🏆 Quick Verdict
Cloudflare wins on price and security. GoDaddy wins if you need website builder tools or phone support. For pure domain registration, Cloudflare is the better value.
The Pricing Model Difference
Cloudflare: At-Cost
Cloudflare charges exactly what the registry charges them—no markup. They make money from other services (CDN, security), not domains.
.com: $10.44/year
GoDaddy: Promo + High Renewal
Low first-year promos to get you in, then high renewal rates. Plus extra charges for privacy and add-ons.
.com: $6.99 first year → $23.99 renewal
5-Year Cost Comparison (.com)
| Year | Cloudflare | GoDaddy* |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $10.44 | $6.99 + $9.99 privacy = $16.98 |
| Year 2 | $10.44 | $23.99 + $9.99 = $33.98 |
| Year 3 | $10.44 | $33.98 |
| Year 4 | $10.44 | $33.98 |
| Year 5 | $10.44 | $33.98 |
| 5-Year Total | $52.20 | $152.90 |
*GoDaddy includes WHOIS privacy which Cloudflare provides free
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Cloudflare | GoDaddy |
|---|---|---|
| WHOIS Privacy | FREE (built-in) | $9.99/year |
| Free DNS | ✓ Excellent | ✓ Basic |
| CDN/DDoS Protection | ✓ FREE | ✗ Extra cost |
| Website Builder | ✗ | ✓ |
| Web Hosting | Pages only | ✓ Full hosting |
| Phone Support | ✗ | ✓ 24/7 |
| New Domain Registration | Limited TLDs | Most TLDs |
Cloudflare's Limitation
⚠️ Transfer Required for Some TLDs
Cloudflare doesn't support registering all TLDs directly. You may need to register elsewhere first, then transfer to Cloudflare. Common TLDs like .com, .net, .org work fine.
Check Cloudflare's TLD list before committing.
When to Choose Each
Choose Cloudflare If:
- • You want the cheapest long-term pricing
- • You value security features (DDoS, CDN)
- • You're comfortable with self-service support
- • You're already using Cloudflare for other services
Choose GoDaddy If:
- • You need a website builder
- • You want phone support available
- • You need hosting bundled together
- • You found a truly good promo for multi-year
The Bottom Line
For domain registration alone, Cloudflare saves you ~$100 over 5 years per domain. Plus you get enterprise-grade DNS and DDoS protection for free.
Transfer existing GoDaddy domains to Cloudflare. Your wallet will thank you.