FFS Crazy Domains - recommend me a domain registrar

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tchart

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#319981 23-Jun-2025 10:10

TLDR; in seek of a not crap domain host in NZ.

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I had some New Zealand domains registered with a company that was acquired by Crazy Domains. Ive left the domains there due to "what aint broke" etc.

Anyway, my primary domain is a .nz, but some people try to email me on .co.nz so I went ahead and registered the co.nz with Crazy Domains

However, their "free DNS" hosting excludes the use of TXT records - yes, you heard correctly, it excludes TXT records. Like FFS.

Anyway, Im after some recommendations...

BTW I use Namecheap for my non-NZ domains but I believe they cant host .nz domains? Not sure if that is true (my main .nz domain was purchased through Namecheap originally but got transferred off)

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#3386297 23-Jun-2025 10:19

We've had the same experience recently with a domain a client registered for themselves many years ago with Domains4Less. Their automated import of the domain into the CrazyDomains system was messed up and the client was not getting reminders about the upcoming renewal date. The domain expired and chaos ensued.

The old D4L credentials did not work. Password reset did not work. They did answer the phones quickly and I was able to pay over the phone with a credit card to get the domain online again but they used the jankiest 'secure telephone payment gateway' <cough> that I've ever come across. Still don't have access to the domain control panel. That's now a problem for another day.

(Normally we manage domains on our client's behalf, but this was a small client who really wanted to self-manage.)

I completely agree about TXT records being a 'premium' offering (i.e. additional cost) being complete BS.

Voyager's solution (1st Domains) and Metaname are both reputable and providers we frequently use for client domains. Both have been hassle-free in our experience.

“Don't believe anything you read on the net. Except this. Well, including this, I suppose.” Douglas Adams

freitasm

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#3386298 23-Jun-2025 10:22

Metaname for an all-around good registrar.

Or move DNS management to Cloudflare.

Referral links: Quic Broadband (free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE) | Samsung | AliExpress | Wise | Sharesies

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acsylaa

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#3386300 23-Jun-2025 10:36

as Above, Metaname for Domains and Cloudflare for DNS

tchart

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#3386302 23-Jun-2025 10:42

Thanks everyone. Have transferred it to metaname. Will do the same with the others.

heavenlywild

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#3386304 23-Jun-2025 10:54

tchart:

Thanks everyone. Have transferred it to metaname. Will do the same with the others.

Just confirming it is this service? https://www.metaname.co.nz/

The website look doesn't give me a lot of confidence hence I am checking.

Dynamic

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#3386306 23-Jun-2025 10:55

heavenlywild:

tchart:

Thanks everyone. Have transferred it to metaname. Will do the same with the others.

Just confirming it is this service? https://www.metaname.co.nz/

The website look doesn't give me a lot of confidence hence I am checking.

Yes.

The web site design is very simple and unconventional, I agree. Good team behind it though.

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heavenlywild

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#3386308 23-Jun-2025 11:01

Thanks @Dynamic

So if I moved across from Crazy Domains, what would I be missing? The pricing looks so good. I am a noob self-starter so need some advice, thanks!

freitasm

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#3386309 23-Jun-2025 11:01

heavenlywild:

The website look doesn't give me a lot of confidence hence I am checking.

Like Geekzone...

Referral links: Quic Broadband (free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE) | Samsung | AliExpress | Wise | Sharesies

Support Geekzone by subscribing (browse ads-free), or making a one-off or recurring donation through PressPatron.

Dynamic

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#3386310 23-Jun-2025 11:02

heavenlywild:

Thanks @Dynamic

So if I moved across from Crazy Domains, what would I be missing? The pricing looks so good. I am a noob self-starter so need some advice, thanks!

Nothing would be missing. :)

Metaname's setup is fully featured, in my experience using in both a commercial and a personal way.

“Don't believe anything you read on the net. Except this. Well, including this, I suppose.” Douglas Adams

heavenlywild

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#3386311 23-Jun-2025 11:03

freitasm:

heavenlywild:

The website look doesn't give me a lot of confidence hence I am checking.

Like Geekzone...

I have "screen burn" on my eyes due to all my years on Geekzone. It still looks amazing sir. If you change now, it would really play games on my eyes.

BlakJak

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#3386312 23-Jun-2025 11:04

I feel like the issue of domain name registrars comes up frequently enough that we need this to be a sticky or something.

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#3386313 23-Jun-2025 11:04

heavenlywild:

Thanks @Dynamic

So if I moved across from Crazy Domains, what would I be missing? The pricing looks so good. I am a noob self-starter so need some advice, thanks!

I did that and things were easier to achieve and just works

heavenlywild

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#3386314 23-Jun-2025 11:04

Dynamic:

heavenlywild:

Thanks @Dynamic

So if I moved across from Crazy Domains, what would I be missing? The pricing looks so good. I am a noob self-starter so need some advice, thanks!

Nothing would be missing. :)

Metaname's setup is fully featured, in my experience using in both a commercial and a personal way.

So do I need to purchase anything else to make my current website working? And emails? Privacy add-on? I am so used to Crazy Domains' add-ons galore.

Dynamic

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#3386364 23-Jun-2025 11:10

heavenlywild:

So do I need to purchase anything else to make my current website working? And emails? Privacy add-on? I am so used to Crazy Domains' add-ons galore.

No, Metaname don't play that silly game. Simply the annual renewal for the domain name is sufficient.

I don't know where your web site is hosted, but just for clarity, Metaname do as they say they do. Domain name and DNS hosting, very well and without fuss. They do not do web site hosting.

“Don't believe anything you read on the net. Except this. Well, including this, I suppose.” Douglas Adams

BlakJak

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#3386365 23-Jun-2025 11:13

heavenlywild:

So do I need to purchase anything else to make my current website working? And emails? Privacy add-on? I am so used to Crazy Domains' add-ons galore.

Ensure you understand the role of the Registrar (the means through which you annually purchase/renew the domain), the DNS host (the means through which records associated with your domain, such as www.example.com, can be resolved to internet IP addresses that people can access), the web host (where your website lives - the place to which your www address needs to point) and other services (such as your email host, to which the MX records in the DNS point). Metaname provides registrar services and DNS services. Nothing to do with your website, except for the DNS record that points at it.

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