reserve your domain name with OVHcloud without subscribing to a web hosting plan. Safeguard your online identity, and get a complimentary email address.
Why choose a domain name without a hosting plan?
Buying a domain name without a web hosting plan has its strategic advantages. It gives you the freedom to work on your projects at your own pace, whether you want to build a professional online presence, or protect your brand’s digital identity.
Protect your company or personal brand
There are key steps to protecting your trademark, like getting it registered and securing a domain name. As soon as you decide on a name for your company or brand, quickly get a matching domain name. Skipping this step may expose your brand to cybersquatting risks, where someone else might register your chosen domain name and compromise your online reputation.
Create a business email account
Create a custom email address to clearly separate personal and professional communications. This can also make your company appear more trustworthy, and leave an impression on customers and competitors. By creating custom email addresses for your various services, like “billing@mybusiness.com” or “contact@mybusiness.com”, you can effectively manage different aspects of your business, and improve customer interactions. Did you know? You get a free custom email address when you register a domain name with OVHcloud.
Establish a strong presence in various languages or markets
Registering a domain name gives you the option to register versions of the same domain for other languages and markets. Even without an active website, you can still expand internationally, or create localized versions of your website by securing the relevant domains with the right extensions (.fr, .de, .es, etc.). This is a way to protect your brand and prevent competitors from grabbing similar domains in other regions or languages.
How to reserve a domain name in just a few steps
If you want to be visible online, you need to reserve a domain name — whether it’s for personal use, business purposes, or brand protection. This step-by-step guide will help you register your domain name, create a professional email address, and secure your domain.
1- Register a domain name
The first step is to check if the domain you want is available. To do this, go to the OVHcloud domain search page. Then enter the domain name you want, and the various extensions available will appear (.com, .fr, .net, etc.). If the domain you want is taken, try reaching out to the owner via our WHOIS tool.
Once you’ve chosen a domain name, add it to your cart and proceed to checkout. Don’t forget to explore additional included options. For further details please refer to this page on registering a domain name.
2- Create a custom email address
Once you’ve registered your domain name, create a custom email address to add a touch of professionalism to your brand. Simply go to the OVHcloud Control Panel and select your domain name. Finally, set up your first email address, and add more users if necessary.
If you’re unsure about the steps, check out our guide on how to create an email address with your domain name.
3- Secure a domain name after registration
After registering your domain name, it’s crucial to secure it to protect your online identity from potential threats, such as hacking or cybersquatting. OVHcloud provides domain security solutions to protect against these threats.
First, enable Domain Lock to block unauthorised transfers. You have the option to enable Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) protection for your domain name*, which adds an extra layer of security for validating DNS queries.
Remember to renew your domain name well before it expires to avoid downtime or the risk of losing your domain. We recommend enabling auto-renewal, and checking that your payment method is valid. If your credit/debit card expires, upload a new one to your Control Panel and re-enable automatic renewal.
For more tips on securing your domain name, check out this page.
Why reserve or buy a pre-owned domain name?
Registering or buying a domain name for resale is a smart way to elevate your online presence, improve SEO, and get better results from your online marketing efforts. This approach is especially beneficial if you’re looking to buy a domain name with a rich SEO history or high visibility.
Buy a pre-owned domain name to rank higher on search engines
Buying a pre-owned domain name can help boost your search engine rankings. To increase your visibility, consider getting a pre-owned domain that already has a lot of web traffic, a strong backlink profile, and domain authority. Also, if you use WordPress, a domain name with a solid history can help your websites get indexed faster.
Picking a domain name with a rich history sets you up to rank high right from the start. But, you should carefully check that the used domain has not been blacklisted by search engines, or linked to any malicious activities. Also, don’t forget to check the DNS details for the domain, its authority level, or if it’s up for renewal.
If you’re not an SEO expert, we recommend consulting a professional for a full audit before you buy.
Register a pre-owned domain name to bolster your brand’s presence
Getting a pre-owned domain name that is linked to industry buzzwords, or a specific campaign, can turbocharge your online marketing efforts. A catchy and relevant domain can help people remember your online ad campaigns and special offers. This can attract a larger pool of potential customers to your sites.
Use a relevant domain name in your ads, online or offline, to better convey your marketing message and up your conversion rate. This is particularly key for brief or seasonal campaigns, where the right domain name can really make a difference, especially if you’re looking to buy a domain for a specific campaign. Check if the domain name is available and matches popular extensions or TLDs (e.g. .com, .net, .org) for more impact.
What you should consider before getting a pre-owned domain name
There are a few criteria to factor in before you buy or reserve a domain.
- Domain name history: check the domain’s age, its previous owners and SEO practices. The listing history of a domain name can make a huge difference — a good one can bring you benefits, whereas a penalised one can hurt your SEO efforts. Check DNS and linked server information to ensure a higher level of security and reliability.
- Domain name keywords: a domain name with relevant keywords can help improve your website’s ranking on search engines and attract targeted visitors. More specifically, a domain name with a popular extension or Top-Level Domain (TLD) can boost your SEO strategy.
- Cost: pre-owned domain names may come with a higher price tag due to their perceived value. As a result, you need to carefully consider if this investment is worth the cost for your business. Remember to factor in the initial price and the yearly renewal fee, which could vary based on the hosting provider.
- Why it matters for your brand: Choose a domain name that reflects you brand and doesn’t confuse your customers. A catchy domain name makes you more visible online and helps users find your site.
In short, buying or reserving a pre-owned domain name can be a valuable strategy for optimising your SEO, strengthening your ad campaigns, and building customer trust. Choose wisely to become more visible online, engage your target audience, gain an advantage over rival sites.
Your questions answered
Can I register a domain name without creating a website right away?
Absolutely, you can register a domain name without a hosting plan, it actually has many advantages. Reserving your domain name makes it yours, and stops others registering it. Take your time to decide on the perfect extension for your project, and smoothly plan the launch of your website, with WordPress or any other CMS.
How do I choose the most suitable domain extension?
Choosing your domain name extension is key, and depends on your target audience, business activity, and goals. Well-known extensions like .com, .fr, or .net are popular, but industry-specific (.tech, .store) or regional (.eu, .cat) extensions may better reflect your business. Make sure the extension you choose aligns with your brand image and online needs, as this can influence how users and search engines view your website.
What happens if I don’t renew my domain name on time?
Don’t let your domain name expire — renew it on time to keep your website and email services active. if a domain is not renewed, there is a grace period before it is re-listed, giving someone else the chance to register it. To avoid losing your domain name, enable auto-renewal and update your payment method. Protect your domain name to stay visible online and avoid costly downtime-related setbacks.
Can I easily transfer my domain name to another hosting provider?
Yes, you can transfer your domain name to another hosting provider. To transfer a domain, you usually have to unlock it, get an Auth code, and start the process with the new hosting provider. This transfer may take a few days, but make sure you have full control over your domain name when switching service providers. Keep all your domain name information up to date to avoid any delays during the switch.
How can I protect my domain name against cybersquatting?
To protect your domain name against cybersquatting, quickly register your domain with several extensions (TLDs) like .com, .net, and .org. Don’t forget to reserve similar versions of your domain, even ones with typos or dashes. For added security, set up auto-renewal so your domain name doesn’t expire, and remember to update your payment method. If you notice a violation, take immediate action and seek legal remedies to get your domain name back and keep your brand safe online.
What is the difference between a domain name and a subdomain?
A domain name is the main address for your website (e.g. mywebsite.com), and a subdomain is just an extension of this domain, used for organising or segmenting website content (e.g. blog.mywebsite.com). Subdomains let you create separate sections — often for blogs, online stores, or different website languages — you don’t need to buy a domain for each of these. This structure helps you manage different pages/parts of your website and keep everything under a single, primary domain name.
*If the domain name extension supports DNSSEC.