Hi!

I used to have a non-.au domain with Gandi because they had a reputation of doing things right and doing the right thing.

My problem now is getting an .au domain because it’s an extra $96 with them, apart from the domain fees.

Can you recommend me a good alternative that is also less-shady-than-the-average-big-company? Domain only, I already have hosting somewhere else.

Thanks!

  • 𝚝𝚛𝚔English
    7·
    3 months ago

    Not sure what you’re looking for specifically in a registrar, but I’ve not had an issue using VentraIP. The websites are hosted elsewhere, I just use them for the domain(s).

    • zero_gravitasEnglish
      5·
      3 months ago

      I was about to say the same - never had an issue with VentraIP 👍

    • guillemOP
      3·
      3 months ago

      I left that part ambiguous because to be frank I’m also not sure.

      I guess my priorities are:

      Easy: some sort of GUI in their webpage that allows me to change the DNS records my hosting company tells me to. Also being able to register a domain as an individual (I wanted to try ddns.com.au but their form seems to only accept entities with ABN?).

      “Ethical”: my fees going to a company that checks a diffuse combination of, say, being local, promoting FOSS, using renewables, avoiding tax havens, any other “good traits” I might be forgetting about…

      Thanks for the Ventra recommendation, I will check it out.

      Edit. Looks like I was not paying attention to the ddns.com.au form, as there is an individual eligibility type. Edit 2. Changed DDNS to ddns.com.au to avoid confusion with “dynamic DNS”.

      • 𝚝𝚛𝚔English
        3·
        3 months ago

        Also being able to register a domain as an individual (I wanted to try ddns.com.au but their form seems to only accept entities with ABN?).

        You need to be eligible to register a .com.au or .net.au domain, so you will need an ABN (even as an individual, i.e. sole trader).

        You can register a .au domain without an ABN though.

        From: https://www.auda.org.au/au-domain-names/domain-name-help/comau-and-netau-rules-eligibility-and-allocation

        com.au and net.au Namespace

        2.4.4 A Person applying for a Licence in the com.au and net.au Namespaces must be

        • a Commercial Entity; and
        • the domain name applied for must be:
          • (a) a Match of the Person’s company, business, statutory or Personal name; or
          • (b) an Acronym of the Person’s company, business, statutory or Personal name; or
          • (c) a Match of the Person’s Australian Trade Mark; or
          • (d) a Match to or an Acronym of a name of a Related Australian Body Corporate or
          • (e) a Match or an Acronym of a name of:
            • (i) a partnership of which the Person is a partner;
            • (ii) a trust of which the Person is a trustee; or
          • (f) a Match or Synonym of the name of:
            • (i) a Service that the Person provides;
            • (ii) Goods that the Person sells (whether retail or wholesale);
            • (iii) an event that the Person registers or sponsors;
            • (iv) an activity that the Person facilitates, teaches or trains;
            • (v) premises which the Person operates and which that Person is providing at the time of the application.

        From: https://www.auda.org.au/policy/au-domain-administration-rules-licensing#2-4 :

        .au direct Namespace

        2.4.3 A Person applying for a Licence in the .au direct Namespace must have an Australian Presence, and .au direct Domain Names will be allocated according to the priority allocation process set out in the .au Direct Priority Rules.

        • guillemOP
          3·
          3 months ago

          Yes, I didn’t have a proper look at their registration form, they allow individuals. I’m a resident and it’s a direct .au I’m after.

  • NathA
    3·
    3 months ago

    I love Hover. It’s run by Tucows.
    In ye olden days, when web hosting was expensive, Tucows hosted free software for the Internet on fast servers. It was a community service that is no longer needed or appreciated today. In thanks for their service in those early days, I use their domain registrar. They’re not the cheapest on the Internet, but their web UI is nice and registrant anonymisation is free.

    • Zagorath
      3·
      3 months ago

      Last time I checked, Hover didn’t support .au domains unfortunately.

      Edit: I just checked and that’s still the case.

    • ⸻ Ban DHMO 🇦🇺 ⸻English
      2·
      3 months ago

      I didn’t know that about their history, I recently moved someone from there to Cloudflare registrar because it was $9.95 USD vs $19.95 USD which feels way more expensive in Australian Dollars ~$15.14 vs ~$30.36 for a .com domain. I know Cloudflare are being anti competitive but everything is just so expensive here

  • hitmyspot
    2·
    3 months ago

    Amazon does it through aws under the route 53 brand. If you’re gonna host through aws anyway, it’s easy and reasonable priced. However, they are the devil, lol.

    • guillemOP
      3·
      3 months ago

      Yeah, I’d really like to avoid them (shudder).