Epik vs NameSilo
A detailed comparison to help you choose between Epik and NameSilo.
Quick Verdict
2.5/5
Epik
0 reviews
3.6/5
NameSilo
0 reviews
NameSilo is rated higher (3.6 vs 2.5). US-based ICANN-accredited domain registrar (founded 2009) offering WHOIS privacy, bulk registration and marketplace tools. Sold to Registered Agents Inc. in 2023; under new ownership it repositioned toward small businesses with tighter terms of service. Budget-friendly domain registrar offering .com, .net, .org and 500+ TLDs. Includes free WHOIS privacy, DNS management, and basic email forwarding for all domains.
Epik Domain registration with privacy protection and reseller support | NameSilo Affordable domain registration with competitive renewal rates | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Rating | 2.5 (0 reviews) | 3.6 (0 reviews)✓ |
| Pricing model | paid | paid |
| Starting price | From $9.99/mo✓ | From $17.29/mo |
| Best for | Small-business buyers who want domains alongside the parent company's registered-agent and LLC-formation services, and existing holders who value the tightened post-2024 terms of service over price. | Portfolio managers, domainers, and developers holding many domains who want flat, item-free billing, free privacy on everything, and an API for automation. |
| Tags | ||
| Tags | api access | api access |
| Visit Epik → | Visit NameSilo → | |
Epik
Pros
- + WHOIS privacy included free on registrations — no per-domain privacy upsell
- + Published price table for common TLDs and bulk/marketplace tooling included in the platform
- + ICANN accreditation survived the 2023 ownership change; transfer was reviewed and finalised openly (31 January 2024)
- + New ownership has tightened abuse handling and repositioned the platform toward small businesses
- + Mid-scale operational footprint: 22nd largest US registrar as of January 2022
Cons
- - Expensive against mainstream registrars: .com $15.99 register/renew, $129 redemption ($229 for .shop)
- - September 2021 breach exposed ~180 GB including credentials and private keys; initially denied by the company
- - 2023 financial collapse and forced $5M sale to Registered Agents Inc., whose corporate structure drew press scrutiny
- - History of upstream terminations (Voxility, Linode, PayPal) tied to its old customer base and practices
- - Product story beyond domains is scattered; support depth lags top-tier registrars
NameSilo
Pros
- + Flat registration-equals-renewal pricing on core extensions (.com $17.29 both ways)
- + Free WHOIS privacy for the life of every eligible domain, plus free DNS, email forwarding, and Domain Defender
- + No hidden fees: no privacy renewal charges, no charge for auth codes, transparent pricing page with regular prices marked
- + Free documented API and strong bulk tools for portfolio automation
- + Discount Program and volume tiers lower per-domain cost for large holdings
Cons
- - Ticket-based support only — no phone line and historically no live chat
- - Retail .com at $17.29 is above at-cost and several mid-market registrars
- - New-gTLD renewal cliffs apply here too (.shop $38.99, .store $58.99 after cheap first years)
- - Interface is dated and denser than newer competitors
- - Side products (hosting, SSL, email) are not reasons to choose this registrar
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